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| Hobart from Mt Wellington. FZ300 hand held. This image prints up to 39x52cm with no problems at all. At that size it looks clear and sharp on my wall with strong colors and good highlight/shadow detail. Nobody (but me) who looks at this print knows or cares what camera made the image. |
Photographic users posting on forums often spend vast amounts of time and effort discussing the merits of this-camera-versus-that-camera, often with reference to arcane technical analysis “proving” that one is “better” than the other.
Presumably these technical discussions provide the participants with an entertaining distraction from the problems of modern life.
But as a guide to anyone wondering what camera to buy they are worse than useless as they do not engage with the real world costs and benefits of the different camera types.
This post explores one approach to the process of making a decision about what camera to buy, using the versatility/quality nexus.
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| Picture courtesy of camerasize.com Each of these kits has a lens which reaches out to 600mm (equivalent). But the FZ300 also covers all the other focal lengths down to 25mm and all of them at f2.8. The big Canon kit gives maximum quality but very limited versatility. The FZ300 gives me good enough quality for my needs and remarkable versatility. |
Here are some basics:
* Larger sensors allow for better image quality.
* Smaller sensors allow for greater versatility. This a large zoom range and the ability to make an all purpose model without the need to change lenses.
* The “right” camera for any individual is one with the smallest sensor which provides “good enough” image quality for that person’s requirements, whatever they may be.
Note that a user’s requirements are to do with the process of making pictures, the quality of those pictures and the cost in dollars, time and effort of the photographic enterprise.
This is quite different from the requirements of the entities which make and sell photographic products. They just want to make more money.
They can do that by selling you the most expensive kit you can be persuaded to buy. The margin on expensive gear is much greater than that on budget equipment.
The entire enterprise of the photographic industry is directed to encouraging you into buying something larger and more expensive than you probably need.
This includes those who make, sell and review photographic products.
Eager recruits to this upsell campaign are consumers themselves some of whom convince themselves that they “need” a “better” camera/lens kit.
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| The quality/versatility relationship |
* What is “good enough” picture quality ?
If one is a professional photographer this might entail a higher standard than many amateurs. But some amateur photographers are very fussy so some kind of independently verifiable criterion is required.
I cannot speak for others but I have figured out my criterion for “good enough” pictures.
This their ability to be output as sharp, clear prints on my Epson 4880 printer at a size of about 520x390mm or approximately 16x20 inches in the old imperial system.
I have discovered that several cameras which use the ‘smartphone size” (a.k.a. 1/2.3 inch, actual size about 4.5x6.2mm, diagonal 7.67mm) sensor are routinely able to meet this criterion, provided the technical aspects of image capture were optimal when the photo was taken.
I will refer to these as “small sensor” cameras.
I have tested most of the small sensor cameras which offer RAW output and found that the best of them is the Panasonic FZ300. That is therefore now my preferred camera for most purposes and the one which gets most use.
I find that the FZ300 routinely makes pictures which are better than I could produce in the film era with a top quality 35mm SLR camera, prime lenses and premium film.
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| Outdoors the FZ300 can do sport/action, birds in flight and much more all with good printable and publishable results. |
* How versatile is the FZ300 ?
The list of specifications, features and capabilities for still photos and motion pictures is extraordinary. You can read the very long list of them elsewhere. If this thing had suddenly appeared ten years ago it might have been hailed as the tenth wonder of the modern world.
But now we are all blasé about wonders and many users, sellers and reviewers shrug off cameras like the FZ300 as “just another small sensor compact”.
It all comes in a single package with no need for add-ons and you can buy it for AUD650 in Australia. Maybe that is part of the image problem, it’s so inexpensive.
There are few assignments which the FZ300 cannot cover.
It is very suitable for almost any purpose outdoors from landscape to sport/action.
Indoors it is a little more limited in capability and would struggle to cope with indoor sports. But for relatively static subjects indoors it performs very well.
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| The FZ300 can do super tele close ups like this one at 600mm equivalent. |
* I think that most of the “this-camera/system/lens-vs that-one” debates these days are like arguments about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
The awful truth about modern cameras is one the makers would rather you not discover for yourself.
This is:
Just about any camera or smartphone these days can make pictures good enough for most personal and professional uses including large prints.
The reason they don’t want you to discover this is that if camera buyers turn away from interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs) en masse, the industry as we now know it will collapse.
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| Pademelon at dusk. ISO 1600. Not the world's finest photo but at least I got the shot which is suitable for printing up to my specified size. The quality is acceptable. It serves well as a memento of a trip and is good enough for family viewing. |