Faithful Owners

[GrahamBy]

I think the most extreme case is the night shot of Anjelica Huston, looking like a vampire with bleached out eyes. To want extent was it deliberate, rather than what most of us would have called a technical failure to quickly delete?

People have talked about his undercurrent of BDSM, but it seems to have been most present in the fashion industry figures who posed in what look to me like quite cruel portraits.

Although it's not fashion, it's also funny to see that a fuss is being made about Mrs Sarkozy putting a half-nude of herself on Instagram, when there is that shot of her flashing her crotch while climbing onto her father's lap. If the family hadn't paid for that, I suspect they'd be suing.

[BobShaw]

If you'd asked me before mid-February this year, I'd have said my trusty 5DII has been in use since January 2009, so that's 7 years. Now I have a 5Ds.
Jeremy

Exactly the same. The 5D2 still works fine but I was in situations where I couldn't afford a malfunction so the 5D2 is now a backup. Same batteries and charger. The 5Ds cost me $3000 which is actually well less than I paid for the 5D2. I also have an H3D-II which is probably 8 years old.

[GrahamBy]

Is the 5Ds quieter than the 5d-II?
I was shooting some concert photos, by invitation but still sensitive about the noise disturbing the paying audience. I swear my friend's 5D-II sounded louder from the other side of the room than the Pentax pressed against my face...

[Rob C]

Is the 5Ds quieter than the 5d-II?
I was shooting some concert photos, by invitation but still sensitive about the noise disturbing the paying audience. I swear my friend's 5D-II sounded louder from the other side of the room than the Pentax pressed against my face...

Trust me, Graham, we never see our own failings until somebody we love points them out! Something to do with motes and beams or whatever.

;-)

Rob

[N80]

I started with an entry level Nikon FG in the 1980s. Later a Nikon FAs, still have them. Then a Nikon N80 around 2001. First digital was a Nikon D200 around 2005. Just replaced it with a D750. All consumer level cameras but as you can see, once something works for me I use it a long time. Now, if I had the money I'd buy for all the reasons mentioned in the OP: specs, looks, feel, fashion, nostalgia, whatever. Nothing wrong with that. But as is I suspect I use a single dedicated DSLR longer than most.

[BernardLanguillier]

Nope.

I have following closely the forefront, partially because I have been expanding a lot what I shoot. Going from pretty much only stitched landscape to pretty much just about anything. With various degrees of success obviously, but that has been a great excuse to buy new cameras and lenses.

Is there anything that technically can't be shot at world standard level with a D810/D5 combo and the lenses line up I am fortunate to own? Probably not. Does it mean I am done with GAS? Not that sure... 

One of the key enablers of these upgrade tactics has been auction sites that have reduced significantly the cost.

Cheers,
Bernard

[torger]

I have a Canon 5D mark II which I still use, and then I have a Linhof Techno (my main camera and where I do my serious stuff), which I got in 2012. I've upgraded the digital back once though.

Now I've reached a point where I don't feel that there is anything I want to upgrade to, which the gear junkie in me finds a bit boring, but as a photographer it's kind of relaxing that the gear doesn't change. I just got myself a brand new cyclocross bike though, so I found a way to buy expensive gear anyway.

[luxborealis]

If I was using now what I had 5 years ago (Oly E30), I wouldn't be able to ½ of what I can now with a D800E (now 3 or 4 years old) and a newer Sony RX10iii. Back in the film days, I kept the same gear for years, but those bodies were mature. Digital hasn't yet achieved that maturity.

[Rhossydd]

Digital hasn't yet achieved that maturity.

I get the impression from some of the respondents here that they think it has.

What sort of compelling features do you expect/want that will make your D800 outdated any time soon ?

I genuinely think 'we're there' now with digital cameras. Sure things will improve, but I think any new features will be comparatively minor, niche and difficult to justify financially for most people.


 

[BernardLanguillier]

I get the impression from some of the respondents here that they think it has.

What sort of compelling features do you expect/want that will make your D800 outdated any time soon ?

I genuinely think 'we're there' now with digital cameras. Sure things will improve, but I think any new features will be comparatively minor, niche and difficult to justify financially for most people.

It really depends on the application. The progress made by the D5/D500 with AF really makes a very measurable difference in success ratio on moving subjects, the ISO64 images of the D810 have a look that I have never seen in my D800 files,...

It is possible to take great images without these of course.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Rhossydd]

It really depends on the application.

Which is why I said niche applications will see some benefits.

The progress made .... with AF

A fine example of niche really. AF on pro bodies hasn't been poor since film days. Sports photographers were taking great photos back with the EOS 1 on film, that technology has just evolved steadily and some has trickled down to lower end bodies.
The improvements have only been minor in each iteration and rarely a 'compelling upgrade'

the ISO64 images of the D810 have a look that I have never seen in my D800 files,...

Is this really such a dramatic improvement that non-experts would notice a difference ?

There have been some serious improvements over the last 15 years.
A big jump in resolution. Even entry level cameras will now deliver files that can be printed to A2 without problems and few people can display images much bigger.
Sensor sensitivity is now fantastic and can shoot in situations that would have been regarded as impossible 20 years ago, but do we really need any more ?
Self cleaning sensors make a huge difference.
RAW capture brought huge amounts of control.

What more do people need ? What could be a universal 'MUST upgrade' ?

[mbaginy]

Self cleaning sensors make a huge difference.

That's the reason I upgraded from the Canon 5D to 5D Mk III.  Makes a great difference!

I've recently bougth some Fujifilm X series cameras and will be sell most of my Canon gear, only keeping a Canon body and macro lenses.  What sold me on Fujifilm were: aperture ring, analog-style settings, light weight, smaller size, image quality.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I am a bit feature driven. Mostly, I bought cameras for fetaures I perceived as needs.

My present kit is:

• Sony Alpha 900 bought 2008, the only DSLR I plan to keep. If I need a flipping mirror camera with an OVF
• Hasselblad 555/ELD + P45+, bought in 2013. I will keep this but no updates.
• Sony A7rII (with an A7II as a backup). Short flange distance, tilt and shift options. Resolution...

The Alpha 900 has seen little use since 2013.

I also have an Alpha 77 with a 16-80/3.5-4.5 which is an almost perfect street shooters camera, but it has to go as I cannot carry a lot of different stuff.

Best regards
Erik

I was just wondering: does anybody here actually use the same camera that they were using five years ago, not just as a lowly 'back-up' but as the main deal?

I suppose I'm interested in finding out whether people are more concerned with fashion, imaginary/real visible improvement in their photographs or just suffer from a surfeit of funds in the bank. (In the case of the latter, I'm just the guy to help you spend it in a somewhat more humanitarian direction!)

Rob C

[BernardLanguillier]

Which is why I said niche applications will see some benefits.A fine example of niche really. AF on pro bodies hasn't been poor since film days. Sports photographers were taking great photos back with the EOS 1 on film, that technology has just evolved steadily and some has trickled down to lower end bodies.
The improvements have only been minor in each iteration and rarely a 'compelling upgrade.

I happen to disagree having used high performing bodies before. In my view it is far from niche and most users shooting anything that moves, from young children, birds to soccer players will see an important increase in critically focused images.

Pro film bodies (I own what is probably the best of all, the F6) were considered good at the time, but are really very far from impressive compared to a D5/D500. Rudimentary is the word that comes to mind.

Anyway, we can agree to disagree.

Cheers,
Bernard

[GrahamBy]

I just got myself a brand new cyclocross bike though, so I found a way to buy expensive gear anyway.

  Disc-brake upgrade? Of course if you went MTB you could have followed the wheel-size trends from 26->29->27.5... and then yesterday I say a guy in the suburbs of Montpellier on one of those fat-wheeled bikes with 120mm or so wide tyres. I thought they were meant for snow...

I just arrange for people to steal mine 

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Same here, right now… I essentially have the camera gear I want/need, at least for now.

But there is plenty of spending opportunity on 4K projection or TV if I want to show my 40 MP images at 8MP instead of 2MP.

Best regards
Erik

I have a Canon 5D mark II which I still use, and then I have a Linhof Techno (my main camera and where I do my serious stuff), which I got in 2012. I've upgraded the digital back once though.

[BernardLanguillier]

Same here, right now… I essentially have the camera gear I want/need, at least for now.

The fact that it is also the latest generation of SLR is a coincidence I guess?

Cheers,
Bernard

[alainbriot]

I was just wondering: does anybody here actually use the same camera that they were using five years ago, not just as a lowly 'back-up' but as the main deal?

I suppose I'm interested in finding out whether people are more concerned with fashion, imaginary/real visible improvement in their photographs or just suffer from a surfeit of funds in the bank. (In the case of the latter, I'm just the guy to help you spend it in a somewhat more humanitarian direction!)

Rob C

I do.  I decided to focus on creating images not on updating gear.

[BernardLanguillier]

I do.  I decided to focus on creating images not on updating gear.

Out of curiosity, what upgrade were you considering that you think would have conflicted with the desire to spend time on image creation?

The upgrades I have done these past years have overall resulted for me in saving time which gave me more time to create images.

Cheers,
Bernard

[alainbriot]

Out of curiosity, what upgrade were you considering that you think would have conflicted with the desire to spend time on image creation?

The upgrades I have done these past years have overall resulted for me in saving time which gave me more time to create images.

Cheers,
Bernard

Hi Bernard,

I have not considered any.  At this point in my career I wanted to focus 100% of my energy and time on the artistic aspects of the medium, not on the gear itself.  I am not against upgrading or buying stuff so I may upgrade again in the future. I just don't have any desire to do so right now. I am perfectly happy with the gear I have. 

The root of this decision was the realisation that the limiting factor is me, not my gear.

Alain