Cameras we use for shows

I started out with a Canon AE-1, held out against digital for a while and finally caved when I discovered the Olympus C-730UZ (a 3.2 mp camera with 10x _optical_ zoom), which while not entirely outperforming the AE-1, was close enough that the ease of getting photos to digital format and the advantages it did have were good enough that I made the change... After that it was back to Canon with the 20D and then the 30D before finally making the move to a 1D Mk III... The 1D's are the top of Canon's line and the 1D (as opposed to the 1Ds) is the sports version, suited quite well for the motorsport that I primarily shoot...

They're built tonka tough, although I hadn't dropped the 1D until a few weeks ago, when the tripod I had it mounted on fell over in Yosemite national park... a few scratches in the black powder coat are all it has to show me that it even fell, and all they've done is expose the metal body underneath and show me just how well built these things are...

However, as everyone else points out, the camera means very little, it's the photographer that makes the difference, and you can get great results with a camera that's a few models old if you're willing to take the time to learn how to use it properly and get to know it's little quirks...

 

I was looking at one of those lens, lately Ive been into taking shots with a lot of contrast in the depth of field and the F1.4 sounds really fun.

 

There are two pieces in photographing: The photographer and the tool (the camera and lenses). Being able to catch feelings, that is the eye the photographer.
Then there is the camera. A good tool is an advantage, but some blame poor output from not having a D3X. And others gets disappointed when there high end camera dont produce a masterpiece at once. As with all tools, you have to learn, practice and practice once again. Understanding both how to compose a photo, what the light does and how to make the correct settings. I have been taken photos of cars for 35 years but I cant say I know everything. My current camera for normal use is a Nikon D300 with many good lenses, and a lot of photoequipment. For fun I also have some vintage Nikons and Rollies. But Im dreaming of a D3S (way to expensive for me) but maigh buy a D700 soon. And maybe an old Hasselblad too, just for the feeling (a Hasselblad was way out of my range when they were in fashion, but with the digital cameras some of the old ones are very reasonable prized).

 

You can get good deals on used cameras if you look for one model back from the current. I got my daughter a used digital Canon Rebel that way. It takes great pictures. A good place for that stuff is B&H Photo or Adorama. I bought used stuff from each and sent back what I didn't want after comparing.

I use a Canon 20D and a 5D Mark II. I like the Mark II becasue I can shoot video as well as pictures from the same camera. If you can make the investment in good lenses and you'll be happier in the long run.

 

My advice is unless you want to [A]..get right into it [manipulate shooting etc] or want to enlarge something [8x10 or larger] get a point and shoot. Don't get too hung up on megapixels. I like my older point and shoot because it takes rechargeable batteries. It makes the shape of the camera much more comfortable to hold. One of the advantages of a SLR is the amount of information in the photo. I find myself often enlarging a picture substantially just to have a 4x6 of something that is in the picture. Either way if you are not going to blow the picture up much any name brand camera on the market nowadays will take a great picture. Peter

 

RPW said it as well as I ever could. The camera is just a tool. To make best use of any tool you have to understand how it works, It's capabilities and limitations. I've been shooting cars and racing for the better part of 35 years. Started out with a low end manual 35mm SLR. Now I have a Canon 30D and a selection of L lenses. My favorite camera is still a mid-60s vintage Zenza-Bronica 2-1/4 reflex with some killer Nikkor lenses. Completely mechanical, not even a built-in light meter. Photoshop and the other softeware packages are just another tool in the box that can add to a photo. Some people rely on the software way too much, they use it as a crutch. I still go by the film mind-set that it has to be good out of the camera.





Cheers,
Kurt O.

 

I have the Canon Rebel XT-i. Awesome camera that now only gets used occasionally as I have a Panasonic Lumix TZ3 which does amazing work.

 

Nikon d100

 

In the 50's I used a Rollie @ 4x5 speed Graflex, went to 35 film and now use a Cannon 40 D. Like all the posts it the person behind the lens that makes great pictures. In Bakersfield I shot Big Daddys first RED standing on the line just in front of him. NEVER do that today. Older and wiser.

 

You might consider a used or refurbished camera from a reputable camera store (or if you like to gamble, EBAY). Twenty years ago film cameras were evolving slowley and if you bought a good camera you kept it for a long time. When you buy a high end digital today it is obsolete when you walk out of the store. That means there should be a lot of good deals out there.

Charlie Stephens

 

Good point. I shoot virtually everything in Hi-Rez. Yeah, it takes up a lot of space/memory, but you never know when you might want to zoom in for a detail of something you've caught in a random shot. You can always reduce the resolution, but you can't go the other way!
I've printed some images from my 5.1 MP Fuji in sizes up to 16 x 20 on our Xerox XJ 12 Color Laser Printer and have been very satisfied with the results. Strangely, the shots from my 10 MP Olympus aren't noticeably better.

 

Jagman, I have one of those Canon Powershoot A590. Mine must of been made on a Monday or Friday, nothing but problems. Good Luck with yours!

 

Canon 30D, DSLR. I just picked up a 50mm 1.8 to play with. These were taken at WOW 2008, polarizing filter, wide angle, but the fluorescent lights are brutal to control without a tripod and long exposures...

 

One I haven't seen mentioned but after a lot of research I bought myself is a Canon G11. Has full manual controls like a DSLR but in a compact size. You can add adapters to allow a slew of filters or even a "lens doubler".

I love having the manual control when I need it yet awesome auto functions when I am in point and shoot mode. My biggest reason for not going with a large DSLR was that I tend to take a lot of shots while driving. I needed something I can hang onto easily with one hand, shooting out the window will driving.

I have been very, very happy with this camera and really need to focus some more time to "artisy" photography. Just never seem to find time.

Here's a couple I took play in manual mode for the first time.

 

You cant go wrong with Canon or Nikon.

I use a Canon 5D MK II. My favorite lens is a my 70-200 f2.8 image stabilization lens.



Love the DOF control with the 2.8 lens.











I also love my cheap little Holga plastic film camera. a $20 toy camera.

 

Nikon D90 hear

 

annoys me a bunch if it is in a magazine. cars are about stance. too many magazines out there want to put art pics in there event coverage. wide angle photos, especially when shot from a low vantage point.... leaves a person wondering if the car is cool looking or not.

 

a good looking car is all about good looking proportions.
Using the wrong lens ruins the whole point of some builder spending lots of time getting the look "right".
It's all about "stance" and "profile", and it all can go to hell in a snapshot if the wrong lens is used.

 

Thanks you guys for sharing all this great info. When I started shooting seriously a few years ago, I would blast through several 1000 shots. UGH. Now if I shoot a few hundred and get maybe 10 I really like, I am happy. Michael your shots are BAD ASS. Slim

 

Here is a shot from my cheezy Casio Exlim

 

I think it's the photographer not the camera. I know zilch about camera tech and don't much care to.

To me composition is FAAAAAR more important than technical savvy. I know several "photographers" who know camera tech like they invented them, but compose shit photos. I'd prefer a poor-quality well-composed photo to a well-executed poorly-composed one any day.


I'll shoot with whatever you hand me and fuck with it until it does neat shit. I usually feel like I'm either using the camera's auto settings as a crutch (which is fine by me) or trying to make it do something it doesn't want to do. Both approaches seem to work for me.

As for film vs digital. I don't get the film-only purists. I always hear that somehow digital is not "real" photography. That's like saying that Jeff Norwell's work isn't art because he uses a computer.

Here are some un-Photoshopped shots. Aperture priority and a magnifying filter on my Nikon D90 are the only tech thing going on. I did add the orange gradation to the last two, but otherwise they are on full-auto.

I don't know. There are lots of photographers FAR better than me, but for not working hard at it I like them.



















All blurry and crappy, but I like it.

 

Ryan thanks for the compliments. But......I do likes me the wide angle shots if for no other reason they are less realistic looking and....gulp.....more artsy (what ever that means) say like Bob K's Chebby.




or the Old Crow belly tanker


Wide angle lenses can be abused and get boring if everything people shoot is done with them. I think the wide angle is like the whip cream and cherry on top, not the whole desert.

Kirk and Church are two guys on here who use point and shoots and they create some great art! Always well thought out and creatively styled.

I used to be one of those film purists, that was till digital caught up (almost) to my favorite film of all time Fuji Velvia, perhaps one of the best chrome films with intense color saturation. I would still love to get a dark room and print my own B&W on a non gloss warm toned fiber paper. I haven't been in a darkroom for years.

Film is just to slow now when you need to get shots to various editors, or publishing firms, just load em to an FTP site or NDA a disk to them.

 

Yup, having all the fancy tools and equipment means nothin' if you don't know how to use them in a way that enhances the end result rather than just altering it. Mike (Buick59) has the "gift" or the "eye" (whatever you want to call it) for this, his stuff is always top notch.

 

my favorite to shoot are my brownie hawkeye:

Delta XP2 400 speed, over exposed (1.5-2 seconds), printed in Sepia on glossy paper. Then scanned at a low res (1250dpi).

I like to shoot on film, mainly as i spend all day in front of a computer screen and the last thing i want to do is spend hours photoshopping liscence plates and toyota trucks out of my pictures.

plus, there is something about waiting to get your images back in this time of instantaneous satisfaction.

 

I hope this isent to O/T on this O/T thread but since I have so many serious, pro and semi pro shooters here I have a question. How do you guys store your images? Ive heard that you should have 3 back ups since hard drives can crash and CD's can lose information over time. I used to shoot with a Sony camera 10 or so years ago that took floppy disks, I have about 150 of them and some are now corrupted and can't be opened. i need to transfer those images onto a different format, what do you recommend?.

 

Damn Man; I still have that set-up too! Can you still buy flash bulbs?

 

I've shelved my Nikons and Leica to go digital. Film processing was costing me too much and I liked the portability of my Nikon Coolpix. The first one had 2 megapixels and my current one has 9.

I shoot mostly for my use at events and car shows, including a lot of detail shots. One great advantage with the small point and shoot is that I can stick it under a car or dash and get a lot of shots without having to frame the picture. The automatic flash gets all the detail.

All these were taken with a point and shoot.

 

I have a 1.5tb external hard drive for images, currently over 11,000 images on it, barely even scratched the surface on storage.

I have the "good stuff" from those on those gold picture CD's, have had no problems.