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Sunday, April 28, 2013
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AN ARTICLE AND CITYSCAPE PHOTOS :
WHICH CAMERA WILL YOU BUY ?
By Samyamoy Sen Gupta
Photographer
To Know About Me and My Photo Exhibitions, Click This : ALL ABOUT ME
- This article is not meant for full fledged professional , commercial photographers.
- This article is for those who are curious about or love or love and pursue photography as a hobby or use it as an art, as an amateur or has nothing to do with photography as a medium of expression but needs a camera anyway *
The necessity for writing this article is that “What camera
I should buy?” is a question I have been asked so frequently by aspirants,
enthusiasts, amateurs , friends, relatives and aquintances, that I feel almost
drained when answering it now ! Frankly, this is not an answer that can be
given in a sentence or two. In order to do justice to both the topic and the
enquirer, few explanations are necessary. Hence I decided to write everything
and make it easily available to all who wants to know.
September 2014
Before the digital age, it was somewhat easier to make such
a decision. You had full manual , semi
auto and full auto dslr cameras and ofcourse other simpler models which offered
some auto benefits to attract buyers. Full mechanical cameras were bought from
first or 2nd hand or even grey markets . These camera bodies of 35 mm film
formats if handled with care lasted more than one generations. Most of you have
started your hobby with old pentax or nikon slrs that were in your family for years.
Most professional photographers bought cameras and lenses from grey markets and
2nd hand shops mostly trusting full mechanical rather than auto manual ones. The
general notion was 'Automatic is more
vulnerable to damages and won't last long'.
Now with digital age , automatic is the only way for point
and shoot, bridge and slr cameras. Now lets look at the economy. Previously
apart from camera and lenses, you made a one time investment in enlarger and
dark room set up. Ofcourse the film, photo paper, and process chemicals cost
you had to incurr from time to time. Now you save on films and chemicals and
instead spend it on computer , softwares, printer set up. This is not exactly a
one time cost because you need to upgrade your entire set up after every 6 to 7
years . Now lets keep aside the setup and come to the camera & lense part.
Being fully automatic devices running on electronic chip
circuits, all digital cameras including DSLRs are extremely vulnerable to rough
use, humidity, extreme weather conditions and temperature changes. Resale value
of Dslr unlike Manual Slr is not impressive because no one trusts an automatic
body, used once. This is the same psychology that dictated preferances for
buying full manual slrs in pre digital era. Hence a dslr body , brand new price
of Rs 34000 when soled in 2nd hand
market fetches a mere Rs 4000 to 6000 maximum because of that 'trust' factor,
irrespective of whether it is soled 'as
good as new' or 'much used' condition.
# Any DSLR Camera of
a leading brand , carries on an average 2 years warranty after which , given
all factors like proper handling etc are constant , may serve you for 5 to 8
years (or more).
Recently, advertisement campaigns in print, television, web
media for leading brands in camera and lenses have increased manyfold. Popular
Film Stars are being made brand ambasadors by various companies. Not so long
ago , say upto 1990s , we in India seldom saw advertisements for SLRs except
in magizines and journals exclusively
dealing in technical and creative aspect of photography. We never raised an
eyebrow then because SLRs were understood to be meant for professionals or amateurs,
desiring precision work. But now I think it is time to raise an eyebrow when we
see extensive advertisements in various media and big brands are also
sponsoring photography exhibitions, conducting workshops and compititions. The
glamour quotient of 'Being A Photographer' is being exploited fully by these companies.
( Acually there is no such glamour in the job, and the associated problems are
more glamourous ! )
WHY ?
Simple . To turn anyone who has the slightest interest or
fancy in photography into a buyer of DSLRs, because that is where the big cash
is ! Once you buy a Dslr , you move on to buy additional lenses and so on.
"It's like, if you don't have Dslr then what kind of a photographer are
you ! Are you kidding me ?! ".
Let me tell you right now that Dslr does not give you super
photographs and in comparison, point and shoot or advanced point and shoot gives
you inferior ones. Its a myth. Even those who know nothing about technical
aspect of photography make sarcastic comments like “ What kind of photographs can you expect
from a Point & Shoot Digicam !”.
Ofcourse P & S has it’s own limitations and Dslr comparatively
gives better results because it has bigger sensors , it can support more ‘exact - for – situation’ lenses , filters etc, that is why dslr is meant for professionals. My
point is that the comparative limitations of Non – Dslrs, does not always come
in your way of getting good printable resolution photographs.
If you are earning from photography then you can invest say Rs
60,000 for a camera and one or two lense, use for say 6 years , keep a
depreciation a/c from your earnings and buy a new one afterwards. Although
professional photography ( any kind ) basic investment is a minimum of 1.5
Lakhs.
How long a dslr is going to run I can't say with a time
frame , I can't name any brands also because then companies are going to sue
me. Camera may conk a day after its bought or after 1 or 3 or 9 or more years.
Within warranty period conking saves you a few bucks, thats all. This is not
full mechancal body we are talking about which if used with care, serviced
routinely, does not conk and even if it does , can be easily fixed. We are
dealing with fully automatic device running on electronic circuit board and
chips. Even if a chips melts or circuit board burns due to excess charge, high
temperature etc its time to buy a new one. If you have the courage to open your
digital point and shoot you will be surprised to see that there is almost
nothing inside except a circuit plate and few small wires.
When compared with 35 mm film format analogue Slr with a 28
- 70 zoom lense, today even a decent digital point and shoot or advanced point
and shoot gives you way more benefit now.
For the sake of discussion let me at random pick a simple point and
shoot digital camera which company has stoped manufacturing now. It was
available for purchase 2 yrs ago. Now you can get even more advanced features
model at the same price.
Ex: Nikon L 21
coolpix segment once available for Rs 5000 approx.
It was small and easy to carry, zero maintainance,
you get Nikkor lense
,
2 inch macro mode in still and vdo,
3.6 x zoom lense,
3.1 - 6.7 zoom which in 35mm equivalent is 41 - 145 mm zoom ,
8mp,
focus range 1 ft to infinity,
macro focus 2 inch to infinity,
internal memory 19
mb,
ISO auto : 80 - 1600,
Electronic VR,
Self timer 10 sec,
Exposure compensations,
In built flash etc.
Ofcourse you don't get manual shutter and film speed
regulators, full manual operation option, a B i.e Bulb mode shutter , CCD sensor is 1/1.2
inch , but whatever you get is more than enough for most of you, only if you
forget those advertisements and your temptation for hefty looking D-SLRs. A
very important factor here is ofcourse sensor size. Quality of your photo is
directly related (but not solely dependent) with quality of lense and size of
your sensor. But this is applicable for low available light conditions and
precision works where every shade and detail matters. Only full size CMOS
sensor and good lenses does not ensure good photos .
So what camera will you buy
?
The answer depends on few other questions .
What is your exact purpose ?
What kind of photography are you in ?
Are you going to earn from your photos ?
Are you going to partcipate in local national or
international compitions and salons ?
Are you into creative photography ?
Are you prepared to spend at least once every year on DSLR
camera body servicing, sensor cleaning and cleaning of all your lenses ?
Now the trend is to organise exhibitions and compititions ,
workshops . This is done by small clubs and even reputed media houses with
sponsorship by big brand camera companies. Creative standards are often
compromised in order to popularise the compition among the mass. Everyone loves
to see his clicked photo and name published in a daily newspaper so more and
more photos are crammed in a page to make most happy and rest desirous. In most
cases minimum elligibility to participate in any workshop is entry fee and
D-SLR camera :)
Hence while judging your digital camera requirement be
biased free towards any fancyful notion.
* If you just need a camera to take photos when you travel with
your family and friends --- YOU DON'T
EVEN HAVE TO BUY A CAMERA, YOUR SMARTPHONE CAMERA IS SUFFICIENT. OR INCASE YOU ARE DETERMINED TO BUY A CAMERA,
ANY POINT AND SHOOT OF A REPUTED COMPANY WILL DO.
** If you love photography as a creative medium -
GO FOR ADVANCED POINT AND SHOOT. Image will be in Jpeg and
not Raw ( negetive like details ) but apart from that your work will not suffer
and you will also save loads of money.
*** If you love street photography and candids then also
point and shoot being small and discreet is ideal, advanced point and shoot
gives even more flexibility.
**** If you are in Available Light Photography then Advance
point and shoot with in built good quality lense, comparitively bigger sensors
than p & s is more than enough.
***** If you are in astrophotography , studio photography,
then DSLR is a must.
******If you pursue photography as a hobby and like to take
pictures of whatever seems interesting and meaningfull to your eye - BEGIN WITH
P & S and AFTER
3 / 4 YEARS MOVE TO ADVANCED P & S.
Please understand that buying a Dslr is not a one time
investment factor nor the end of purchases
, it is just the begining ! The kit lense given with most low end dslrs are no
good, you have to buy separate lenses. Lenses must be cleaned by skilled and
reliable units twice every year and after every visit to seaside.
PLEASE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT :
1. QUALITY OF PHOTO
DEPENDS ON VARIOUS FACTORS, BUT THIS MUCH CAN BE SAID SAFELY THAT , CAMERAS ARE
AVAILABLE FROM Rs 5000 TO 5,00,000
, AND QUALITY OF PHOTO GETS BETTER AS YOU MOVE UPWARDS THE PRICE SCALE. WHERE YOU WILL STOP AND UP
TO WHICH STANDARD YOU WILL REMAIN SATISFIED IS CLEARLY DICTATED BY YOUR SPENDING
CAPACITY.
2. THOUGH TECHNICAL
ASPECT OF A PHOTO IS PART AND PARCEL OF ITS CONTENT BUT YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE
LINE SOMEWHERE AS FAR AS TECHNICAL PERFECTION IS CONCERNED . CREATIVE
EXCELLENCE IS IN YOUR HEAD NOT IN YOUR CAMERA . A LEGEND LIKE H.C.BRESSON
PREFERRED TO CARRY A SIMPLE CAMERA AND SO DOES R.RAI AND MANY OTHERS.
Try to understand your true requirement before moving on to
buying something. Whatever you buy , Point & Shoot , Advanced P & S ,
Bridge , Mirrorless , D-Slr , do keep these points in mind before purchase
1. Lense quality
2. Lense aperture full open reading
3. Macro facility
4. Sensor Type And Size
5. 35mm equivalent F.L factor
6. ISO range
7. Shutter speed regulator
8. Light meter – Spot or Center weight
Rough idea of various types of cameras available now :
Point & Shoot – Sony DSC-W800,
Advance Point & Shoot –
DSLR – Nikon D 3200, Nikon D 5200, Canon EOS 1200 D, Sony
SLTA58K,
CITYSCAPE PHOTOS
BEAUTY OF A CITY
DANCES OF INDIA
( Folk Dance of Murshidabad, West Bengal , India )
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