technoph
“I wish I had a better camera.”
I have a gripe with this popular yet reasonable sentiment. To many, a better camera naturally means more expensive or complex. But for you, what does “better” imply?
Is it the fastest autofocusing? The best dynamic range or resolution? Featured here are three competitors in three common categories (landscape, lifestyle, food): the full-frame Sony A7III, APS-C Nikon D90, and Google Pixel 3XL. The first contains a modern 24MP mirrorless sensor, the second claims a decade-old 12MP DSLR mount, and the last features a recent 12MP computational smartphone. No photo is edited.
I am enamored by the promise technology brings: smaller devices that can be brought anywhere that will capture, edit, and share photos instantly.
Unfortunately, that equally means, along with mass media, that it is rare to see our beloved memories anywhere else than a screen less than 15 inches wide.
I find this transitionary cusp to easily disenchant the native artist inside many of us. Each of these three systems have compromises, whether it be convenience, expandability, or efficiency. The obsession of “better” and “what will be” distances us from what we already have now: older cameras and smartphones in our pockets. We could be shooting more, instead of wanting.
Yes, this is not a scientifically controlled experiment. The lenses in these images varied, along with environmental conditions, native color science, etc. However, I hope these images demonstrate the possible needs for you. Perhaps you caught the occasional faults within the smartphone’s portrait mode software as undesirable, but conversely only certain images can be taken with each system, such as selfies, long exposures, astrophotography, and much more.
A great photograph cannot be bought merely through the newest gear, but indeed, gear is deeply personal for any identity or workflow. Furthermore, post-processing is equally an art as is shooting, and that was not even considered here. So I ask not what camera delivers the “better” images here, but what do you value in this blurred marriage of engineering and art?
