Please. Go buy any camera. If a Phase is calling you buy one. If a Yashica Mat tlr is calling you buy one. If a Pentax 645D/Z is calling you buy one.
Then get up early, when the light is right and take that camera for a walk. Shoot lots of pictures. Sorry gentleman it’s a cop out if you only shoot 900 pictures on a perfectly fine operating camera and decide "it" doesn't take good pictures. I would wager to say it’s more about learning the tool and understanding what’s it capable of doing then applying it to one’s vision. Its a rare frame indeed for me that a picture is “bad” because of the camera. I wish it was other wise…
I have made many images which just don’t work because of my choices…. bad composition, poor understanding of lighting, improper camera technique and simply having nothing to say in the image, i.e. poor content. And all that is okay. Because the only way to become a great (either technically or artistically)image maker is to shoot thousands of images and learn from your mistakes. Rinse and repeat.
Excuses don’t take pictures.
If you don’t have any passion for your art. Spending all your time bitching about camera prices is not going to put a print on your wall.
If you don’t know:
Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hopper, Peder Balke,
Bill Brandt, Sebastian Selgado, Eugene Smith, Mary Ellen Mark,
Akira Kurasawo, Gordon Willis, Vittorio Storaro, Sven Nyvist
then perhaps you should.
Learn what makes a great image. Study how artists who inspire you create. Find out what you want your images to say. Study your craft. All these will help you determine which “black box” or camera will be your partner on the path.
Wake up your passion for the image.
Thank you,
Jeffery
P.S. I realize my list of artists is highly western sensitive. Others from around the world can share their sources of inspiration.
Thank you, very helpful post indeed!
Perhaps it is not a good idea to be honest here. It has suddenly become all about my own experience and how foolish I was etc etc. Most have drunk the Koolaid and are happy in their 'new clothes' without having the courage to admit that just maybe, maybe they are indeed naked!
If you cared to read my post fully, you would see that I was never complaining about the price, I happily paid what I did for the camera, just as I did more than twice that for my car. I am very happy with the latter, but the camera never delivered on what was assumed it would (yes, my fault for making the assumptions in the first place). I was complaining about the upgrade policy and depreciation, specifically of P-1 system, which is what this thread is supposed to be about. I also came in on page 8 because nobody had talked about their experience in all that time.
And yes, FYI, I did do all the things you suggest I should. I've done them perhaps for at least as long as you have (I don't know your story since you've not shared your experience on this thread). My first camera was a rangefinder in the 60s and my first DSLR was the Canon D60 in 2002. And yes, I've been to the museums, seen the Masters' work, learnt how to paint in order to understand how light paints an image in a camera, was a beta tester for Photoshop etc etc. That should give you an idea that I am not exactly a foolish amateur with too much money.
Perhaps it would be good once in a while for Professionals to accept the fact that there may be amateurs out there who do not make money from photography but are equally, if not more so, passionate about the art. That we too are eager to learn and improve ourselves and are constantly striving to do so, that we are, some of us, capable of spending the kind of money that keeps the industry going, that keeps the workshops of the professionals full. We learn from you, you earn from us (at least some of you do). It is a symbiotic relationship. We are amateurs ONLY because we do not make money from photography. Do not assume that every amateur is by definition a poor photographer or is clueless about the craft.
BTW, since you've made this personal, your work (at least from what I see on your website) is hardly inspiring, perhaps you need to go see the Masters again. And it is obvious your choice of artists is western, since you cannot spell Kurosawa correctly - BTW, I do have all his work in my collection.
It does not help when on a supposedly 'pro' forum such as this, those who have mastered the craft are quick to jump on the new guy on the forum because he/she has not yet paid his dues in the number of use(less) posts and pontification.
Pradeep
Just for the record, I've taken over 4000 images with the Pentax in the past three months since I've owned it. Here is one taken in Africa after sunset at ISO1600. Now please tell me how I could have taken this with the Phase IQ180.