Jumping Ship

[Pea-n-Me]

(ie switching dSLR brands)

Will this necessarily help you get better pictures?

Or is inexperience more the issue with whatever camera system you have?

Discuss.

(No brand bashing, please!

And no, I'm not jumping ship, I just find it an interesting subject.)

 

[JR6ooo4]

Unless you are going from kmart to canon, I can not see a huge difference in quality.

Mikeeee

 

[spinetnglr]

(ie switching dSLR brands)

Will this necessarily help you get better pictures?

Or is inexperience more the issue with whatever camera system you have?

Discuss.

(No brand bashing, please!

And no, I'm not jumping ship, I just find it an interesting subject.)

Im not sure my experience qualifies for what you are looking for but thought I would post my .02 worth anyway. I didnt switch DSLR brands but did make a switch when I went from film to digital. I had always been a Pentax owner. I started just out of high school (mid to late 70's) with a K1000, then went to a ME Super and then onto a PZ-1. I liked the Pentax gear I had but when my son went away to college and was taking some photography and film developing courses I gave him my entire bag full of Pentax film goodies. After the Pentax I was able to pick up a nice Canon AE-1 at auction with a good prime lens and a Vivtar 70-200 zoom. I used this for a few years but was not a great enthusiast bc of getting the pictures developed, pitching alot of bad ones .. yada yada yada. Then about 2 years ago my son came home one weekend with his new Nikon D50 digital. I had owned some point and shoot digitals but mostly had those for the years I was involved selling on ebay. Long story short he left me use his D50 and I was again bitten by the photography bug. This time I think its going to stick. I went out soon after that visit and looked at several different brands and decided on a D40 for myself. It felt the most comfortable to me and I liked the fact that my son and I could share lenses. Since then I have upgraded the body to the D300 and have acquired several lenses and a SB600 flash unit.

As for the other part of your question.... IMHO all brands are more than capable of producing amazing photos. Getting those amazing shots comes down to how well you know your camera, having some knowledge of what makes a good shot as far aesthetics and composition, and what settings to use to get the shot. While better glass, bodies etc may contribute to better pictures I think the biggest part of getting the wow shots is experience and knowing what to do with the equipment you own regardless of the brand. I am still what I would consider a beginner and most of the shots I get that I really like at this point are a combination of the little knowledge that I have and some luck. Hopefully in time the balance for those will shift and my knowledge will be more than the luck and I will have a better percentage of keepers.

 

[JoeDif]

As for the other part of your question.... IMHO all brands are more than capable of producing amazing photos. Getting those amazing shots comes down to how well you know your camera, having some knowledge of what makes a good shot as far aesthetics and composition, and what settings to use to get the shot. While better glass, bodies etc may contribute to better pictures I think the biggest part of getting the wow shots is experience and knowing what to do with the equipment you own regardless of the brand. I am still what I would consider a beginner and most of the shots I get that I really like at this point are a combination of the little knowledge that I have and some luck. Hopefully in time the balance for those will shift and my knowledge will be more than the luck and I will have a better percentage of keepers.

I agree with that 100% . To me it's more the photographer than the equipment. I was listening to a podcast the other day and what the person said stuck me as so true....that we as photographers won't be successful until we gain enough knowledge to compensate for how stupid our cameras really are.

 

[boBQuincy]

Unless equipment is holding us back (and I believe this is rarely the case) switching brands or even buying more equipment will do little to improve our photography.

I switched brands going from film to digital more of necessity. I was firmly in the Minolta camp, waiting forever for a digital SLR from them. When Canon dropped the price of their 3MP D30 to a low $2200 I sold most of my gear and started over. I have no plans (and no reason) to switch again.

Even today's entry-level SLRs and their kit lenses are very capable tools. Learning *how* to use them is not that difficult, learning *why* is much more difficult.

What I think will provide most photographers with the biggest improvement is the least cost (but the most difficult) path, the "soft science" part. Studying composition, why to use certain camera settings, creative exposure, and the like is probably where most of us will see the most improvement.

 

[GrumpyOne]

Unless equipment is holding us back (and I believe this is rarely the case) switching brands or even buying more equipment will do little to improve our photography.

That's worth saying twice. Unless you know HOW the switch will help you out, chances are it won't.

 

[annabelle]

Here's my story.... I started off with a Pentax K10d as my first dSLR. I loved the fact that I didn't give in to the top two brands and went for the underdog!

The K10d was a GREAT first dSLR. Easy enough for a beginner but super feature rich to grow into. I got gorgeous pics from that cam. But after a while, I started noticing vertical banding in dark high ISO shots (800+). And then I started getting back-focusing issues. And apparently, the first batch of K10's to hit the market were riddled with these problems (and updated firmware didn't fix it). You can do a search for 'VPN' and 'back-focus' and K10d on the Pentax SLR dpreview board and find alllll kinds of posts.

I called Pentax to get my cam serviced (it was out of warranty at that point). They said that since I use a 'non-Pentax' lens as my main lens when experiencing the back-focusing problems, then they could NOT service my cam. They needed to calibrate both cam and lens together and since I used a Sigma lens, it was a no go.

The final clincher was: I was absolutely honored to be asked to take pictures of a friend's mother who was literally in her final days dying from terminal cancer. I took the pictures in front of a beautiful bush and sure enough, almost ALL the pics were back-focused on the bush and the faces were blurry. I was livid. They looked fine on my LCD screen but the computer screen revealed all the subtle blurriness. That woman passed away a short time later and there weren't any more chances for a 'do over'.

I posted this issue on dpreview to get tips on what I could do remedy the problem. Some folks thought it was user error and NOT the cam's fault... other's chimed in that they were experiencing the same problems with their K10d's.

I said, to heck with all of it!! I'm getting a NIKON!
So here I am today with a D90 (almost got the D300 since it was more comparable to what I had but I wanted a LIGHTER dSLR this time). But even with Nikon, my first D90 from Amazon I had to send back (long story). This new one seems to be working ok so far. I LOVE this cam. No more vertical banding and no more back focusing issues. However, I did experience the infamous 'ERROR' message on the lcd. Only happened once with this new body (happened LOTS with the first body). I think the D90's have a sensitive lens lock button... if touched in any way while shooting, it can give you an error message. If I reset the lens real quick, it goes away. And there other theories that there might be a memory card compatibility issue.

Moral of the story?? ALL dSLR's on the market today are HIGHLY capable cams. And EVERY manufacturer has it's own set of problems with almost every model. You just gotta pick one you think will serve your photography needs best and go with it!

 

[Master Mason]

Here is the opposite side of the coin.

I have a friend that shoots professionally, parties weddings etc. She started with Canon, using a 30D with some decent glass, but not L's.

A friend of hers told her he was going to get a great deal on a Nikon D2 and told her he could get her the same deal and they could share lenes etc. So she jumped at it, great price on a Pro Camera, and free access to the top end glass this friend was going to buy.

She hates the nikon, it isn't intuitive for her, she struggles because the buttons are laid out different and the menus work differently. Instead of being comfortable and being able to get the shots she needs for her clients, she has to think about it, and therefore misses too many in the moment shots for her liking.

So in my friends case while she got a great camera, it actually has hurt her in the long run.

This is one of the many reasons I always tell people to play with the cameras and get the that feels the best to you.

 

[annabelle]

I was the opposite. The nikons felt more intuitive to me (kinda like apple computers). I could pick up the nikon cams at the store and automatically tweak the settings. The canon cams I had to sit and think about.

To each their own.. thank goodness we all have lots of choices!

 

[WVDisGeek]

I agree with the previous posters, today's DSLRs from whichever camp you happen to inhabit, will get amazing pictures, IF the body behind the viewfinder knows how to extract them. I am pretty sure that if a world class photographer were to put down their Canon and pick up a Pentax, (or Nikon or Sony, etc.) in short order they could produce amazing pictures. The cameras are tools. They all have good points and all have points of frustration for their users. I am firmly in the Pentax camp, but often shoot with friends that have both Canon and Nikon.

The only reason I can ever envision me jumping camps would be Pentax were to go away and no one would support the existing equipment or they quit bringing out new, updated equipment. I don't think I would be a better photographer if I were to start shooting Canon or Nikon. I will become a better photographer when I practice and learn more about the art/science of photography.

 

[rtphokie]

(ie switching dSLR brands)

Will this necessarily help you get better pictures?

Or is inexperience more the issue with whatever camera system you have?

Discuss.

(No brand bashing, please!

And no, I'm not jumping ship, I just find it an interesting subject.)

It's a camera, not a magic wand. Before you go out and spend lots of $$$ on a new body , buy a new (or used) lens. It might just spark your creativity and get some more life out of your existing dSLR.

 

[geetey]

I briefly considered it. I was shooting with the Canon XT and need IS lenses (medical reason for my 'shaky hands'). Because of the IS need, I considered switching to an in-body vibration reduction camera (the Sony) and starting over. At Christmas, I upgraded my XT to a 50D. The move allowed me to stick with my Canon lenses, which have IS. Somedays my 'shaky hands' are so bad, I can't get a clean shot with the nifty 50!

I do need to invest in a better/heavier tripod now.

 

[pointandshoot]

"People are more interested in the quality of their pixels than they are in the quality of their picture"

Jay Maisel

 

[YesDear]

It has been said by many on this board in many different threads in many different ways, The technology in more advanced cameras give you the tools you need to get the image you want. While I love to pick (in a friendly way) on those that do not use my brand, the brand does not really make a difference except for personal preference in my opinion.

It is knowing what to do with the technology that makes the great image. I still contend that a good "eye" is better than camera or technique, but the knowledge and the skill to take advantage of the camera.

It has been shown over and over again that advanced cameras are not needed to take great images. Once again it is the skill of photographer that takes advantage of the circumstance to get the great image.

Can anyone take a great image. Of course! Even blind hogs find acorns every now and the, but once again the trained photographer will take more great images. Even great photographers take bad pictures.

I know I am rambling but the original question has more to do with personal choice and $$, I believe rather than some overriding camera brand choice.

There have been times in the life cycle of brands when one will outdo the other. If that span gets too big or lasts too long, people will shift, but for the most part people like what they are used to.

I always believe you will do far better if you learn the basics of photography then pick the brand to stick with.

 

[DisneydaveCT]

Like a few already here, I am a solid Pentax user. My first SLR was a Minolta, but then years later I got a Pentax and some additional lenses. And since all of my old glass could be used with my new DSLR I stayed with the Pentax line.

I think the quality of the pictures is largely driven by the skills of the photographer, and the quality of the lenses that he/she uses in creating their shots.

For years, I thought it was more the equipment than the skills of the photographer. And then two people I know each bought the same brand and model of a digital camera. After seeing each of their respective photos, I saw that one person had a little more skill than the other photographer.

I think Gdad's recent thread of photos taken with a P-n-S demonstrated the importance of the photographer's skills.

So in the end, I will join others by saying pick a brand and stick with it for the long haul.

 

[ukcatfan]

annabelle,

The K10D has probably been the worst Pentax in terms of supposed problems, etc., etc. The K20D has not had the same problems, so why didn't you upgrade to that and not have to re-invest in a new lens lineup?

 

[annabelle]

annabelle,

The K10D has probably been the worst Pentax in terms of supposed problems, etc., etc. The K20D has not had the same problems, so why didn't you upgrade to that and not have to re-invest in a new lens lineup?

I was going to get the K20d but I felt unsettled after talking to the pentax service dept. I wasn't going to give up my main walk-around (sigma 17-70) and thought if something happened on a k20d with my sigma lens, then I'll be in the same boat. They just didn't give me too much confidence anymore in pentax. And the fact that no firmware updates addressed any of the k10d issues also bothered me.

Believe me, I *really* wanted that k20d. I could've kept my weather-sealing, built-in IS, fantastic ergonomics and with really no learning curve.
Fortunately though, I only had 2 lenses... so I wasn't too invested. But with as much angst as I had with that cam, I about cried to see it go (and that Sigma lens). I was able to get some incredible pics with that combo and they are definitely missed.

But it's a new chapter in my dSLR life. I'm loving how I'm getting better IQ out of my D90, fantastically clean HIGH ISO, faster AF and even the video has come in handy (which BTW, I've seen some incredible short vids done by this cam). The other thing I'm liking ---> the D90 is nice and compact compared to my K10d. It's going more places with me b/c it's just all around easier to carry. And I just ordered nikon's new 35/1.8 prime... that combo will be a nice and light package. Can't wait!!

 

[Groucho]

The K10d was a GREAT first dSLR. Easy enough for a beginner but super feature rich to grow into. I got gorgeous pics from that cam. But after a while, I started noticing vertical banding in dark high ISO shots (800+). And then I started getting back-focusing issues. And apparently, the first batch of K10's to hit the market were riddled with these problems (and updated firmware didn't fix it). You can do a search for 'VPN' and 'back-focus' and K10d on the Pentax SLR dpreview board and find alllll kinds of posts.

I called Pentax to get my cam serviced (it was out of warranty at that point). They said that since I use a 'non-Pentax' lens as my main lens when experiencing the back-focusing problems, then they could NOT service my cam. They needed to calibrate both cam and lens together and since I used a Sigma lens, it was a no go.

The final clincher was: I was absolutely honored to be asked to take pictures of a friend's mother who was literally in her final days dying from terminal cancer. I took the pictures in front of a beautiful bush and sure enough, almost ALL the pics were back-focused on the bush and the faces were blurry. I was livid. They looked fine on my LCD screen but the computer screen revealed all the subtle blurriness. That woman passed away a short time later and there weren't any more chances for a 'do over'.

I posted this issue on dpreview to get tips on what I could do remedy the problem. Some folks thought it was user error and NOT the cam's fault... other's chimed in that they were experiencing the same problems with their K10d's.

I said, to heck with all of it!! I'm getting a NIKON!
So here I am today with a D90 (almost got the D300 since it was more comparable to what I had but I wanted a LIGHTER dSLR this time). But even with Nikon, my first D90 from Amazon I had to send back (long story). This new one seems to be working ok so far. I LOVE this cam. No more vertical banding and no more back focusing issues. However, I did experience the infamous 'ERROR' message on the lcd. Only happened once with this new body (happened LOTS with the first body). I think the D90's have a sensitive lens lock button... if touched in any way while shooting, it can give you an error message. If I reset the lens real quick, it goes away. And there other theories that there might be a memory card compatibility issue.

Moral of the story?? ALL dSLR's on the market today are HIGHLY capable cams. And EVERY manufacturer has it's own set of problems with almost every model. You just gotta pick one you think will serve your photography needs best and go with it!

A couple things here...

EVERY DSLR can have problems with front or back focusing. Just do a little searching and you'll find descriptions of this problems on everything from the cheapest to the most expensive DSLR.

Furthermore - your K10D is completely capable of having the focus adjusted by you, the user, without needing to send it back to the factory. You can set up main adjustment and also make distinct adjustments for particular lenses, in case you have a lens that has a focusing problem (which is also quite possible.) In other words - a couple minutes adjusting settings and you would have solved your problems. Plus, it sounds like the problems were quite possibly only with that Sigma lens, not the camera itself.

As for the added features - well, the D90 is a much newer cam, the IQ and ISO are due to the newer 12mp sensor (instead of the 10mp sensor which the Pentax K10D and Nikon D80 and D200 use - the Nikons also had reports of VPN, especially the D200 which was so prevalent that even Nikon admitted to it), the K20D's 14.6mp sensor is what it should be compared to.

Not trying to bash anything, but I think your reasons for switching were a little unfair to the Pentax.

 

[My2Girls66]

I started out with Nikon because thats what my dad used. When he bought me my first SLR it was a Nikon 8008 he found used in an ad in the paper(in the late 80's). It came with a body and 3 lenses so I just always stuck with Nikon. I still use those lenses on both the D50 and D80. I did jump ship with my p&s, tho. I had Nikon's up until 2 years ago. I needed a new, inexpensive one and none of the Nikons had viewfinders. I now have 2 Canon p&s's, a 540(dd) and a 560 and love them.

 

[SorcererMickey]

A good photographer can take great pics with a throw away camera. People have their preferences. Personally, I like Nikon, but Canon takes great images as well. I just find that i have to post process with Canon more than I do with Nikon. It really has everything to do with the lenses rather than the body itself. That and the imagination of the shooter.