emerson
All-Pro
- Location
- Maritimes, eh?
- Name
- David
A while back I was contemplating a new camera purchase. I try to keep a leash on my camera spending, and objectifying the selection process is helpful in this. Otherwise, the 'best' camera would be the one I could least afford.
I decided to work backward from the photos. That is, I assembled a group of the photos I was the most pleased with and sorted them by camera and a other few different ways. I wanted to see what this might tell me about the wisdom of my past choices.
In retrospect, the results should have been more obvious to me. I learned a few things:
a] MSRP is not closely connected to my satisfaction with the photo.
b] Small and light almost always comes out on top; it's that camera most likely to actually be with me when I encounter something that's photographically interesting.
c] Expansive feature sets rarely matter in the final result.
d] Over time, I have come to prefer a 28mm FOV. I knew that over the years I had drifted to shorter facial lengths, but when I looked at the photos I valued the most, they almost without exception came from a 28mm. My working theory is that as I accumulated experience, I used converging lines in composition more frequently. Perhaps I also become more willing to slow down, and zoom with my feet, too.
The first three points weren't so much of a surprise, but the prevalence of 28mm shots was unexpected.
So what about you? Have your FOV preferences changed over time, and why?
[Postscript: the first three points, though perfectly rational, remain unhelpful in repressing my urge for a Leica Q]
I decided to work backward from the photos. That is, I assembled a group of the photos I was the most pleased with and sorted them by camera and a other few different ways. I wanted to see what this might tell me about the wisdom of my past choices.
In retrospect, the results should have been more obvious to me. I learned a few things:
a] MSRP is not closely connected to my satisfaction with the photo.
b] Small and light almost always comes out on top; it's that camera most likely to actually be with me when I encounter something that's photographically interesting.
c] Expansive feature sets rarely matter in the final result.
d] Over time, I have come to prefer a 28mm FOV. I knew that over the years I had drifted to shorter facial lengths, but when I looked at the photos I valued the most, they almost without exception came from a 28mm. My working theory is that as I accumulated experience, I used converging lines in composition more frequently. Perhaps I also become more willing to slow down, and zoom with my feet, too.
The first three points weren't so much of a surprise, but the prevalence of 28mm shots was unexpected.
So what about you? Have your FOV preferences changed over time, and why?
[Postscript: the first three points, though perfectly rational, remain unhelpful in repressing my urge for a Leica Q]