Fantastic Cameras and Adventures

Do you love cameras? Here’s a list of film and digital cameras I've owned over 40 years as a photographer.

During that time I’ve had the good fortune to travel widely and experience a variety of exciting adventures on five continents.

I made this photo featuring one of the trails on Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) in China during the middle of winter. It was one of the hardest and most thrilling days of my life.

The photo was made with a Canon 5D Mark II camera and Canon 24-105mm f/4 L series IS lens.

I’ve made more photos with that camera and lens combination than any of the others I’ve owned over many years in the photography industry.

Since my early days working in a camera store, running a wedding/portrait studio and working as a newspaper photographer I've enjoyed owning a range of cameras.

My first overseas travels were undertaken with Canon F-1 cameras that I was loaned by Canon in Australia.

One of the cameras was stolen and the other turned out to be a dud which caused the loss of almost all of my photos from a massive 3 ½ month trip, including a night at Mount Everest Base Camp in Tibet.

But I digress.

Subsequent expeditions were undertaken with a range of Hasselblad and Leica film based cameras.

Over more recent times I've traveled and photographed extensively with Canon, Leica, Nikon and, most recently, Sony digital cameras.

My Cameras, Film and Digital

Since the beginning of my photography career, way back in 1979, the cameras that I've owned include the following:

• Nikon Nikkormat FT-3

• Pentax K1000

• Kodak Handle (instant picture camera)

• Canon AT-1

• Nikon FE-2

• Mamiya RB67

• Polaroid 600SE

• Rollei SL66

• Hasselblad 500CM

• Hasselblad 503CW

• Hasselblad 903SWC

• Hasselblad X-PAN

• Hasselblad X-PAN II

• Leica M6

• Leica M7

• Leica MP

• Leica R6.2

• Leica R8

• Canon 5D

• Canon 5D Mark II

• Panasonic Lumix (I'm unsure of the model)

• Leica M9

• Nikon D800e

• Sony Alpha 7Rii

• Sony Alpha 1

Medium Format and Large Format Cameras

Take a look at this image of a beautiful Buddhist monastery (i.e., gompa) in a spectacular landscape on the shores of Pangong Tso in Ladakh, India.

It’s a medium format image, from the early 90's, made on a Hasselblad 500CW camera with a Hasselblad 150 mm Sonnar f/4 lens.

I also owned a 4” x 5” large format (folding) field camera, though the brand name escapes me.

There’s sometimes confusion between the terms medium format and large format cameras.

Medium format film is like 35 mm film, with two notable exceptions.

35 mm is packaged within a metal canister and features perforated sprocket holes along the top and bottom edges to help in transporting the film through the camera.

Medium format film, of which there were a variety of different types and sizes, is non-perforated film wrapped in paper to protect it from light fog when outside of the camera.

35 mm and medium format films were all referred to as roll film, as they were (relatively) long rolls of film wrapped around a metal or plastic spool. In both cases numerous images could be made on the same roll of film.

Large format film was available in a range of types and sizes, with each negative or transparency being significantly larger than medium format images.

Large format film was available as individual sheets packed into a light tight box. One or more sheets would be loaded into a film holder. Most held two sheets and you’d expose one and then spin the holder around prior to exposing the second sheet.

The process involved covering the camera and head with a dark cloth so as to see and compose the image on the camera’s ground glass screen.

A really big day photographing with my 4”x5” large format camera meant six exposures.

Initially I’d develop one image at a time, by hand, in total darkness. After a while I was able to step the old school workflow up by shuffling (like you do with cards) six sheets at a time through a series of open trays containing the various chemical and wash steps.

It was a beautiful thing, all wood and brass with the removable lens being attached to the camera via an accordion like bellows.

But, while beautiful, that camera was frustrating to use and leaked light like the proverbial sieve.

What’s more the lens I’d bought, second hand, to go with it broke down at critical stages, including while on an earlier trip to Ladakh (Land of the Passes) in far northern India.

What's Important When Buying A Camera

So, nostalgia aside, reliability, stability and easy of use should be essential considerations when buying camera equipment.

This is a lesson I learned, the hard way, on several occasions during my formative years as a travel and documentary photographer.

The medium format Hasselblad 500CW camera and Hasselblad 150 mm Sonnar f/4 lens produced extremely high quality images by the standards of the day.

They were part of a really large and heavy camera kit that I took to Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos on a December 1999 to January 2000 photography adventure.

This photo, made with that camera and lens combination, features two fisherman on Taungthaman Lake near the town of Amarapura in Myanmar (i.e., Burma).

While technological features are a key consideration when buying a new camera it also needs to meet the following criteria:

• Comfortable to hold and carry

• Relatively easy to use

• Built to withstand the rigors associated with travel and photographing under a wide variety of environmental conditions   

My Journey From Film To Digital Cameras

My first two DSLR cameras were Canon (5D and 5D Mark II) largely because, at that time, Canon were the only manufacturer to make full frame DSLR cameras.

The term full frame refers to the fact that the sensor is the same size as a 35 mm negative or transparency.

Theoretically, the larger the sensor the better the quality of the image will be, particularly under low light conditions or when the image is made at a very high ISO.

There’s considerable debate about that notion but, back in the day, I’m convinced it was correct.

I entered the DSLR market later than most other photographers because I wanted a full frame camera at a particular price.

I finally made the move to digital in September 2005, when I purchased an original Canon 5D camera and a bunch of lenses.

Why Canon?

Nikon had no full frame DSLR cameras and Sony didn’t exist on the DSLR market back in those days.

Unfortunately, when I made the move to digital, the resale value on film cameras and lenses was very low.

At the time I owned 3 Hasselblad cameras and 6 lenses as well as 2 Leica bodies and 4 lenses. All were relatively new and in excellent condition.

Sadly, the majority of the professional marketplace had well and truly turned to digital.

The reality was that, if I wanted to make the move to a fully digital workflow, I’d have to sell my film cameras and lenses and accept the massive financial loss that came with it.

And that’s what I did, with the exception of a few Leica M-series lenses which I hung onto for years until I purchased the Leica M9 digital camera.

Despite selling all this gear I still had to find money for the extensive Canon 5D camera and lens kit I wanted.

When I think about spending (perhaps) AUD $40,000 on computers and associated peripherals over the years I’m reminded about just how expensive photography can become.

Moving to digital, at least in those earlier years, was certainly financially challenging for me.

What I Like Best About Digital Cameras

The good news, from a technical and workflow point of view, was that the transformation from film to digital cameras was relatively easy for me.

Fortunately I already had decent computer and post processing skills and a full digital workflow was far better than bringing scanned film images into Photoshop.

I’m actually quite good at doing repetitive tasks. Once I start I just ground hog the task until it’s done.

But there’s always an exception to the rule. Actually, in this case there’s two.

• I really hated having to remove micro fine dust spots on digital files from scanned negatives and slides.

• I really hate having to prepare my tax.

But my days of working with film based images aren’t over yet. I have thousands of 35 mm and medium format negatives and transparencies, many of which I’d love to have professionally scanned.

Ideally I’d find a service that would include dust spot removal. I can only hope.

Now that my workflow is entirely digital problems with dust have, for the most part, been eliminated.

The exception, of course, is sensor dust when I’ve had to change a lens outdoors under windy conditions.

Of course the biggest difference a digital camera delivers is instant feedback. This allows the photographer to check the following:

• Composition and expression

• Exposure

• Contrast

• White Balance

• Focus and sharpness

It’s difficult to define, to someone who hasn’t had a lot of experience as a film based photographer, just how revolutionary these changes are.

Truly, they have a massive effect on the confidence and creativity of the photographer.

Having that immediate feedback on the rear LCD screen of a DSLR camera allows you to make the necessary adjustments to make a better photo.

Once you’ve achieved that you’re then more likely to look for more interesting and visually dynamic images to help tell the story you want to tell in line with your own, unique vision.

I made this image of a vividly lit street scene in the old town of Salzburg on a wet summer's evening. I used the Leica M9 camera and my old Leica 24 mm Summilux-M f/1.4 lens to create the image.

The sensor in that camera produced fantastic color. However the noise performance, even at relatively modest ISO’s (e.g., ISO 800) was really poor.

I had to sell that camera and, while currently Leica digital cameras are amazing, I just wasn’t in a position to hold onto my three Leica-M series lenses while I waited for their cameras to catch up with the competition.

Why I Recommend Mirrorless Cameras

Even better than a DSLR is a Mirrorless camera.

Mirrorless cameras are generally smaller and, sometimes, more lightweight than a DSLR camera of comparable price and features.

Mirrorless camera’s offer the advantage of showing your photo, with any potential problems, inside the viewfinder both before and after you’ve made the image.

This allows you to adjust camera controls or composition to ensure better exposure (i.e., brightness), white balance (i.e., color) and contrast prior to actually making the image.

What’s more the image you’ve made is displayed inside the camera’s viewfinder immediately after making the image.

This is a really great feature that allows you to assess images in a much easier, more accurate and enjoyable manner than having to look at the photo on the back of your camera’s LCD screen.

One things for sure, photography is so much more fun when you’re able to use your camera with confidence.

Digital Photography Is Cheap

Digital cameras make the process of creating beautiful, life affirming images easier and far cheaper than was the case in days gone by.

Once you’ve purchased your camera and memory card there’s no cost involved in making photos. The financial savings, for someone who makes a lot of photos, cannot be understated.

From that point of view the relative cost of a digital camera, compared to a film camera, is dependent upon how often you use it.

It cost you money in film and processing each and every time you released the shutter on an analogue based film camera.

As a consequence folks were conservative with the amount of photos they made.

And that fact was true for most professional as well as enthusiast and amateur photographers.

Are digital DSLR and Mirrorless cameras expensive?

It all depends how often you use them.

Once I’d bought my Canon 5D I needed to purchase several lenses and flashes. Once you’ve bought into a system it’s expensive to change brands.

So, despite significant technological advances from Nikon, I stayed with Canon when I upgraded to the Canon 5D Mark II. And, for the most part, I was happy with that decision.

My Move To Nikon D800e Camera

But things change and, after many years, I came back to Nikon.

My very first SLR camera was the Nikon Nikkormat FT-3 which I bought back in 1979.

I purchased a Nikon FE-2 a few years later. However, it wasn't until mid-2012, with the purchase of a Nikon D800e and associated lenses, that I once again joined the Nikon fold.

It was a great camera, though quite large and heavy.

I found it well suited to landscape and architecture photography though a little too sharp for certain types of portrait photography where, for example, hair would photograph a little gritty, like it had just be chewed on.

But it was a great camera for it’s time when it came to quickly and easily putting together a large series of images (e.g., five, seven or nine) as part of a HDR workflow.

I employed my Nikon D800e camera with the unique Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 lens at 24 mm to make this image of the afterglow, following a spectacular sunset, above Mitre Peak on Milford Sound in Otago, New Zealand.

Why I Use And Recommend Sony Mirrorless Cameras

In the later part of 2015 I entered the mirrorless camera market with a Sony a7Rii. I've added to that the excellent Sony/Zeiss FE 16-35mm f/4 and Sony/Zeiss FE 24-70 f/4 lenses.

The Sony alpha is a wonderful though, quite complex, camera system.

The improvements in handling, size, weight and highly programable functionality are staggering and several of Sony's lenses are absolutely world class.

I photographed the spectacular Mulafossur Waterfall near the village of Gásadalur on the edges of the sea on the island of Vágar in the Faroe Islands with my Sony A7Rii camera and the Sony/Zeiss 24-70mm f/4 lens at 26 mm.

Dreams Of Leica

I'm very happy with Sony, although I very much enjoyed using a Leica SL2 camera which I believe to be a simply stunning mirrorless camera.

Likewise the Leica Q2 is an incredible camera that’s more than capable of meeting the needs of most well heeled enthusiast level travel photographers.

Not offering interchangeable lenses the Leica Q2 is a much simpler camera system than the Leica SL2 but, being easy to use and relatively portable, it’s going to be a good fit for a lot of people.

A Warning About Bias From Well Meaning Folk

For me it's never been about bias. I'm neither a Canon nor a Nikon fan boy and, as I've just indicated, I'm not particularly bonded to Sony, although it is a camera system I highly recommend.

I'm only interested in what camera system provides me with the flexibility and quality I need for the work I'm producing at the time.

However, after owning so many cameras over the years, I do have an innate understanding of the workings of so many camera systems. It’s proven to be a huge asset when it comes to teaching folks how to use their own cameras.

While it's wise that the research you undertake into buying a new camera includes seeking opinions from trusted sources, it's always important to expect bias on behalf of even the most well meaning friend or mentor.

The camera that suits them best is not necessarily going to be the best option for you.

In fact the word best should probably be avoided. What good is it buying the world's best camera if, for example, it's so large and heavy you can barely carry it.

Please don't base your purchase decision on camera specifications alone.

Camera Logic And The Way You Think

All cameras were not created equally. Some brands and models will suit the way your own brain works more so than others.

The location and naming of particular features may make far more sense, to you, on one camera than on another. 

It’s particularly important, when buying your first mirrorless or DSLR camera, to understand that you are also likely to be buying into a particular brand logic and system.

All the more important to understand which camera logic best suits the way your own brain manages and navigates data.

This is where actually spending time playing with a range of cameras, before you buy, is of such critical importance.

I struggled at first adapting to the logic of my Sony a7R ii camera. But after an hour a night study and practice navigating the menus, wheels and buttons on the camera I’d had it sorted out within a week.

That made creating this otherwise difficult interior view of the dome at the magnificent Frederik's Church, also known as the Marble Church, in Copenhagen, Denmark relatively straightforward.

I made the image with my Sony a7R ii camera and Sony/Zeiss 16-35mm f/4 lens at 16 mm.

Buying a new camera is a big decision and it's important to understand that once you buy a few lenses and, maybe, a dedicated flash you’ll find it more difficult to change brands down the track.

I wish you well with your future photography and hope that you end up purchasing the camera gear and accessories that best meet your own, individual needs.

Glenn Guy, Travel Photography Guru