This article is about why photographers have so many lenses, bodies etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I mean, women can have 37 handbags and no-one bats an eye, but a photographer with three cameras? How does he hold them all at the same time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A case in point – I use four camera bags – each has a different camera body inside, fitted with an ‘appropriate’ lens for whatever it is I’ve decided the camera generally will be used for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I simply can’t get my head around ‘DX’ or half-frame (24 x 16mm) film \/ sensor format – sure the quality is there, but I have to make such a lot of calculations regarding angles, depth of field etc. I prefer to stick with one format – ‘FX’ or 24 x 36mm where I know instinctively what I will obtain with regard to focal length and \/ or depth of field.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1st bag – NIKON Z6-ll<\/strong> – 24mp sensor, extremely sensitive in low light, small and very portable, generally using the f\/4 group of lenses – 14-30, 24-70 and more recently, the 24-200. Very well adapted to travelling as I can fit all that, and more, into one carry-on bag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2nd Bag – NIKON Zf<\/strong> – 24mp sensor, very compact ‘retro’ style – perfect for street photography. This bag is really quite small but I still manage the 28mm SE and the 40mm SE and a few batteries etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3rd bag – NIKON Z8<\/strong> – 45,7mp sensor – general do-anything camera fitted with one of the f\/2.8 triplet (14-24, 24-70, 70-200) Physically a little larger than the Z6-ll but as with all my camera bodies, all the buttons are in the right (same) places so changing cameras doesn’t phase me. Often used for ‘work’ as the low light capacity (despite what the people on the<\/em> Nikon Rumors site say<\/em>) is excellent, and when treated in Lightroom there’s nothing else needed. I’ve also been known to bolt-on the 100-400 which makes a very well balanced piece of kit. As with the Z9, this camera body does not have a mechanical shutter which makes it very discrete – I’ve had artists ask why I haven’t used my camera at all during a performance !!<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4th bag – NIKON Z9<\/strong> – 45,7mp sensor like the Z8 – this I use principally for circus\/concert work as the battery lasts forever, and with a 512Gb memory card (actually 2 !) I can shoot practically all day without stopping. Same comments regarding the low-light\/noise etc. as the Z8 – with a little tweaking (I have created a pre-set in<\/em> LR) the files are perfectly useable up to huge enlargement sizes. The ‘standard’ lens for my circus work is the 24-120 f\/4 S which is lightyears ahead of it’s old AF-S brother, thankfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I have large hands and the Z9 fits perfectly – for me it’s all a question of ergonomics – if you can’t hold the camera comfortably, or your fingers don’t fall easily on the buttons you regularly need, than it’s time for a rethink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ve held Canon cameras a few times, and to me the position of the controls is not as intuitive as with the recent NIKONS – this is not to say that I couldn’t eventually get used to a change, but given that I’ve been using modern DSLR and more recently mirrorless cameras since the early part of the century, I see no reason to change now – and to what advantage?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yesterday the new Canon R1 was announced – this is supposed to be the Canon equivalent of the Z9 – it isn’t – far from it. Yes, some Canon lenses are very good indeed – much as their pricing seems to be pretty exotic too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n No, I think I’ll stay where I am – better the devil you know… after all !<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This article is about why photographers have so many lenses, bodies etc. I mean, women can have 37 handbags and no-one bats an eye, but a photographer with three cameras? How does he hold them all at the same time? A case in point – I use four camera bags – each has a different … <\/p>\n