| |
|
|||
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the age-old newsgroup post "what camera should I buy?" most replies advocate purchasing a new low-end consumer camera citing the ability to switch to manual modes, thus allowing a proper degree of experimentation and possible expression. Purists then argue that an all-manual camera forces the user to really learn the craft from first principles. The next reply then suggests that a completely manual camera could ruin the fun for a new photographer as the learning curve can be steep, and that an amateur will want to be able to fall back on a program mode in times of doubt, or when just 'taking snapshots'. Honestly I feel both viewpoints are potentially correct, and that it really depends on what you like to do, where you envision your pursuits taking you, and all sorts of subjective criteria.
If you have a pretty strong leaning one way or the other, and want some help rationalizing your decision, don't bother with the next section but skip directly to either Why a new camera is best or Why you need to have a fully manual camera below. When you're done you should check out the much more extensive discussion at this article on Philip Greenspun's photo.net.
In the meantime let me propose some middle ground:
The
main reason a budding photographer might decide to go manual focus (or used
autofocus) for their first set- up is straightforward: money.
If you think not being able to switch into an auto-everything mode in a panic situation could sour your day, think about waking up one day to realize that either:
The corollary to saving money on a kit is that you’ll have the opportunity to try most of the tools available to a pro of the past for the cost of an advanced amateur kit in the present. The differences might be important to you.
For the same cost as a basic auto-focus body with a reasonably good zoom lens you can buy the following:
And the bonus? You don’t have to buy it all up front: you can start with the first two or three items and go from there based on how you feel on your first couple of rolls of film.
In a few months you’ll be able to see firsthand (albeit totally subjectively) what differences exist between:
And
you’ll learn about yourself as a photographer, and whether you prefer using
zoom lenses or multiple different primes or whether you need such features as
Depth of Field or an external flash.
Oh, by the way, there’s another bonus. Having used this system to learn these things about yourself and how and what you like to shoot, you have the option of recouping a larger percentage of what you’ve spent on your system (or any of the components), better than you would with new equipment. (Just in case you want to switch to another setup (be it auto-focus or manual focus in an alternate brand.)
This "I can afford to try it and see how I'll use it" aspect would be simply impossible to achieve for most beginners using an A/F system (if this doesn’t apply to you call me and we’ll go shopping together).
That said...
Technology
is wonderful. Society advances at an ever-increasing rate and camera body and
lens technology and construction get swept right up in that trend.
Well, maybe not quite. But it is true that modern camera bodies are capable of more things than any of their predecessors, and a top quality lens made now can often outperform used glass from a bygone era in terms of critical sharpness or contrast, especially when it comes to zooms.
You can set automatic exposure bracketing; you can shoot action sequences at four or five (or more) frames per second; you can automatically (or easily) set flash exposure compensation; you can instantly switch to a reasonable shutter/aperture setting for portraits, landscapes, action, close-ups etc. Maybe not all of these features are available on every camera body, but if you want them you can buy them, and if you need them you have little other option than to buy new.
A new camera comes with a factory warranty. If something goes wrong the maker will fix or replace your camera or lens (although the major manufacturers carry varying degrees of renown for their customer service).
There is some satisfaction in using modern sleek tools if for no other reason than aesthetics, vanity or pride of ownership.
"If you want it done right you have to do it yourself."
or
"The only way to learn it is to try it yourself."
A
fully manual camera gives you the creative potential to realize your inner visions,
with no gadgets between you and your perfect expression. There is no better
way to get an instinctual understanding of the effects of aperture and shutter
combinations than going through the trial and error process imposed by a fully
manual process. After all, we learn from our mistakes, right?
Well, maybe not quite. But it is true that a fully manual camera will force you to understand the decisions an automatic camera made for you, although unless you’re shooting a lot of film, taking good notes, and getting your film developed often (or doing it yourself), this can sometimes be a long process. You are safe in the knowledge, however, that you will not be tempted to switch to an ‘idiot’ program mode, and that that you can take full ownership of any successes or failures in your results.
A fully mechanical camera is thought by many to be more reliable and almost everyone agrees they’re more reparable. Many enjoy the feel, build quality, mechanical aesthetic of the classic manual cameras.
Not convinced? As I mentioned earlier, maybe you should read this article (or its original predecessor) on Philip Greenspun's photo.net. You may choose to lose yourself for 8 or 100 hours in his rich site.
"So Mr. Opinionated, what are you using?". As of April 2000, this is my answer:
I’m currently shooting with a Minolta 600si, and a couple of cheap AF lenses. I have an off camera (wireless) flash. I kept the tripod when I sold off my manual focus gear with all 6 lenses, both flashes etc.
I started with a manual focus Minolta XD-11, the sale of which I sometimes regret (but which was necesaary to fund the 600s)i
I switched to a this camera for the following reasons:
All the text and pictures on this web server are copyright 1999-2000 Graham Braun.