Photography "Experts" Listen to Them, But Don't Listen to Them.

Deciding on which camera to buy can be tough. Between website reviews, youtube videos and the comments by “experts” on various photography forums, it's easy for a person to become baffled by the plethora of factors cited as reasons for buying any given camera. Even the reasons for buying the exact same camera model can vary widely, depending on the “expert” expressing the opinion.

These “experts” range from gearhead fanboys who vociferously promote and defend their favorite brand, to aloof, elitist artistes who sniff at the very idea of discussing specifications because “it's the photographer, not the camera”. Then you will find that 80% of people offering opinions fall somewhere between these 2 extremes. You'll also find that about 80% of these “experts” really don't know as much about photography as they want people to think they do.

You know what I think?

All these people are wrong.

All these people are right.

How can that be?

Because people are wonderfully diverse in how we approach life, view the world and what makes us happy or sad. What puts smile on one person's face causes another to frown. Why else do we have hundreds of different flavors of ice cream?

Photography is a lot like ice cream. Some people like it basic vanilla or chocolate. Others want pralines and cream or even more exotic flavors. And some want to mix scoops for even more variety. I don't hear someone who likes Ben & Jerry's “Truffle Kerfuffle” being told that her choice of ice cream is wrong because Vanilla Fudge Swirl is better. (Then again, I don't visit ice cream websites and forums, so maybe arguments about which ice cream is best are just as heated as arguments about cameras?)

The wonderful variation in human preferences is why both the gearhead fanboys and the elitist artistes are wrong, and right, in their assessments as to what is, or isn't, the best camera to buy. The thing is, that if you like camera gear for it's own sake, and you get enjoyment from knowing the specs and owning a camera that you feel is the best thing going, enjoy that. You deserve to. Don't let anyone tell you you are wrong for being a gearhead, or even a fanboy. Just don't think you can tell others they are wrong for not agreeing with your reasons for and love of the gear you choose.

Are you an artiste who really doesn't care that much about gear, as long as it allows you to take the photos you want? I genuinely salute you for that. You know what you like or love about photography and that is a good place to be. Don't let people put you down because you are more concerned with the photos than the gear that produces them, but don't put others down for their love of the gear itself.

Everyone loves photography for different reasons. Photography is a hobby that allows that. I know people who take outstanding photos with old, antiquated cameras. I know people who own the same cameras who never use them for photos, because they love them as collectibles. I've seen mediocre photos taken with top of the line cameras and lenses, and I've seen breathtaking images produced by smartphones. And vice versa.

The reality is that despite the pontificating of gearhead fanboys and elitist artistes, most people really just want a camera they can pick up and take the best photos they want to take. Best doesn't just mean technical quality: it includes photos that were easy to produce and share with others under a wide variety of conditions. The esoteric minutiae of sensor performance, high ISO noise levels or lens resolution really aren't a big deal for people wanting to capture memories of their kids' activities or a vacation.

Most people will be happy with a basic camera with a zoom lens that covers moderate wide angle to telephoto range. Such a camera doesn't even have to be an interchangeable lens camera (ILC). The “superzoom” or “bridge” cameras can more than handle about 99% of the situations the average person encounters when taking photos. In fact, for a lot of people a bridge camera is a better choice than an ILC because it offers one lens that covers a much wider zoom range without having to fiddle with changing lenses (although you can buy “superzooms” for ILC cameras.)

Statistics show that even among those with ILCs, most photos of general subjects are taken between the 35mm equivalent focal lengths of 24mm and 200mm, which just happens to be around the common zoom range of kit lenses. Some would argue that is because people just use the kit lenses that came with the cameras, but a counter-argument is that kit lenses cover that range because long term statistics show that is the range most general subject photos are taken in.

Even among those who upgrade to premium lenses and/or buy addition wider angle or longer telephoto lenses, most general subject photos they take still fall within a certain range. There are certain genres which require focal lengths that fall outside this “average range of course. In my concert work, about 40% of my photos are taken in the 200mm to 400mm EFL range. That's because a tight close up of a singer whose 20 feet away requires the longer focal length.

What I'm saying is that most people who buy an ILC will be happy with the standard and telephoto zooms that come with the basic kit. Or, a bridge camera (currently these cameras have EFL ranges from about 24mm to 400mm or more.)

You need to remember that the people who present themselves as “experts” on their blogs and on forums are not the type who just want good pictures of the events they record in their lives. They've even gone beyond the idea of a “casual hobbyist” who likes to stroll around with a camera taking photos of what interests her. They are people who consider themselves “serious photographers”, meaning that things like pixel peeping for sharpness or noise, and wanting premium quality lenses, is of utmost importance for their enjoyment of photography.

That's important for them, and they can't be faulted for that. But it may not be as important for you, and you can't be faulted for that either.

The guy who wants the best equipment to take razor sharp, low noise photos of his cat to make 20x30 inch enlargements for his living room is no more of an authority on what other people should buy than the lady who is fine with slightly blurry photos of her cat taken with her phone. He's only an “expert” to other people who want to take razor sharp, low noise photos of their cats and have big enlargements made from them.

One problem with some of these “experts” is they crave the satisfaction of seeing others follow their advice (even if it doesn't really apply) and so have their own decisions and sense of self-importance validated. That is, in fact, how they end up gaining reputations as gearhead fanboys or elitist artistes: they like to tell others what to do, rather than listen and just offer their opinion in a friendly manner.

My advice is to only heed people like that if they are in fact talking about some aspect of photography that you are going to pursue yourself. If you want high quality images of your cat, by all means listen to the guy who uses pro quality gear for his cat photos. Otherwise, feel free to pay no attention to what he's insisting the the best camera, period, because he's only speaking from his own limited milieu. If you start asking him about what's the best set up for taking photos of your child playing soccer that are just going to be shared via Instagram and Facebook, he's probably out of his element.

Even talking to someone of common interest, they should also be discussing how you are going to use the photos. A sports photography who is paid for work that's published in magazines and websites must offer images of a higher technical standard than someone shooting personal sports photos for his Flickr site or Facebook. While an amateur should feel free to buy top of the line gear the pro uses if he wants (and can afford) it, he should also realize that it's not necessary for his end use. What's necessary for him is what gives him satisfaction with his photography, from using the gear he enjoys using, to how the photos look

When it comes down to it, the decision on gear is yours, and should be based on what you feel happy about doing. Ask advice and compare opinions, but don't let anyone tell you what you must buy. It should just be a matter of people telling you the advantages and disadvantages of a given piece of gear for what you want to do and what gives you enjoyment, not what the “expert” prefers. That's because when it comes down to your enjoyment of photography, no one is a better “expert” about that than you are.