After four decades of Canon, photojournalist David Burnett switches to Sony
Jan 24, 2018
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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The desire to switch brands has never really been there for me. That’s not to say that I believe the brand I shoot is particularly the best, just that there doesn’t seem to be much point. The gear I use gives me what I need, and all the brands seem to leapfrog each other every year or two anyway. But there are an awful lot of people switching over to Sony right now.
The latest to join the list is photojournalist David Burnett, who’s been shooting Canon for 40 years. He recently posted a video to his Vimeo account talking about why he decided to make the transition over to Sony. And for what he shoots, it makes a lot of sense.
As a press photographer, who covers everything from politics to sports, David has spent 50 years working in the industry. And he’s still working as a photographer today. Exactly 40 years ago, in January 1977, David took all his Nikon gear into a camera store in Boston and traded it for Canon. And he’s shot Canon ever since.
But as the technology in our cameras has evolved, so have the needs of some photographers. David being one of them. So, for the last few months he’s been checking out the Sony A9, A7RIII and A6500. Now he’s decided to get rid of the Canons and go Sony full time.
Part of David’s reasoning is the obvious size advantage. Of course, with a full frame camera, even a mirrorless, you’re still limited by physics, and big sensors require big lenses (if you want them to be fast). So, even though the overall rig may end up a similar size & weight, the smaller body can make it easier to hold. Also, because it’s a mirrorless with a super short flange distance, it’s also very easy to adapt vintage lenses to fit for manual focus shooting. And David says he has a lot of such lenses.
But even with all the old lenses, the new Sony glass impresses him. Particularly the Sony Zeiss 55mm f/1.8, describing it as one of the crispest and sharpest lenses he’s ever used around that 50mm-ish focal length. He has held onto some of his Canon lenses, though, to use on the Sony bodies with an adapter, presumably the Sigma MC-11.
The 20 frames per second continuous shooting with the Sony A9 also holds huge advantages for David. He’s off to South Korea to shoot the Winter Olympic games this year, and there’s no doubt that will offer a huge advantage. As will the super high resolution of the Sony A7RIII for other images.
I do a lot of sports work. […] When you’re up to 20 frames per second it gives you a little bit more of a cushion to make a mistake.
I kinda feel like I’m really finally stepping into the 21st century with these cameras.
I do wonder if this trend will keep up, or if we’ll get to a point in a couple of years where everybody who was going to switch has switched. Then it’ll just be back to the same brand wars we had when it was just Nikon vs Canon. Except now we’ll just have a few more players.
[via PetaPixel]
John Aldred
John Aldred is a photographer with over 25 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter – and occasional beta tester – of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
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31 responses to “After four decades of Canon, photojournalist David Burnett switches to Sony”
Press photographer needs to use vintage manual focus lenses ?
I adapt a ton of old Minolta, Pentax and Canon FD lenses to my A7ii and they work wonderfully.
As a multiple World Press Photo winner, he would know.
Did he ditch the large format film camera that he used at the last London Olympics?
This is just silly. In 20 some odd years of shooting nikon and being a press photographer myself, I can’t see myself justifying switching over to any other brand, not that nikon is superior to the others but having accumulated well over 20k$ worth of nikon brand gear over the years, the investment to get those same tools in another brand would break the bank… I guess if you get sponsored by Brand X to switch to their brand and have them supply equivalent replacements for all your gear there might be an interest but other than that for any pro with a fair amount of gear, it’s just silly as no one brand has that much of a clear advantage over the others to justify the investment.
It you take the same image with each camera by the same professional only seconds apart then place the images side by side and ask everyone which image was taken by which camera…..?
You have Nikon Alain, we don’t switch to Sony as it doesn’t make sense in terms of image quality nor ergonomics. Can’t say the same about Canon shooters:)
Metabones adapters have become so good that you can use your Nikkor glass with Sony. You can keep your investment and add a selection of Sony/Carl Zeiss lenses to your arsenal.
Adam Zdebel Sony is the Main image sensor manufacturer and Nikon supplier. If you own a Nikon you have a Sony at its Heart…
Some folks just want to keep looking through a mirror I guess….
Do you think he might be sponsored by Sony, and thats why he is switching, as they will let him have any equipment he wants?
No. Burnett uses what works for him. If he was sponsored he would say so.
Don’t get it wet https://youtu.be/c7BG74w0gAw
A9 is weather sealed.
This story is everywhere. Does Sony really think we’re that gullible?
Ridiculous criticism. Maybe he’s looking for new inspiration, techniques? Canon and Nikon have stopped innovating.
Are new innovations really helping a photojournalist create stories he or she would not have been able to in the past?
Short answer: No.
yes. EVFs are a game changer. Please keep looking through your optical viewfinders.
Let me know how that works in bright sunlight. Or shooting sports or things with movement.
I’d guess Sony gave him a deal, but that wouldn’t be a major factor for a pro at his level. A lot seems to rest on small in hand mirrorless and lens compatibility – my daughter has built up her gear around a nice little Canon 6D, but having moved into some commercial video work is seriously disappointed with absence of 4k on the new model (which seems to have been crippled to protect 5D sales). Given reasonable lens compatibility, as between moving up to the bulky Canon 5D IV and the Sony, that latter would be tempting.
Good luck to find a tele or big lens for the winter game for that Sony … I don’t think that 50 will reach something so your 20 FPS without AF, useless … it’s just a sponsored video. Sony don’t have any glass for wildlife or sports.
They have 24-105, 24-70, 24-240, 100-400, 70-200, 70-300?….
People think going to Sony is limiting but is the other way around… You can use lens form Sony but also Canon / Nikon now. The new models are so fast, non native lens are no longer as much of an issue.
I started my photo journey on Sony and while I’m a huge fan of playing the market/competition and seeing where other gear goes… I can’t imagine myself going to anything else but Sony. The live view finder is why I started photography/Sony to begin with.
Unless you have unlimited funds or sponsored – brand loyalty starts when you buy your first lens. This is clearly just propaganda
As the video said, part of the reason to switch was his mirrorless camera allows you to your DSLR / vintage lens and that is kinda the point.
Breaking news. Burnett returns Sony gear after shoot in rain destroys gear after lack of weatherproofing. Don’t even get me started on the drop off in quality when having to use a metabones adapter.
A9 is weather sealed and video said he got and love his native Sony lens…
More Holga please.
Canon has been a pain in my ass for 20 years. I think I’m done with them and companies like Apple.
Hey, business is business. It’s nice to do what you love as a job. But in the end bills need to be paid and food needs to be eaten. So if a brand change accomplished that do be it.