By Scott Shephard
The old saying is that "The more things change, the more they stay the same." But in the realm of digital photography I believe nothing could be farther from the truth. Recently, I was reading an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the various film formats available to a photographer written by a nationally known photography guru. When he gets to 35mm (which is the format emulated by modern digital single lens reflex cameras - aka DSLRs and the kind of camera used to take today's photo), he says
“35mm is a strictly amateur format. The only legitimate professional use of 35mm [is] for newspapers and sports . . . . ”
In another article offering recommendations for which digital camera to buy he says
“Resolution and ISO are silly numbers used to try to sell you more expensive cameras. . . . Now that every camera has double-digit megapixels, camera makers invented another meaningless number they use to extract more money from the innocent, called ISO (pronounced eye-ess-oh).
ISO is a rough measure of low-light sensitivity. It only matters if you shoot in the dark, and then shoot without flash. As soon as your flash pops up, the higher ISOs aren’t used anyway. Even if you learn how to use the higher ISO settings (few people do), there isn’t much difference between cameras of the same type and era, regardless of cost! All the higher ISO settings do is make the picture look grainier, and the cameras that sport the highest ISO settings look horrible at those settings!”
Well, Mr. Guru, I disagree. In 2014 I don't believe that a 35mm format camera (such as the Canon 5DIII I shoot with) is for amateurs. Nor do I believe that in 2015 resolution and ISO are silly numbers. Frankly, since 2003, digital cameras have made amazing progress.
Why do I tell you this on "Flashback Sunday?" The photo you are looking at was taken with a DSLR known as the Canon 1D, a camera which represented a revolutionary change in digital photography. The camera cost $5500 without a lens, had a 4.4 megapixel sensor and wasn't all that great at high ISO. But the photo (taken at a time when I was very much an amateur) isn't bad. I took this photo in 2003.
I think that in the 21st century, it's best not to be a Luddite. The Luddites were people who felt so threatened by the machinery of the Industrial Revolution that they set out to sabotage and destroy it. There are some who mourn the obsolescence of film, darkrooms and temperature controlled developers and fixers. But I'm not one of them. My problem is that when I look at a photo such as this one, taken with a dinosaur DSLR like the 1D, I want to go back and photograph it again.
I'm thinking that someday, if I keep up with the pace of change, I will say the same about everything I.m doing now. Such is the nature of change. . .
Canon 1D 1/6s f/2.8 ISO1000 70mm