The answer to that is yes and no. In fact the real answer is "it depends"!
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| Will one of these cameras make you a better photographer? (Images courtesy of www.dpreview.com) |
Let me put it another way.
If you like taking shots in fast moving situations such as kids, sports of any kind or people interacting in any social situation then a new camera might cause more problems than it solves. Even if you remain with the same brand, the chances are that the camera feels different, has the same buttons but in a different place and even has brand new functions for you to become familiar with.
While you're learning how to use any new upgrade you actually end up falling into a trough of less effective results. Your muscle memory with the previous camera has meant that you probably can respond very quickly to any given photography situation, without thinking you can turn the camera on, set the ISO, check the white balance; all in an instant. This means that you end up missing shots because the camera demands most of your attention. You get through to the other side of this gully, eventually, but initially you may end up taking shots that aren't up to your previous standards.
If the camera you currently have already takes sharp shots, can get good results in a variety of lighting situations (dull overcast days, restaurant interiors in low light etc.) then you probably don't need an upgrade; if your camera struggles to get up to these marks then you probably do need to upgrade.
But even then the answer is not as clear-cut. If your camera currently struggles in low light maybe a lens which can take more of it in is the answer. In fact if your shots aren't the sharpest in the world then a new lens might also be the answer. The simple truth is that the quality of the glass in front of your camera matters more than almost everything else.
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| or will a better lens do the job? (image courtesy of www.dpreview.com) |
A simple purchase of a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 fixed (or prime) lens could make all the difference. These lenses are available for most brands of SLR and is usually is of relatively low cost and quite high quality, certainly cheaper than upgrading your camera. The f/1.8 or f/1.4 number means that these lenses brings in an astonishing amount of light, thus allowing higher shutter speeds in low light (the higher the shutter speed the less likely shots will suffer from blur caused by camera shake). The fact that these are fixed lens also means they are sharper at that focal length than most cheap zoom lenses set to the same focal distance can achieve.
It's always fun to buy new kit and if that's what you want then by means fire away, but if you want to get better photos then maybe diverting your limit funds to a decent lens instead, just might be the way to go.
I think lenses are more important than cameras, unless you're doing something insane that requires a shutter that can do stupidnumberofframes per second (which most people don't start out with, hence it being an upgrade). You're right, that muscle memory and functions take ages to get used to on a new camera.
ReplyDeleteEspecially with customizable functions. I swap cameras with a friend of mine often when we're shooting together, just to try different things, but it always amazes me how unintuitive I find his camera, and he mine.
It took me so long to get used to my 60D when I upgraded from the 1000D that it was laughable (not to mention my fated switch from Nikon to Canon a few years ago..!)
You should - in my opinion - stick to what you've got and spend the money on glassware rather than bodies (or if you're a photographer who uses multiple lenses in quick alteration, having more than one of the same body might be advisable).