Why Are We Here And What Are We Doing This For ?

[Moire]

From an article I read "Stop Taking Pictures And Start Taking Photos".

https://medium.com/the-mission/stop-taking-pictures-start-taking-photos-9039ca99e1d6

"Photography Is no longer fun for me", too many equipment settings, too much time required for processing (I realize some is required), too many unusable photos to sort through.

Some questions along this very same line as that article.

1. Purchasing the right equipment, for the best results without the fuss, high percentage of usable photos. I do not want to take hundreds of photos, take several really good ones and have them all come out clean and usable! Maybe a camera outfit that has 7-12 custom memory settings for "Flowers", "Landscapes", Birds" and "Wildlife" so i am not spending time with the camera settings in the field.) Maybe just 1 lens, 2 at the most.

2. What software to use for post processing, something that has many basic, predetermined adjustments. Like for instance, have 10 common predetermined different landscape settings. I do not want to deal with individual settings, cant do it.

I am not asking for advice on presenting a feeling into my photos, I need to do that myself.  

Photoshop is just to complicated, DPP is too small to use from my tv (no way to enlarge the print and such) 

I take landscape, flowers and wildlife photos, that's all. It may require hiking in for long distances and i want to simplify the use of the equipment and the process to

"make it fun again". 

thanks

[Escalante101]

Perhaps the answer to this may be as complex as the question itself.  Honestly, sometimes I feel simply overwhelmed and intimidated by all the camera gear, tripod gear, lighting equipment, post processing software programs and gear related to that.  Yes, sometimes I feel like I have become so involved in trying to learn "how everything works" that I do not have much time for taking pictures.  I like to hike and shoot landscapes, wildlife and flowers, also.  Some camera gear is heavy, as is tripod gear, etc.  I guess the trap that snared me into this situation was taking well composed pictures with a basic camera and ultimately not having much control over complicated exposure and focus issues.  I have owned pocket-sized point and shoot cameras, and the latest iteration of them, the G7X.  I have taken great pictures with that little camera, but what is the sensor size, what is the resolution?  Sensor size / pixel count pretty much preclude ever having any meaningfull prints made.  So, what is the alternative?  I think you have a choice.  Settle for a pocket-sized camera or a smartphone and just shoot "snapshots" and hike light - or - spend lots of money, acquire the gear that will allow you to improve on exposure, resolution and creativity.  "Hiking light and carrying pocket-sized cameras" means "letting go" of all the desire to expose a better image.  If you can settle for that, then you can "have fun again".  But, if you want more out of your pictures, if you want to come home with a truly memorable photography of a stunning landscape, a bird in flight, flowers, etc. you have to face the reality of technological challenges at all levels of the experience.

I would love to see lightweight DSLRs or mirrorless cameras and light weight lenses to go with.  Is that even remotely possible right now?  Lightweight and simultaneously sturdy tripods, heads and other related accessories?  Post-processing software without a steep learning curve that makes it seem just too much to even want to attempt?

I think I am dreaming here.  Something tells me that if I am willing to put in the time and effort to learn and understand the equipment I am working with while simultaneously having the patience and perseverance to conquer the best photo post processing software programs out there that my efforts will be rewarded at some point.

Maybe the response to your concern is that at the present time in the history of the technological development of the human race, there are no easy answers. . . .  

[Moire]

Thats a fact, there are no easy answers and if the expectations are lowered then its ok. People are getting into a technolgy overload and know they are missing out on the real fun of living, hence the drop in camera sales and the rise in cell phone camera sales (based on how good the camera is).

The day of the SLR Camera is numbered. Mirrorless cameras will replace SLR cameras in the next 5 years. Cell phone type cameras will replace the SLR and mirrorless cameras in the next ten years.

I think that is why I like the "Bridge" cameras by Lumix

[John_SD]

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@Moire wrote:

The day of the SLR Camera is numbered. 

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Most of us have long since moved on to DSLRs. You should try to keep up with the news. 

[Escalante101]

I have owned DSLRs for years.  Unless I am mistaken, the author of the original post is experiencing a sense of feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by all the technological intricacies of mirrorless/DSLR cameras, lenses and post processing software.  The writer also expressed concerns about the excessive weight of the camera, lenses, tripod, etc. that one needs to carry around while hiking.  The technology challenges and gear weight combine to take the "fun" out of photography.

Will smartphone cameras ever be able to replace mirrorless and DSLR cameras with interchangeable lenses, etc.?  I do not know.  What is the sensor size / resolution of a smartphone camer?.  Can it zoom to 600 - 800mm?  Until someone invents a photographic device that can incorporate all the features of a present-day camera with its lenses, etc. into something small and compact, those who are serious about their photography will have to continue to work with the latest lineup of mirrorless cameras and what will be left of the DSLR market. 

What do you want out of photography?  If someone feels overwhelmed by all their gear, post processing software, and their technical knowlege requirements, as I previously stated, they can choose to "let it go" and settle for using their smartphone or a small point and shoot camera and leave it at that.  No muss, no fuss.

[Moire]

Sure, I know, I understand, it's a far reaching and a complicated subject only time will tell.

I am trying to understand the direction all this is going so I purchase the "right stuff".

For landscapes, maybe in camera HDR.

For flowers and plants maybe in camera focus stacking or focus bracketing.

For photographs of wildlife maybe a really good in camera track focusing, image stabilization, fast FPS and a good telephoto that I can carry.

To top that I want presets for all kinds of shots, maybe a touch screen button for each preset (not having to go into the menu). did i mention I wanted my cake and eat it too?

I am trying to just get the equipment that will do that for me, "much better results than the 60D and 70-300 f4/5.6".

Maybe a Canon R, Nikon Z6?? I only got $2k

[Moire]

I was hoping for something better, with all the technology out there there has to be a better solution.

[Escalante101]

Someday there will be a better solution, but it may take years or decades for that technology to evolve.

As my final comments on this matter, what kind of camera gear is attached to the space exploration vehicles - smartphones, point and shoot?  What kind of gear was carried to the top of Mt. Everest to obtain the stunning photographs and video footage that we can now watch online?

Just think, what if Ansel Adams, Galen Rowell, Edward Weston, Art Wolfe and many others said "I do not like having to deal with all the challenges related to the camera, tripod, post-processing they were dealing with".  Would we have their stunning images to enjoy and marvel at? 

I guess I am thankful I live now.  We have a plethora of cameras and related gear to choose from.  For those whose goals are truly great photography, they will continue to deal with size, weight, technological complexity and other issues.  Hopefully they will continue to create tremendous images that we all can admi,re.

As I have said, the human race, technologically speaking is where it is at at this moment in time.  We do have some choices, ranging from the most simple, basic kind of camera or smartphone camera to mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses, etc.  The latter is larger, weighs more and is more complex to learn.  So, ultimately it comes down to what do you want to do with your photography and to what ends are you willing to go to achieve your dreams.

It has been an interesting discussion.  Signing off, over and out.

[John_SD]

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@Moire wrote:
I was hoping for something better, with all the technology out there there has to be a better solution.

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The solution is to stop whining about the "limitations" of today's gear and to get out there and learn to use your camera. And with that I am done with you and this thread. 

[Moire]

I think it is very possible, with canon camera sales down 10% a year for the last 5 years, maybe they will get smart.