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BLOG POST no 1

the right gear - for me

By Hanni Gharib

March 29^th, 2018

This here marks my very first blog post.

And why am I writing this? Well why not?

Writing long spreads is not what I do the most, so I figure it’s good practice for me. And what other subject better to kick it off than camera gear?

First off I want you to know that this post solely represents my own (probably rather subjective) thoughts about camera gear that I use and have used. It's not sponsored nor particularly technical.

And secondly, I want to stress the fact that it's always the creativity and skill of the person behind any camera that produces those amazing photos or videos you see. Not just the gear. A talented photographer will be able to pick up any piece of equipment and create great results.

No matter the brand or system, your equipment is just a tool for you to unleash your creativity. Don't forget that a great deal of photographers started out with shooting on an iPhone!

And it's seldomly necessary for you to rush out and buy the latest and greatest just for the sake of it. Especially if you don't know how to use it to its full potential - but more importantly if you don't need it.

The photos below were taken with an iPhone 5.

DINOSAUR

Anyways… it all started about a year-and-a-half ago when I decided it was time for a more contemporary camera.

I was rocking the Canon 6D Mark I which first debuted in 2012. For its time, it was a very fresh and reasonably priced full frame camera with built-in GPS and WiFi. It was light for a full frame body and sturdy - every travel photographer’s dream!

I actually didn’t pick mine up until 2015 - when I decided it was time to go full frame. I had intentionally waited with upgrading to full frame until I felt that I had the need for it and that my gear was the limiting factor for my creativity. And that time had come.

So I found a good deal on a second-hand body and off I went. The 6D sat faithfully by my side on multiple trips to Portugal, Wales and Croatia as well as France, Poland and Catalunya.

[Photos below taken with Canon 6D]

It performed without fail and I shot oodles of great images with it. But with time, it felt more and more obsolete and I found myself constantly checking Canon rumour sites for signs of the 6D Mark II.

Don't get me wrong, I was very pleased with the image quality, ergonomics and especially the robustness of the 6D. This goes for Canon bodies in general.

But coming from the also excellent - and much more hi-tech crop sensor Canon 70D (it had Dual Pixel Autofocus (DPAF) which is truly an amazing technology, a more advanced viewfinder display, flippable touchscreen and a far superior AF system) - it honestly felt like the 6D was a six-year old camera and not a three-year old one, at the time I bought it.

BUT… I was willing to sacrifice all that functionality for that full frame bokeh goodness, better lowlight performance and better use of the higher quality EF lens lineup.

THE SECOND COMING

Anyways… Canon waited a good five years(!) to upgrade the 6D. Plenty of time to innovate, right?

Honestly, I would have been an easy sell. They just needed to cram in a better AF system, DPAF and a flippable touchscreen and they'd have my money.

And when it was announced, it DID have all these things. So they DID get my money! I was pretty excited when I finally got my hands on the 6D Mark II last summer (2017).

End of story, right? Happy ending?

Not quite. The joy was very short-lived.

Within the first week of testing it, I realised that Canon had not only crippled the 6D Mark II, as many others felt was the case. They had actually managed to make it worse than its five year older predecessor!

At ISO 100 and 200 I was seeing visible noise on my images. In bright daylight. On a Canon full frame camera. In the year 2017. This alone was a totally unacceptable detriment for me and sadly confirmed reports that I had read online. Additionally, I personally found it to produce less sharp images than the Mark I, using the exact same lenses.

So I decided not to take a chance, and return it to the camera store within the return period for a refund.

It was also missing 4K video capabilities – something I could live without at the time. There was no dual card slots – also something I could accept at the time. No headphone port. No AF joystick. And an AF system from a cheaper, older Canon model.

There was no doubt that Canon wanted the 6D Mark II to feel as entry-level full frame as possible.

They had all the technology available to make the 6D Mark II a bestseller- as its predecessor was - but instead they made it a meh camera. And not a cheap one in any way. $2,600* is not an inconsiderable amount to spend for most people.

* USD equivalent of the Danish prices (everything is noticeably more expensive here in Denmark).

In all honesty, I really, really wanted this camera to knock it out of the park. It’s by no means a bad camera – but in my opinion, Canon seemed so much more focused on limiting its specs in order to upsell their more expensive 5D Mark IV body.

This really annoyed me at the time - and as I’m writing this blog post, it annoys me all over again.

And yes, I could have bought the 5D Mark IV for an additional $1,700* - even with its shortcomings. But to be honest I was feeling so annoyed about the 6D Mark II situation that I decided to hold out. It couldn't be right, that I had to spend $4,300* to get a decent full frame camera in the year 2017.

Plus I only do photography very part time. It's by no means my day job, so spending an amount like that on a body didn't quite seem justifiable or feasible for me - and this is even coming from someone who suffers from a fair amount of G.A.S (Gear Acquisition Syndrome).

SO NOW WHAT?

I found myself in a quandary. So I soldiered on with the ol' 6D Mark I.

Meanwhile I started looking towards Sony’s full frame system. My personal feeling was that they were really innovating at an incredible pace and listening to the gripes of the community with every iteration of their cameras. I had heard good things about the image quality, the low light sensitivity and the EVFs.

However, at the time, there was a very limited (and expensive) Sony lens selection. I knew there were lens adapters out there, but I would prefer using native lenses primarily, to get the most out of the camera system. This fact, along with overheating issues and subpar battery life, kept me from making the transition at the time.

Enter the A7R III and A9 last year.

Not cheap bodies by any means. But seemingly uncompromising and innovative. They, however, presented the same budgetary dilemma for me. Could I justify spending that amount on a body I only use very part time?

And do I need the 42 MP of the A7R III? (I don't).

Or the blackout-free 20 FPS of the A9? (I don't).

So I was still stuck in camera limbo. But the seed was sown and I found myself closely monitoring rumours and news from Sony rather than Canon.

Then the new Sony A7 III was announced. And on my birthday to boot. It was a sign!

Nothing at this price point ($ 2,950*) has ever offered specifications of this level. I'm not going to go over the specs here - you can Google those - but it seems like Sony went out of their way to NOT cripple this camera.

At the Sony A7 III presentation, Sony jokingly referred to it as a "basic" full frame model. I guess they are trying to redefine basic in a big way then.

So yeah, it has a long list of capabilities and features, but do I really need them?The more I think about it, the more I know I do:

I shoot weddings and other family events from time to time, so silent shooting and Eye AF will be fantastic here.
Dual card slots are also a BIG plus for me (peace of mind in case an SD card fails).
I often shoot outside in bright daylight so being able to check exposure and focus in the EVF will be a most welcome addition.
I find myself wanting to do more video work, so the 4K capabilities really speak to me.
Also, I detest using tripods so I tend to avoid them if at all possible. Cranking up the ISO and shooting handheld with confidence is a huge plus for me.
I hate getting down flat on my stomach to take shots from low angles, so the tilting touchscreen will come in handy.
Additionally, I prefer to travel light. So shaving even a single kilogram or two off my kit, will be a relief for my back and shoulders.

Now, specs are one thing - real life performance is another. But it seems everyone who's had their hands on it is unanimous; it DOES deliver.

I just received mine yesterday and I can’t wait to try it out!

If it holds up, I predict this camera is going to sell very, very well. And the fact that Sigma has announced 9 new ART lenses for Sony's E-mount will most definitely help the sales. Especially with those just switching over from another system.

GOOD TIMES

To get a little nostalgic, I bought my first DSLR in 2005 - the Canon EOS 350D (Rebel XT) - which marked my first step into DSLR photography. And now, 13 years later, I find myself abandoning Canon DSLRs for something that I hope will bring me new excitement and creativity just as the Canon 350D did back then.

Photo taken with Canon 350D. Samos, Greece. 2005

I guess my point with all this is that there is no such thing as the definitive best camera. Only the best camera for YOU at any given time.

“Best” is a term defined on a person-to-person basis. Everyone has a different preference, level of experience and specific needs – not to mention budget.

Case in point: in 2016 I opted for the DJI Mavic Pro instead of the Phantom 4 Pro. Sure the Phantom delivers better image quality and resolution but no way was I going to carry around a drone as big and conspicuous as the Phantom along with its equally bulky controller. And certainly not in addition to all the other camera gear I was hauling with me in the first place.

I had been patiently waiting to get into the drone game for some time, but nothing out there had the right balance of quality, features and portability for me until the Mavic Pro hit the market.

So... the perfect camera or lens or drone or whatever does not exist. There's only what’s perfect for YOU and your needs. Anyone telling you otherwise shouldn't be taken too seriously.

In the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi: "Only a Sith deals in absolutes." 😉

Anyways, if you found this blog post useful or entertaining (or if it made you want to put out your eyeballs with a pair of blunt scissors) I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Either here or send me a message on Instagram (@justhanni).