I’m SICK of the ‘IMAGE QUALITY’ photography trap 😡
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- Опубліковано 1 лис 2024
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Well said, we sometimes have to remind ourselves that image quality is not the same as a quality image
Good answer. I might quote you on that.
Very well said...
men of new quote 🎉🎉🤝🤝
I *will* use your quote! Perfectly put. Pithy. Succinct. Good one!
But, lacking image quality does mean that quality-image isn't usable for certain applications and might be very limited as a result.
Saint Ansel said it best “There’s nothing worse than a sharp photo of a fuzzy idea”
That's sharp! (pun intended)😁👍
Actually, he said for real 'There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.' ~ Ansel Adams.
All Ansel Adams' photos are incredibly detailed, make them fuzzy and the magic will be lost. Some people always think that there is just one and only thing that matters, while in fact everything matters.
I recently called out a UA-cam photographer (with 250k subs, no less) for opening his video by saying "Whether you have a professional full frame camera or an entry-level APSC sensor camera..." . I genuinely thought we were largely over the sensor size/megapixels BS now. All mirrorless cameras have been somewhere between good and great for years now. And the vast majority of us are posting online and printing for our own walls at home, not doing billboards or gallery shows. If someone thinks its the tech in their hand that is stopping them from progressing they are flat out wrong. What we don't need are UA-camrs with massive audiences gas-lighting the hell out everyone. What we DO need are more voices like yours Henry!
I’ve got a D500 (APS-C) and I use a Z6 II (FF) at work and I’ve put images from them side by side and honestly I can’t see what the big deal is with FF - my D500 shoots beautiful sharp shots with lots of DR. The FF has a bit more background blur wide open and a little bit better noise performance but my photography is all done at f/11 and iso 100 so that doesn’t impact me
Actually, that's a common misconception. You dont need a lot of megapixels for a billboard due to viewing distance.
in the end we are just a painter looking for a brush 😌
I agree. A Z9 costs £5,500. My D500 with a 300/f4 PF and 1.4 TC for bird photography cost less than £2,000. I print A3+ and I’ve had A2 and an A1 printed. I think the images are fine. I’m glad I’ve got the £3,500 in the bank. (Not that a Z9 is any use without a lens …).
@@chrisnielsen9885 You're correct, there is not a lot of difference between FF and APS-C. The only bad thing is that manufacturers never released many good dedicated APS-C lenses (except for Fuji).
I always enjoy these "philosophy of photography" type videos. As a former truck driver I have made it to 49 of the 50 states and 7 Canadian provinces. Always with a camera but often unable to stop for the photo, but I keep the images in my head
Very cool!
Many times while driving long distances 800-1000 miles I have thought that I should have been a truck driver. I’ve been in so many places where the time of day and weather conditions weren’t ideal for a great photo. But if I was a truck driver I would eventually be on this road in perfect conditions. Then it finally dawned on me that I couldn’t be a truck driver and have the freedom to stop for a special photo whenever I wanted. Bubble burst, bad dream. Glad to hear you have a camera with you anyway. You can always go back after you retire, right?
I try to always prioritise the experience first and image second. When you look at the work of great photographers who have gone before us and see what they produced and then think about the technology at their disposal back, it puts things back into perspective for me
I always think that the big expensive ff bodies are for professionals who need to know that their camera has the capability to perform exactly as required even in extremes, whereas in most circumstances a less expensive one will do absolutely fine.
The only kicker is if you happen across a stunning image but it challenges the camera you're carrying: enjoy what you can take rather than ruing the opportunity 'missed'.
Well, they used medium and large format camera systems. Today, they're still expensive and the lenses they used are thousands of dollars each, today. They used Mamiya and Hassleblad, for some.
I joined a camera club for a while and left because they were so focused (sorry!) on competition and quality of the image. One guy had all the best equipment and tons of knowledge, and he won most of the competitions, as well as external ones for the club itself. He also won most of the annual awards which they gave out. Hardly anyone could beat him because the rest of us didn’t have the money to spend £1000’s on equipment. So, I found that I kept second guessing myself when I took a photo, wondering if the group would and this guy would approve! This made me depressed because my own confidence was severely knocked and I didn’t think my own shots were any good compared with most of the others. So, I decided to give it a miss, so I could get my confidence back. Now, I’m starting to just photograph things that excite me again and I’d lost that for a while. Just taking out my camera to see the beauty of things around me is the best thing and I’m able to enjoy myself, just by myself.
Photography clubs are full of egos and snobs. Best avoided.
@@paulneedham9885 Thanks for that. You’re right.
@@paulneedham9885 Fully agree. Although I have to say it's funny to watch guys sporting 6k+ worth of equipment make photos that could have been done (with more skill, on that I agree) with any ILC and good lens from the last 10 years.
well said, Martin!
Well done. Even I did the same thing.
Sometimes late at night on my computer, I begin browsing through photos taken over the past 17 years and fondly remembering my great adventures. I realized my favorite photos were taken with about seven different cameras, plus my phone, and a number of my favorites were taken with my original Nikon D 200.
So true. I found a favourite from years back the other day - it was a whopping 3 megapixels!
@@benejpocock many of mine are shoot with film
You’re right about being in those places, I just can’t I have COPD and I’m a bit unsteady nowadays so they are beyond my reach, my photography has to be near available parking nowadays but I enjoy a vicarious visit via your wanderings, I can imagine being there and I enjoy your enthusiasm, hence I love watching your vids x
Same here
Another great ‘adventure’ Henry. I take photos which speak to me, memories for me of something which I enjoy or like the look of: from a landscape, a flower or a macro: my dog or my family: not for anybody else. I was in a camera club but felt there was too much emphasis on competitions, not enough of ‘education’ of different genres or on the passion of actually taking images. I have a D500 for my birds & recently got a 2nd hand D780 but started of years ago with an OM20 which was a great camera. My cameras are tools, and it’s what the image says to me, not if it’s perfection!
Thank you Henry for getting the message out loud & clear. Photography has many sides to it and the masters have never been bogged down by resolution or complete perfection. Nor by the latest in gear or what you must or must not do. A good pictures thrives from expressing a motif, a mood or an emotion, it should appeal to the senses but not just the sense of criticism. Running with the tools you have and making the most out of a special situation is the real challenge (I also own an old RX100 that has often proven its value). But of course we need gear heads and nerds to keep the industry going and give some folks a talking point. Still, important to keep your priorities in place, which may differ from person to person. Please keep up the good work.
Your right about the gear etc,
I was a member of a photography group and met monthly, emphasis was on competition, and occasionally there was some education, like photoshop, and occasional photoshoot of a model, which gave you 3 mins of taking pics.
It was obvious of the “winners” in the comp, those that went on a 3 week safari, or hired a studio, a professional model.
So the enthusiastic amateur who went out once a month to say local woods, beauty spot or some historical place, museum had no chance. When you made suggestions like going to a football match, or a local motocross event, or greyhounds / horses, shot down in flames
Recently I was talking to another photographer about his sports images. He said when he submitted to sports editors they loved them but when he submitted them to competition the judges criticized them for being "imperfect". The issue was he had to deal with fast action and the available light which meant to get a photo it was high ISO and a fast shutter speed. I would not be too worried about competitions as often the judges have a very narrow criteria they are looking for.
I do find the emphasis on competition rather off-putting. It’s not just photography - dog training / agility is the same. Perhaps I’m missing something about being human.
I abhor competitive photography just as much as competitive fishing tournaments.
I'd ask if we go to the same camera club, but mine meets every two weeks. 😂
With the club for just over a year, not sure if I'll go back after the summer break. Absolutely obsessed with the regional competition, which seems to boil down to a small set of arbitrary rules of things judges _might_ go for, including some of the most obvious and flaming ugly editing jobs I've seen. A lot of the rest of the content was in how to do that via lightroom (Adobe? Yeah no) and the best part, the few photo trips, mostly involved wandering around for half an hour and going home.
(And I didn't even mention the toxic politicking that almost destroyed the club, during the time I joined)
As far as I'm concerned with IQ- I want decent raw dynamic range and lenses that are sharp across the frame...
Quality glass is king- no camera can compensate for that !
I still shoot with a D300s... some might think it's an antique... I still love it...
I still use my d200 and love it
I’m still using one of the first DSLRs ever made, with a selection of vintage lenses. Does what I want 🤷♀️
Thanks so much for telling your story. A breath of fresh air. The ironic thing for me... is I a photographer, and yet when I travel and go on adventures I sometimes don't even bring my camera. There is experiencing and there is trying to capture the experience, which is experiencing, but at times gets in the way of just being. Its a fine line and sometimes it just comes down to intention. Mahalo.
I am not a professional photographer but my first camera was the Nikon FE in 1983 (I think) and progressed from there with multitude of nikon cameras (did weddings as well) until I bought the Nikon D700 in 2010 and little fuji X10 later on.
I did not buy another camera since and don't intend to. The results I am getting from these two cameras are fantastic and made many prints that are on my walls and other family walls.
After 40+ years doing photography, the key thing that matters are the lens, so I have some great nikon and zeiss lenses and the results on the D700 are fantastic.
Cheers
I cannot agree more than you.
Recently I bought an Olympus Pen F. A m43 camera which is more than 8 years old. I decided to take it with me on holidays in Japan / Korea, in place of my Nikon D7200/ Sigma 18-35 f1.8. It has a very average sensor, but you can find a ton of cheap lenses and even pro lenses for it. And even if the pictures are noisy, you can easily remove noise using LR. And it's very light and a joy to travel with ! So I'd say the number of pixels, sensor size etc don't matter so much. What matters is having good lenses and the ability of the photographer to capture moments (right moment at the right place). Technology can help, but it's not that important.
Great photos and nice job colour grading the video too. The more muted but very pleasing balanced palette works really well for the video.
switched to mft 2 years ago. versatility is so much more valuable as a landscape and wildlife photographer. prints come out fantastic. keep up the great work Henry
Never had gear acquisition syndrome, which I'm thankful for.
I've gone the other way. OLD SLRs, the ones i couldn't really afford. Pentax Kiis, olympus E3. Etc. I'm getting beautiful pictures up to A2.
I was obsessing with a smaller camera to supplement my Z7 a while back. Fuji had the inside track but I really couldn't afford to feed two systems so I pulled the trigger on the Z50. Figured it had the same pixel density as the Z7, just less of 'em. It's my walk about camera as it's lighter. Sounds cheap when I take a shot but the image quality is right up there. Makes it easier to have "a" camera and get the shot and not having one. Still a wee bit gear focuses too much but really, I have enough for a very long time.
I visited Bangladesh earlier this year, the northern side which is lush with greenery and amazing terrain. All I had with me was my Panasonic G9 + 14-140mm Mark 2. And let me tell you, that is ALL I needed for ridiculously good wide and zoomed in landscape images including shots of my family. Came back, Photobox and printed a massive A3 album that I love looking at. That will be my GO TO set up now for all my trips. I don't care about the latest and greatest lenses and camera bodies, yes I do upgrade my other cameras to new stuff for my paid professional work, but for my personal use I love my humble set up.
Just ordered your Calendar Henry, I hope it helps a little in keeping you going. There aren’t that many UA-camrs that I can be bothered with these days, but yours, Ian Worth, Nigel Danson, Simon Baxter, James Popsys, Omar Gonzales and a couple of others keep me going because of your genuine passion for what you do. I understand it must be frustrating trying to create content which balances your photography ambitions with the crushing demands of the UA-cam algorithms but just keep doing what you’re doing, hang on to the passion and you’ll be fine. I’d love to be able to order the calendars of all the aforementioned photographers but ‘she who must be obeyed’ would probably have something to say about it! Thanks for all your efforts.
I have been sucked into this problem recently and then I have really tried to stop immediately zooming in to 100% to see if it is perfect focus. But totally ignored the fact that the picture is perfectly fine and some times better for having a bit of a better composition but not perfect focus than having tack sharp focus and no composition. Good video.
Totally agree, i got caught up in the search for perfect image quality, recently I've been using vintage lenses that are less than perfect, and started to enjoy my photography much more, focusing more on the overall look of the image rather than pixel peeping .
I bought my Nikon D5300 in 2017. It's the only and last camera I will ever own, it produces great images. Who the hell needs to zoom an image to a million percent until a single pixel is the size of your screen, then declare, "Aha! That pixel edge is blurry! That means the photo is trash!"
It's all about composition, perspective and lighting. Image quality comes in a distant last for me.
I got my Nikon D5300 in 2014 and it's like an old friend. It does what I need it to and it's there when I need it. No one who has looked at my photos has ever told me the camera's image quality was bad.
@@southernbiscuits1275 Agreed, I think it has great image quality.
I have only D3400. Recently I tried using my mid-end smartphone (use the app that can turn off sharpen filter), the output photos kinda better than I thought at 12 mp from a tiny sensor. now I plan to use my phone more. All about art now, not gear.
Same here.. Best pic's I made with my trusty D3300. Mostly cause its featherlight and therefore always with me. Loved my gorgeous D750 with primes and so but sold it cause of weight. Now a used D5300 for just 230 euros complements 3 af-p zooms and a 1.8/35mm and a 1.8/50mm for special Missions.
Best cam at the end is that you have with you and if none a phone can do wonders too.
Henry, yes, Image Quality - so over it! I've gone from Canon Full-Frame to OM Systems M4/3rds and I thought I wouldn't be able to cope. How wrong I was. The OM-1 and OM-5 are fantastic cameras. The tech inside them exceeds what was in my Canon. Yes, the Canon was older, but Live Bulb function has been around in Olympus cameras from before I got my Canon. Man, when you are doing long exposure night photographer, that Live Bulb is just fantastic. No more guessing, and counting the seconds for the exposure. I too have the RX100M7, that's my long walks camera. I am probably about 25 years your senior so don't judge me using small Point & Shoots for long walks. The reasons I got rid of the Canon was not just Live Bulb but it was the main, but also the size and weight of m4/3rds cameras and lenses. I've learnt not to worry about image quality. It is the capturing the moment for me. The RX100 is with me more times than not, and if not, it is the OM-5. I do love the 8-25mm F4 Pro lens from OM. I sold the 7-14 F2.8 just to get that 8-25. I hardly used the 7-14, but the 8-25 is almost never off the camera. I can live with the F4, especially when you can hand hold those OM cameras for up to around 3 seconds their stabilisation is so good. M4/3 vs 1 inch sensors, there's really not much in it, but the modern technology just makes image quality a non-issue, in my mind. Thanks for the video.
Couldn’t agree more love my OM 1👌
Great comment. On your last point though about sensor size, the glass is what matters just as much, if not more. No point having a larger sensor with poor glass in front of it. MFT lenses make the real difference between the relatively small difference from the 1” sensor.
I think we all enjoy listening to you "waffle"😅 ... I nearly had a heartattack when you put ur camera hand on that rock to steady yourself but "amazing" photo you took straight after.. Loved the portrait photo earlier too 🐶
great topic. I'm really trying to make an effort to no longer give gear videos any more traffic. It's a vicious cycle of materialism and almost every camera can produce great images. The experience is all that matters, as you've shared in this one
Always enjoy your videos, thanks for letting us live through your hiking adventures. Breath taking landscapes.
Henry I totally agree. All you need for full frame is Canon 6D. Old camera with a beautiful sensor. Now I use Lumix G9 with leica 12-60 and 55-200. Great sensor, and so film like when set to monochrome. You don’t need more than that. G9? What a joy to hold and use.
I’ve still got my old 6D - it takes a fantastic shot
Well said Henry. I go to sports club that has some posters on the wall featuring vintage sports images taken using very grainy film (probably push processed) using lenses that by modern standards would be judged “soft” or poor quality but they look fantastic . They capture special moments captured in well thought out compositions and remind me that the image is what matters not necessarily the sharpness of the detail and certainly not the equipment used.
When the inevitable Facebook post pops up “L need to upgrade my camera…” I always just drop in the question “What does your current setup stop you doing that the new kit will allow?” Nothing inherently wrong with Gear Acquisition Syndrome (it puts more stuff into the secondhand market that I can then afford!), just do it with your eyes open - usually addressing a “want” rather than a “need”.
Love your passion, my god. Someone just gushing about their job. (I recognise it because I do it as well here in Berlin.) Excellent message. All this b.s. on UA-cam about gear, especially everyone talking about the expensive stuff like Leica and Hasselblad, I mean, come on. Get back to the reason we're all here: to immerse ourselves in the scene, find the atmosphere, capture the tableau and share with others. Fun, inspiring video, incredible landscape. Love the backgrounds of your talking head parts - could crop those out and print them immediately. Luscious.
Henry, You are one of the few I can actually watch on UA-cam without wanting to through my computer out of the window. I went from 10/8" and waited many years before using digital. Never gave a stuff about what others said about digital quality. Most of them don't have a clue. As you say its all about the image. Like to know how many people have shot for a billboard (fortunately I have), or even made a large print.. Anyway, keep up the excellent work. Good lad. Marcus
I think I have mentioned this before, but in 2015, I climbed snowdon for my 4oth and I got my best images from a point and shoot rather than my dslr ( probably because I hadn't got into zoomed in panos back then) but they definitely have their value. Thanks again for your honesty Henry and great shots btw
Very true thoughts. Yes we can get caught up in the gear. I now have G9M1 I got on sale/open box. But when I go for a hike I take my first camera, the tiny G100. It is just fun fun fun to shoot. Small light weight, collapse the lens and stick in a pocket. The lens is not nearly as sharp, but I've enlarged to 16x20 inches, no problem.
I have to admit I have never classed myself as a gear head, yes I have upgraded my camera over the 8yrs I had one, Canon 1200D through 80D 90D to now having an R7 but I do not have any L series lenses or R series lenses I use sigma lenses, which give me the image quality that I am more than happy with, when I am in the Scottish Highlands especially, I could just look at the scenery without taking pictures it is, that amazing
I love heather 😊 It’s the flower of my old home… Being in these places are the most important things.
I still use 35mm and my OM4's and I'm happy with what I get when I bring my slides into Photoshop. I've never had any inclination to change over to digital cameras. Tried them, didn't interest me. And yes I get serious hate....
In a safari or wildlife photography, the crop factor of the non Full Frame sensors can work in your favor by obtaining longer focal lengths: a 400mm lens becomes a 640mm Full Frame equivalent in APS-C Format sensor. So in some cases is not just the image quality you obtain in Full Format. There are some advantages too :D
If you go to Micro Four Thirds, a 300 mm lens is equivalent to 600 mm on full frame, and MUCH more portable.
I have a 28-300 mm pro lens for my Canon DSLR, and I hardly ever use it, because it's too big and heavy. I have the equivalent Olympus 14-150 mm lens for my MFT cameras, and I use it very frequently, because it's a fraction of the size and weight (and cost), and very versatile if you're just walking around taking photos.
The issue is if image quality doesn't matter why shoot with anything other than an iPhone. Companies like so will stop making mirrorless and DSLR if you had your way.
Found the Canon user.
The argument is not that "image quality doesn't matter", but rather that the pursuit of image quality regularly interferes with the pursuit of photography. The various images displayed in the video could have been taken with a Z7 or an RX100. The takeaway is that as long as you can get the image, or more importantly have the experience, the camera you have with you is secondary.
A just bought a second hand Nikon D750 and it does exactly what I need. 24.3MP, full frame, it is enough. Files remain reasonable and colors are just wonderful. The best pictures are made by a photographer, not a camera or system.
I'm so happy you've said it and put yourself out there like this. Too many people (myself included) fall into this trap. I believe it is easy to put a "if I had a bigger sensor or if I had a sharper lens, my photos would be better!" In reality, a great photo is about everything else that makes that moment impactful or captivating - the camera is just the current tool to capture it.
Pro photographer (the one that do photography for his daily job), used to be using 6-10 MP digital camera back in 2000s, with so many limitation of older computational limit at that era.
And they've been doing fantastic job, capturing every moment they need to do.
In 2024, 20-24 MP camera, with all the programs, setting and improvement, it more than enough capable camera that allow us the luxury of capturing the moment with really great quality, without having to fiddle with all technical stuff. Sure, we can also do that in 2024, but the point is, it allow so many more people to just enjoy photography and taking the moment, capturing the every picture they like. Make them feel really happy about it.
That was a lovely shot through to the Langdale Pikes. Need to get up to that spot next time we get up there. Very evocative. The pikes are so intriguing especially from that angle. What a place!
To me it's all about capturing the moment. There are so many programs which allow me to play with my photos in post, but my favorites are the ones that show exactly what I saw, taken directly from my camera unedited. I can look at it and proudly think, yes, I was there at that moment. Those shots can be few and far between which makes them priceless. I also shoot a Z7 and E-M1 MKII.
I shoot multiple brands and sensor sizes. Been shooting photos since 1979 and hate the BS on social media, constantly seeing advertising for buying presets. I only shoot raw for professional work. 99 percent of my photos are jpeg using the in camera modes to get the style I like. Pentax have great jpeg modes, Olympus EM5 has great jpeg modes. I shoot for fun, to relax and reduce anxiety .
Henry, you “hit the nail on the head” here…. Photography is about the “art”, not the camera it was shot on! We as photographers (like my self) get caught up in the “gadget gap” as I call it…..”If only I had that camera or lens, I could have captured that photo”…. This totally negates any thought of creativity or art form…. Thanks for this important reminder and really enjoy your channel and content. As always, keep snapping and sharing!
I think the thing is, it’s now much more about finding a system/camera you get on with, particularly from an ergonomic point of view. How does it handle, can you find the lenses you want for the system etc.
Yes, we know DOF is a thing but still, with the right lenses, we can control that. I still go to pick up the camera that inspires me……even if that is a ten year old, M43 camera or whatever.
The dopamine hit of buying bigger, better, newer, faster, is a real thing! Doesn’t make us better photographers, i guess.
Great video; thankyou.
Chasing the photo gear dragon is such a tempting trap to fall into, as it's so much easier to tell yourself "The quality of my photos isn't good enough, I need better gear!" than "Hmm, I didn't do the best job there, maybe I need to work on my skills" I ended up with a full frame DSLR with piles of expensive glass, then one day I looked back at some of my old photos that I wasn't happy with at the time and realised probably 95% of them were bad because of me, not the gear. Over time it just sucked all the enjoyment out of it. I shoot mostly with a Fuji mirrorless with a load of old manual vintage lenses these days and I'm having fun with it again.
Just discovered your Channel and register, we need photographers enjoying whatever gear and not brand or sensors fan boys wars. I use micro 43 , apsc and ff and enjoy the quality from all of them, no issue even on large prints. Thanks to put the joy of the place and taking the pic first.
Last 2 walks ive done have been with an old Olympus E3, an OM1n film camera and a holga wide pinhole camera in the bag, its getting to the point my OM1 isn't getting used much, those 3 are just a joy to use
Hahaha, you are right Henry, spent years of buying tons of gear when I got into photography and after humping it all about Snowdonia, I found that a couple of compact cameras became the best option - Panasonic LX 100 for landscapes and the Fuji X100s for Welsh village life and portraits. All standard gear is really good these days and to find a difference in quality requires scientific testing for minor differences. The compacts were as good, if not better, than thousands of pounds of bodies and lenses. Using the compacts I came second in the Guardian Arts portrait competition 2014 with the Fuji and have got loads of landscapes in local climbing and walking guides after requests from the writers/editors. Local galleries sold my prints and I have a decent stock photo portfolio. I quit about 7 years ago but now I have bought a second hand RX100 iv and looking to get some images again. Your video is inspiring and reminds me of me back in the day. Thanks Henry, it's all about the magical experience, you and the landscape, makes you feel alive.
I have a Nikon Z7 II and just happened to find an R100VII in stock at a local photo shop to give to my sister. I'll also note that I have the original Sigma 12-24mm lens in an AF-S mount that I used on my F5 when I wanted to go really wide. The D300 was a nice package but going super wide was not in the picture at that time so I used my F5. I learned many years ago that when you want to evaluate the quality of an image you don't do it with a microscope, you use your eyes. When an image Works, it Works and the only person aware of it's flaws are the Photographer.
In the middle of my move (which is finally completed, hurrah!) the Mighty Nikon D7000 developed a weird electronic failure. Since it was likely to cost more to repair than it was worth, I bit the bullet and upgraded to a nearly new Nikon D7200, a model that's almost 10 years old. It does the things I need it to, it's compatible with lenses I already own and I'm already quite happy shooting it.
The best camera is the one you have in your hands. Capturing the moment is what it's all about.
Henry… your best video for a while and well done for challenging the image quality question. It should always be about the experience. No experience = no inspiration = un-inspirational photos. I use a high end full-frame, but also have the Sony RX100mk7 and the recently released Leica D-Lux8. I love using them and between them they are always with me and help me to capture images where I don’t want to carry a massive backpack and tripod. Most of us only ever share our photos where pixel peeping is never an issue. Keep up the good work.
Great content and some stunning shots Henry, getting out in our beautiful countryside is just bliss and a great reason to take up photograph.
Couldn't agree more!
I’m not a professional photographer, so the pressure isn’t as much on me. But I always found the best pictures I took were the snap ones that captured the energy and emotion of something and weren’t technically the best (although we all try our best for that). I always remember borrowing Chase Jarvis’s book “The best camera is the one that’s with you”.
Agreed 100 percent. I shoot compact and bridge cameras exclusively. I do have a couple of SLR film cameras that were gifted to me by my parents and a friend. But other than that, it's all P&S. I took my Fujifilm X-S1 out with us for a family photo shoot this past weekend, and posted an image on a forum. The comments were, perfect lighting (all natural, no artificial light) and perfect shot. I am going to start removing metadata from my images so the image speaks for itself, not the camera!
Thanks for such a thoughtful video. I have seen and heard so much nonsense talked about the world of photography and the snobbery (more often than not completely misguided) is incredible. So many people fall into the category of “all the gear and no idea”. A badly taken, dull image is still dull wether taken with a 42 megapixel camera with a £1000 lens or a 6 megapixel camera with a £10 lens.
Hi Henry, most of my favourite images have been taken on a 400d with a kit lens I don't tend to get hung up on quality to much, just enjoy my day and if the images are soft bin them and go back another day.
My two cents: My joy in photography is being able to take a picture of a scene that I like, and then enjoy the image at home. Every nook and cranny of it.
Thats why Image quality matters to me. Thats why dynamic range matters to me. Thats why megapixels matters to me.
Otherwise, I would still be taking images on my phone! Images matter to me because I want to save those memories outside of my brain, which forgets and remembers on a whim.
I understand the frustation though, but combining image quality and a quality image with good framing and a good subject is more than possible.
Image quality is also prone to diminshing returns just like every other feature, so I dont recommend buying the latest and greatest, but to me, moderation is everything.
Not the latest and greatest gear, not the oldest either. Just whats needed for me to take great images that I like. For some, that could be an Olympus, for others, a Canon, and for some, just a phone is enough.
@@Aneliuse yep the OP’s rant is just as annoying as what he’s arguing against.
For all the reasons you mentioned it becomes obvious why Hollywood does not use a Super 8 camera to film movies.
I quite like that you shoot with pretty much whatever you feel like, and show that we can make amazing images with basically any camera setup.
beautiful landscape, up there in the fjell!
I feel the same way, I always miss the best of the heather as well every year. Every year again I'm in Austria then, which is so wonderful, really. But so far I haven't discovered heather in Austria (at least not where we are) and I miss the heather time in the Netherlands 😅 And it's so beautiful.. I'm glad I get to enjoy it through your videos still! That last image is class!
OM-5, my love. Just spent several nights in my terrace using the Livecomp function, shooting star trails together with some other stuff - watches, ukuleles etc. A great camera it is. About your subject: well said.
I was shooting today some street photography with my Canon 20D
Well as you said it’s all about the passion for photography
and it’s not about the best gear or the best image quality
Photography,s love is about enjoying the journey of taking the shots
I have a good Sony A7 & A6700
But every time I carry an old camera like Canon 20D or Nikon D70S or Fuji XPro 1
i enjoy photography way more and the thing is for me all the old cameras have this sort of originality
for example with old CCD sensors we get some how this analog vibe with every single shot
So for all of you out there
Enjoy photography even if you are using bad gear or a smartphone
Peace out ..
I have to agree with Henry. Yes gear helps to a degree when making a photograph, but it is NOT the be all and end all that the majority of people seem to think, and obsessing about 'oh this camera has so many megapixels more than this one does'. Who cares? The most important things about photography in general, is composition, being in the moment, lighting, and the post processing in the end. The camera and lenses is just the tool. It's what you DO with that tool, that matters. And the comment that also grinds my gears is when people say 'oh unless you have a DSLR camera, you're not considered a photographer', because that is garbage.
To me, the single most important thing in photography is subject matter. A great (technically) image of a boring subject is a boring photograph. A poor (technically) image of a great subject is a great photograph. Of course, it's nice to get the two together, but given a choice...
great video Henry ,you correct when it comes to gear, it matters a fraction , you matter the most out of the equation, the area/destination, is what gets the juices flowing of creativity ,I really liked the pics you took of the heather with the different lighting from the sky, quite nice i must say, funny thing the best picture i have ever taken was with my first digital camera, a Sony 4 megapixel camera, of a lake district where my girlfriend had her cabin, was waterfront property, not beautiful ,just picturesque , we were about to leave to head back to the city when i noticed the water was like glass, no wind not a ripple, i walked out down to the dock and took 6 to 10 shots and they all turned out beautiful, it has never happened again since , that's ok, she picked one and i had it blown up to a 10"x12" portrait style picture and framed it for her for her wall at her clinic in the waiting room, it was hit everyone was asking for a copy and i said no after the first one, since then i have gone through 3 Sony cameras until today , the A100 , the A77 MK2, and now the A74 which is a great piece of gear and almost 3 yrs with it now and i am still learning all its features, and have the rest of my life to learn how to use it, most of all getting into the art, the composition side of the photo or subject and enjoy being there and in the moment, great video again ,
Cheers from Central Canada and i will check out your calendar 👍
Thanks very much mate 👍🏻👍🏻
Henry' love your videos and have pre-ordered you 2025 calendar. Your right about gear I have to much 😂One of you videos you mentioned squire filters, I just got ride of those. Now have four round ones less fiddly. Two are magnet ones.
Awesome! Thank you!
Totally relate to your philosophical musings. Had been using a D800e, the images produced are sublime, I became obsessed with the the sharpness and overall dynamics of the images. A health issue put a stop to the photography for a year, the camera and lens weights wasn't something I could deal with. A year later and picked up my partners Fuji X30 and was transported to a forgotten place of photographic fun, just love what it produces straight out of the camera, its light, yet tactile and solid...it fits nicely in my pocket. The Nikon is gathering dust and me thinks it's due a new home.
I agree, you can even make great photos with a smartphone, nowadays! Just enjoy the process of making your pictures!
Hi Henry, another grand day out thanks for sharing. You waffle all you like mate ... good to hear your thoughts .. That heather shot .. WOW ! when it comes to image resolution ... I did some quick maths as a sense check ... if you were to want to print off an image on A0 ( and let's face it who prints that large ), that's a million square millimetres of area, so even with a perceived "low resolution" 20 Mega pixels, that's 20 pixels per square millimetre... that's got to be enough, equating to something like a pixel every 0.25 mm in each direction
Absolutely! I ignore UA-camrs that make silly comments and statements like that now…well said Henry!
im just getting into the hobby, and its really hard to parse the GAS bs from the really useful stuff. but what i have landed on for my first interchangeable lens system is one of the older panasonic m43 range finder style bodies (gx9 or gx80 depending on deals etc), plus a couple compact zooms and a couple fast primes. i know my biggest weakness is going to be an untrained eye, so i want gear that gets out of my way and gets me taking photos. not gear that can do it all.
I started with the GX80. I've upgraded to the OM-1 and OM-5 for wildlife photography purposes, but I still hang on to my little Panny. Still a great camera, and too much fun.
That lens is £830, a LOT of money for most people. So, very respectfully here, I ask aren't you somewhat undermining your main point here? It would be pleasing for you to make a video where you leave behind all your hyper expensive gear. (I do always enjoy all your videos though.)
i do wildlife photography with my olympus om-1 ii and its fantastic but the implication is that you must have full frame for image quality , in landscape its " you really need medium format" ,,,so this video was very helpful to me ......the emotion expressed and the actual image is what matters most ,
G’day Henry, Mark from Australia writing. Long-time follower of yours. You mentioned ‘waffle territory’. I would encourage you to think about your new followers and consider reposting some of your older clips which had a real focus on tips for taking good photographs…….explaining depth of field, explaining shutter speed, ISO and those basics to encourage your new followers to step into manual mode. Keep,up the good work!
I love the plural 'yous'. Great stuff. I love the enthusiasm.
Thanks! 😃
Two years ago I went to Tuscany and on day one my full frame battery charged died, and every battery in my bag was flat. I spent the rest of the two weeks shooting with my little Lumix LX100 and I have to say, the image quality was not an issue. I am now dabbling with M43 and enjoying a much lighter rucksack. The A3 prints I am making are every bit as lovely as the Full Frame versions. The key is the glass; I picked up an Olympus 12-40 pro ii for a very reasonable cost and it is a superb lens. I have not ditched the Full Frame, but I think I might in the not too distant future; my old knees are not getting any younger! I tried a Sony RX something and I could not get on with the menu system. Great images, but I did not enjoy driving it, so it went. Thanks for sharing Henry.
Mainly I shoot film, sometimes digital with my D700. Image quality it's not about colours or Mega Pixels or sharpness. Are the oldest photos not good? Great photographers, the best, they were shooting with low image quality?? Today many people are blind by mega pixels and last week gear...
Photography is supposed to be fun! I'm happy to be a generation or two (or three) behind the state-of-the-art, so I can buy cool old lenses and gear on the cheap, second hand. I'd rather have a ten year old camera with enough loot left over to pay for a trip somewhere cool to take pictures! I have more fun adapting old legacy lenses to my mirroless camera than I ever would buying one "perfect" modern lens, and every shot is an adventure!
I think "image quality" is kinda overstated. On modern cameras, achieving sharpness, huge dynamic range, microcontrast bla bla bla isn't difficult. The issue is how to make interesting/artsy image out of it.
One of the excellent examples is Michael Kenna (check his "Holga" book). You may say Holga is technically inferior, less sharp, vignette-ish etc etc yet Kenna showed us it's very possible to make fascinating images using cr*ppy camera. Most of them are probably not "technically perfect", but still interesting.
I find that the main driver for which camera to use is the circumstance/situation. I'll usually take my Z8 (FF) to a place or event that I feel I'm unlikely to visit again, mainly 'cos the resulting big frame gives me lot's of leeway in editing and I don't end-up wishing "If only I had...!" My Z50 (APS-C) is a good all-rounder, especially if I feel I'm likely to need a flash (Ooh! Matron!!) My OM-5 (M43) is my "Just-in-case" camera. All three have (in my opinion) provided great shots equally (especially those magical pics of my feet or my fingers!)
Wow I am hooked. I loved your topic, I loved the Heather..
I was looking in You Tube for videos on Fiat Doblo micro builds 😅.
So good to follow you from today.
I love real photography, its all about being in the moment, nit the pixels.😊
Awesome! Thank you!
The message has been there but so many ignore it because they get caught up in the hype. A capable camera, good glass and some level of skill is all you need.
Thanks for your video. You're right about the gear, mainly, but there are situations where a good lens really makes a difference. Lovely photographs as always.
Totally agree! 90-95% of photography is "being there" and seeing the picture.
I've seen great images taken with a pinhole camera and terrible ones taken with a Hasselblad.
You make a valid point Henry, and I think there is a balance to be achieved here. Having the latest and most expensive gear does not improve your photography. It's what you do with it that counts. That said, to me anyway, image quality does matter, and a lot of that is down to how you frame your composition, including how you apply the exposure triangle and so forth. the care and love that you put into creating that image, even down to the mood you are in at the time.
But the camera does count as well, but then we have the old saying, that the best camera is the one that you have in your hand at the time, so do what you can with it, and you might just be surprised!
I'm still looking for a little camera for days when I want to go out, but just don't want to lug around a load of kit, one of these days I might just make up my mind and get one!
Have a great weekend......
you are a sensible guy Henry. My first digital camera was a 4 mp canon point and shoot. I can't remember ever being unhappy with it. I could print nice photographs in A4 size (more or less the same as Letter). I use a Z 6 II now. I can't ever remember being unhappy with it. I hike a lot with it, so physical size does play a part. I did have an OM-5 II, but I just didn't love it - I didn't really like the handling, too many buttons and dials that I accidentally touched when I didn't want to. I sold it to partially fund what I have today. As an amateur it doesn't make sense to me to have more than one camera.
Great pictures and topic. Agree with the mp and sensor comments. What's most important for me is how much I enjoy using the camera. I did a lot of soul searching when my 5Dii packed up. I went for the Z7 mostly due to the size, ergonomics and menu.
Went from Sony and clinical looking photos.. to Fuji for the feel and color. No regrets. Now I own 2 35mm film cameras and Ive been shooting those more than anything recently.
Very refreshing and I can relate entirely. I've fallen into the trap many times but conscious of it and it bugs me.
I've tried different cameras and sensor sizes over the years, with the main two I used being FF & MFT. Both were great. I actually did switch cameras to Fuji recently, to rationalise my gear that I wasn't using so much. Very happy with the decision as the Fuji / APSC system is like a sweet spot for me in image quality and size. I'm so done with time wasted on gear that I truly am just going to enjoy Fuji now. No more GAS!
I’m finding your channel has become so watchable purely because you don’t waffle on about gear and aren’t changing your kit what seems like every single video. G.A.S is a big issue amongst UA-camrs and spreads to the audience by default, I’m guilty too, but now I’ve got a great little kit, LUMIX S5 and a couple of lenses that cover my most used focal lengths and that’s it. It’s small compact lightweight, fantastic image quality with a very intuitive menu system so as far as I’m concerned I’ve nailed it. I’m here for the images and that’s the best bit. Feel free to discuss a little bit of kit Henry, but keep true to your channel because that’s the best bit 🙂.
back in the days of film I went down a rabbit hole of "image quality" I ended that path with shooting 25 iso ektachrome and medical grade black and white because of "lattitude" what we call "dynamic range" in today's digital world.
Here is what i found out:
1. the lab that developed and printed mattered more than the brand of film
2. all 35mm color negative film breaks down at prints over 11/14
3. National Geographic photographers were shooting cheaper film on broken cameras and were getting better photos than me.
What does this mean for today's digital photographers?
Take better pictures.
I took a Sony RX100i to Peru some years back (we were in some high crime areas and the small size and relatively cheap replacement cost made this a perfect choice). I have a 27" aluminum print from Machu Pichu on my wall from that camera.
Good one Henry. Great shots and topic. Image quality vs quality images, Hmmm..., such a trap. It takes effort to not get sucked into the ongoing, never ending, camera gear sales pitch. Are we gear collectors or photographers, or a bit of a combination? Limited or unlimited funds? It doesn't matter. Quality images come from photographers, using cameras. I'm still using a 10 year old Fujifilm APS-C and a four year old Canon APS-C. It's my finger on the shutter. If the shots are crap it's on me. Cheers Henry and thanks for sharing. 🙏
On the subject of image quality, I once saw the most beautiful image, that I have been unable to find since. It was a black and white image of a mother and daughter, in a clearing in some woods, during a picnic. I guess the picnic was coming to an end because the mother was fastening buttons on the little girl’s cardigan and the shadows were starting to rake. However, the image was taken in the 1930’s and the film was pretty poor quality. Added to that, the lens was obviously an adapted milk bottle!. The whole image was extremely soft. What the image did have though, was a story and it carried such emotion. These things are often overlooked in the quest for massive amounts of megapixels, big sensors and ultra sharp lenses!
When the first DSLRs came out we made large prints with 6MP cameras and were happy with them. Original Canon 5D produced amazing landscape and portrait work for example and look how basic that was in terms of functionality. It's ironic that as we obsess about edge to edge sharpness and companies now use AI-aided computer design to make lenses better and better, at the same time many photographers strive for the retro and are trialling going back to film shooting or using vintage lenses for that "character" look. A number of pro photogs I know actually REDUCE the sharpness of their digital images and/or dial in negative clarity adjustments, feeling that the edge to edge uber sharp look is "too digital" and maybe they have a point. As you say, it's really about the joy of getting out there to amazing locations and taking photographs. Very easy to become gear obsessed and social media is the worst thing for fanning those flames.
The photo at 10:14 is really, really beautiful.
Yes, so easy with photography to get caught up in what’s not there, whether it’s ’not enough’ megapixels, or lack of epic lighting. I found myself getting frustrated this morning having got up early to get some sunrise shots above Hathersage on my way to work, only to find the sun sulking behind full cloud cover. Just had to remind myself that being able to just drop into the Peak District on my way into the office is the good bit, and any decent (20Mp) photos are a bonus.