Op-ed: The Freedom of Brand Agnosticism

Note: This post is inspired by the Phoblographer's post regarding their editor's choice of camera. The amount of hate and trolling they received was incredible. Many resorted to name calling and attacks to the writer. You can read their article HERE.

I entered the smart phone world when Apple released the iPhone 3G…crazy, right? For a bit of perspective, it was released on July 11th 2008 (6 years ago). I thought it was the best thing since the Motorola Razr came out because it combined the two things I absolutely needed to get by my community college experience – the Apple iPod and my phone. I knew this was it, this was the company I was going to back. I bought all of their products from their iPads to their computer systems so that I would be completely integrated into the Apple ecosystem. At the time they were revolutionary and my loyalty to the company paid dividends in lightening my load and making my life more efficient. Heck, I even bought things I did not need like the Nanos and the Shuffles (looking back, I think it was all about the status symbol). 

The love story started to go sour when Apple released an operating system update for the 3G, which was in line with the release of the iPhone 4. Foolishly I thought upgrading the OS would improve the functionality of my phone. It didn’t. It slowed every app and made my phone nearly useless. So I did what every rational person did at the time and upgraded to the iPhone4. I was willing to overlook the fact that I was “holding the phone incorrectly” blocking the phone signal, but I couldn’t look over the fact AT&T had an exclusive contract with Apple. I was grandfathered into a plan that gave me unlimited everything. I was a heavy data user and started to get emails and texts from AT&T saying that I was in the top 10% of data users and they were going to throttle my data plan. While not necessarily Apple's fault, that was the tipping point and I left the Apple ecosystem. I promised myself I would not ever place my faith and loyalty to any particular brand or company, instead I go with where the technology is going.

Fast forward to today, I see myself exhibiting fan-boy tendencies to camera companies like Olympus and Sony. Although I think they have the most cutting edge technology TODAY and other companies like Pentax, Canon and Nikon (the latter two more so) are a little behind the competition, I need to keep myself in check. I personally think Olympus is the BEST camera company right now and that Canikon are merely resting on their laurels. That tide can shift at any moment and Canikon can shake things up especially since they have a huge backing of die hard fans. 

I bring this up because I have spoken to so many brand loyal photographers. Many traditional DSLR owners have complained to me about their desire for a lighter load that doesn’t sacrifice too much on image quality. Mind you they’re not trying to shoot sports or birds in flight, they just want something to take on vacation or family outings. In my eyes, they want a mirrorless camera but just can’t convince themselves to buy one. Trust me, budget is not a factor. So what’s holding them back – in my eyes, brand loyalty. Many of my friends decided to settle for just a smaller entry level body and one lens, when I know for a fact they want to take other glass/equipment. Want to know what was in my bag during my last comic con trip: 3 primes, 1 zoom, my E-M1, a flash, a table top tripod and a portable battery pack. This didn’t come close to breaking my back. 

So what’s my point? I believe being loyal to a company/brand is irrational, as companies do not have you in their best interest, period. They have their bottom line as a driving factor. In the grand scheme of things being brand agnostic is so much more freeing. I have no worries selling all of my Olympus gear IF they don’t fit my needs or if they become complacent (I’m looking at you EPL-7 – photographers want a built in range-finder style EVF not a selfie screen). Heck, I might even join the Canon/Nikon family if they come out with something innovative. Fuji X100s even has me intrigued with its leaf shutter, built in ND filter and flash sync speed (in fact that camera might even be my next purchase. Scratch that it will be my next purchase if all goes well during my rental phase). I have gone from an iPhone to a Galaxy S3 and now to a LG G3. Apple can win me back if they ever become the leader in technology and innovation, but their track record leaves me feeling doubtful. Let's hope Canon and Nikon don't follow their lead. 

So say we all,

Dino

Photography Tip # 5 - Support your local camera shop and don't buy gear from your megastores

With San Diego Comic Con days away from now, I can’t help but think of what camera I should bring. A couple of years ago, I remember purchasing my OMD just for this wondrous event and I can only imagine other people doing the same thing. Some might be buying their first camera or upgrading to an interchangeable lens system. My tip of the day is quite simple: support your local camera shop.

Anime Expo - Taken with the Olympus Pro 12-40mm lens

In my previous post, I talked about being part of a team of photographers at the Long Beach Jump Rope competition, but I failed to mention my experience talking to several mom’s asking me about camera advice.  Many start the conversation with the following statement: “Well, I just bought this camera at Best Buy and I can't seem to get a clear image…”  Please let me stop you right there. Do yourself a favor and don’t buy cameras at shops like Target, Best Buy or Walmart unless you’re a seasoned photographer. Go to your local brick and mortar camera shop for buying and shooting advice. Not only will they better match the camera/lens to your needs, they’ll probably not try to upsell you on trivial things like the importance of megapixels or misinform you that Canon is best for photos and Nikon is best for video (a story Jared Polin shared on his podcast). 

Well, these very friendly moms all had slow, variable aperture kit zooms attached to their camera bodies all which I feel are unsuitable for their immediate shooting conditions (from the 12-50mm range to the 70-300mm). When I had asked what they were trying to shoot, all had mentioned that they wanted a couple of shots of their children after their performance or of their finishing move (typically a stationary stance or a crazy jump). I followed up asking if they were taught by these sales associates how to use the camera. I got a resounding NO. Although I feel people have a responsibility to learn how to use their own gear, I also feel employees at these mega stores SHOULD take part in educating their buyers. If you are going to sell someone on the feature set of cameras, then you should also impart how and when to access said features. In my opinion, these mega stores typically do not equip you with the right tools for your needs or they oversell you on things you may not need. Additionally, I do not think most sales associates have the technical knowledge to teach. Most are simply reading the tech sheet and passing that along as knowledge.

For the life of me, I don’t understand why primes are not the standard kit lens in the Canikon realm. If you ask me, I don't know how a combo of the 35/50mm and 85mm prime can't meet 99% of a casual photographers' needs. Not only will it intuitively teach people about framing, lens characteristics and "zooming" with your feet, it will help in lower light situations like the jump rope competition (the lighting was awful at the event). Those extra stops of light gathering potential would have definitely helped and when you include the crop factor, they would have had ample reach to photograph their kids. I'm sure the boost in image quality would also be a welcomed perk. Glad to see many mirrorless companies bundling primes with their gear - kudos to you Sony, Fuji, Panasonic and Olympus. But I digress.     

Whenever an individual approaches me seeking help with cameras, I really do my best to help them out. I was very lucky to have had good mentors guide me through my early stages of my photography journey and somehow feel obligated to pass on that same luck. I don't have a very high opinion of these mega retailers because they don't specialize in the things that matter most and the fact I have overheard sales associates make up specs or misinform customers just to make the sale. While not all camera shops are created equal, I do believe most try to employ knowledgeable people who at least know the basics about camera technology, the exposure triangle, have knowledge about glass, etc. Additionally, these shops more likely than not have a better relationship with camera manufacturers, so if you ever encounter any issues, they may be able to address your problems in a more timely fashion. At the end of the day, I feel confident that a sales associates at your local shop will tell you that the Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 (a popular lens I saw) will give you the reach you need for the competition, but may not be the right lens for a dimly lit convention hall. 

Hope to run into you here. 

I am always weary of making blanket statements but please trust me and avoid these retail stores. Support your local camera store.

Here's a list of reasons why:

• You get the joy of supporting a local business
• You get to physically hold and try out a larger selection of cameras before you purchase one
• Some shops include an in-house repair warranty 
• Most are photographers themselves and will understand your needs
• Build a good enough relationship, they may even give you a discount. Some shops even offer loyalty rewards.
• Shops typically have a good used department that can save you hundreds of dollars.
• These same used departments typically allow you to trade your old camera for that new shiny upgraded version
• Some shops even hold seminars or invite guest speakers who can help you improve your skills

Be sure to stop by our Killer Pumpkins booth #1433