Why Not Buy a New Camera? With emphasis on "Not"
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Yeah I know. It’s Boxing Week as I write this and COVID has made retail hell for smaller local stores and of course the manufacturers are all struggling so the advertising blitz is coming fast and heavy, so why would I say this?
I could be all socially minded and say it’s because I care about your wellbeing but we all know that would be a load of poo. How about I just share an alternative approach and you can follow it or trash it according to your own mind? Yes, that’s a better approach.
I’m going to presume that you already have a camera, and that if you are reading this, your interest in photography as a craft puts you in the minority that is not satisfied with images from your smartphone. If the rest is true, and you don’t have an interchangeable lens camera, might as well get one now, and if you do, go mirrorless since the DSLR has no future development and even if good, and it is, has already reached the end of its lifecycle.
Ok then. Why not buy a new camera?
Let’s start with a question. What can you not do with the camera that you presently own, that you NEED to do to take the next steps in the development of your craft?
If you cannot answer that question fully and in detail, there is no point spending a dime.
If you can, inspect your answer to determine if you are seeking a functional change or just because there is a new version of something or a feature that you don’t have. If so, is that new feature worth the hundreds / thousands of dollars you will need to spend? Is this a great hobby or is it your business? Is there a tax write off in there somewhere? Or is this sunk cash, knowing that there will be a newer sexier something or other long before you get full return on your spend.
Here’s the ugly truth. That new camera will not make you a better photographer. If you are good now, a different camera will not make you better. If you suck now, a new camera will probably make you worse because you’ll spend time playing with features and not working on your craft. Being able to use the newest hottest feature does not improve your craft. Put a 70 year old camera in the hands of a great photographer and he or she will still make great images. It’s the creator not the tool. Always has been, always will be.
So if a new camera will not make you a better photographer, what will? Same as anything else, training and practice. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am one of two moderators on the KelbyOne Community and one of the hosts on the KelbyOne Community Live! broadcast. There are many training venues out there, but if you don’t use any, I am going to recommend KelbyOne as a great place. They have classes that are self-paced on all elements of photography and post-processing. They also bring some of the best instructors on the planet to the game. Sure, like anything, there are some courses and some instructors that have not worked out for me, or for my students who subscribe, but your odds are way better than random ad stuffed YouTube videos. Some YouTube stuff is brilliant of course, but comprehensive materials and professional educators do not work for nothing. There’s a cost for quality. You spend money on all manner of kit, why not invest in yourself and some training?
Whether you choose K1 or something else, engagement is entirely up to you. If you just scan through a class and don’t practice what is taught, your return is going to be negligible. When you study anything, there are the basics and proper repetition is the mother of skill. I encounter lots of fine people who are scrambling about like headless chickens trying the next new thing or the next piece of gear and they still cannot explain why they chose certain exposure selections, why their composition is the way it is or even what their intent was before pressing the shutter release. If you cannot do that, all the gear in the world will not help you.
Stop. Breathe. Ask yourself why you are making the image. Understand your desired outcome and then focus your mind on achieving that goal. It will not be achieved by a 20 frame per second burst rate, or a 50 megapixel sensor or a $10K lens. A tool, used poorly, however magnificent the tool, will not make the work better, although it may make crap work faster and more of it.
Instead of lining someone else’s pocket, why not line your mind and heart by putting the time in to develop your craft? You might be stunned to discover what you can do with the gear that you already have if you just focus your mind.
Until next time, peace
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I'm Ross Chevalier, thanks for reading, watching and listening and until next time, peace.
