4 years ago
Photography can be a Passionate art. However looking around at how many people have cameras and how many passionate photographers there are, the numbers do not even come close to matching. In today's world of photography I do not see very many photographers (Professionals included) that do have a passion for photography. So to start this series off I am going to go over a few different Passions in photography and the first one I am going to discuss is one that very few people know even if they rely on it. It is
the camera experience.
Now stay with me because some things may be revealed to you. What is the camera experience? Lets take a look at 1st how we use our cameras. It is hard if not impossible to use a camera that is uncomfortable in your hand as well as up to your eye. So how much conscience thought does one person put into how the camera feels. I think the more passionate photographer either puts a lot of time or very little.
Let me explain, If someone is upgrading to a different model they may dwell on the feel of the camera a very long time. If it is a purchase of a camera that has been designed to feel like an old friend then it is only a quick once in my hand I know you (the camera) and we have already been through a lot, before I even take a photograph with you. So the feel of a camera will make the difference between I always want you in my hand VS. were can I sit this down or it is always in my pocket. If you like having the camera in your hand you will take more photographs and in turn become a better photographer.
The next thing is sound. Sound you say? That is right, the sounds of a camera are part of your experiences with your camera. Lets start looking at a few examples. Take the Olympus E-1 for example, it is a 4 year old digital camera and by today's consumers standards the E-1 is obsolete. However the Olympus E-1 has a very strong following of people who have not and will not upgrade because they feel the upgraded models are not adequate updates. The first thing is the feel which I covered above. The next though is the sounds. If you ever hear an E-1 shutter it is very unique and very quiet, just a soft click whir. None of the Olympus models since have had a shutter as quiet or as short. The Olympus E-3 is different by feel and shutter sound it has a soft ca click however not as soft as the E-1. How do I know shutter sound is that important to a passionate photographer because when the Olympus E-3 came out many people were doing shutter comparisons for others to hear. This is one of many examples on the web if you just google the camera model you are interested in followed by shutter sound will usually bring up some audio as well as some video files for your enjoyment.
There are other sounds that we can become attached to. If you look at Leica, they manufacture some of the most expensive cameras and lenses. They are also some of the most coveted cameras and lenses available today. So what all makes a Leica so sought after. It is not the general image quality, However Leica and their lenses have an ability for unique qualities in their images. Leica also tries very hard to keep each upgrade in a series familiar to the previous models. Leica's have a unique shutter sound as well as having other sounds the aperture is on the lens and has a soft yet solid click for every step in its range the focus is always looked at as class leading and is done by hand / one finger on the lens. Usually the owner of a Leica will only buy another Leica to replace it. So This is a video done by Wim Wenders that really shows the Passion of a photographer.
So how does this relate to the average photographer. Well if you find a Camera the plays to your senses as much as to your image quality needs, you will find your self using it that much more. Keep in mind That not all cameras are developed with this aspect of the camera being a priority. Then there are other manufactures that spend 100,s of hours and a lot of money to ensure it. So next time you go to purchase a camera it could be something as small as the sound of the shutter or the lens having an aperture ring that improves your photography.
I hope you find this interesting, feel free to leave your feedback and comments.
Thank you and God Bless,
Corey Brown (Glory 2 Jesus 4 Photography)
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I've just been surfing around your blog and really enjoying myself. I look forward to reading more of your "passion of photography" series. This post has been very interesting.
Good article. I completely agree - the feel of a camera, its build logic and user interface are as important as IQ. And Olympus makes some great cameras in that department. Though I must add that I'm a bit concerned recently because Olympus has taken this middle of the road approach like others. And the QC has also faltered. I really hope they gather themselves because once you could buy any pice of Olympus equipment (P&S, DSRL, voice recorder etc) and be sure that it is quality stuff that works as advertised. Not many makers had that kind of reputation.
I have a Leica M8 and much as I love it, the shutter sound in the Wenders film is totally false. The shutter sound on the original M8 (which Wenders uses in the film) was horrible, a click, whirr (shutter recocking) and a thump. The new upgraded shutter, available on the M8.2 and upgraded M8's, is better, similar but quieter, but still nothing like the sexy sound in the Wenders film.
Vinnie,
Thank you for taking the time to look around. I hope to hear more of your feed back and thoughts on the subjects I cover.
Thank you MD,
I do agree that it seems that QC on overall quality is on a slow decline in todays market in almost every field. On a Positive note Olympus has some of the best customer service and willingness to repair their products that I have ever seen.
Anonymous,
Thank you for your feed back on the shutter sound of the M8 and how it does not match what Wim used in his video. This brings up one of my points of how much we can focus on the shutter sound whether we realize it or not.