Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

New fredmiranda.com Mobile Site

New Feature: SMS Notification alert

New Feature: Buy & Sell Watchlist

FM Forums | General Gear-talk | Join Upload & Sell

2 3 end

Do you actually use your cameras??

Pixelpuffin
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Do you actually use your cameras??

Sorry for the odd title

I’m currently off work for 10 days, decided not to go away this year so instead having day trips to various places or chilling at home.

We’ve visited two very popular destinations over the last few days. I can count on one hand the number of people I spotted using, carrying a “proper camera”. Considering the massive volume of people that we encountered virtually everyone I saw was using their phones.

I did take my lumix LX100, used it once only, the phone was way more convenient. As I was composing a shot in the lumix EVF an older guy approached me with his wife, he mistakenly thought I was using a Fuji ?? - I tape over the camera logo and model of all my cameras. The conversation was very brief, basically he wanted to say which model he owned and was considering trading in for a Leica , his dear wife just rolled her eyes. I asked about his fuji thinking he’d show it, turns out it was back home he was just using the phone, his wife commented to my partner that he never used what he had, but constantly bought newer cameras!!

It made me think and started me off trying to spot those with cameras…hardly any.

Given the huge number of various forums, the mind boggling number of different models for all the different brands - are we all closet photographers ?? Saving our best kit at home?

Sounds silly, but virtually no one was using a real camera. Yet the forums are always busy from fellow photographers??

Aug 04, 2024 at 02:48 AM

johnvanr
Online
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Do you actually use your cameras??

I often don’t carry a camera, despite having pocket models, but I do go out to take pictures with ‘real’ cameras. The images I shoot with my phone are just snapshots, reminders or notes to come back with a regular camera.

I think another question is if people are still looking at things. I spent some evenings sitting in a park at a palace in Vienna. It seems everyone just comes there to take pictures of themselves and their families with the palace and its gardens merely functioning as a background. Maybe we could just provide green screens for everyone…

Aug 04, 2024 at 03:18 AM

Pixelpuffin
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Do you actually use your cameras??

johnvanr wrote:
I often don’t carry a camera, despite having pocket models, but I do go out to take pictures with ‘real’ cameras. The images I shoot with my phone are just snapshots, reminders or notes to come back with a regular camera.

I think another question is if people are still looking at things. I spent some evenings sitting in a park at a palace in Vienna. It seems everyone just comes there to take pictures of themselves and their families with the palace and its gardens merely functioning as a background. Maybe we could just provide green screens for everyone…

I agree with your selfie point, saw a lot of that, guessing it’s for SM updates?

Aug 04, 2024 at 06:50 AM

sjms
Online
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Do you actually use your cameras??

i have a little issue with the term "real camera". to me if its capable of recording an image its a camera.

most of the time i have any combination of these "cameras" with me.

one has a wider range of optics capability and works in wider environmental situations.

one is an excellent general use near my normal range of shooting nicely compact

one does a whole lot of things the others don't and shoots "reasonably" well and is with me all of the time for its primary purpose.

NIKON Z 9 NIKKOR Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens 28mm 1/200s 64 ISO

DSC-RX100M5 8.8-25.7 mm f/1.8-2.8 lens 26mm 1/125s 320 ISO

Galaxy S23

Aug 04, 2024 at 07:15 AM

chez
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Do you actually use your cameras??

When I’m out to enjoy photography I take along my “real camera”. When I’m out just doing things, I have my phone, but it’s very rare I use my phone to take a photo. I have exactly zero joy out of using my phone to take a photo.

I also don’t understand taping over a camera logo…what exactly are you trying to hide?

Aug 04, 2024 at 08:05 AM

chez
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Do you actually use your cameras??

johnvanr wrote:
I think another question is if people are still looking at things. I spent some evenings sitting in a park at a palace in Vienna. It seems everyone just comes there to take pictures of themselves and their families with the palace and its gardens merely functioning as a background. Maybe we could just provide green screens for everyone…

Nah, AI will fix that. These people won’t have to leave their easy-chair to get selfies in front of famous places.

Aug 04, 2024 at 08:08 AM

sjms
Online
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Do you actually use your cameras??

i get "joy" out of getting an image i might not have been "prepared" to get.

Edited on Aug 04, 2024 at 08:45 AM · View previous versions

Aug 04, 2024 at 08:20 AM

snegron7
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Do you actually use your cameras??

The stars and planets rarely align for me when it comes to using my equipment.

I currently have lots of fun equipment (Canon R6II with several lenses, Sony A7c with several lenses, and OM System OM-5 with several lenses).

1. I wanted to shoot travel photography. Due to a recent series of events (lost my full time job, kid is away for college, homeowners and car insurance increased by almost 40%), I don't have travel money. Even if I sold off all of my equipment and just kept one of my 3 systems, it still wouldn't be a drop in the financial bucket to pay for any travel.

2. Tried my hand at macro photography with my R6II/EF 100mm f2.8L Macro and OM-5/Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro. The neighborhood birds ate all the spiders and cool bugs near me. There is absolutely nothing interesting whatsoever for any kind of macro photography anywhere near me.

3. I live in Florida. The daily monsoon rains prevent me from even taking my equipment with me anywhere I go. It's either extreme, over contrast sunny weather, or apocalyptic rain storms.

So, basically I'm "all dressed up and nowhere to go" in terms of photography. That's why I rarely use my equipment anymore.

Aug 04, 2024 at 08:32 AM

johnvanr
Online
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Do you actually use your cameras??

snegron7 wrote:
The stars and planets rarely align for me when it comes to using my equipment.

I currently have lots of fun equipment (Canon R6II with several lenses, Sony A7c with several lenses, and OM System OM-5 with several lenses).

1. I wanted to shoot travel photography. Due to a recent series of events (lost my full time job, kid is away for college, homeowners and car insurance increased by almost 40%), I don't have travel money. Even if I sold off all of my equipment and just kept one of my 3 systems, it still wouldn't be a drop in...Show more →

I think we all have “dry” periods, when life gets in the way. For me, such a period just ended and I feel like I’m waking up from hibernating for a long time.

Aug 04, 2024 at 09:06 AM

EverLearning
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Do you actually use your cameras??

I think it can also be a function of where you are looking for "real cameras". Go for a drive along the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone NP. The number of big lenses rivals the amount of wildlife in the park (ok, not quite, but close!).

Aug 04, 2024 at 10:00 AM

Abbott Schindl
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Do you actually use your cameras??

chez wrote:
I also don’t understand taping over a camera logo…what exactly are you trying to hide?

I think this started with the movie industry not wanting to "advertise" products that weren't provided by maker companies or their proxies. Same reason that for sponsored things like beer, soft drinks, and computer gear, there's care taken to have the product logo facing the camera. Think about it: how often are you careful to turn the beer/softdrink/etc. container so its label faces away from you and isn't obscurred by your hand?

Aug 04, 2024 at 10:42 AM

johnvanr
Online
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Do you actually use your cameras??

I cover my camera logo when I want it to be less obvious. In the past, I also cut the Domke logos of their bags. I also don’t wear shirts with large logos, btw.

Currently, only the logo on my M11 is covered because that red dot is just way too present.

Aug 04, 2024 at 11:10 AM

sjms
Online
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Do you actually use your cameras??

besides modding my Domke J2 i blanked out its logos with permanent black magic marker. doesn't eliminate it but lowers it profile a whole lot

Aug 04, 2024 at 11:27 AM

chez
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Do you actually use your cameras??

Aug 04, 2024 at 11:34 AM

johnvanr
Online
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Do you actually use your cameras??

chez wrote:
But who are you hiding it from? Do you really think by taping up the logo, people will not see your camera?

Of course not, but in general I just don’t like displaying logos. In sketchy areas, I’d also rather have people guess as to what I’m shooting with. Also, in general, I only buy all-black cameras, again to lessen the attention drawn to it. And when I traveled in the Middle East and still only had Canon, I never carried a white zoom and instead got a 70-300 DO zoom which was black. I reserved my white 70-200 for model photography and landscapes.

Aug 04, 2024 at 01:32 PM

jcolwell
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Do you actually use your cameras??

I've used eight or nine different cameras, in the last couple of months. Three of them are 35mm film cameras, and one is a Polaroid Impulse AF 600.

Aug 04, 2024 at 04:17 PM

Mike Deep
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Do you actually use your cameras??

Another reason to cover logos: They are prone to damage by chemical exposure. I lost white printing to DEET once and that was enough.

I don't cover everything now, instead I replaced DEET. But throwing it out there.

Aug 04, 2024 at 05:40 PM

Jim Dockery
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Do you actually use your cameras??

I just got back from a 5 day hiking trip in the San Juan mountains of CO. I was the only one of 8 participants to carry a "real" camera (A7cr + 20-70 f4). In the end I was so stressed by the difficult hiking at altitude that most of my shots were like everyone else, taken with my iPhone 14 Pro that was carried in a hip pocket of my pack. I left the A7 in the pack most of the time. I don't look down on the phone, but normally I really appreciate the quality and latitude the A7 gives me. In the end though the best shot of the trip was a pano shot with the phone at a lake that one of my friends wants printed 72 x 22" on acrylic!

Aug 04, 2024 at 05:49 PM

Pixelpuffin
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Do you actually use your cameras??

johnvanr wrote:
I cover my camera logo when I want it to be less obvious. In the past, I also cut the Domke logos of their bags. I also don’t wear shirts with large logos, btw.

Currently, only the logo on my M11 is covered because that red dot is just way too present.

Ditto
Years ago in the late 90’s I bought a Leica m6. I immediately taped over the red dot and the Leica logo, since then I’ve done it with all my cameras. Mostly because I often think thieves won’t risk trying to get your gear if they are not sure what it is. Maybe wrong, but touch wood I’ve never had an issue.
Don’t wear the silly neck straps that come bundled either…just asking for trouble.

Aug 05, 2024 at 02:03 PM

Pixelpuffin
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Do you actually use your cameras??

Jim Dockery wrote:
I just got back from a 5 day hiking trip in the San Juan mountains of CO. I was the only one of 8 participants to carry a "real" camera (A7cr + 20-70 f4). In the end I was so stressed by the difficult hiking at altitude that most of my shots were like everyone else, taken with my iPhone 14 Pro that was carried in a hip pocket of my pack. I left the A7 in the pack most of the time. I don't look down on the phone, but normally I really appreciate the quality and latitude...Show more →

Just got back from a day out to the coast by rail. Right up to the very last second I was determined to take my camera, then left it and grabbed the tiny pocket camera instead, left that too and just took my phone. Just too easy and too convenient.

Aug 05, 2024 at 02:07 PM

1 2 3 end
FM Forums \| General Gear-talk \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 3 end

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.