On Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003, at 20:10 Europe/London, Bob Marchant wrote:
I have ignored multi shot and scanning backs as they are completely useless to me. I have not complicated my comments with obvious consideration of camera movements.
But although they may be useless to you ,surely thats not a reason anybody to paint those who need these options as a bunch of egotistical puffheads. Although I grant you there is no shortage of the latter in our profession ,and as we speak I' m obviously making my own application to join this elite body :-)
Sorry, part of my point in not commenting on multi shot was to exclude those who need such options from any any accusation of egoism.
Without a doubt my 1Ds is better than my RZ in every respect apart from flash sync speeds and looking big and cool on a tripod. And I can live with that.
As a smudger of too many years standing , I ' m not sure that I can live without cool . In fact , I'm not entirely sure that I can live without big . If we could introduce a little matt black , some impressive flashing diodes and maybe an electronic beep or two ,maybe I'd just get by.
Truth is one of my first purchased after the body and a couple of new lenses was a 90 degree finder attachment to replicate the feeling of looking down on the RZ, I am amazed how often I use it. I am currently waiting for the matt black paint to dry on an old shoe box to which I have stuck some flashing bicycle lamps and an old CB aerial. The 1Ds will be placed inside this with the lens projecting out the front and the finder out the top whenever the client or art director is present at a shoot. I am hoping to develop an attachment using an ipod and cheap speaker to shout 'wow good one!' on every exposure. Could this be one step too far?
Now more than ever we should be selling ourselves on the creativity not just the size of van needed to get to the shoot.
But surely that doesn't mean that using the best possible piece of kit for the job somehow renders one devoid of creativity ?
You make my point perfectly. I am forever getting some bod come up to me to discuss the latest gear whilst out on location, which I am happy to do, but the most common thread is that the gear is percieved as the important factor by many, thus devaluing the most important part of any photographer, and the thing we are really selling; our creative and businesslike approach to the job. Having the best gear does not render one devoid of creativity but I would hazard a guess that there are more than a few (not on this list I'm sure) who think having the gear makes the pro. Which does none of us any good.
Digital photography has continued the long time line of improving accessibility to quality for the masses. If we shout too loud about gear being THE vital ingredient to professional image making we may find ourselves in a corner.
Must go. the paint is dry....
Kind regards
Jonathan Keenan
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