Never underestimate / undervalue the camera in hand
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| Wildflower at Intaka Island with Canon 400mm Prime Lens |
Whatever (older) kit you may have will often surprise you with its capabilities beyond the application(s) and / or intended genres.
The wildflower image was created while I was setting up my camera for a client in-flight photography training session at Intaka Island earlier in the week. The flower was not really the objective, but rather ensuring that the AF and exposure settings were correctly tuned for the available light conditions.
This image is a reminder 'to self' that a camera / lens setup not intended for its ultimate purpose – action photography, in this case – can do other jobs about just as good as its newer siblings explicitly purchased and applied for specific (close-up) genres.The lens used was a 30 year+ old non-Image Stabilisation lens design (Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM) paired with an almost 10-year old camera (Canon EOS 7D Mark II) with entry-level birds in flight settings. Manual Mode: Auto-ISO / f/5.6 / 1/1000s - Large AF Zone and handheld.
The bottom line is when you get to know light, exposure and your kit in hand well enough you will be able to extract quite substantial value from said combination(s). Together with your own trust of the camera / lens in your hand a lot can still be achieved before it becomes really necessary for new kit. Once you master your kit you may learn its shortcomings – and then with the same (old) kit you will find there is still some value left in the 'creation of images' – depending on how you apply your mind (in learning even more from current kit).
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| African Sacred Ibis in Flight Intaka Island with EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Lens |
Above bird in flight with Canon EOS 7D Mark II / EF 400m f/6.5.6L USM lens at Intaka Island, Cae Town. Manual Mode: Auto-ISO 400 / f/5.6 / 1/2000s - Large AF Zone and handheld.
I read a comment earlier today where somebody wrote “I’m still learning photography after 35 years” – not making reference to the fact that he / she is not knowing how to use kit in hand, but rather still experimenting how to be even more creative in applying light, different genres and image making possibilities etc. For that alone you will be able to spend many years with the same camera (and a few lenses).
I read a comment earlier today where somebody wrote “I’m still learning photography after 35 years” – not making reference to the fact that he / she is not knowing how to use kit in hand, but rather still experimenting how to be even more creative in applying light, different genres and image making possibilities etc. For that alone you will be able to spend many years with the same camera (and a few lenses).