Three anniversaries of ‘firsts’ have been in a state of convergence for me this fall. Number one is my daughter’s first wedding anniversary. The next is the fourth anniversary of my first visit to Utah. And, the last one is the third anniversary of my first article being published here at Photography Life. Each of them in their own way has caused me to think about why many of us replace our camera gear on a frequent basis…and quite likely do so needlessly.
My daughter hired a professional wedding photographer for her special day and it was a very wise decision. The images captured were simply wonderful and they will serve as cherished memories for decades to come. There were two things that stood out for me when watching this professional photographer do her magic. The first was her precision, and the second was the gear she was using. Like most wedding photographers she used multiple camera bodies, each fitted with a different lens to enable fast response. I took notice of the three camera bodies she was using (I recently double checked this with the EXIF data on the images she created) – a Canon 5D Mark III, an older 5D, and a Nikon D300S. Regardless of the camera body used her work was stellar.
It was certainly an interesting experience for me to revisit a location like Utah that I had photographed four years ago. Back in 2012 I was shooting with what most people would consider much ‘better’ gear than I used in 2016. Back then I had a Nikon D600 along with a D7000 and a reasonable selection of Nikkor glass. After returning from our recent photography tour I had the opportunity to not only go through my most recent photographs, but also compare them to the images I created back in 2012.
What hit me like a ton of bricks was how poor my 2012 images were. Assessing photographs in large amount is a subjective exercise of course, but nonetheless it was blatantly obvious to me that having ‘better’ camera gear back then certainly didn’t help me create ‘better’ images than I did on this most recent trip. In some cases as I perused my older images the question that most often popped into my mind was, “What the heck was I thinking?” Better sensors do not overcome bad composition or a poorly executed image concept.
Three years ago next month my first ever article appeared here on Photography Life – a hands-on review of the Nikon 1 V2 that Nasim had asked me to write. Back then I owned a single Nikon 1 V2 with a few 1 Nikon lenses. I was using it on occasion for specific captures with my client video work, and as an inexpensive tele-converter of sorts with an FT-1 adapter, mainly with my Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G VR zoom. At that time I was in my infancy stage in terms of exploring the V2 and all of its capabilities. Since the time of that first V2 article I made more investments in full frame gear, eventually ending up with a Nikon D800 and eight full frame lenses – all Nikkor other than the Tamron 150-600mm.
Well, all of that full frame gear is long gone having been sold in July 2015 after my youngest son’s wedding. I now shoot with Nikon 1 gear exclusively. Three V2s, two J5s and a J4 thrown in for occasional underwater fun with a WP-N3 housing. I have a pretty full compliment of 1 Nikon lenses that serve my needs well and I have absolutely no interest in looking at any other camera format or system. Over the past 18 months or so I haven’t read even one camera body or lens review, nor do I have any plans to do so. Quite frankly I don’t need any temptation to rekindle my now very dormant GAS (gear acquisition syndrome).
I’ve been thinking about why many of us replace our camera gear so frequently. Heaven knows I’ve wasted a lot of money doing that over the years. Most of the time it really isn’t because our old gear is no longer capable or serviceable. My daughter’s professional wedding photographer proved that in spades with the outstanding work she produced using some older bodies. My V2s are still going strong and doing a great job helping to keep my video clients satisfied.
It isn’t because most of us need new equipment with much better technical specifications and performance. My own feeble attempts to capture the spectacular scenery in Utah back in 2012 are proof of that fact.
Nope. A lot of it is emotion and ego. We get caught up in the thrill of reading about new gear and the latest whiz-bang technical advancements. And, we find that it is actually really easy to rationalize the purchase of new camera gear. After all who wouldn’t want these ‘to die for’ upgrades? The truth of the matter is that whenever we make decisions in a highly charged emotional state (either negative or positive emotions by-the-way) logic goes out the window.
I suppose it’s lucky that most professional photographers apply some business acumen to their purchase decisions including cash flow projections and return-on-investment calculations. Doing that can help keep the GAS monster in check…at least a little bit. Regular consumers likely fall prey to their emotions on a more frequent basis when it comes to their GAS urges than do the pros…but perhaps not by as much as we may think.
Ego does raise its ugly head more often than any of us would like to admit when it comes to buying camera gear. And, its pretty easy to spot. Just go to an airshow or to a popular birding site and watch some owners of ‘big gun’ gear strut their stuff. Some individuals seem to spend more time watching whos watching them and looking at their ‘impressive’ gear, than actually using it.
I think the other reason that many of us replace our camera gear so often is that it’s an easy cop-out and a way to gloss over our skill sets. For many of us it’s so much easier to replace camera gear and spend our time learning how to operate all of the new fangled features, menus etc. than it is to actually work on improving our photographic skill set. I know I did that unconsciously with my forays into full frame camera ownership…so its likely that at least some of you have done that as well.
For the past eighteen months or so I’ve been trying hard…usually with some success…to replace all of my GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) urges with dedicated SAS (skill acquisition syndrome) efforts. Everyone’s photographic interests may be different of course…and those interests directly impact required skill sets. For me, it has meant learning to effectively use a camera without an EVF. Practicing to shoot at increasingly slower shutter speeds while using the rear screen with my Nikon 1 J5s. Experimenting and trying weird stuff with my existing gear like stacking 5 extension tubes together then trying to photograph butterflies hand-held. And, getting out of my comfort zone and trying to photograph different types of subjects. Who knows…maybe all of this SAS focus will actually lead me into photographing people some day…hmmm….I hope I live that long.
Article and all images Copyright 2015 and 2016 Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, adaptation or reproduction of any kind is allowed without written consent. Photography Life is the only approved user of this article. If you see this article or any images contained in it reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use.
Fascinating article, Tom. It’s a pity I wasn’t aware of the Nikon 1 when I decided to replace my Nikon pocket cam – I went across the border & bought a Canon PowerShot instead – purely for the 1″ sensor, the one on my Nik pocket cam was simply TOO small for what I wanted. So now I have a stranger in the family – my other cams (plural) are both Nikons.
What I DON’T do is buy stuff just because it’s there – or new – or whatever. It’s all purpose-oriented. I use all three – regularly – for different purposes. The big gun (a Nikon D810) mainly for travel photography and available light (mostly night) photography, and also for MACRO photography. The D7200 more for moving subjects – I use MF lenses on the D810. But both of them are mostly used for planned shoots. And the PowerShot is the one I grab as I’m heading for the door to make sure I never get caught again, missing a shot I particularly want, because I didn’t have a camera with me.
So – one’s a 1.5″ 12.8MP, once’s a HF 24.2MP and the other is a FF 36.3MP. And I am perfectly happy with the results that each one of them produces.
I don’t care if someone else has something different/bigger/smaller/better/more expensive/just the latest thing. That’s their choice – and has no relevance whatsoever to my photography. The only criticism I have for any of them is that when Nikon released the D810, they should have fitted it with an articulated screen – even if it only hinged on one plane (up and also down, like the PowerShot does).
And now that I have the gear I want, my focus is entirely on SAS – seeing what I can do with the gear I have, and how I can improve my photography.
One objective is a never-ending study of light (both tints & tonal range), because photography is about capturing light (“photograph” is derived from the greek word “photos”, which MEANS “light” and the greek word “graphos”, which refers to something written – or by the time photography was invented, a writing, record or drawing). Like millions of others before me, my inspiration for that was Claude Monet – particularly his series on haystacks – and the rest of the French Impressionists.
Another is improving technique – the better the image, the less work is needed in post processing.
And at the moment, another is capturing images of a friend’s dog – an ageing Dachshund girl. This started because photographers see things that “normal” people miss – and I started to realise this little girl was starting to get closer to the end of her life. My friend only realised this after I had already started taking photos of her, to give my friend some (hopefully magic) memories of her pup. That was my intention when I started, and I hope it wasn’t my photographs that made her realise she had to start to face the prospect of losing her pup. The pup isn’t going to die today or tomorrow – it could even be another year or so – but doing this has given my friend a great deal of pleasure, she loves the photos, she has most of them on display all around her house and enlargements of the ones she regards as special.
And this is an example of something we, as photographers, CAN do. People cannot go into a shop and buy this – but we can create it, and give it to people – share something of ourselves and our work, yes – but in the process, inject real pleasure – fun, laughter and happy, cherished memories – into other people’s lives.
That’s my “different strokes”, Tom. I don’t set out to take photos of people – if I do photograph them it’s generally for a reason – perhaps something like the previous paragraph, perhaps it’s because another sideline of my photography has always been “candid” stuff (rather than “street photography”), and I’ve been doing that too, for over half a century. Otherwise, given free choice I’d rather take photos of animals or birds – night shots – studies of shadows on a building – whatever. Anything that catches that “eye” :)
Hi Pete,
Thanks for taking the time to give all of us the wisdom in your detailed posting. It serves as a great reminder that when the spirit moves us, we need to go where it leads.
Tom
Hi Thomas,
Thanks for this article. I love your photos and I wanted to comment on your remark that _one day_ you might actually photograph people.
I’m a rookie photographer and I’ve been photographing people from day 1 of borrowing a DSLR. It’s all I care about, photography wise. Apart from having a true interest in photographing people, there are many things I’ve done outside photography that have enabled me to boldly ask anyone to be photographed. These are social skills, being spontaneous, learning to deal with rejection and disappointment and most of all: telling myself to get out there and do it. I still have many fears. But all my skills in these areas are built from 0, and they are built outside the arena of photography. So stop investing in skill and in gear, start investing in becoming more brave socially and just asking people if you can photograph them :-)
Some tips I have:
– The 3 second rule: make contact with another living human within 3 seconds after meeting them. This will prevent you from freezing up, ‘ice’ that will have to be ‘broken’ later on from building up, and make saying something very easy. Because you have no time to think :-) Just a friendly nod already does it, and words, any words, are often even better. Because the other person is so surprised by a friendly face they won’t mind you blabbering like an idiot. Try it! :-)
– Hitchhike. Trying to get from A to B will mean you have to talk to a lot of strangers and ask them for favors. Basically what photographing people is about
– Just take your camera and photograph one person you don’t know yet, today, as a challenge. It won’t cost you anything.
– Realize that the only way to fail is not to do it. So what if someone says no? No problem. So what if the photo becomes shit? You’re learning.
– Just take one picture of a human every week. Keep doing this until you learn that there’s not that much to it as it seems from when you’re not doing it. Making it into an Official Project enables you to talk to people for your Official Project. My basic message is: Hi there, I’m Bartjan and I’m learning portrait photography and I love to photograph people I find beautiful (either from the inside, the outside, or both) and I’d love to photograph you. May I? And then during or after or before the session I mention that I have a blog I love to post my best pictures on, and if I can post their picture on it as well if it turns out great.
So, those are some tips from a very oftenly failing rookie master :-) Good luck and thanks again for the article.
Warm regards,
Bartjan
PS: My blog: mooimens.tumblr.com
Hi Bartjan,
Thanks for your comment and adding to the discussion! Folks who enjoy photographing people will appreciate your suggestions!
Each of us is inspired by different things in life, and these interests tend to find their way into our individual photographic pursuits. In terms of my choice of photographic subject matter…I simply have never had any interest whatsoever in photographing people. It has nothing to do with not being ‘socially brave’. It’s just a total lack of interest in people as photographic subject matter on my part.
When I travel, or do street photography, I usually wait for people to move out of the frame or until they are hidden behind posts, trees etc,, to try to ensure that my images are ‘people free’. On the odd occasion I will compose images with people in them, but these are conscious decisions to incorporate people to provide a sense of scale to an image…usually with a landscape composition.
As is often said, “different strokes for different folks”.
Tom
Hi Tom
. Really great article and it is always a pleasure to read your experiences.
Could you give some more informations about how you had improved your skills. Beside daily practice, what are your favourites for composition and/or technical experiences?
Thank you a lot and would be a leisure to further read your experiences.
Best, Michael
Hi Michael,
There’s not a lot to share…but here’s a few things.
Using a camera like the J5 was a bit of a challenge since it does not have an EVF and it is the first camera that I have ever owned that did not have one. When I first started shooting with the J5 I needed to leave a bit of cropping room on my captures as I could not initially hold the camera steady enough when shooting handheld to get the exact captures I wanted. A lot of my practice centred on holding the camera still at various heights and angles and also changing the pressure of my shutter finger to avoid any kind of downward camera movement.
Another challenge not having an EVF was practicing to shoot at slower shutter speeds with the J5 since I didn’t have a third anchor point. I’ve been experimenting with different body anchoring techniques in order to shoot at slower shutter speeds with the J5. I have now been able to get usable images at 1/20 hand-held when using extension tubes, which is about 2 stops better than when I first got the J5.
From a composition standpoint I guess the thing I try to do the most often is shoot all of my images with the intent of never having to crop them. My ratio of uncropped J5 images has been going up as I practice this approach.
Tom
Thx for your reply! May I ask you to recommend some outstanding books/videos/websites, which had helped you to improve composition?
Thx and best greetings!
Michael
Hi Michael,
In terms of composition I am self-taught and have never looked at photography books, videos or websites for this type of information, relying instead on my own experimentation.
Tom
Thx a lot! Really enjoy your writings!
Michael
Also, what do you think about the future of the Nikon 1 system? Looks like Nikon has no plans to update anything – no releases in the past 2 years now.
Hi Tom,
All we know for now is that a number of positive comments about the Nikon 1 system by Nikon executives have been quoted in a number of press interviews during the past couple of months. Apparently the J5 has been selling well and the company intends to continue with the Nikon 1 system, and specifically the J-Series. I suspect there will be an update to the J-Series in early 2017. The J5 was announced about 18 months ago (April 2015). It is still unclear about anything happening with the V-Series. Given the water penetration issues that have been reported with the AW-Series I don’t think anything more will happen with that particular concept.
Nikon has also filed quite a few patents for lenses designed for 1″ sensors. Whether these will end up as Nikon 1 lenses or used in cameras like the DL series is unclear.
In the longer term much will depend on the global camera market and consumer preferences. According to Current CIPA data (Jan-Sept) the overall camera market is still in decline on a YTD basis with 2015, with fixed lens cameras down by about 50% in Europe, Asia and the Americas, Japan is down by about 1/3.
By comparison, the interchangeable lens camera market is down about 26% in Japan, 12% in Europe, 18% in the Americas, and 15% in Asia. So the interchangeable lens camera market appears more stable than fixed lens cameras. This makes sense to me since fixed lens camera would have more intense competition from Smartphones than would ILC’s.
I know some Nikon 1 owners are concerned that the DL series will replace the Nikon 1 system. This makes no sense to me, given that the fixed lens camera market is contracting at a much faster rate than is the interchangeable lens camera market.
It is also interesting to consider the relative sizes of various geographic markets. To a large extent I think the medium term future of the Nikon 1 system will depend on consumer preferences in Asia and Europe where the mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras have their highest market volumes and market penetration. For example, Asia thus far in 2016 is about 37.2% of the total global ILC market. Mirrorless cameras in Asia are about 1/3 of overall unit volume in that market and running at 100.7% of 2015 performance. DSLRs in Asia are down 21%. In terms of the overall global mirrorless ILC market Asia is currently running at about 48%.
So, I think the Nikon 1 system will be around for the next few years at least. Whether it is limited to a J-Series body only remains to be seen.
Given the continued contraction with the digital camera market one could realistically think that buying any camera from a smaller volume manufacturer like Olympus, Panasonic, or Pentax to name a few – also has risk in terms of those brands disappearing and owners ending up with orphan equipment.
At the end of the day I think we should all just buy what we enjoy using and go out a create images with whatever we choose.
Tom
Hi Thomas, now that the D500 is finally “out of the way”, it would be interesting if Nikon released a fully professional V body on par with the D5 and D500 (maybe even call it a V5), without any more deliberate “crippling”. I’m not holding my breath on this however. Chances are Nikon will release a J6, discount N1 lenses to sell off existing stock, and put N1 out to pasture.
Hi Spy Black,
Always good to have you share your perspectives! I suppose that I am more optimistic than you appear to be on the future of the Nikon 1 system. Time will tell if my optimism was justified.
I think the J-Series will continue for some time to come…the AW is likely dead due to its water infiltration issues…and the continuation of the V-Series is still anyone’s guess. Mirror-less unit sales are going up slightly YTD in Asia (the largest global camera market) and are holding up reasonably well in Europe (the second largest global camera market) according to recent CIPA data. That fact, along with statements from Nikon executives that the J5 is selling well, lead me to think that the Nikon 1 line up isn’t going away any time soon.
Cameras like the DL Series are being launched into the rapidly eroding market fixed lens camera market. Thus far in 2016 the fixed lens camera market is down about 50% YTD…not exactly a robust market into which to launch a new product line like the DL-Series. The ILC market is more stable with a much slower rate of decline. In 2012 the fixed lens camera market was about 80% of the industry…now its running at under 52% of the total market. Mirrorless is now over 12% of total camera volume, up from about 4% in 2012. Given that Nikon finally has a mirrorless camera model in the J5 that is actually selling well (according to Nikon execs that one model is capturing up to 10% of the mirrorless market share in some European markets) I don’t see any logic in the thought that the Nikon 1 line will suddenly go away.
If consumers mainly in Asia and to a lesser extent in Europe are happy with the existing line up of Nikon 1 lenses there’s little reason for Nikon to put R&D dollars into the system right now. They can keep selling J5 and future J6 bodies and leverage their previous Nikon 1 lens R&D by selling their existing lens lineup and likely scoop up a few extra contribution margin dollars in the process.
I don’t have any stats, but anecdotally it seems to me that those of us in North America tend to complain about Nikon 1 lens selection not being adequate…but demand for mirrorless cameras here is the smallest of the 4 global markets reported by CIPA. So, the future of Nikon 1 and other mirrorless cameras is far more dependent on the needs of consumers in Asia and Europe than it is here.
Tom
Tom, an excellent article as usual with some stunning images!
Hi Tom,
Thank you very much for your supportive comment!
Tom
What is the best Nikon 1 camera?
Is the J newer than the V?
It sounds good to use an adapter so I can take advantage of my FX lenses, but once I have the large lens, the camera is not that big of a deal.
Do you have comparisons on a tripod, with the Nikon 1 vs a Nikon D600/750/810 using the same FX lens?
Hi Steve,
The latest Nikon 1 model is the J5. It has a better sensor (20.8MP BSI) than previous Nikon 1 models which used Aptina sensors. From an image quality standpoint the J5’s sensor has better dynamic range and colour depth than other Nikon 1 cameras. Every piece of gear comes with trade offs of course…the J5 doesn’t have an EVF and is missing a few features that are in the V3. In addition not all Nikon F-mount lenses (mainly the larger telephoto lenses) will work with the J5 and FT-1 adapter. I own a couple of J5s and they are my ‘go to’ cameras for landscape, street photography, and macro type work with extension tubes.
The V3 is the latest V-Series camera. If you buy it with the detachable EVF and grip it provides the most DSLR shooting experience of any Nikon 1 camera. The sensor isn’t up to the performance of the J5. As far as I know most Nikkor glass will work with a V3 and the FT-1 adapter. You can always check on the Nikon site as it details lens compatibility.
As far as which one is best for your needs…it really depends on the type of shooting you do. I have three V2s which is the earlier model to the V3. I use them primarily for client video work, and for any kind of moving subjects (e.g. birds in flight) as I prefer to shoot with an EVF under those circumstances.
I no longer own any full frame Nikon camera bodies or lenses so I don’t have any image comparisons with the cameras you mentioned. Without question the D600, D750 and D810 would blow any Nikon 1 camera out of the water in terms of image quality, especially in low light conditions. This is to be expected given the relative size of the sensors.
If you use a Nikon 1 body with an FT-1 adapter you will be limited to a single focus point in centre frame that cannot be moved. Also, many third party lenses will not work with a Nikon 1 body and FT-1 adapter.
Hope this has helped a little…
Tom
Nice piece, and food for thought. SAS is far more important than anything in one’s bag. I consider myself a working Pro and a hobbyist. I am expected to deliver a certain level of quality to my clients, but I also love to go out and shoot simply because of my love for Photography. I tell my students that when they want to learn how to use their camera so it becomes simply an extension of what they are thinking, to find a place to sit and take 400 shots utilizing the specific technique they are trying to acquire. (I have taken thousands of shots of the stereo receiver and stuff on my coffee table from the couch) It works…
As to GAS, whenever I feel the urge, I rent the gear I am hankering for. Usually that gets it out of my system. At this point I haven’t found anything that allows me to accomplish what I want better than my D810 and quality glass. Yes it/they are heavy. But, the technical quality never lets down my composition, and I have had many times using newer/lighter gear where my composition was good, but the image quality let me down.
To summarize, SAS is FAR more important than fancy new gear. To sit in one spot and take 400 shots practicing your DOF will do more for your Photography than anything you can buy in a store… I have a 1979 Fender Stratocaster and a 1968 Princeton Reverb, that still sound great, because I still work on my music. Our cameras are cameras are no different…
Hi Duffy,
Thanks for sharing your experiences and adding to the discussion! I especially love one of the points you made in your posting: “I tell my students that when they want to learn how to use their camera so it becomes simply an extension of what they are thinking”. This strikes me as one of the fundamental truths of photography – thanks for sharing it!
In retrospect I wish that I would have had the good sense to rent some of the gear that I ended up buying…it would have saved me some money over the years.
Tom
The GAS of some allow camera companies to produce larger quantities, thus lowering the prices for everyone. So in some sense, it helps everyone. It might get their way when photography skills are concerned: less experience with the gear since it’s always kinda new, so suboptimal use of it.
Awesome article, by the way. And really impressed by the quality of your pictures!
As far as I’m concerned, some gear will allow me to take better pictures. With a few exceptions in the past (I’ve had my GAS tendencies), I tend buy gear when I’m tired of having my current gear preventing me from taking the picture I want to take and a solution is within my price range. Could either be new gear allowed for pictures I often wanted to take but couldn’t solely due to gear limitations (ultra-wide, macro, long telephoto…), or significantly reduced the misses (faster glass for sports, good support,…).
What about now?
The limitations I need to overcome: my DSLR is not with me at all times and doesn’t fit in the cockpit of my glider. So I need a decent compact camera.
And on the ground I need a second body. I have missed a lot of shots due to the lack of time to change from 10-24mm to 70-200mm.
But… do I try to find a D7000 in perfect condition (same controls, so easy switch between bodies)? That must exist somewhere and the D7000 is good enough.
Or… perhaps a different body would open new possibilities? But it would need to be significantly different, so obviously not a D7200… that means a D500 or a D750.
“perhaps new gear will help”… GAS isn’t far ;-)
Hi Seb,
Thanks for sharing your perspectives and adding to the discussion! You raise a very good point that there can be times when the current gear owned by a photographer may not allow them to effectively capture certain types of images. For example, if a photographer doesn’t own a long focal length prime or zoom they would likely miss many opportunities for nature images.
Tom
If you have got disposable income, and if you like buying and trying new cameras, gas is ok. There is nothing wrong with it. Acquisition of new cameras does not prevent a photographer from becoming good at photography. Plus, gas is fun. Trying new cameras is exciting.
Thanks for sharing your perspectives Jdndn!
Tom
It is true for every profession …that one’s individual skill sets and killing desire matter a lot, true with photography also. I liked the way the term is coined…GAS and SAS. Great way to explain!
Thank you,
Thanks for the positive comment Vinayak!
Tom