A few years down the line, three digital cameras later, and what happens? Apart from a mass of jpg photos dumped onto media that might last a couple of years..?
I’m wondering… where’s the magic gone?
Hands up. I confess to preferring to use the camera on my mobile phone, as opposed to wielding the 350D. Sure it’ll not look as ‘professional’, but is that all that matters now? Must I “look the part”? Just for a measly photo or three? If that were the case, I’d much prefer to be armed with a classic camera.
No, seriously.
The “wow” factor is fading quick. Using a DSLR, for me at least, is becoming a bit wearysome. Is this what the industry plays on? People getting tired of their camera before the camera dies? That’s certainly happened to me twice before. If that’s the case, where’s the next step? A Hasselblad with a Phase-one back? If so, wave bye-bye to portability and a bank balance. If not, then..?
To be honest, I’m thankful I took an interest in rangefinder cameras. I’m glad I took the plunge with developing my own black and white films. I’m also not sorry I’ve dabbled with printing black and white photos, using only a black and white darkroom setup. That lot’s stood me in good stead, for when a break from pixel-pushing is sought.
I can’t say that the happy medium for myself would be a digital rangefinder… some things should be left as they are… sometimes. A Leica M8 is not something I’d want as a replacement for my 350D. Going off reviews, it’s a gamble that Leica took… and seem to have lost. It’s also expensive, thanks to the brand. An Epson R-D1s… interesting, but not available brand new anymore. Sorry, digital cameras really should be bought brand new, unless the camera’s been fully tested out by someone trustworthy beforehand. Adjustments to mechanical cameras can be done with screwdrivers, but it’s not as simple as that with digital cameras.
So, a point-n-squirt digital camera..? The Panasonic LX-3, the Leica Digilux 3 and the Canon G10 certainly look interesting. Ok, the Leica’s out of my realistic price range, but test results from the G10 and the LX-3 are being looked at and considered. I’d certainly get the portability, but image quality..? Only the Leica offers interchangeable lenses… but will give the same feeling as a DSLR..?
The “wow” factor now only happens when I pull a strip of developed film out of the developing tank. The “wow” factor now only happens when I see a 10×8 black and white image slowly appear on a sheet of blank paper, whilst it’s immersed in some chemical. And these are time-consuming processes..!? Has the speed of the digital camera also quickened the feeling of disenchantment? Hmm.
As always, questions… some with expensive answers.
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