What The Pros Use?

[mountainvisions]

Based on the misconception that all pros are grouped into a mold of 1D/D1/2/3

users, and based on how often I reference that articles I have "stored somewhere

on my hard drive", I infact did have this article on my HD. But since the NY

Times is nice enough to continue hosting it I have simply (and properly) linked

to it.

 

This is also in follow up to another thread somewhere below.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/technology/circuits/08schiesel.html?ex=1275883200&en=c2c5650d56297840&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

 

if the link fails to work simply type "Which Camera Does This Pro Use? It

Depends on the Shot" into your google search and it will be the first article

to come up.

 

 

What I find interesting is the fact that Mr Burnett even uses the 20D for sports

when I'm sure he could afford, or borrow a 1D series body.

 

I think people certainly have a strange misconception of what is needed and what

is actually used to produce the shots they see published.

 

The 20D series cameras (as are the D200 and potentially A300) are certainly used

by professional journalist.

 

My point is, this belief that if Pentax doesn't produce a 1D/D3 level camera it

won't compete is not rational. It's only failing to compete in a very small and

tightly contested sports market that probably realizes almost no profitability.

However, there is a huge market for 40D/D300/K10D level cameras by amatuers and

pros alike.

 

The bottom line, by not courting that very small top end pro (mostly sports)

market, it can offer more value to the consumer, rather than subsidize the pro

market. I'd be very careful what you wish for.

[ronald_moravec1]

We will migrate to full frame sensors as they become available. In order to not be left behind, Pentax must eventually develope one.

 

Sensor size rather than MP#, which really means little, will become the selling point.

[personalphotos]

Justin, A great and timely reminder. I fear that most will misunderstand the intent though. My biggest regret? Selling my 6x7. Due to the size and (at the time) sheer expense of any additional lens or part, I decided to use the money for a DSLR. Just got tired of manually metering everything and the whole process of seeing the results. I don't think I ever mastered that camera.

 

There's no doubt though that the images I could produce were superior in a dozen different ways than anything on the market today. There is also no doubt that the new camera can produce images some different ways better than the 6x7 as he outlined in the article. If you like landscape photography there was nothing better than an enlargement from a negative that size. The look was unique in ways that are hard to describe. Compared to what I shoot now the look is much different and similar to what my LX would do with good slide film (loved Kodak 64). Guess it's why I still have my turntable and old Luxman tube amplifier. Yeah the CD is 'cleaner' but it's missing the texture and richness of the old analog sound.

 

These endless posts about FF, pixel peeping, low light/high ISO, what the next camera will be, etc etc have kept me from posting much these days. Personally worry about your technique and skills as a photographer hobbiest or pro. Most of us have equipment that we could only dream about a few short years ago and are worrying about some holy grail that will always be replaced by the next holy grail 3 months down the road.

 

 

BTW. After seeing so many results from your *istD that were equal to much of you K10D stuff, I decided to pick one up. I can now happily use my AF400T and love the size and results. Doesn't hurt that it's basically laid out the same as the K10D so switching back and forth is a breeze.

 

Next maybe a 645NII an a couple of lenses. Then a walk in the woods by a lake....

[denys_meunier]

Hi guy's here in Quebec,Montreal,all the pro I saw in fashion or jounalist,75 per cent use top of the line Canon and the rest use top of the line Nikon,rare I saw 20d,30d,d100,d200 in Pro hand's.One day ,I ask the question to 4 guy's cover an event with using mark 2,,,why you are not using nikon,,,,they said,in digital nikon have to much noise compare to Canon its very bad and they left.I think the Pro's choose a brand and they adopt the product like here its canon,wedding its hassleblad,studio is mamiya 67 pro but can you tell me canon or nikon produce better image compare to pentax or hasselblad produce better image compare to bronica,I don't think so,of course its good gears but they just adopt a brand may be 40 years ago and they continue to use it like bikers its harley davidson,they choose a brand to associate the look.May be I'm wrong but look's that the way it is.

[matthew miller]

Roland: I don't think it's a given that everyone will move to 35mm-frame sensors. The size and weight advantages of lenses designed for a smaller sensor shouldn't be discounted.

[a few images]

The K10D is a professional camera. Period.<BR>

.<BR>

 

Take a hint from Aristotle...<BR>

.<BR>

 

All people like different gear<BR>

Professionals are people<BR>

All professionals like different gear<BR>

[rose_duclos]

Great article, Justin. Thanks for posting it.

 

It's a great reminder for us all, that no matter how advanced digital becomes, there will always be a place for the good old-fashioned film equipment.

 

Makes me want to go shopping for a few old fashioned lenses (and a new battery) for my K1000. :D

[Jochen_S]

Denys, over the years I encountered pros shooting something like Minolta X300, Pentax LX, some gave the Minolta 9000 a try, DPA handed out Leica R, diehards used Leica M. In the golden Nikon age they hardly carried pairs of F3-5s. FE2s were popular 2nd bodies. I 've read about some American lady sticking to her Spotmatics. One guy of our local Newspaper did certain stuff with a Powershot 70 before DSLRs became affordabel and one Magnum shooter used a pair of P&Ss- Who cares?

 

Arguments against Pentax are well known, OTOH being professional means getting the job done. - I wouldn't hesitate to cover local events with my pair of Pentax. - It works, at least better than with the film bodies I used before and newspaper printing isn't really demanding.

 

Mr Burnett whom Justin quoted surely isn't a leading example of that kind of pro who's lifes depend on the best available camera, since he seems to know how to win prizes even with Speedgraphics and Holgas.

[denys_meunier]

I agree with you Jochen,the Pro is behind the view finder,what ever the camera is using,the job is done and the customer is happy.Be a Pro for the way you shoot not for the brand you have around the neck.

[mountainvisions]

Peter,

 

I agree. The cameras that are out, all of them are good enough. Sure we always want better but I'll use the ist D till the shutter dies and happily.

 

Glad you are enjoying the D, other than the fact that once you've used the K10D you realize just how slow it is, it is still a great camera. Truthfully, I only notice it's lack of speed occassionally since I tend to use it more like a film camera than I do the K10D.

 

I just got a D1H that I am learning. Great camera. Missed having 4+fps for many years and this is a nice rig.

 

Ronald,

 

I'm doubtful sensor size means all that much to everyone. Personally it means nothing to me. It's simply a size. Really, to most new photographers, it means nothing. The only people it means something to are old timers (i'd have included myself in this till I saw the light) or people with a bag of legacy wide angles (this was what put me in the above catagory).

 

Jochen,

 

Sort of my point really. The camera is a means to an end but people seem to believe it's the guarantor of the results. Thats just foolish, and it's commonly believed that all pros use the highest end bodies. My impression of Mr Burnett is he gets his dinner shot with the digi bodies (20D's) and then gets his vacation/retirement shots with the Holga and Speedgraphics. Definitely more than one way to skin a cat.

 

Denys,

 

I'm really not much into fashion photography, quite honestly I can't stand it, but Benjamin Kanarek has informed us many times of both how good he is and the fact that he tossed Canon to the trash and signed with Pentax. So at least one major fashion photographer in the world shoots a K10D, quite honestly, that either makes the K10D look really good, or those Mark2s look way over priced because last I saw he was still publishing his work.

 

But what your post above illustrated to me is that if 99% of the world is shooting the 1DM2 and someone can make a go of it with the K10D and still put food on the table, then it shows how completely irrelevant the camera is. And that was the point of my post.

 

The bottom line is if the K5D or whatever competes head to head with the 40D/D300 (plus throws a few things in like SR) I think Pentax is in great shape.