The Konika Autoreflex T started my photographic career so it has a special place in my heart. I carried the Olympus XA with me everywhere. 1994, 6-megapixel Kodak DCS 460, which retailed for $28,000 was mesmerizing. Had to tether it to a Mac to watch the picture slowly appear, but it was revolutionary for studio photography. Black and white, only, of course. I didn't use it for long but that was the most influential camera in my life.
The Panasonic GM1 changed my life. It was so compact yet much more capable than the point and shoots of the time. The touch interface easily compensated for the lack of control dials. I still use it sometimes, often with the same 20mm f/1.7 that Jordan mentioned.
This is the ONLY "camera review guys" channel I follow. I have subscribed to many others but they can't match up to Chris and Jordan. Solid reviews, super great locations for testing the gear and the sarcasm between C and J is just perfect. Congratulations to Jordan and Evelyn - stay safe and take care!
The GF1 with the 20mm kit changed me for taking pictures too. When I got it I felt like I was in my first semester of photography school again, but now I had all the knowledge of years of experience under my belt. It was the photo equivalent of "What if you could relive your youth with all the things you know now" fantasy. It really revaitalized me to expand, learn, and experiment.
GF1 for the win. I still use mine, it changed my photo life as well. I friking love that camera, still going on its original battery. Everything works perfectly. I actually got it, because of the brilliant review on DPReview. One of your reviewers wrote something like "this is the only camera, that I, after testing, went out and bought privately".
I am a late-comer to the video party...it wasn’t until I got a Panasonic G9 with a 100-400mm zoom that I realized what I had been missing out on. It has completely changed the way I approach wildlife shots!
Like you, it was the Panasonic GF-1. I was working for Glazer's Camera at the time and totally led me to transition into the M43 format. I'm now using the G9 and the G85.
Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) was my first DSLR, but the most recent camera that changed my photographic life was the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 in 2016. In the 5 years prior, I was a media producer for a travel company and always lugged around 7-10 cases of photo and video camera equipment through airports enroute to my next commercial project. I was often shooting with a Canon 5Dmk3, 1DX and a pair of C300's. Plus lenses, audio equipment and lights. The daily grind took the fun out of photography. None of the gear was mine, so when I quit and worked for another company I decided to start over with something simple: One camera and two lenses. I purchased the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 along with the 23mm f1.4 and 56mm f1.2. The tactile feel of the camera plus the image quality with both lenses were reminiscent of my first film camera, a Canon P rangefinder, and helped me regain the joy of photography.
Nikon d7000 changed or started my photography and now videography career. The d7000 changed my life literally. I went from hard labor doing construction and factory work to where I belonged 30 plus years ago . Congratulations on the new baby ! And thanks for all the great reviews.
Panasonic DVX100b was the camera that changed my video life near the end of high school and I can remember being blown away by the video that I could capture. It changed the way I filmed because I could get amazing shots in almost any weather (including white out snowy days). It had this organic feel to the footage that I still don't find on most mirrorless cameras that I shoot with today. Would love it if Panasonic found a way to put a picture profile in their newer cameras that's similar to the DVX100 colours!
Hey, same here Jordan. I'm missing the EVF attachment though (too rich for my blood at the time... also 2011). Still extremely happy with the 1st gen 20mm f1.7 and 14mm f2.5 on the GF1, especially when traveling or if I'm trying to be discreet on the streets. Recently picked up the 12-32mm retractable on the cheap just for traveling light with longer reach. The original 14-45mm beauty of a lot lens now sees very little service. Perhaps I should give it some love when COVID is over. Ahhh... nostalgia... Congrats on a new addition to your family and wish you all the joy in your fatherhood.
I'm new to the video world - for me it was the Panny G85 that I bought last year! Despite now owning a BMPCC4K, the G85 is what got me through my first professional shoots, and has been my main camera for EVERY wedding I've shot so far. Great IBIS, tiny body, and very few downsides made this a wonderful camera for me. I would still recommend it to anyone looking to start into video as a budget way of getting a great picture, especially when paired with a quality monopod.
I have a GX85. One problem is it doesn’t have an audio in jack. In my opinion, all Panasonic bodies should have an audio jack. Yes, I do love it’s size and functionality.
Honestly, after having used and owned a lot of cameras from the "professional" range - from 16mm film to Alexas - the one camera that really changed my life was the Lumix LX10/15. This might sound absurd. But it's the first camera that shoots decent footage and still goes into my pocket. And that was an absolute game changer in how I am thinking of "going out to shoot" or "being prepared to shoot". The best camera is the camera that you have with you.
The T3i was definitely the one I started with and used for a very long time, but it’s the GH4 that made actually believe that this was something I could be good at. The GH4 is my absolute favorite camera of all time.
The camera that changed my life was without question was a late-1980's Panasonic VHS OmniMovie Camcorder. My mother bought it for herself for her birthday in September of 1989, and suddenly home movies became a possibility. It opened my eyes to what the future of home video would hold, and kicked off the very earliest interests in video production.
For me, it comes down to the 60D or the Panasonic GX1. The 60D, because it started my journey in the world of video, and the GX1 because it confirmed to me that m43 was right for me. It's been 9 years and 9 cameras since the 60D, and I hope to see many more of each before I tire of doing this for a living.
First "serious" camera was an Argus C4, a gift for my 16th birthday in 1962. First non-film camera was a Sony Mavica - very limited owing to the tiny floppy disc storage concept (image was analog). First true digital camera was a Canon PowerShot 600. First "serious" digital camera was a Canon 10d. I later moved into the 5dMk2 which was absolutely awesome. Now using a Canon M6Mk2 as my primary owing to the compact/lightweight design.
I've watched you guys for years. Jordan, I'm just ridiculously happy for you for the birth of your child. Congratulations to you and your wife. Your vulnerability is endearing.
YES!!!!! GF1 was also my life changing camera. just preceded by the Lumix LX2 which I dropped and broke. The GF1 really taught me that small could be just as powerful as all those big DSLRs
The camera that changed my photographic life was the Pentax K1000 back in 1987. My first camera with manual controls. Loved the way I could take night photos with super-long shutter speeds. That camera came with a Zeiss 135mm lens, which was a good focal length for me at that time. Next, would be the Sony AX100, since it was my first true video camera. Since then, it's been steady progression away from still photography into video.
i think every piece of gear changes your life in a way, it’s more of a spectrum smaller improvements (but still indispensable) : - gaff tape - bongo ties - lens blower / cleaner / wipes - purell so your hands aren’t greasy operating the camera medium improvements : - bringing your own water and snacks to a shoot - pelican cases with trekpak + top lid storage - nucleus nano/ mini follow focus - canoscan 9000fiii so i save on film development and can scan super high if i want - ronin s the biggest improvements to the ease (and joy) of my workflow / the quality of my work - small hd monitors - prime manual lenses (often vintage) - aputure 120d / mc lights (their whites are so good) - my super 8 & bolex cameras - smallrig everything
It is so great seeing someone promoting the GF-1. I was a Leica shooter at the time and you are right, the GF-1 became my second camera. I originally bought it with the M-mount adapter but the 20/1.7 was such a great lens that I don't think I ever mounted a Leica M lens on the GF-1. I loved the tilting viewfinder (I wish more companies would offer the same) as I could shoot at waist height just like my Hasselblad film bodies. The 20/1.7 is still one of the best lenses period in the world and incredibly cheap. Unlike you it seems, I sold my GF-1 to purchase the GH-2, then that to purchase a GX-8, GH-5 and G9. Unfortunately, as I got more into wildlife and less into architecture I found the Panasonic DFD system poor at C-AF for birds in flight and I sold all my Panasonic kit for another mirrorless system about 18 months ago. However, without the GF-1 I would never have transitioned to all mirrorless digital photography which I now use for professional and leisure purposes. Great video!
I worked as a commercial photographer for 16+ years on the Canon 1Ds, 1Dx, 5D MK I & II, 5DS but I never liked the Canons as much as I loved my Nikon DSLR's. The Nikon D3 changed my life and was the first camera that gave me full freedom. Since then every Nikon PRO model has been so much improved every release. Since almost 3 years I'm Using the Nikon D850 and by far the best camera for my type of work in the market. Cant wait to see next generation.
Congrats, Jordan! The camera that changed my life was the Nikon F4. It was big, but strangely inconspicuous - I could stand in a group and bang away and nobody would notice. Truly weird. It did everything WELL. Life change by gear? Not so much. What changed my photographic LIFE was (a) Tri-X souped in Rodinal, 68 deg. F for 6 min with 5 sec per 30 sec agitation and printed on grade 4 paper; (b) learning to expose for what matters: if a face is in shadow I'm much happier exposing for it properly (Zone VI, baby, and let the highlights go to blazes - for events. Overexposed bokeh isn't always ugly); (c) learning to get quiet, focused, and deeply self-controlled, and step aside from the ego ("I want") before shooting events; it's amazing fun to be an island of quiet at the center while the world whirls around; (d) never craving good photos but putting myself in a state where they happen, being happy to come home without photos if I've done the right thing, staying in the moment with focus and appreciation but without craving. OK, (e) 54 years of practice.
Hey, the GF1 shot AVCHD, so we should have seen Jordan on that camera too! Right out of college in 2002, I got a job as a reporter at a small community newspaper. The pay was abysmal, and they didn't have dedicated photographers, so the reporters had to double as photographers. And that meant I got to use a Nikon D1. Needless to say, it made my Canon PowerShot A70 and my Pentax ZX-50 film SLR look like toys. The newspaper probably spent more on that camera than it spent on me, but I fell in love with the power of the DSLR. The D1 changed my life. But, because I couldn't afford anything even remotely like that, I muddled through for many years with the A70, then the PowerShot S2 IS (that camera shot stills and video way back in 2005, albeit in standard definition), and then the Sony Cyber-Shot HX5V (which I still keep in my car just in case I see something worth photographing, and I don't have my real gear with me) before I graduated to the first interchangeable lens camera I ever owned: the Olympus E-PL1. I bought it used in early 2014, but that camera died on me after about six months, so then I got a used E-PL5 and ultimately graduated to my primary camera today: a used OM-D E-M1. I really got into birding with the E-M1 because it has phase-detect autofocus. Unfortunately, that camera is not great at shooting video, so last year I picked up a Panasonic G85 on Jordan's recommendation.
I ALWAYS enjoy your vids...I started my freelance business in 2000 with a Nikon F-100 AND the new Nikon D-1. The F-100 probably took better photos but, the new realm of shooting digital with the D-1 made the F-100 second string. The D-1 was a beast but it completely changed (for the better) my skills and business as a photographer.
I like GX1over the GF1. The camera than changed my photographic life is probably the Panasonic GS400 camcorder. It had 3 CCD and shot 16:9 SD. That camcorder combined with my iMac G4 allowed me to create tons of family videos and my first few short films. I still remember kicking off an iDVD render before going to sleep,hoping it would complete by morning.
I started my photography with a Sony k750 phone with modified firmware. But the gear that really changed my life was a "Olympus FE-25 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom". I absolutely loved that little camera. I still get confused between photos by that camera and my first Canon rebel camera. Ah nostalgia.
I love this "gear that changed my life" in particular because it was literally life changing. It's not just how it made your videography/photography better, but how it changed your ENTIRE life.
Not a video camera but a 16mm camera that changed my life was the 16mm Bolex H16 Reflex. Shot with it in my first month at film school and then began to specialize in film photography.
For video it was the Sony A1U when it first came out. After messing around with some solid state options (Canon TX1, anyone?) here was an HD camera that was good enough for broadcast use the size of a large hot dog. I bought two of them and started producing my show Driving Sports TV for Comcast Cable (now on UA-cam and broadcast overseas). This eventually led me to the NX5U, which I adored. But while filming the Formula Drift series for Mazda, I realized that when the sun was setting and my NX5U started to struggle, but people with the 5D MKII could keep shooting. After a bunch of research I moved to the Sony A77 for video. That led to all the A7-series cameras, an FS100, FS700, FS7 and so on. Now I shoot mostly on an A7III and BMPCC4k.
The Panasonic GX7 was the camera for me. It was refreshing to use after the large and heavy Canon 7D. Suddenly I started shooting more, had more fun, and the first photo I ever sold was taken with this camera,
The GF1 was also the first digital camera that changes mah life. It was such a joy to use. With the right settings, the image quality just had a filmy look. Not only filmy, but more like positive film. The videos were also great with the 25mm f1.4 lens. This is one camera I'm not going to sell anytime soon.
Wow! Seeing that Digital8 video was great to see, showing us how much things have changed since then. My first video camera was a Sony Video8 Handycam that I won at a company raffle contest years ago. And my first DSLR was a Canon 60D, which I have shot video with. I had to retire that camera 2 years ago, because the shutter started to fail, causing me to miss shots. Good stuff.
Hi Jordan,started out with a Fed 4.but the camera that really got me into taking oudles of pictures was the Pentax ME Super,absolutely blown away with the quality I was getting ..I bought it in early 80's with a 35mm lens on it,and saved for a 135mm lens too.Fitted the hands lovely and it will always rank as one of my favourites.Had nikons and canons after,but nothing beat the feel of the metal body of the ME Super...use Panasonics now,maybe it's the size that I like in both of them...compact
I smiled in agreement when you announced your choice. I had tired of my Canon DSLR’s and was looking for a small but competent alternative. Wandered into to an early M43 web group and followed the advice of a veteran. Game changer!
For me, the cameras for photography and video were a Canon RF and Sony TV Studio & Broadcast (including field) cameras, over four decades ago. For personal video, it was the Sony Hanycam CCD-V8.
I feel the same way about the GF1, it was my first mirrorless camera and showed me that I didn't need a giant DSLR to get good images. I eventually switched over to Canon and still enjoy my EOS M100.
The Nikon D40 was my first "real" camera that changed ways I shot pictures, but then the D90 introduced video to me. Sadly, my D40 bit the dust a few years back, but I do still have my D90. Currently using a D500.
To me it was the Sony NEX-5. Small enough to take everywhere. APS-C Sensor, large enough to play around with DOF. Aaaand it made me play with plenty of old Canon FD and FL glass. I truly learned a lot with that little camera. Watching DOF change in real time, watching ISO and/or Shutter Speed change as I closed or opened the aperture of the lens, or learning how to manual focus using peaking with a Vivitar 1 Series Macro Lens was truly a gratifying experience...until I got into aircraft spotting, nature, portraits, sports and stuff with a manual focus only Sony A-mount 75-300 (because the only adapter I had at the time was the LA-EA1). It was then that I bought the last brand new Sony DSLR-A850 in my city (outside the airport) and started playing with the wonders of Phase Detection AF. From there I jumped to a 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II lens after watching Jordan and Chris review of the Nikkor 80-400 vs Sony 70-400mm on The Camera Store TV. *That scene at the hotel totally sold me to buy a Super Telephoto Lens right away.*
Yep it was a T2i for me. I used a kit lens a 50mm and an 85mm. I was quickly blown away by what that camera did for video vs my DV/HDV tape cameras. Not so much in Detail over HDV but the DF of course and overall image esthetics. It was pretty clear things were poised to change and FAST. I never looked back. Now I'm on a GH5 and a UX180 Camcorder and waiting to see what develops in the next 24 months before I buy something all new.
First, congrats on the baby! Ah, the days of no sleeping. I remember those days! Secondly, this was another fun trip down memory lane! Kudos to filming on that camera 😂 (appreciate the link to my video btw 🙏)
For me it was the Olympus OMD EM5 classic. I still use it to this day with great lenses like the 45mm and 75mm F1.8. I don't see myself ever getting rid of it and even if it dies on me. I'll just get another one and keep happily shooting! I have no doubt that I'll eventually get the Mark II and III versions at some point as well. But I very much place my love of photography all because of this camera even 8 years after it was introduced :)
For me it was the Panasonic GH1, my first ever camera for filming with! Even got 2x GH1 cameras now. (and many many many others cameras. Never had the GF1, but I had and loved the Panasonic GX1, until one night I was out drinking and the GX1 went missing....)
First of all, congratulations to Jordan and Evelyn on their new baby! Now, I’m afraid I must disagree with almost everything you said about the early Micro Four Thirds cameras - the G1 was a very serious, enthusiast-oriented body, while the E-P1 had dual control dials and more control points than the GF1 (so, again, a more fully-featured body). Where the GF1 really excelled was in its size-to-features ratio. It was substantially smaller than the E-P1, while packing a ton of exciting features and capabilities... And the little Lumix pancake just made it better (although it’s most certainly NOT Leica branded). The most pivotal video camera in my life was the Sony A77II. I had owned plenty of cameras capable of shooting video before it, but none produced results that I could consider acceptable. The A77II delivered solid 1080p with great AF and outstanding sound (for built-in mics), and was generally a pleasure to shoot with. I started dabbling in video thanks to it.
The video camera for me was the canon gl1. I was a regular photographer but shooting bts with this camera put me ahead of many others.i didnt know anyone else even shot bts in the early 2000s. My stills camera was a canon AE-1 Program. First camera I bought with my own money
Video camera “Panasonic M10 full size svhs vhs tape with a 2x convierta for the lense. It was a beast. Used it for weddings, Motorsport etc loved it. It was large so people gave you room and respect ✊ plus I am 2M tall😁
Great episode man. I have a metal print if my daughter on the wall now shot on a GF1, looks perfect. Those shots of Young you and Chris look a bit suspect lol. Carry on dudes
I had a Nikon D70 and wanted a good small second camera. There was nothing on the market until the GF1 came out. From that point on, I was sold to M43. I used the GF1 until I got the GX85. For me, the biggest game changer after 30 years photography was IBIS in the GX85 and later the GH5.
For me, it was the Panasonic GF2. My first digital camera with ability to use different lenses and not only that but also able to use adapters to use old film era lenses.
"nostalgia is the only currency now" 🤣 - gold!
Tom my new motto.
As a parent of an infant, loved the intro. Laughed out loud. Rare for me. Congrats!
The Konika Autoreflex T started my photographic career so it has a special place in my heart. I carried the Olympus XA with me everywhere. 1994, 6-megapixel Kodak DCS 460, which retailed for $28,000 was mesmerizing. Had to tether it to a Mac to watch the picture slowly appear, but it was revolutionary for studio photography. Black and white, only, of course. I didn't use it for long but that was the most influential camera in my life.
The Panasonic GM1 changed my life. It was so compact yet much more capable than the point and shoots of the time. The touch interface easily compensated for the lack of control dials. I still use it sometimes, often with the same 20mm f/1.7 that Jordan mentioned.
1:54 Same shirt, different age :)
Awww, you beat me to it.
I loved this easter egg
I nearly spit out my coffee when I noticed that in editing.
This is the ONLY "camera review guys" channel I follow. I have subscribed to many others but they can't match up to Chris and Jordan. Solid reviews, super great locations for testing the gear and the sarcasm between C and J is just perfect. Congratulations to Jordan and Evelyn - stay safe and take care!
20mm 1.7 along with GH1 change both my photo and video life. Still have that 20 today with the GH5!
The GF1 with the 20mm kit changed me for taking pictures too. When I got it I felt like I was in my first semester of photography school again, but now I had all the knowledge of years of experience under my belt. It was the photo equivalent of "What if you could relive your youth with all the things you know now" fantasy.
It really revaitalized me to expand, learn, and experiment.
GF1 for the win. I still use mine, it changed my photo life as well. I friking love that camera, still going on its original battery. Everything works perfectly.
I actually got it, because of the brilliant review on DPReview. One of your reviewers wrote something like "this is the only camera, that I, after testing, went out and bought privately".
I am a late-comer to the video party...it wasn’t until I got a Panasonic G9 with a 100-400mm zoom that I realized what I had been missing out on. It has completely changed the way I approach wildlife shots!
Like you, it was the Panasonic GF-1. I was working for Glazer's Camera at the time and totally led me to transition into the M43 format. I'm now using the G9 and the G85.
1'44" : Welcome back to the 80's TV Show look!!! 😂
Yes! The GF1 and the 20mm changed my life, too!
Canon EOS Rebel T2i (550D) was my first DSLR, but the most recent camera that changed my photographic life was the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 in 2016. In the 5 years prior, I was a media producer for a travel company and always lugged around 7-10 cases of photo and video camera equipment through airports enroute to my next commercial project. I was often shooting with a Canon 5Dmk3, 1DX and a pair of C300's. Plus lenses, audio equipment and lights. The daily grind took the fun out of photography.
None of the gear was mine, so when I quit and worked for another company I decided to start over with something simple: One camera and two lenses. I purchased the Fujifilm X-Pro 2 along with the 23mm f1.4 and 56mm f1.2. The tactile feel of the camera plus the image quality with both lenses were reminiscent of my first film camera, a Canon P rangefinder, and helped me regain the joy of photography.
Congratulations on the new baby to you and family, and Yup, LOVED my GF1 and shot with is as my personal camera for a few years!
GF-1 was my life changing camera. I stuck with the gf/gx range for 10 years.
I've still got my GF1 and recently dusted it off in lockdown... still love that 20mm lens
fantastic. and here's why this is one of my favourite channels, that's a long way. and congrats, dad!!
Mate its not the channel (mostly) the real good part are the host, you know Chris an Jordan
@@MrSpartan172 of course!
Nikon d7000 changed or started my photography and now videography career. The d7000 changed my life literally. I went from hard labor doing construction and factory work to where I belonged 30 plus years ago .
Congratulations on the new baby ! And thanks for all the great reviews.
Congratulations, Jordan and Evelyn. My first interchangeable lens camera was the Olympus E-PM1 and ten years later micro4/3rds still rocks.
Panasonic DVX100b was the camera that changed my video life near the end of high school and I can remember being blown away by the video that I could capture. It changed the way I filmed because I could get amazing shots in almost any weather (including white out snowy days). It had this organic feel to the footage that I still don't find on most mirrorless cameras that I shoot with today. Would love it if Panasonic found a way to put a picture profile in their newer cameras that's similar to the DVX100 colours!
Many congrat's, Jordan and Evelyn! And thanks for the vid, small mirrorless, who would have thought!
The Panasonic G7 wow what a lot of features 3/4 format 😍 love it
Congratulations Jordon! You have a beautiful family. As always, keep up the good work and keep'em flying.
Congratulations Jordan. Best wishes for the new born baby. Please take care and stay safe.
Somehow, these videos just keep getting better. Very entertaining.
Hey, same here Jordan. I'm missing the EVF attachment though (too rich for my blood at the time... also 2011). Still extremely happy with the 1st gen 20mm f1.7 and 14mm f2.5 on the GF1, especially when traveling or if I'm trying to be discreet on the streets. Recently picked up the 12-32mm retractable on the cheap just for traveling light with longer reach. The original 14-45mm beauty of a lot lens now sees very little service. Perhaps I should give it some love when COVID is over. Ahhh... nostalgia...
Congrats on a new addition to your family and wish you all the joy in your fatherhood.
I'm new to the video world - for me it was the Panny G85 that I bought last year! Despite now owning a BMPCC4K, the G85 is what got me through my first professional shoots, and has been my main camera for EVERY wedding I've shot so far. Great IBIS, tiny body, and very few downsides made this a wonderful camera for me. I would still recommend it to anyone looking to start into video as a budget way of getting a great picture, especially when paired with a quality monopod.
I have a GX85. One problem is it doesn’t have an audio in jack. In my opinion, all Panasonic bodies should have an audio jack. Yes, I do love it’s size and functionality.
Honestly, after having used and owned a lot of cameras from the "professional" range - from 16mm film to Alexas - the one camera that really changed my life was the Lumix LX10/15. This might sound absurd. But it's the first camera that shoots decent footage and still goes into my pocket. And that was an absolute game changer in how I am thinking of "going out to shoot" or "being prepared to shoot". The best camera is the camera that you have with you.
The video camera that changed the game for me was the GH4. It just felt like it really made high quality video accessible.
Hacked gh2 for me.
Pretty sure your old Camera Store review was what convinced me to purchase a gf1. It served me well for many years!
Loved the 20mm and the Olympus 45!
The T3i was definitely the one I started with and used for a very long time, but it’s the GH4 that made actually believe that this was something I could be good at. The GH4 is my absolute favorite camera of all time.
I was expecting so much worse when he switched to the camcorder. Holds up well, even the colors look good
I was given a Nikon D60 years ago and that just lit my photographic fire, thank you Milly wherever you are 😊
Who here misread the title as "The Gear That Changed Jordan's (Pornographic) Life"?
The fact they were two blurred bits coming from both sides of the thumbnail 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Hey, keep it clean folks... the guy's a dad now 😂.
The camera that changed my life was without question was a late-1980's Panasonic VHS OmniMovie Camcorder. My mother bought it for herself for her birthday in September of 1989, and suddenly home movies became a possibility. It opened my eyes to what the future of home video would hold, and kicked off the very earliest interests in video production.
For me, it comes down to the 60D or the Panasonic GX1. The 60D, because it started my journey in the world of video, and the GX1 because it confirmed to me that m43 was right for me.
It's been 9 years and 9 cameras since the 60D, and I hope to see many more of each before I tire of doing this for a living.
I still recommend that as a first camera for people looking to dip their toe in the DSLR world for shooting video.
First "serious" camera was an Argus C4, a gift for my 16th birthday in 1962. First non-film camera was a Sony Mavica - very limited owing to the tiny floppy disc storage concept (image was analog). First true digital camera was a Canon PowerShot 600. First "serious" digital camera was a Canon 10d. I later moved into the 5dMk2 which was absolutely awesome. Now using a Canon M6Mk2 as my primary owing to the compact/lightweight design.
It's interesting how great light drastically influence quality of video)) Even if its 640x480 it looks fine!
I've watched you guys for years. Jordan, I'm just ridiculously happy for you for the birth of your child. Congratulations to you and your wife. Your vulnerability is endearing.
YES!!!!! GF1 was also my life changing camera. just preceded by the Lumix LX2 which I dropped and broke. The GF1 really taught me that small could be just as powerful as all those big DSLRs
The camera that changed my photographic life was the Pentax K1000 back in 1987. My first camera with manual controls. Loved the way I could take night photos with super-long shutter speeds. That camera came with a Zeiss 135mm lens, which was a good focal length for me at that time. Next, would be the Sony AX100, since it was my first true video camera. Since then, it's been steady progression away from still photography into video.
Congratulations, Jordan, to you and your wife on the birth of your child! Hang in there and take care!
i think every piece of gear changes your life in a way, it’s more of a spectrum
smaller improvements (but still indispensable) :
- gaff tape
- bongo ties
- lens blower / cleaner / wipes
- purell so your hands aren’t greasy operating the camera
medium improvements :
- bringing your own water and snacks to a shoot
- pelican cases with trekpak + top lid storage
- nucleus nano/ mini follow focus
- canoscan 9000fiii so i save on film development and can scan super high if i want
- ronin s
the biggest improvements to the ease (and joy) of my workflow / the quality of my work
- small hd monitors
- prime manual lenses (often vintage)
- aputure 120d / mc lights (their whites are so good)
- my super 8 & bolex cameras
- smallrig everything
Congratulations on the baby Jordan!!
Can't deny it man. But it was the 5D Mark II which changed my 'photographic' life!
Congratulations to you and your partner Jordan!!!
It is so great seeing someone promoting the GF-1. I was a Leica shooter at the time and you are right, the GF-1 became my second camera. I originally bought it with the M-mount adapter but the 20/1.7 was such a great lens that I don't think I ever mounted a Leica M lens on the GF-1. I loved the tilting viewfinder (I wish more companies would offer the same) as I could shoot at waist height just like my Hasselblad film bodies. The 20/1.7 is still one of the best lenses period in the world and incredibly cheap. Unlike you it seems, I sold my GF-1 to purchase the GH-2, then that to purchase a GX-8, GH-5 and G9. Unfortunately, as I got more into wildlife and less into architecture I found the Panasonic DFD system poor at C-AF for birds in flight and I sold all my Panasonic kit for another mirrorless system about 18 months ago. However, without the GF-1 I would never have transitioned to all mirrorless digital photography which I now use for professional and leisure purposes. Great video!
I worked as a commercial photographer for 16+ years on the Canon 1Ds, 1Dx, 5D MK I & II, 5DS but I never liked the Canons as much as I loved my Nikon DSLR's. The Nikon D3 changed my life and was the first camera that gave me full freedom. Since then every Nikon PRO model has been so much improved every release. Since almost 3 years I'm Using the Nikon D850 and by far the best camera for my type of work in the market. Cant wait to see next generation.
Congrats, Jordan! The camera that changed my life was the Nikon F4. It was big, but strangely inconspicuous - I could stand in a group and bang away and nobody would notice. Truly weird. It did everything WELL. Life change by gear? Not so much. What changed my photographic LIFE was (a) Tri-X souped in Rodinal, 68 deg. F for 6 min with 5 sec per 30 sec agitation and printed on grade 4 paper; (b) learning to expose for what matters: if a face is in shadow I'm much happier exposing for it properly (Zone VI, baby, and let the highlights go to blazes - for events. Overexposed bokeh isn't always ugly); (c) learning to get quiet, focused, and deeply self-controlled, and step aside from the ego ("I want") before shooting events; it's amazing fun to be an island of quiet at the center while the world whirls around; (d) never craving good photos but putting myself in a state where they happen, being happy to come home without photos if I've done the right thing, staying in the moment with focus and appreciation but without craving. OK, (e) 54 years of practice.
Panasonic NV DS15, my first Mini-DV video camera, and the HP Photosmart 945. Set me on a path many years ago that I'm still travelling down today!
Hey, the GF1 shot AVCHD, so we should have seen Jordan on that camera too!
Right out of college in 2002, I got a job as a reporter at a small community newspaper. The pay was abysmal, and they didn't have dedicated photographers, so the reporters had to double as photographers. And that meant I got to use a Nikon D1. Needless to say, it made my Canon PowerShot A70 and my Pentax ZX-50 film SLR look like toys. The newspaper probably spent more on that camera than it spent on me, but I fell in love with the power of the DSLR. The D1 changed my life.
But, because I couldn't afford anything even remotely like that, I muddled through for many years with the A70, then the PowerShot S2 IS (that camera shot stills and video way back in 2005, albeit in standard definition), and then the Sony Cyber-Shot HX5V (which I still keep in my car just in case I see something worth photographing, and I don't have my real gear with me) before I graduated to the first interchangeable lens camera I ever owned: the Olympus E-PL1. I bought it used in early 2014, but that camera died on me after about six months, so then I got a used E-PL5 and ultimately graduated to my primary camera today: a used OM-D E-M1. I really got into birding with the E-M1 because it has phase-detect autofocus. Unfortunately, that camera is not great at shooting video, so last year I picked up a Panasonic G85 on Jordan's recommendation.
A belated congratulations Jordan. Wonderful news and a calming video in these trying times. Stay safe.
I ALWAYS enjoy your vids...I started my freelance business in 2000 with a Nikon F-100 AND the new Nikon D-1. The F-100 probably took better photos but, the new realm of shooting digital with the D-1 made the F-100 second string. The D-1 was a beast but it completely changed (for the better) my skills and business as a photographer.
I still use GF1 with 20mm as my daily carry camera!!
GF1 was also my first love. I'm only finding out years later that it wasn't an exclusive relationship. 😢
Congratulations on the new member to the family. I had a few camcorders along the way, Sony - Canon.... But the lumix gh3 changed everything.
I like GX1over the GF1. The camera than changed my photographic life is probably the Panasonic GS400 camcorder. It had 3 CCD and shot 16:9 SD. That camcorder combined with my iMac G4 allowed me to create tons of family videos and my first few short films. I still remember kicking off an iDVD render before going to sleep,hoping it would complete by morning.
I started my photography with a Sony k750 phone with modified firmware. But the gear that really changed my life was a "Olympus FE-25 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom". I absolutely loved that little camera. I still get confused between photos by that camera and my first Canon rebel camera. Ah nostalgia.
I love this "gear that changed my life" in particular because it was literally life changing. It's not just how it made your videography/photography better, but how it changed your ENTIRE life.
Olympus e-pm2 and that very same 20mm f/1.7 lens. What a killer combo that was. And to this day can produce some great images.
Congrats Jordan! Looking fierce!
Not a video camera but a 16mm camera that changed my life was the 16mm Bolex H16 Reflex. Shot with it in my first month at film school and then began to specialize in film photography.
*sigh* you're right. Seeing the video from the Sony TRV is really making me nostalgic, and I want one now.
For video it was the Sony A1U when it first came out. After messing around with some solid state options (Canon TX1, anyone?) here was an HD camera that was good enough for broadcast use the size of a large hot dog. I bought two of them and started producing my show Driving Sports TV for Comcast Cable (now on UA-cam and broadcast overseas). This eventually led me to the NX5U, which I adored. But while filming the Formula Drift series for Mazda, I realized that when the sun was setting and my NX5U started to struggle, but people with the 5D MKII could keep shooting. After a bunch of research I moved to the Sony A77 for video. That led to all the A7-series cameras, an FS100, FS700, FS7 and so on. Now I shoot mostly on an A7III and BMPCC4k.
It was also the Panasonic GF1 for me too! It took me form my Canon DSLR and big bag of lenses! It was my first downsizing!
The Panasonic GX7 was the camera for me. It was refreshing to use after the large and heavy Canon 7D. Suddenly I started shooting more, had more fun, and the first photo I ever sold was taken with this camera,
Congratulations on the baby Jordan and Evelyn!
And my sympathies.... 🤣
The GF1 was also the first digital camera that changes mah life. It was such a joy to use. With the right settings, the image quality just had a filmy look. Not only filmy, but more like positive film. The videos were also great with the 25mm f1.4 lens.
This is one camera I'm not going to sell anytime soon.
Wow...Congratulations Jordan and Evelyn!
Wow! Seeing that Digital8 video was great to see, showing us how much things have changed since then. My first video camera was a Sony Video8 Handycam that I won at a company raffle contest years ago. And my first DSLR was a Canon 60D, which I have shot video with. I had to retire that camera 2 years ago, because the shutter started to fail, causing me to miss shots. Good stuff.
Hi Jordan,started out with a Fed 4.but the camera that really got me into taking oudles of pictures was the Pentax ME Super,absolutely blown away with the quality I was getting ..I bought it in early 80's with a 35mm lens on it,and saved for a 135mm lens too.Fitted the hands lovely and it will always rank as one of my favourites.Had nikons and canons after,but nothing beat the feel of the metal body of the ME Super...use Panasonics now,maybe it's the size that I like in both of them...compact
Congratulations on the new baby!
I still use my GX1 on occasion, great camera for daytime travel photography.
I smiled in agreement when you announced your choice. I had tired of my Canon DSLR’s and was looking for a small but competent alternative. Wandered into to an early M43 web group and followed the advice of a veteran. Game changer!
Love that throwback footage.
I still use my gf1/20. I basically use it in black and white mode. I love it, and I agree it's been the best camera I've ever had.
For me, the cameras for photography and video were a Canon RF and Sony TV Studio & Broadcast (including field) cameras, over four decades ago. For personal video, it was the Sony Hanycam CCD-V8.
I feel the same way about the GF1, it was my first mirrorless camera and showed me that I didn't need a giant DSLR to get good images. I eventually switched over to Canon and still enjoy my EOS M100.
The Nikon D40 was my first "real" camera that changed ways I shot pictures, but then the D90 introduced video to me. Sadly, my D40 bit the dust a few years back, but I do still have my D90. Currently using a D500.
To me it was the Sony NEX-5. Small enough to take everywhere. APS-C Sensor, large enough to play around with DOF. Aaaand it made me play with plenty of old Canon FD and FL glass. I truly learned a lot with that little camera. Watching DOF change in real time, watching ISO and/or Shutter Speed change as I closed or opened the aperture of the lens, or learning how to manual focus using peaking with a Vivitar 1 Series Macro Lens was truly a gratifying experience...until I got into aircraft spotting, nature, portraits, sports and stuff with a manual focus only Sony A-mount 75-300 (because the only adapter I had at the time was the LA-EA1).
It was then that I bought the last brand new Sony DSLR-A850 in my city (outside the airport) and started playing with the wonders of Phase Detection AF. From there I jumped to a 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II lens after watching Jordan and Chris review of the Nikkor 80-400 vs Sony 70-400mm on The Camera Store TV. *That scene at the hotel totally sold me to buy a Super Telephoto Lens right away.*
1) beginning a sentence with surely
2) when we cut to the one cam
3) that zoom in
nice
My ccdtrv1, my first 8mm camcorder I got in 7th grade. Changed my life. My canon aps elph is a close second.
Yep it was a T2i for me. I used a kit lens a 50mm and an 85mm. I was quickly blown away by what that camera did for video vs my DV/HDV tape cameras. Not so much in Detail over HDV but the DF of course and overall image esthetics. It was pretty clear things were poised to change and FAST. I never looked back. Now I'm on a GH5 and a UX180 Camcorder and waiting to see what develops in the next 24 months before I buy something all new.
Congratulations Jordan and Evelyn!
First, congrats on the baby! Ah, the days of no sleeping. I remember those days! Secondly, this was another fun trip down memory lane! Kudos to filming on that camera 😂 (appreciate the link to my video btw 🙏)
For me it was the Olympus OMD EM5 classic. I still use it to this day with great lenses like the 45mm and 75mm F1.8. I don't see myself ever getting rid of it and even if it dies on me. I'll just get another one and keep happily shooting!
I have no doubt that I'll eventually get the Mark II and III versions at some point as well. But I very much place my love of photography all because of this camera even 8 years after it was introduced :)
The GF1 was my first “real” camera that I purchased for myself and I still love using the 20mm pancake despite it’s flaws.
Flaws ?? What flaws ???
That was awesome. Loved it. Video sure has come a long way.
For me it was the Panasonic GH1, my first ever camera for filming with! Even got 2x GH1 cameras now. (and many many many others cameras. Never had the GF1, but I had and loved the Panasonic GX1, until one night I was out drinking and the GX1 went missing....)
First of all, congratulations to Jordan and Evelyn on their new baby!
Now, I’m afraid I must disagree with almost everything you said about the early Micro Four Thirds cameras - the G1 was a very serious, enthusiast-oriented body, while the E-P1 had dual control dials and more control points than the GF1 (so, again, a more fully-featured body). Where the GF1 really excelled was in its size-to-features ratio. It was substantially smaller than the E-P1, while packing a ton of exciting features and capabilities... And the little Lumix pancake just made it better (although it’s most certainly NOT Leica branded).
The most pivotal video camera in my life was the Sony A77II. I had owned plenty of cameras capable of shooting video before it, but none produced results that I could consider acceptable. The A77II delivered solid 1080p with great AF and outstanding sound (for built-in mics), and was generally a pleasure to shoot with. I started dabbling in video thanks to it.
Congratulations. (It gets better after the first 18 years.)
The video camera for me was the canon gl1. I was a regular photographer but shooting bts with this camera put me ahead of many others.i didnt know anyone else even shot bts in the early 2000s. My stills camera was a canon AE-1 Program. First camera I bought with my own money
A VHS camcorder, then a WIDE SCREEN mini DV camera in 06 i used for 3 years and that was the camera that really really changed my video life.
Video camera “Panasonic M10 full size svhs vhs tape with a 2x convierta for the lense. It was a beast. Used it for weddings, Motorsport etc loved it. It was large so people gave you room and respect ✊ plus I am 2M tall😁
Congrats, Jordan!
Same as Jordon, GF1 changed my life a decade ago..
Great episode man. I have a metal print if my daughter on the wall now shot on a GF1, looks perfect. Those shots of Young you and Chris look a bit suspect lol. Carry on dudes
I had a Nikon D70 and wanted a good small second camera. There was nothing on the market until the GF1 came out. From that point on, I was sold to M43. I used the GF1 until I got the GX85. For me, the biggest game changer after 30 years photography was IBIS in the GX85 and later the GH5.
For me, it was the Panasonic GF2. My first digital camera with ability to use different lenses and not only that but also able to use adapters to use old film era lenses.