Chosing the right camear for you!
It's 2019 I am sure that this topic has been written about to death. But recent;y the new sony A7 RIV was dropped and so began the relentless campaign of ad, blog posts and influencers postulating "is this the end of all other camera makers?"
Its a story as old as the invention itself, when something new comes out the hype train has to leave the station, bound for the top and everything in its path will fall to the wayside. But does this actually happen? Do pros, hobbyists and the like leave their loyal cameras for the next best thing? I think you can get what I am about to say (The answer is no).
Some are gear chasers, they buy one brand one day and leave it the next because of this fancy new hashtag or that big new sensor that will end all others. However, the funny part is that had they just stayed with their respective manufacturer and learned more about their style they could have gained far more than if they kept leapfrogging. For me its the equivalent of taking one step forward, and 2 steps back (or starting over every 9 months).
Camera sensors are filled with cool new technology and flashy bits and pieces that make them seem like they are light years ahead of the camera you just bought last year. But in the hands of a professional like yourself, they are all just tools waiting for a master to learn to use them correctly. I am an avid Nikon user. I don't like canon, Sony is always too trendy for me and FujiFilm will always be something I will daydream of. But the real reason I have stuck with Nikon for so long is not their sensors, lenses or even that I am loyal to the brand. It's about the feeling I get when I use the gear.
I started out with a Nikon D40 almost 15 years ago when I was a teenager. Just because it was a good deal. In college when I got "serious" I upgraded to a D7000 and then finally my first full-frame the much-loved D750. For years the D750 was enough for me. My photography was always better than my peers and when I started printing billboards the 24MP was more than enough so I figured why would I upgrade?
Only this year did I pull the trigger on a new camera when I jumped into the fine art world and finally made a decision on what I wanted to do. No longer did I need a camera that did everything really well. I needed a camera that did 1 thing really well, print incredibly detailed large images for fine art. In comes the Z7, a choice the most would argue was probably a bad decision for a myriad of reasons.
I am not going to list the insults people like to list for why you shouldn't use this camera but what I will tell you is that this camera is 100% right for my needs and exactly what I wanted. It's not the sensor, image stabilization or even the new mount that makes it work for me. Its how it makes me feel, how much I love using it and the simple pleasure of figuring out how to handle it.
As I sit here the camera is next to me on the counter, mounted to my 135mm F/2 and I just love looking at it. Its a work of art, something that Ansel himself would want to use just because it makes him feel like a photographer, an artist. If you look to other mediums painters have their favorite brushes they have used for years, or woodworkers their tools.
Me I have a camera that I love to walk around with, pick up and click the shutter. It may not have the best signal to noise ration of other cameras, nor the best glass out on the market but the fact that it makes me get up, get out and try at my artwork is what makes it really worth it to me. This is why I have no fear of just buying gear to have the latest thing. I love my camera and that is why I use it, you should too.
