My passion for photography started while I was still in my teens. Equipped with a hand-me down 35-mm camera from my father, I first experimented with what Kodak film could do. The camera, an Argus Standard C3 (circa 1958) was completely manual, so one had to learn what all the settings were to shoot even a passable good photo. It even used flashbulbs for indoor shots! Until digital cameras appeared in the late 90s, many bad shots were discarded after the prints were picked up from your local developer. Also, one has to remember that the film rolls at the time were limited to 24 or 36 exposures. And, double exposures were a problem if one forgot to wind the film after each shot!
It is no wonder that many people switched to the point and shoot cameras that were abundant in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I used several versions of these after graduating from the old Argus camera. So simple to use, but they lacked the sophistication of SLRs, otherwise known as Single Lens Reflex cameras. A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that uses a mirror and prism system (hence "reflex" from the mirror's reflection) that permits the photographer to view through the lens and see exactly what will be captured.
As a Canon man for 18 years, it is hard to believe, but my first digital camera was a Nikon “Coolpix” E775, with a whopping 2.0 Mp resolution! First released in April 2001, I acquired this little camera in December 2001 and left film behind forever. The advantages were obvious, images were captured on discs, which when downloaded on a PC eliminated the need for film development. One could now discard all of those unwanted photos without paying a dime for them! In fact, depending on the size of the disc, you could shoot literally hundreds of photos before downloading that disc. I cut my teeth on this little gem for just a little over two years before stepping up my game with a DSLR, or Digital Single-Lens Reflex Camera.
Over the next 18 years, I utilized four different versions of Canon DSLR cameras, the first being a Canon Digital Rebel with a 6.3 Mp sensor in early 2004. I took my first photo with this camera and thought I was in seventh heaven. I had triple the resolution of the Nikon camera and could now purchase numerous interchangeable lenses to bridge a wide selection of focal lengths – from wide angle to telephoto, i.e.14 mm to 400 mm. Those lenses were acquired over time and were mostly interchangeable between the different versions of my Canon cameras. In addition, the electronic menu permitted much more flexible use of the camera via the multitude of built-in features. We now take all of this for granted with new cameras (and even phones), but it was a gamechanger at that time.
In order to stay on top of the evolving technology, I traded in the old Canon cameras and purchased a new version about every 4 to 5 years. The advantage was that the sensor resolution increased and new features were added with every new version making them more powerful. The timeline went like this: 2008 - Canon 40D, 10.1 Mp; 2012 - Canon 5D Mark II, 21.1 Mp; 2016 - Canon 5D Mark III, 22.3 Mp. We started our on-line photography business and web site, Bluemoonistic Studio in October 2008, so until 2021, the majority of the photos on that site were shot with these various versions of my Canon cameras.
By this time, many of you are probably wondering... I don't see any difference between these photos... why did you keep changing cameras? You are correct, with these small thumbnail pics, there is little to no difference in resolution. The differences are revealed when you enlarge these photos, even to sizes as small as 8x12 or 12x18. Only a camera with high resolution can create photos sharp and clear at these larger sizes. Photos from my later version Canon cameras were cabable of enlarging to the size of a billboard without a loss in resolution! Several of my photos have been used for that purpose, including "Mountain High" on this billboard advertising Regency Properties in Ashe County, North Carolina.
In the meantime, the whole industry was now moving to “mirrorless” digital cameras – which permitted smaller cameras with even higher sensor resolutions. I acquired a Sony A7RIII mirrorless camera early in 2021. The reason I switched brands is that Sony had perfected the mirrorless technology while Canon and Nikon were just getting on the bandwagon. Lens choices were more numerous with the Sony mirrorless and the A7RIII packed a mind-blowing 42 Mp resolution into its sensor! In addition, it is smaller and weighs less than the Canon, a real advantage when packing the camera and lenses on my back while hiking.
Due to the higher resolution, I have found the Sony to take razor sharp photos and it performs really well under low light conditions. Although all of the DSLRs that I have used were professional grade cameras, this latest phase of evolution represents another gamechanger. And, just like my transition from film to digital, I won’t look back after using a mirrorless camera. It has been an amazing journey, and I am looking forward to continuing this evolution with new developments in the future. I am sure that you too, will enjoy the results! By the way, I have also learned how to use it to take selfies!
Credits:
Our Photography World - the Bluemoonistic Studio www.bluemoonistic.com