Camera Snobbery

Found an interesting discussion related to camera snobbery. Upon google, I found out that this is the detail definition of the term from http://www.buggrit.com/cameras.html

He (almost always a man) is a proud owner of a cult camera, such as a Leica or a Hasselblad, and will tell you so at every possible opportunity. Generally insecure, they try to take comfort that they own the best (or at least most expensive) equipment, and feel it's important to let others know this often. They're trying to hide behind snobbery and expensive equipment to disguise the fact that they're often piss-poor photographers, and, if they can't impress you with their photography, they'll try to impress you with their equipment. These sad souls have lost sight of what photography is about.

10 Photography Quotes that You Should Know

From Photography School:

10 Photography Quotes that You Should Know

Take note of and remember the following photo quotes. It’s always worthwhile to learn from masters.

“The wisdom of the wise and the experience of the ages are perpetuated in quotations”. - Benjamin Disraeli

1. “ You don’t take a photograph, you make it." - Ansel Adams.

Full awareness of what makes a good photo is essential in taking great photographs. Why would anyone be interested in this photo and what elements can be included or excluded to make it truly great?

2. “ Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." – Henri Cartier-Bresson

Do you know how many photos you have taken up until now? You will have to take thousands of pictures to reach a point where you can begin to evaluate them objectively. Looking upon your photos as if you were looking at them through someone else’s eyes is a good way to give yourself constructive criticism. Comparing your first photos with your most recent, do you see improvement? Do you remember how you loved some of your first photos – do you still love them or are they now not so good anymore?

3. “ Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph." – Matt Hardy

You often don’t or can’t see beauty in the world until someone shows it to you. Take a look around you just now – even without moving from the computer. Can you see something in a new way, a different way of presenting something common? Just take a look again…

4. “ Nothing happens when you sit at home. I always make it a point to carry a camera with me at all times…I just shoot at what interests me at that moment. – Elliott Erwitt

When the world is your canvas, so to speak, you need your tools with you to capture everything around you. Make a habit of always carrying a camera with you—you will never suffer the regret of wishing you had.

5. “ Which of my photographs is my favorite? The one I’m going to take tomorrow. – Imogen Cunningham

Never be fully satisfied with what you’ve done. Never stop photographing. It is very likely that your best photograph has not yet been captured.

6. “ You’ve got to push yourself harder. You’ve got to start looking for pictures nobody else could take. You’ve got to take the tools you have and probe deeper. – William Albert Allard

We are always looking for reasons for not taking good pictures. Cartier-Bresson used film camera, same lens, no flash, same shutter speed – he didn’t need the newest digital equipment to take great photos. We all have access to some subjects that no one else has access to – look at your friends’ hobbies, the workplaces of friends and family, and any place you have access to to find a vision that comes uniquely from your access. Many people would dream of having the same access you have, and you might not have considered how valuable your access is.

7. “ If I saw something in my viewfinder that looked familiar to me, I would do something to shake it up." – Garry Winogrand

How often have you seen a photo that is missing something, thinking, “This is a good photo but I’d make it different somehow.”? Sometimes small things make a big difference. Don’t be afraid to shake things up.

8. “ I always thought good photos were like good jokes. If you have to explain it, it just isn’t that good." – Anonymous

Sometimes it is interesting to hear the story behind the photo and you see the photo in a new light. But in most cases a photo shouldn’t need a story to back it up. It has to speak for itself.

9. “ Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop." – Ansel Adams

Even one of the masters in photography, Ansel Adams, didn’t expect to get more than 12 great photographs each year. How can anyone expect more? Take a look at your last year in photos – do you really see 12 photos that stand out from the rest?

10. “It can be a trap of the photographer to think that his or her best pictures were the ones that were hardest to get. – Timothy Allen - On editing photos

Editing photos can often be the most difficult but also the most satisfying part. Sometimes taking a quick look at all the photos and then going away for a while before taking a closer look lends a fresh eye to your viewing. You may see things you did not notice previously. Stepping away from the mass of photos can make certain images stand out in your mind’s eye, leaving a memorable impression that can characterize a good photo.

I personally like #8!!!

Compact camera

Finally bought a compact camera for our anniversary gift!

It's a Canon IXUS 100 IS

Really small camera, not really a brainer to use, the size is almost similar to a credit card. The main reason why I bought this is so that my wife can use or when we'll be going to places where I don't fell like carrying my dslr, so that we won't miss any moment anywhere we go!

Initially want to buy the more expensive Panasonic Lumix LX-3, a compact camera with a really fast lens, but after careful consideration, we decided to settle for a smaller compact instead. No doubt LX-3 is the best in its class, but I can't guarantee whether it can fit into my pocket or my wife willing to compromise her hand bag space for bigger compact! So now I've extra cash for my next addition to my slr family. Still considering between an ultra wide angle or a speedlite?

10mm vs 18mm

Found few photos related to the subject for my own reference. Credit goes to the owner of the original images.

18mm, approx 72 degree angle of view



10mm, approx. 110 degree angle of viewFrom: wilful disbelief's blog

Useful photo from shutterasia, applicable for canon cropped sensor (1.6x), but at least give you some rough idea on how it'll look like on Nikon DX (1.5x)

Found a link for focal length comparison from Tamron.
For distortion between 10mm to 24mm from Photozone website.
Discussion on focal length vs viewing angle can be found here.

Also interesting discussion in ShutterAsia forum related to ultra wide angle. According to the OP, he prefer the sigma rather the more expensive Nikon. The only complaint he has so far is the followings:

• Stupid coating which is liable to peel off
• Stupid side-pinch lens cap which can't be used with the lenscap on (I changed mine for center-pinch Nikon cap - which is good)
• Non constant f/4 aperture - but as I explained above in reality I don't find this a limitation

Saving up for an ultra wide angle before my London trip end of next month.

[OFF TOPIC] Word of Wisdom

HAMKA berpesan dalam satu bukunya tentang 4 punca utama kegagalan dalam hidup iaitu :- (1) menukar cita-cita di dalam perjalanan (2) salah memilih pergaulan (3) banyak makan (4) banyak tidur.

Upgrade Path, by Tom Hogan

From one of my reliable source related to photography. As much as I hate it, when it comes to photography, the camera still is the main focus of discussion among my photography friends or community. I thought this one is really valuable, especially for me who owned a non-AF Nikon body.

	Like What You've Got	Dislike What You've Got
D1	Update. Really. The newer models are so much better than the original. On a budget, try a used D2h. But if you've got the dough, try a D300s, D700, or D3.	Update. On a budget, try a used D2h. But if you've got the dough, try a D300s, D700, or D3.
D1h	Then stick with it, but consider picking up extra batteries before they get hard to find. But you're missing out on CLS flash.	Update to a D2h on a budget, a D300s or D3 if you want new.
D1x	I'd ask you to reconsider. The D1x was good for its time, but it has two issues that keep it from being close to current state-of-the-art: the missing rows (it's really a 4024x1324 camera), and very poor shadow detail rendering. Also, you're missing out on CLS flash. On a budget, try a used D2x or even D200. Still have cash burning in your pocket, then buy a D300s or D700.	Update to a D2x on a budget, a D300s or D700 if you want new.
D2h	Stick with it.	Realistically, only a D3 will make you happier. But you'll be realigning your lens collection.
D2hs	Definitely stick with it.	Again, the D3 is the natural upgrade path, and again you'll be realigning your lens collection.
D2x	Definitely stick with it as long as you don't need more than ISO 400.	This one is tricky. The D3 and D300s are a slight step backward at base ISO, definite steps forward at higher ISOs. If you need ISO 800-1600, the D300s. If you need higher, the D3, but prepare for realigning your lens collection.
D2xs	Definitely stick with it as long as you don't need more than ISO 400.	This one is tricky. The D3 and D300s are a slight step backward at base ISO, definite steps forward at higher ISOs. If you need ISO 800-1600, the D300s. If you need higher, the D3, but prepare for realigning your lens collection.
D3	Keep it.	What are you thinking? Keep it.
D3x	Keep it.	The only sensible update is if you aren't satisfied with high ISO work (1600 and above), in which case a D3 (or perhaps D700) is the only option.
D100	As long as you don't need the extra pixels or really high ISO values, keeping it is a reasonable option. But you're missing out on CLS flash.	D300s is the right answer, I think. You could wimp out and buy a used D200, but the D300s bump up in quality is bigger. A used D300 is another option for the price conscious.
D200	Hold the course for now.	D300 or D300s nets you a modest boost in high ISO work, better autofocus, Live View, and faster card writes. Just barely qualifies as a reasonable upgrade.
D300	No need to upgrade.	Are you kidding? What are you missing? There currently isn't a "more pixels" option in the Nikon side that makes sense for you, and moving from a D300 to D700 triggers a massive lens realignment problem.
D700	Count your blessings.	You've got to be joking. There's nothing wrong with a D700. If you need a higher frame rate, get the MB-D10. If you need more pixels, wait.
D40	Keep shooting.	You have to consider why you're unhappy. If it's just more features and pixels you want, the D5000 is your choice. If you just want more pixels, the D3000 is a consideration. If it's the lack of autofocus with older Nikkor AF lenses, you have to get to a D90 to fix that problem. If you're ready to make a big leap in functionality (and complexity), then a D90 or D300s might be reasonable choices. Forget FX bodies. If you needed FX, you'd already have one.
D40x	Keep shooting.	A subset of the D40 upgrade advice: if you want more features, a D5000. If you want autofocus with older lenses, a D90. If you're ready for a top of the line camera, the D300s. Nothing else makes any sense.
D50	Probably keep shooting.	You have to consider why you're unhappy. If it's just more features and pixels you want, the D5000 is your choice. If you just want more pixels, the D3000 is a consideration. If you're ready to make a big leap in functionality (and complexity), then a D90 or D300s might be reasonable choices. Forget FX bodies. If you needed FX, you'd already have one.
D60	No need to upgrade.	You have to consider why you're unhappy. Basically, it likely isn't pixels, as the D60 is adequate there. Thus, you're probably looking for more features. This means you'll skip the D3000. Depending upon which features you desire, the D5000, D90, and D300s are the logical choices.
D70/D70s	Realistically, nothing wrong with what you've got. But if you bought into this level of camera, you're probably lusting after some of the changes that came downstream (more pixels, better high ISO, etc.). I'd say give in to those urges, you'll be happier.	Two choices to stay at about the same level of sophistication: D5000 or D90. Your choice is basically as I outline in my D5000 review: tiltable LCD versus autofocus with older lenses (yes, I'm aware there are other differences, but that's the big decision point in my mind). If you're ready for more sophistication, a D300s or used D300 is another possibility.
D80	You must not be using matrix metering. Of all the consumer DSLRs Nikon has made, this is the weakest of the bunch, in quite a few ways. I'd urge you to reconsider: later cameras fix so many of the D80's flaws.	D90 to stay at the same level, D300s to move up.
D90	You've got a fine camera, keep it.	I'm not sure what you don't like, but it probably has to do with build quality and/or feature set. That leaves one possibility: D300s.

The most interesting part is the conclusion. Tom suggest that he's again upgrade from DX to FX, in a sense that some owner basically don't have any valid reason to justify the upgrade. I will have to agree with him, unless money is not a constraint at all.

Original and spicy sauce: http://www.bythom.com/upgradepath.htm