Thoughts for Today from Joe Farace
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. —Henry David Thoreau
First some context vis-à-vis my film camera purchases: In a Q&A post on this subject I said, “I have little money invested in any of these purchases. By comparison, Mary’s Nikon Z fc cost $1,100 with a 15-50mm kit lens. The total dollar amount I’ve invested in (all of) these film cameras, lenses, winders and motor drives, plus some accessories was less than the cost of her Z fc with lens.” Much less, actually.
About My Equipment
Know this: All of the cameras and lenses I use to make the photographs appearing on this blog, my books or social media accounts were bought and paid for with my own money. Exceptions: My wife, Mary bought me an Olympus E-M10 Mark I and a Panasonic Lumix GH4 back when they were the latest models and she had the financial wherewithal. Other exceptions involves images captured with equipment that was on loan from camera manufacturers, such as the Lumix S1R and Sigma L-mount lenses that were used to write reviews for this blog. You may (or may not) be surprised to know that after completing these reviews, all the equipment was returned to the manufacturer. There are no freebies for me, although I suspect this is not the case with some photographers you might see on other blogs, YouTube channels or social media.
How I made this photograph: I made the image in Anaheim’s Convention Center during the last standalone PMA trade show. It was shot with the then-new Olympus Pen E-P3 Micro Four-thirds camera and Olympus M.17mm f/2.8 lens, both of which I still have and use. In fact a recent infrared image I posted on Instagram (follow me @joefrace) was made using this same lens, so “old” doesn’t necessarily always translate into “bad.” If a piece of gear works; it works.
Putting it in Perspective
Here’s some of my personal photography equipment history: My first 35mm SLR was a used Minolta SR-1 that I bought from my friend Ed. This was not the company’s SRT-101 but a simpler model that preceded it and one that lacked through-the-lens metering, a big deal at the time. Much later after purchasing a Nikon F2, I started shooting Nikon SLRs and continued doing so for many years before later switching to Contax SLR and rangefinder cameras before finally shooting with Canon DSLRs. I’ve always regretted selling my Contax SLRs and G-series rangefinder cameras and last year purchased a Contax 167MT but, so far, have not been able to acquire any Zeiss lenses for it because I am taking my own advice. When mirrorless cameras came along I started using Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four-thirds equipment.
Want details? I think that all of the cameras I currently own and use are listed in the Gear section. My wife shoots Nikon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras and seems happy with the Z fc model I gave her for Christmas.
Caption: Not only do I still own and use that “old” Olympus E-P3 but a few years ago Mary reskinned it for me using leather coverings from Aki-Asahi to give the camera a retro look and make it easier to hold and use. Sadly, Aki-Asahi is not currently shipping products to the USA because…
My advice: I believe that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on camera equipment in order to make good photographs. It may be true that many professionals prefer shooting with expensive cameras, you don’t have to do the same thing. There are plenty of really good cameras offering interchangeable lenses and sophisticated electronics available at reasonably prices. Take the time to check out some of the many competent entry-level and mid-priced models. Don’t overlook used equipment and refurbs; they offer great value. After all, you’re going to use the gear anyway.
If you’re happily using a specific company’s products, it’s not my intention to convince you to switch. Switching camera systems can be hazardous to your financial and emotional health. If your camera and lenses work for you and you’re happy with them, keep on truckin’.
Along with photographer Barry Staver, I’m co-author of Better Available Light Digital Photography that’s available from Amazon for $21.50 with used copies starting around ten bucks, as I write this.