The 5 Words That Make Many Photographer’s Recoil: “Must Be A Nice Camera”
Subtitle: I Do Not Get Hurt Feelings. I Explain.
Was showing some work of mine from a recent trip to Brooklyn.
Exhibit A:
That is when it was uttered:
“Must Be A Nice Camera”
Yeah. Nope. Even in this case.
One can make a case about the camera in question…
…due to the large (for digital) medium format sensor it contains. But… I could also argue that I kneecap myself a bit with this camera. How?
I am glad I imagined that you asked.
- By digital standards this camera is ancient. Released in 2018.
- Being contrast only, AF is not a strong suit with this camera.
- No IBIS does it no favors.
Same came can be said of the lens.
- It is far older than the camera, first released in 1966.
- Of course AF is not on the table.
- It was not made for medium format and vignettes quite a bit… but I like it.
- It flares… but I like it.
- Acceptably sharp, but nowhere near as sharp as modern lenses… but I like it.
Seeing a pattern here. The imperfections are kind of the point. To recap:
- No IBIS.
- No AF.
- Optically hobbled.
Far from the best camera and lens technically speaking.
But that is what makes it more enjoyable for me. With fewer technical aids and inherent imperfections I feel like the photograph has more to do with the photographer… me… than the camera and lens.
And after all of that to have someone say:
“Must Be A Nice Camera”
My thoughts?
Why thank you. Very kind of you. Speaks to my ability to create pleasing images with a camera and lens that demand a lot from the photographer. But when you nail it, oh man.
Did I explain why that could be seen as offensive to some?
No.
- They meant no harm. How do they know?
- Lecture them with comparisons to a chef and his pots as I have heard others do? Nah. I chuckled and moved on.
- Knowing I had more control over the outcome than usual, it feels good that they think it is the camera.
- Plus as we all know just having a nice camera does not net one good photographs.
- Again. I know this. That is enough for me.
Oddly this all pairs perfectly with a recent odd obsession of mine. I have recently written about how a recent Pentax film camera has me appreciating a nifty fifty I have had for a while…
…and a recently acquired macro lens.
The issue? (In strictly first world problem terms anyway.)
I do not have a digital Pentax camera.
Have had plenty of Pentax DSLRs before.
Decided against the K-1.
A great camera. Have owned it several times before. But it is overkill when all I want is a digital sensor to put behind some lenses I like. So, APS-C it is and I have owned a few. The relatively newer ones are nice…
…but like the K-1 they cost more than I want to spend and are more camera than I need just to put behind some old film era AF lenses. I could go as far back as the K-20D I once had, but I jumped on KEH and MPB to see what else was out there.
What I settled on?
The K-x.
Also costs peanuts in Excellent condition ($118). Compared to the K20D it loses weather sealing, shares the same SR (Pentax speak for IBIS), but adds a few features.
- Live View.
- Face Detect in Live View.
- Video.
More on this story after I get this camera out into the wild.
What does this have to do with my ramblings above?
I am excited to get out and see what I can do with a 12MP camera released in <checks notes> 2009.
This is right up my alley.
New releases are racking up ridiculous specs nowadays and that is great. That can be interesting to use… but sometimes it is not that much fun. Capabilities have their place. Paying customers and mee maws do not care how much fun you had. They just want the pics. But on my own time and for my own purposes? I prefer cameras that are a bit hobbled.
Welp. That is enough for now.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 