I'm not into the newest gear

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Larry Shuman

Larry Shuman

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I am retired so there are not the funds to update equipment so I collected very good glass and have a very good knowledge of my cameras menu's. The eagle shot I used D2xs and a 80~200mmF2.8D. For the Little Blue Heron I used a D1x and my 800mmF5.6 Sigma and with the Hawk I used a D600 and my 200~500mmF:5.6 G VR.
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It is the person pressing the shutter that makes a great photo. Honestly, I think any camera made in the last 10 years or so when used in the right hands is capable of enabling the photographer to make an excellent photo. The thing is it is still up to the photographer to make that excellent photo. The newest equipment may increase the percentage of "keepers" or offer some increased creative freedom. However, my personal opinion and experience is the eye of the photographer is what makes the photo.

My wife has an incredible eye and is a far better photographer than me. She shoots a Sony RX10iv and never turns it off of "P" mode. She has no interest in the technology or what is going on with the finer details of the exposure. She just wants to capture images of what she sees. She has had numerous images published, won several contests and received much praise. My images may be more technically correct, and my images may be more "technologically" advanced but equipment will never replace the eye of the photographer.

Your images are very nice.

Jeff
 
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I read the chatter on other unnamed photography blog sites; It gets pretty darn rude a lot of the time. In the end I go back to a quote from Ansel Adams, "The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it." Having the best and latest and greatest does not make you a great photographer.
 
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Yes I am retired as well so buying the latest and greatest is not an option, in fact I have never bought a new camera. But posting three shots using the same gear proves nothing, well only that you know what your doing. I think if your serious about your wild life photography then you have to have the best gear you can afford. Example. My wife has a D7100 and a Nikon 70/300 because of the low light limitations of this set up she is restricted to bright days (in the uk?) or such slow shutter speeds the image is blurred. I on the other hand have a D500 so on the same day with the same lens i get a much better image with the same skills .......but a lighter pocket. So while new gear is not everything it means the chances of getting a good shot are higher. Looking at the gear used to capture these images, it's very very good gear. So new gear no, good gear or the best you can afford, oh yes.
 
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Larry Shuman said:
I am retired so there are not the funds to update equipment so I collected very good glass and have a very good knowledge of my cameras menu's.
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I’m in the first year of retirement. My budget is conservative (I’m not on a diet of ramen noodles, or anything), but I’ll loosen up as time passes. I stocked up on some equipment my last couple years, so I’ll be OK. No itch for MILC, but I have a lust for a D850... just not a real need that my D810 or D750 doesn’t cover.

I have a photo I printed in school that is one of my favorites (not to mention a testament to finally printing a decent Cibachrome of the slide). I shot it when I was 18, using a Mamiya Sekor 500TL (my first SLR). I’d as soon part with a finger as that picture. It certainly wasn’t the equipment, it was the photo.
 
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I am retired too. I would agree that most of the equation rests with the photographer, knowledge of the equipment, and post processing.

Having said that, there is no question that cameras do make a difference and have improved over the past several years to the point where it makes it much easier to take quality images. If that weren't true, professional photographers would all be using point and shoots.

Those images reflect great opportunities. But to me they look a bit washed out, lacking in contrast, and even a bit overexposed. That likely has more to do with post-processing than the camera.
 
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Good post. It seems like the majority of the posts are about equipment that I can't afford or have no desire to buy. Occasionally, there are some good posts about technique and the creative side. I wish there were more of them.
 
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