Today’s Post by Joe Farace
Scott Fitzgerald once told Ernest Hemingway, “rich people are different from the rest of us.” “Yeah, Hemingway replied, “they have more money.”
The cameras and lenses I use to make all of the images that you see on this blog and are, for the most part, gear I actually bought and paid for. Any exceptions are photographs that were captured using equipment that was on loan from manufacturers for product reviews, such as the below image that was shot while testing the Olympus E-M1X, a camera I still wished that I owned. Maybe some day. It happened with my dream camera—the Olympus Pen F. The E-M1X was also one of my dream camera but was always financially out of my reach.
You may be surprised to learn that after reviewing any camera or lens, I have to send it back to the manufacturer. I don’t get to keep any of the photographic equipment that is loaned to me by camera and lens manufacturers although I suspect that’s not true of all so-called reviewers.
How I made this (Hail Mary) shot: I photographed this racecar that’s part of the NASCAR Racing Experience in Daytona International Speedway’s garage. The camera used was an Olympus E-M1X with Olympus M.12-100mm f4.0 lens. Exposure was 1/100 sec at f/5 and ISO 640.
You’ve Got Options
Although many professionals shoot with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras made by companies such as Canon, Nikon and Sont, you don’t have to do the same thing. There are plenty of other camera brands offering interchangeable lenses and sophisticated electronics from Olympus, Pentax and Panasonic. To save a few bucks, be sure to take the time to check out their entry and mid-priced models instead of the more expensive top-of-the line cameras.
You might want to consider getting a used camera. When a new DSLR or mirrorless camera is introduced, lots of photographers, who want to be the first kid on their block to have the latest camera, trade their older cameras for that newest model. This is the best time to buy what was previously a “latest model” and let the other person take the depreciation hit. For more than twenty-five years, I’ve purchased used equipment from KEH and Roberts Camera and they are both trusted sources for me.
There are also subsets of used cameras called demo and factory refurbished. Many camera stores, including the big New York and Los Angeles shops, offer demo or refurb gear so it pays to have a sales person you work on a regular basis to keep you informed of bargains. And don’t forget eBay. And while the bargains that abounded in eBay’s early years have pretty much disappeared, it remains a great place to locate and purchase hard-to-find items.
PS: And if you wonder what equipment that I shoot on a day-to-day basic, click on the GEAR page for details.
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