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It doesn’t matter why this photographer switched from the Fuji X100 to the X-T20

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We often hear stories from both sides of the fence on how much gear really matters. And there are many arguments both for and against Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS). We all go through the feelings of it at some point. I know I have. Whether or not we act on it is another matter entirely.

Photographer Sean Tucker decided that he was going to switch out his Fuji X100, a camera which he loves and often raves about, for an X-T20. So, he did exactly that. He picked up an X-T20 along with used 23mm and 35mm lenses. When he posted a photo of it to Instagram, he was hit with wildly varying comments, and lots of them. In this video, he talks about them, offers his response.

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Why photographers fail

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Recently there has been a spate of very sad, and ultimately defeatist articles decrying the “death of photography”. We have no shortage of examples. Seriously.

In all their pain and detailed examples of how the art and business of photography have been “ruined” (their words), I can find little to no examples of the basic, most important reason that photographers are falling behind.

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Ramblings of a 3 year ex-gear addict

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It’s been about 3 years now since that infamous article I wrote, confessions of an ex-gear addict. It is by far the most popular article I ever wrote, it’s the one I hope to overdo someday and the one that birthed a bunch of me-too articles. It’s been a while now and I’ve been a good boy when it comes to cameras, but here are a collection of ideas that came during that time about camera buying and more.

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Photographs Are Made With Light, Not Sensors and Tech

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Great light is what creates great images

What makes a photograph is not the camera sensor, or the autofocus system, or the depth of field. Photographs are made with light.

I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to pixel peeping. I’ve gone through my share of acute episodes of G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), but the specific gear you’re using is so much less important than whether you’re using good light.

There always are, and will be, new articles outlining new camera tech with better attributes. They compare the iPhone 7’s camera to a pro DSLR, and in-so-doing, pose the question of if the professional photographer is a dying breed. With high quality image capture devices steadily becoming more affordable and accessible, who needs a “real” photographer anymore? Because isn’t the high quality, expensive gear the defining factor between a pro and an amateur? And is that gap narrowing with the advent of better, cheaper, cameras?

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Photography is not about the cost of the kit

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What’s in my bag? I don’t have a bag. Well, I do have, but it is the size of my laptop. I see this question in 95% of interviews with street/urban photographers.  Usually all of ‘ordinary’ photographers out there hope to read that famous street photographer X or Y uses cheap camera that you can buy for no more than 100 bucks on Amazon. The reality however is harsh. Yes, he has this camera in his bag but it is his third substitute player (using football language), and photographer X is a coach, this camera is a player that he had to take for the match in case all of his best players would forget how to play football. And that of course never happens so this little poor guy spends all the time sitting on a bench. So what happens when Photographer X crashes his two top Leica’s into pieces? Nothing, because it also never happens.

So there he is, the famous photographer and his gear, there you have it. He uses camera Z with lenses X and Y and tadaam – you are just a small step from taking all kinds of superb shots that famous photographer did. If it just was as simple as that, right? Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Leica or other great and expensive gear. I guess my hands would be shaking if I was to put my clumsy hands on 1 million dollar Leica. I would be so nervous and scared that I brake it, that I would forget how to take photos. I think taking selfie would be enough for me. I can hear you saying “but man, you have Fuji X100t that costs more than 1200 dollars so what do you know?” . You may have a point here, but let me just tell you what was my gear history.

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Stop with the gear lust already – Technology isn’t going to fix your problems

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We all have problems in life. Some of us are overweight, depressed, or tired all the time. Some of us lack creative inspiration, skills, or outlets for our work. Some of us lack motivation, willpower, and strength to take action in our lives.

Many of us feel that technology is the savior. If we only had that one kitchen appliance, we can finally become a great cook. If we only had that one camera, we could fully realize our potential in photography. If we only had that one lens, we would be more creative with our photography. If we only had that one GoreTex jacket, we could be a more adventurous backpacker. If we only had that one smartphone, laptop, or tool— we could be more productive, happy, and optimized.

I’m totally guilty of this myself. I always blame my tools and technology – never myself.

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TAINTED LOVE: why photographers fail

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Recently there has been a spate of very sad, and ultimately defeatist articles decrying the “death of photography”. We have no shortage of examples. Seriously.

In all their pain and detailed examples of how the art and business of photography have been “ruined” (their words), I can find little to no examples of the basic, most important reason that photographers are falling behind.

And that is;

Photographers are wildly devotedly, happily, and ecstatically in LOVE with the processes of photography. Like any devoted partner, they see the relationship as sacrosanct, and the most important in their lives.

And they are totally, 100% wrong to be so.

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Three tips for curing G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

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Do you have an insatiable lust for the latest and greatest gear? If so, you probably have Gear Acquisition Syndrome, a made-up cheekily known as G.A.S. throughout the web.

While it’s fun to play and experiment with the newest gear that gets released month after month, the reality is it’s not the gear that will make you a better photography. It’s practice and knowledge, two things you can gain with even the cheapest of camera equipment.

If you’ve been bitten by the G.A.S. bug already though, don’t worry. Miguel Quiles and Jeff Rojas, known on YouTube as ‘These Guys’ have come together to share three tips to help cure G.A.S.[Read More…]

This Chart Puts 2015 Video Cameras Head To Head

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2015 was definitely a year of video for everyone, especially with Sony and Canon releasing the A7RII and 5D SR which made (semi)pro video available at a pretty low price point (assuming you consider 3K low).

If you think that 3k is too high, here is some perspective for you. The other side of the production continuum has cameras where 2-3 thousand dollars can be their daily rent fee. Of course there is a reason for that, and those cameras provide superior image quality (usually at low light), dynamic range and bit depth, as well as other non-quality related features.

To get your GAS going cinematographers Tom Fletcher and Gary Adcock compiled a list of all available production cameras for 2015. Starting with the Alexa 65 which shot parts of The Revenant  through the Sony F65 (shot Tomorrowland) and Red Epic Dragon (The Martian) all the way to the affordable Canon C300.

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