Falling farther and farther behind . . .

[Steve Foss]

Well, all the buzz among Canonites is building to the annual show in March where the new cameras/lenses are announced.

The strongest gossip appears to be that they will release a 40D, and a new "1" series, most likely an upgrade to the smashing 1Ds Mark2. In fact, Canon Hong Kong actually had a reference to the 40D on their Web site for a day or so before it was pulled. The company plays these things very close to the vest.

With all that excitement coming as it does each year, I think it's important to put in a word of encouragement for all of you (I should say us) who won't be shelling out the jing to keep up with the Joneses.

Many professionals are making their livings with the non-1 series 10 and 8 Mp bodies now marketed as entry level, prosumer or entry-professional. I have two 8 Mp bodies, and don't see myself finding the cash to upgrade. Only upgrades I would consider would be the full-frame 12 Mp 5D or the full-frame 16.7 Mp 1Ds Mk2 or its possible new upgrade. They're better bodies for landscape work where truly large fine art prints are needed, but the 8 Mp bodies I use make stunning 20x30s.

And, as always, I stress to upgrade your glass before your body if you already have any body from the Rebel XT on up.

So drool, my friends, as I will, but don't feel bad if drooling is all you do. Just keep shooting with what you have, learn what you have inside out — and most importantly of all — develop an eye and a style and a mood to your images that says YOU. That kind of advance in interpretation depends not at all on which digital body you have.

It's hard in this ever-upgrading world of digital to keep one's eyes on the right prize. So much of the chatter on photo Web sites is about equipment rather than vision, when it's only vision that will separate your work from that of others. You can show your vision with a Rebel XT as well as someone with the 1Ds Mk2. There are exceptions to this, but not many (sports photographers who love the 8.5 fps of the 1D Mk2n come to mind).

Good shooting everyone, and keep having fun out there.

I'll leave you to think about this quote from Jack Dykinga: "Cameras and lenses are simply tools to place our unique vision on film. Concentrate on equipment and you'll take technically good photographs. Concentrate on seeing the light's magic colors and your images will stir the soul."

[floating minnow]

I waited to make the switch to digital until I was fairly confident I would not be bothered by the next generations of cameras.My 30D will keep me happy for many years to come and any upgrade will be in the lens. If it was more than a casual hobby for me my thoughts might differ.

[Jim Almquist]

I am in the same boat as floating minnow that I waited and got a 30D and it will be my one and only for a long time. Someday I will get a fast wide angle but that can wait till I start taking better quality pictures. My biggest challenge will be learning Photoshop CS.For me it is just a hobby that was started by my love of the outdoors and seeing so many interesting things that I would always say "Wish I had a camera so I could take a picture of that" Now I have the camera

[Swimmer]

Quote:

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I am in the same boat as floating minnow that I waited and got a 30D and it will be my one and only for a long time. Someday I will get a fast wide angle but that can wait till I start taking better quality pictures. My biggest challenge will be learning Photoshop CS.For me it is just a hobby that was started by my love of the outdoors and seeing so many interesting things that I would always say "Wish I had a camera so I could take a picture of that" Now I have the camera

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Diddo on all that. Read the post on Photoshop. I have CS1 and the latest camera raw plug in from Adobe doesn't support the 30D...but there are ways around that. Get CS2 if you have the option. I'm just starting the tutorials and reading Photoshop Digital Photog for Dummies...man this is going to be a "fun" learning experience.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

i'm having trouble understanding all the infatuation with pp. i know i am a green newbie to this,but i am reading a book by Bryan Peterson on exposure,and i keep wondering-are film cameras that much better than digital?. this guy seems to have made alot of money selling photos and teaches photo classes all over the world,and he did it with a film camera and no pp. i know you can make an image better in pp,but with the money i've spent on body and lenses,if i can't get an image out of the camera that is satisfying to me,why bother? if you're doing it for a living i guess i could see it,but if not,who has time to sit at the puter all day fixing photos? to me,pp seems like having nitrous oxide on your car: even if your car is running poorly,one shot of it will cover all the problems and it will go like he**! and once you use it,you'll want to use it all the time. [i know,i had it on a few cars]

i guess i just think about the millions of great photos i have seen that were taken before the computer even existed,how did they do it without pp?

i think i understand what Steve means,and i really hope i can create a style that is all my own-even if it is not "technically correct"

some of the images in the Peterson book are far from technically correct,but they take you places,and stir your feelings-this is whats important to me. seeing the perfect reflection of a pine cone in a water droplet on a duck's butt has its place too-don't get me wrong.

[JollyT]

Many of those great images from the past you like so much were post processed quite a bit in the darkroom. There were lots of tricks, changing contrast, dodging and burning to lighten or darken areas. Retouching on negatives or prints. It was more labor intensive and took a lot more time. You also had to like being a mole man.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

i understand. regardless,if i can't make a satisfying image with my camera alone, i won't take this hobby nearly as serious. like i said,too much other stuff goes on in life,i can't miss it all by spending too much time at the puter. i posted this pic awhile back.......

[image][/image]

this was done with a $200 point and shoot,no pp. if my 30d and L lens will do this good most of the time,i'll be satisfied [it better!]

i remember buzz and others posting awesome pics. from little p/s cameras. if i can impress my wife and family [shouldn't be too hard ] thats all i care about.

[Steve Foss]

MM, to get the most "finished" images right out of the box just shoot large jpeg mode and select sRGB for the color space on your 30D. There's more in-camera processing with jpegs, so they look finished right out of the camera.

RAW mode and the larger color space of Adobe RGB will ultimately allow a photogrpher to do more with the image, but for many, many people, it's too much pp work, and that takes away from the joy of photography for those people. Digital gives you the freedom to either do only a little (or no) pp or a lot.

And, as mentioned, some of your favorite film images from other photographers were not without quite a bit of pp labor.

As for the digital camera itself, your 30D and L lens won't produce images that look much better on computer screens if you're talking pure image quality. Computer screens are the lowest resolution and least demanding way to share images, and many of the differences between low- and high-quality cameras/lenses can be lost (although the differences between top lenses and crappy ones tend to be visible.) High-resolution printing is where the difference in image quality comes shining through.

The combination of a fine DSLR and L telephoto lens WILL, however, allow you to get images that your little point and shoot will not. Using your new combo is more demanding technically, and until you're well used to the heavier lens and develop a solid technique, you may very well find quite a few images that aren't as good as your point and shoot. But you're trying a more demanding type of photography with your 30D and L, so that's to be expected.

Keep having fun, and keep showing us your work!