So, there I was… DSLR attached to a rather unwieldy tripod… trying to get some sort of results I’d be proud of, whilst wrestling with the tripod and wet sand.
Remember that breath of fresh air I had, a while ago..?
Well, the cold wind that was blowing around the beach certainly wasn’t it. Once again, there was a distinct feeling of being “bogged down”, and it wasn’t due to the wet sand either.
The tripod. Bulky as it is, it certainly didn’t move much when the gusts of wind hit it… and that’s a good thing. There wasn’t much maneuverability either, when I was moving it from one bit of the beach to the next. Also, small adjustments to its location weren’t so small either. It was much easier to park the tripod down in the area that was almost right, then zoom in/out on the subject until the composition was more or less right.
Yes, I tend to photograph more than just the subject itself. It’s easier to work on composition that way… for myself anyway.
In other words, using the tripod required more forward planning than I’d first realised. And it was then that it hit me…
… whatever happened to small cameras?
Ok, the tripod didn’t help with that question. But even so, the feeling of looking down a tunnel prevailed whilst I was using the DSLR. Add to that the overall bulk of a DSLR, even though there’s not much of that with the 350D. There were feelings of “I wish”. The guesswork focussing of the Leica Standard, the operational speed (and overall impression of not wanting to waste a film frame) of the Minolta Autocord, the jewel-like mechanics of the Leica IIIc, the history-laden feel of the FED-NKVD, all this was wanted. Instead, for want of a better phrase, I was lumbered… almost… with a bulky plastic machine-gun… a piece of modern technology that almost demands that you go faster, a piece of modern technology that makes you become less careful.
… and all because… you can!
So, smaller DSLRs are good..?
I’ve often wondered what will replace my 350D, when it gives up. Digital photography is just too convenient to be walked away from, but that feeling you get when you pull a strip of freshly developed film from a developing tank… digital can’t replace that.
I think it’s more of a question about the lens focal length then the DSLR?
But was fun to read your narration..
Have found myself in the same situation a dozne of ties
Hi Aditya.
The lens I was using was my trusty Sigma 18-125mm, so focal length really wasn’t much of a problem. The overall issue was, and still is really, the bulkiness of modern camera equipment… DSLRs in particular. The industry has an annoying mindset of “More is better”, and it’s being applied to more than just cameras MP ratings.
I’m glad you enjoyed the posting though.