As I mentioned in a previous post. #traveltuesday is going on a (maybe) permanent hiatus. In it’s place will be a series of ruminations about the art, craft and business of photography, starting with today’s post…
Today’s Post by Joe Farace
For Christmas 2021 I gave my wife, who is a Nikon shooter, a Nikon Z fc as a gift, While some pundits think the “fc” stands for “f**k Canon,” I have no doubt that if Nikon had introduced a camera just like this in 1999— instead of the D1—they would own the digital camera world. There are those, like me, who once wrote, for photo magazines when they existed, that if Nikon built the digital equivalent of it’s FE SLR it would be a hit. Well it only took them 22 years to take my advice, because the fc is about the same size as a Nikon FE and if they made its screen fixed instead of fully articulated, physically it would be a dead ringer. But I go on…
In writing about DSLR and mirrorless camera’s Auto ISO feature, I admitted that I had changed my mind. Because I am open to introspection and changing my mind about all things photographic, I am currently reevaluating the post I wrote called “Some Thoughts on Switching Camera System,” and where I said, “Would owning a 100-megapixel camera inspire a client to spend more money with me?” I initially felt that I would doubt it. But…a photographer I know just bought one of the new high megapixel Hasselblad cameras and used it to shoot an assignment for a longtime client. After he submitted the images, the Art Director called and told him, “I see you’re using the new Hassleblad.” In my professional life I can only remember an AD mentioning my camera just one time.
OK, so I’ve changed my mind, or maybe am in the process of changing my opinions on this subject. Here’s what’s going on in what could laughingly be called “my mind.” What follows is some highly personal thoughts on the topic of switching camera systems.
- The pandemic fundamentally altered the nature of my in-studio model photography. It shut it down to such an extent that I have made the following promise to myself: If I don’t use the studio to photograph, at least, a few models before the end of the year—right now that number is one— I am going to knock down the equipment, tuck it away and turn that space into a larger LEGO city layout (than currently exists,) so I can have fun.
- “Wait, wait, does that mean you won’t be photographing beautiful models anymore?” you might be asking. No, I still plan on shooting as many models as are interested in me photographing them but they will be photographed how I’ve written about here and here or as in today’s featured portrait.
How I Made This Photo: I photographed the amazing Erin Valakari while she was sprawled on my living room sofa using mostly the daylight coming from camera right from what is a wall of South facing windows supplemented by the pop-up flash in a Panasonic Lumix GH4 with the image stabilized Lumix G Vario 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 lens (at 31mm.) Exposure was 1/15 sec at/f/5.6 and ISO 320. The captured RAW file was retouched using my normal techniques along with a dab of the Sunshine filter from Color Efex Pro to add overall softness.
- How many cameras do I own? This is a question I talked about during the film era and today’s best answer is that off the top of my head “I don’t know.” * I own several DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, including some that were converted for IR capture by LifePixel. I’ve sold a couple of my older DSLRs so I’m getting that under control but now I need to do the same with my mirrorless cameras. I started that process this Spring when KEH came to town and I sold them two camera. I
- *I may own almost as many film cameras these day as DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. But again, I;m not sure how many. plan on winnowing more of my cameras as time goes on.
- I’m not sure how many lenses I own and some may be duplicates; Do I need two 12-32mm mirrorless lenses? What am I going to do? Trade them for new Brand X gear and get 10 cents on a dollar—or less‚\—or put them on, heaven forbid, Craig’s List? I dunno.
For a long time, I was thinking about getting a full-frame mirrorless camera, like the mostly affordable (now selling for $1,497.99) Panasonic Lumix S5. 
But the cost of L-mount lenses keeps discouraging me. Now I’m thinking… I already own a full-frame DSLR, so what’s that going to get me? Then it hits me. Instead of 24×36, maybe i should go medium format. The best deal around seems to be purchasing a used Fuji GFX50 R or maybe S body, which are selling for around $2500. Then I realize how in the past, how I railed against “the cult of Fuji” and even teased my friend Cliff Lawson when he bought one of their mirrorless cameras and so I started feeling hypocritical., But what the heck, a guy can change change his mind, cant he?
Changing systems probably won’t make a difference to the kind of photographs I make but I’m open to new ideas, so who knows.
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