Comments on: The Upgrade Game http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/ Thoughts on Photography, Digital Imaging, and Travel Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: tom http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/#comment-372 tom Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:07:32 +0000 http://timgrey.com/blog/?p=4#comment-372 my guess is that the constant upgrades in camera bodies that all of us have lived through in this transition to digital will significantly slow with the latest nikon and canon offerings. after all, the 1ds mk2 showed flaws that never showed up with film with the canon wide angle lenses. i can only imagine what the 21mpx mk3 will show in my 7 other lenses. there's not much point in buying a camera that is limited by your lenses. my guess is that the constant upgrades in camera bodies that all of us have lived through in this transition to digital will significantly slow with the latest nikon and canon offerings. after all, the 1ds mk2 showed flaws that never showed up with film with the canon wide angle lenses. i can only imagine what the 21mpx mk3 will show in my 7 other lenses. there’s not much point in buying a camera that is limited by your lenses.

]]> By: Eric http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/#comment-17 Eric Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:46:55 +0000 http://timgrey.com/blog/?p=4#comment-17 Having been a pro photographer for a long time, and an amateur for quite a bit before that, I remember how film cameras were just boxes that let light in. Nice boxes. mind you, I shot with Leicas. But film was a critical component and cameras simply put the light onto the film in a measured way. Now comes digital. I used the old 1.3 mp NC2000e that cost $15,000 and rendered very magenta photos in artificial light. But I saw how it would benefit me as a newspaper photographer. It wasn't until quite a few years later digital was better for what I did in the the studio which required better color accuracy than film was able to offer me. But digital camears were getting much better with each generation. I've been shooting with a Canon 1Ds Mark II at work, and personally with Nikons. And now I see a camera I can buy that could last me for many years, if what I've seen so far is true. The Nikon D3 is the first camera I think I could live with for many years. It's high ISO noise is amazing (I love available light). So I can feel like I'm not going to get any significant improvement in image quality for a long time to come. More features, yes, but maybe once again cameras are boxes that let the light in, and not the next must-have thing that will remove major issues I have with the images coming out of the camera I'm using. Maybe then we can get back to asking where our hovercars and jetpacks are? Having been a pro photographer for a long time, and an amateur for quite a bit before that, I remember how film cameras were just boxes that let light in. Nice boxes. mind you, I shot with Leicas. But film was a critical component and cameras simply put the light onto the film in a measured way.

Now comes digital. I used the old 1.3 mp NC2000e that cost $15,000 and rendered very magenta photos in artificial light. But I saw how it would benefit me as a newspaper photographer. It wasn’t until quite a few years later digital was better for what I did in the the studio which required better color accuracy than film was able to offer me. But digital camears were getting much better with each generation.

I’ve been shooting with a Canon 1Ds Mark II at work, and personally with Nikons. And now I see a camera I can buy that could last me for many years, if what I’ve seen so far is true. The Nikon D3 is the first camera I think I could live with for many years. It’s high ISO noise is amazing (I love available light).

So I can feel like I’m not going to get any significant improvement in image quality for a long time to come. More features, yes, but maybe once again cameras are boxes that let the light in, and not the next must-have thing that will remove major issues I have with the images coming out of the camera I’m using.

Maybe then we can get back to asking where our hovercars and jetpacks are?

]]> By: Hal Muhrlein http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/#comment-16 Hal Muhrlein Sun, 16 Sep 2007 16:16:07 +0000 http://timgrey.com/blog/?p=4#comment-16 I for one have stopped upgrading. A year and a half ago I was happy to replace my Nilon D100 with the new D200. Reviewing the features of the new D300 it does not add enough new to get me to rush out and spend $1700. And I am a very active photographer who asks a lot of his gear. Once more we are at the point were a good image is 90% photographer and 10% equipment. I for one have stopped upgrading. A year and a half ago I was happy to replace my Nilon D100 with the new D200. Reviewing the features of the new D300 it does not add enough new to get me to rush out and spend $1700. And I am a very active photographer who asks a lot of his gear. Once more we are at the point were a good image is 90% photographer and 10% equipment.

]]> By: Jessica http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/#comment-15 Jessica Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:39:14 +0000 http://timgrey.com/blog/?p=4#comment-15 <strong>Jessica</strong> awesome blog keep updating and you will see us comming back and back. Jessica

awesome blog keep updating and you will see us comming back and back.

]]> By: Dave Parsons http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/#comment-5 Dave Parsons Mon, 27 Aug 2007 14:36:52 +0000 http://timgrey.com/blog/?p=4#comment-5 There is another darker factor behind the rapid evolution in today's digital technology, and that is planned obsolescence. Why produce a product that will serve the purchaser for twenty years when you can entice the same purchaser to buy four “enhancements” of your product? Better yet, ten “enhancements.” Unfortunately, with the planning for rapid turnover go negative changes in manufacturing and support. I regularly communicate with repair technicians and a consensus of them believe that the construction of the current line of new digital cameras is inferior to that of three or four years ago. Add to that the usurious pricing of manufacturer repairs and you’re created an environment where people either upgrade or leave the market. There is another darker factor behind the rapid evolution in today’s digital technology, and that is planned obsolescence. Why produce a product that will serve the purchaser for twenty years when you can entice the same purchaser to buy four “enhancements” of your product? Better yet, ten “enhancements.” Unfortunately, with the planning for rapid turnover go negative changes in manufacturing and support. I regularly communicate with repair technicians and a consensus of them believe that the construction of the current line of new digital cameras is inferior to that of three or four years ago. Add to that the usurious pricing of manufacturer repairs and you’re created an environment where people either upgrade or leave the market.

]]> By: John Cooper http://timgrey.com/blog/2007/the-upgrade-game/#comment-2 John Cooper Mon, 27 Aug 2007 09:30:45 +0000 http://timgrey.com/blog/?p=4#comment-2 Another great forum for knowledge-thirsty digital photographers! Don't know how you get the time to meet all your commitments. Well done Tim. Another great forum for knowledge-thirsty digital photographers!
Don’t know how you get the time to meet all your commitments.
Well done Tim.

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