There has been a lot of concern about the future of cameras over the past number of years. As photographers monitor CIPA statistics and the financial performance of various brands, it can be difficult to remain optimistic about the future of cameras. This article looks at various categories of photography and where cameras are best positioned for the future.
Category Archives: Essays
Niche Market Differentiation
Lately I’ve been pondering whether the niche market differentiation strategy of Olympus is at the root of so much ‘Olympus bashing’ on the internet. Being a long-time Nikon 1 owner, I’m certainly accustomed to a camera brand being underrated and criticized. It seems that for many people, and even some photography websites, there is a discernible anti-Olympus bias. Perhaps this is a natural result of Olympus following a niche market differentiation strategy.
Assessing Camera Trade-Offs
Over the past number of months I’ve been getting some interesting questions via email from readers. The majority of them were about assessing camera trade-offs, and trying to make a purchase decision. As we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect camera or camera system. Everything photographic comes with some kind of trade-off. Regardless of the camera brand and model we individually choose, the most important thing is selecting gear that best suits our specific needs. This article summarizes some of the feedback I have been receiving from readers.
Sensor Obsession
The amount of heated exchanges in photography chat rooms that people have about sensor size seems to be almost out of control these days. It’s as if some people think that nothing else matters when it comes to the art and craft of photography other than the size of a camera’s sensor. I can’t help but shake my head and think that this entire sensor obsession phenomenon, and related fixation on pixel peeping, are a waste of time.
Continue reading Sensor Obsession
Pivotal Photographic Moments
This article discusses three pivotal photographic moments in my career. Many of us have had these types of experiences in various areas of our lives. My three pivotal photographic moments discussed in this article will be different than the ones that you may have experienced. The intent of this article is not to suggest that anyone should do what I did. Or to interpret photography in the same way that I do. It is simply to share the growth and learning that has occurred for me as a result of my pivotal photographic moments.
M4/3 Ideal for Baby Boomers
Browsing photography sites these days would give folks the impression that ‘everyone’ is buying full frame camera gear. And, based on the opinions of ‘reviewers’, it would be hard not to think that the only cameras of any merit are full frame or larger. This article counters some of these perspectives. It also provides my opinion on why M4/3 is ideal for Baby Boomers.
Year Six Begins
In January 2015 we started this photography blog. As year six begins we would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you!” to all of our readers. This is also an ideal time to provide some insights on where our photographic journey will be going.
Lens Buying Considerations
Over the past while I’ve had some readers contact me by email with various questions about buying lenses. Some have specifically asked why I chose particular lenses and not others. This article attempts to answer a few specific reader questions, as well as provide some general lens buying considerations.
Camera Buying Triangle
Plenty of camera gear announcements are usually made at the CES Show which started yesterday in Las Vegas. No doubt there will be a plethora of equipment that will stimulate the Gear Acquisition Syndrome yearnings in many photographers. This article discusses some approaches that can be used to help determine the best gear to meet our individual needs. One of them is the Camera Buying Triangle.
Improving Our Photography
Regardless of the brand of camera and the format that we use, there are things we can do to get more out of our current camera gear. This article provides some ideas on improving our photography. Most of these suggestions do not involve spending more money on camera gear. These ideas on improving our photography have nothing to do with any specific camera or camera format.