How much part does a camera body play in analog photography ?

[faberryman]

Who cares what camera and lens a photographer used to create an image? It is completely irrelevant. Occasionally exposure and development details may be indicative of how an effect was achieved, but for most images they are irrelevant as well. The problem is, most people, including photographers, don't know how to have a conversation about the image itself.

 

[jim10219]

Who cares what camera and lens a photographer used to create an image? It is completely irrelevant. Occasionally exposure and development details may be indicative of how an effect was achieved, but for most images they are irrelevant as well. The problem is, most people, including photographers, don't know how to have a conversation about the image itself.

This is very profound. It mirrors my experience in the online photography world as well.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of keyboard did you type this out on? I've got some ideas I want to have on the internet and my old keyboard just isn't cutting it these days.

 

[Arvee]

I really like Ralph L's analogy: Aesthetically pleasing print is to gourmet meal as camera is to cookware. That says it all!

 

[Luckless]

The level of impact on the final image that equipment has will depend on subject matter and photography style. While a camera is little more than a box at the heart of it, some of those boxes have features and tools that are pretty handy in getting the job done.

In some situations, auto focus and metering can be the difference between expecting to get a given shot, and hoping to get a given shot.
Various interlock features helps avoid user error.
A more portable design can be the difference between having a camera to take the photo, and having left it in the studio.
A more 'at ready' design can be the difference between getting a photo, and having the moment pass by while you're still setting your camera up.
A design with the option for quickly swapping film can be the difference between having the film suitable for the shot or not.

You could cook a fine French meal meal with nothing more than a pocket knife and a campfire, but the results would be a whole lot easier to achieve in an actual kitchen.

 

[faberryman]

You could cook a fine French meal meal with nothing more than a pocket knife and a campfire, but the results would be a whole lot easier to achieve in an actual kitchen.

That convenience is a matter for the photographer. It makes no difference to the viewer, or the ultimate judgment of the value of the image.

 

[SMBooth]

I think the camera body pays a big part, it stops the light getting to the film...

 

[Chan Tran]

I really like Ralph L's analogy: Aesthetically pleasing print is to gourmet meal as camera is to cookware. That says it all!

And they generally go hand in hand.

 

[Luckless]

That convenience is a matter for the photographer. It makes no difference to the viewer, or the ultimate judgment of the value of the image.

Convenience for the photographer can directly relate to how an image is ultimately judged. Kind of hard to judge an image that wasn't taken or which got binned after all. Things like Image Stabilization on a lens, or lack thereof, can be the difference between an image that is a blurry mess or a sharp image. etc.

Equipment is not the end all and be all of photography, but understanding the equipment on hand, or what kind of technical requirements are needed to pull off a given desired image, is a rather large part of good, deliberate, photography.

 

[choiliefan]

I like to know the basic information as to film format, focal length and aperture used. The photographer's sense of composition, technical skill, god-given talent and serendipity govern the finalized image. I'll be interested in the tech side of images til the day I drop and go to that big darkroom in the sky.

 

[removed account4]

i had an art history teacher years ago he said the difference between humans and animals is that
humans seek comfort, (it is a human trait to look for ease and simplicity ).
the problem i see with photographers is that often times they tout the location,
the camera and lens with some sort of gyroscope inside, some sort of magical filter
to give their japanese brand camera the same "this lens makes sunshine" as their german
gear bretheren .. and while sometimes their composition is OK ( the camera can't do that yet, or can it ? )
the subject matter of the image/images presented isn't the subject matter at all, but
the out of this world distant location and the list of gear used to make a rather mundane image.
everything is about the camera and it is as if the photographer is a paid spokesperson for all the gear they use.
i have seen far more interesting, thoughtful, beautiful images made with gear harvested out of a garbage bin
than i have the stuff paid with by a 2nd mortgage..

 

[guangong]

Whatever the format, much depends upon how the camera feels in the photographer’s hand. This is no different from any tool used by an artist, whether pen, brush. From my experience a Hasselblad and Rollei tlr just feels more comfortable than a Pentagon; Leicaflex and Nikon F (without meter) fit like a glove; in subminiature nothing beats a Minox. Some cameras have other advantages but are not that comfortable such as Rollei 35 and XA.

 

[SilverShutter]

The only impact the body can have is negative, just like how my Zenit likes to ruin certain pictures with random light leaks that never show up again .

 

[paul ron]

hahahaa this is an interesting question...

When admiring the furniture I built, do you ask what saw I used to cut my lumber?

When admiring a painting... do you ask what brand paints they used?

Even if you knew, would it make any difference?

BUT... yes I am still curious and ask anyway.

 

[jim10219]

Whatever the format, much depends upon how the camera feels in the photographer’s hand. This is no different from any tool used by an artist, whether pen, brush. From my experience a Hasselblad and Rollei tlr just feels more comfortable than a Pentagon; Leicaflex and Nikon F (without meter) fit like a glove; in subminiature nothing beats a Minox. Some cameras have other advantages but are not that comfortable such as Rollei 35 and XA.

I've been painting for decades and I haven't once thought that any paint brush felt bad enough in my hands to impact my art. I've never heard any of my fellow artists complain of that either. In fact, we'll quite often use tiny nubs of charcoal that hurt to hold because that's the first one we grab, and it's more important to us to draw while the inspiration is there, than to dig through a drawer looking for the perfect stick to hold. We may complain about the bristles being too stiff, frayed, or fragile. We may snap a brush out of frustration because the tip won't hold a point anymore. But I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about the weight, balance, or tactile feel of a brush. All that matters is how the canvas looks. Pain is art. You have to embrace it if you want to be an artist, because that's where the good stuff resides.

Same with musical instruments. The novices and weekend warriors love instruments that play smoothly. But professionals don't usually care about that. They usually want instruments that sound great, and the feel and look of it are all secondary. Jack White is known for saying he hates guitars that feel good in his hands. He likes to fight with the instrument. He says it gives him a better connection with it. Same thing with most violinists. Your typical Stradivarius is usually a devil to play. They are hundreds of years old and frequently have warped and worn out fingerboards with twisted necks. A cheap, modern, Chinese made student violin is typically easier to play, but they don't sound anywhere near as good. Or what about Dizzy Gillespie's famous trumpet? He had them manufactured with the bent bell, which made them harder to play, but he liked the unique tone that the bend gave them.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

A camera body:
a) keeps stray light off the film
b) holds the lens and film in the proper relationship.
c) if an slr, has an accurate shutter, mirror mechanism, and viewing apparatus. If a rangefinder, has an accurate RF and viewing system, accurate shutter if focal plane.
d) conforms to the user's idea of efficiency and convenience. My Contax (which I really like, just for the technology and innovation it contains as well as the haptics) is great for walking around with, but sucks for macro work - that's when I use the Nikon which is also nice (but not great) for walking around with.

As for fountain pens, I'm quite dyslexic/dysgraphic. Of all writing instruments, I make fewest mistakes with a fountain pen, mostest mistakes with an electronic keyboard.
So fountain pens (and fancy cameras) are not always about affectation and inflated egos - one uses best what one enjoys using, I don't care what the tool is. As a musical example I'll cite J. S. Bach and his eloquently expressed love for "Large and Fine organs", which he wrote his finest works on and for. I do not think he agreed with "pain is art"; I hear mostly joy in his works (as well as those of many other composers).

.Edited? for{ !~punctuation>.

 

[Luckless]

hahahaa this is an interesting question...

When admiring the furniture I built, do you ask what saw I used to cut my lumber?

When admiring a painting... do you ask what brand paints they used?

Even if you knew, would it make any difference?

BUT... yes I am still curious and ask anyway.

As a crafts person, I'm often curious as to the tools and methods used for a specific piece.

And being able to add the label of "Hand Crafted" tends to up the perceived value of things for most people. There is after all that questionably rational idea that a "Hand crafted, one of a kind" item is inherently superior to an item of near identical function and durability which is one of billions that came off a factory assembly line.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

hahahaa this is an interesting question...

When admiring the furniture I built, do you ask what saw I used to cut my lumber?
Yes, if I see an unusually clean cut or something else my saw won't do.
When admiring a painting... do you ask what brand paints they used?
Yes, if the paints do something the ones I use don't
Even if you knew, would it make any difference?
See above.

BUT... yes I am still curious and ask anyway.

A tool can either facilitate the work, or get in the way of the work. This depends as much on the tool as the person using it. What I like may not work for you at all.

 

[guangong]

I've been painting for decades and I haven't once thought that any paint brush felt bad enough in my hands to impact my art. I've never heard any of my fellow artists complain of that either. In fact, we'll quite often use tiny nubs of charcoal that hurt to hold because that's the first one we grab, and it's more important to us to draw while the inspiration is there, than to dig through a drawer looking for the perfect stick to hold. We may complain about the bristles being too stiff, frayed, or fragile. We may snap a brush out of frustration because the tip won't hold a point anymore. But I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about the weight, balance, or tactile feel of a brush. All that matters is how the canvas looks. Pain is art. You have to embrace it if you want to be an artist, because that's where the good stuff resides.

Same with musical instruments. The novices and weekend warriors love instruments that play smoothly. But professionals don't usually care about that. They usually want instruments that sound great, and the feel and look of it are all secondary. Jack White is known for saying he hates guitars that feel good in his hands. He likes to fight with the instrument. He says it gives him a better connection with it. Same thing with most violinists. Your typical Stradivarius is usually a devil to play. They are hundreds of years old and frequently have warped and worn out fingerboards with twisted necks. A cheap, modern, Chinese made student violin is typically easier to play, but they don't sound anywhere near as good. Or what about Dizzy Gillespie's famous trumpet? He had them manufactured with the bent bell, which made them harder to play, but he liked the unique tone that the bend gave them.

I have been drawing, painting and sculpting (marble) for more than half a century and I can tell you that the brush makes a significant difference. The quality of the chisel really makes a big difference. As for paints, many cheaper oil and water color paints are much more difficult to handle than those from a reputable maker as well as sometimes being fugitive colors. Believe me, the quality’ of a stone is very important. As for musical instruments, for serious musicians, the quality of the instrument is very important. One of my close friends is a concert cellist who has a sizable six figure investment in his cello and it certainly is not made of plywood from China. My own pedal harp is good enough for me but not great, and while the skill of my harpist friends can make it sound a lot better than I can, they are very selective when choosing their own instruments. As for Dizzy, the metal making up his trumpet was very thin and sensitive and only a true master could control it. But it allowed him a fantastic range and agility that a thicker trumpet (I was about to name an .example but decided not to) would make difficult if not impossible. Likewise, Stradivarius are not difficult to play because the fingerboard is warped but because they are more responsive and require more control.
Getting back to the original topic, I still feel that how a camera feels is very important. Of course, different individuals have different sensibilities, which is why quality cameras come in a variety of configurations.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I have been drawing, painting and sculpting (marble) for more than half a century and I can tell you that the brush makes a significant difference. The quality of the chisel really makes a big difference. As for paints, many cheaper oil and water color paints are much more difficult to handle than those from a reputable maker as well as sometimes being fugitive colors. Believe me, the quality’ of a stone is very important. As for musical instruments, for serious musicians, the quality of the instrument is very important. One of my close friends is a concert cellist who has a sizable six figure investment in his cello and it certainly is not made of plywood from China. My own pedal harp is good enough for me but not great, and while the skill of my harpist friends can make it sound a lot better than I can, they are very selective when choosing their own instruments. As for Dizzy, the metal making up his trumpet was very thin and sensitive and only a true master could control it. But it allowed him a fantastic range and agility that a thicker trumpet (I was about to name an .example but decided not to) would make difficult if not impossible. Likewise, Stradivarius are not difficult to play because the fingerboard is warped but because they are more responsive and require more control.
Getting back to the original topic, I still feel that how a camera feels is very important. Of course, different individuals have different sensibilities, which is why quality cameras come in a variety of configurations.

"Stradivarii", plural (sorry) . Thank you for knowing that of which you speak.
In the late 1980s I dated for one summer a lady who played a Guarneri; she very generously let me handle it and attempt to play it. Even the bow is precious...

 

[Pioneer]

The journey is fine, but the destination (print or slide) is Glory!

The journey is great but not all of my destinations have been anywhere near glorious.

 

[Arklatexian]

i had an art history teacher years ago he said the difference between humans and animals is that
humans seek comfort, (it is a human trait to look for ease and simplicity ).
the problem i see with photographers is that often times they tout the location,
the camera and lens with some sort of gyroscope inside, some sort of magical filter
to give their japanese brand camera the same "this lens makes sunshine" as their german
gear bretheren .. and while sometimes their composition is OK ( the camera can't do that yet, or can it ? )
the subject matter of the image/images presented isn't the subject matter at all, but
the out of this world distant location and the list of gear used to make a rather mundane image.
everything is about the camera and it is as if the photographer is a paid spokesperson for all the gear they use.
i have seen far more interesting, thoughtful, beautiful images made with gear harvested out of a garbage bin
than i have the stuff paid with by a 2nd mortgage..

I really think your art history teacher should have studied biology/nature along with art. Most mammals and most reptiles (and probably others) seek comfort. With reptiles, it is vital that they maintain body temperature by the amount of time spent in sunlight or near other sources of heat. As to mammals, they also look for warmth and cold for comfort as do we..........Rergards!

 

[guangong]

"Stradivarii", plural (sorry) . Thank you for knowing that of which you speak.
In the late 1980s I dated for one summer a lady who played a Guarneri; she very generously let me handle it and attempt to play it. Even the bow is precious...

Sometimes the bow costs as much as the violin or cello. Again, the bow is chosen in large part by the way it feels in the hand. My wife’s cello bow case cost more than my Billingham case. My friend never takes his cello bow abroad since it could be confiscated by customs since the wood is now from a protected species.

 

[guangong]

"Stradivarii", plural (sorry) . Thank you for knowing that of which you speak.
In the late 1980s I dated for one summer a lady who played a Guarneri; she very generously let me handle it and attempt to play it. Even the bow is precious...

Your girlfriend’s violin probably belonged to a collector who wanted his instrument to maintain its condition. Wouldn’t it be great if camera collectors would lend their rare cameras, lenses and accessories to deserving photographers? Just an idle thought.

 

[removed account4]

i once watched antiques road show and there was a guy who brought a violin and bow in to be appraised.
the backstory was that the guy's dad sold houses in the great depression and there was a guy with no money
but this violin and bow and he traded them to the guy for a house. the father gave the instrument to the son
who learned how to play it and enjoyed it and is now an old guy...
the appraiser looked at the violin and said it was french and from the early 1800s, a lovely instrument but
not worth as much as the enjoyment he got out of it .. the bow, on the other hand was worth $40,000.00...

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

I often miss shots because my Mamiya RB67 equipment is too heavy to drag along. When I travel on vacation, I take a 1" digital for shots of the trip. Different cameras do effect my shooting.