Thursday, August 31, 2017

Why I finally got a DSLR?

Disadvantages of a DSLR

"I ain't no hipster! I don't need no DSLR!" I convinced myself since six years ago.

Include the triggers, specialized lenses, flashes, softwares, receivers, tripods, SD cards, filters, remotes, and all the other accessories you need just to make it work decently, DSLR = too expensive.

That small packet you find in shoe boxes, where it says do not swallow: silica gel. It prevents the build up of moisture. Moisture and fungus are the enemy of DSLR's and lenses. Silica gel is their friend. Also, obviously, I must not drop my new camera and lens. Treat it like a baby, must not squeeze it too tight but also must not let it fall into a ravine. DSLR = harder to take care of.

I can't just put it in a satchel. Needs at least a shockproof DSLR case. If I want to look professional, then a black camera bag. That thing with a lot of partition made of padding and extra pockets for lenses, wires, and chargers. Like a turtle carrying an entire house on its back. DSLR = bulky.

Even if they say that a mirrorless camera is not bulky, they would be lying. It is less bulky, but it is still bulky compared to a point-and-shoot camera or a phone camera. Like having a piece of rock tied around my neck as a necklace.

More convenient to take a point-and-shoot or a cellphone camera that has 10 or above megapixels in my backpack. As Chase Jarvis, a well-known photographer, would say, "The best camera is the one you have with you."

Too expensive + Harder to take care of + Bulky = DSLR

Why I finally got a DSLR

To stand in front of a landmark and take my photo with the said landmark. To say that I've been there. It's kinda like a bad vandalism, "I was here". We were going to Europe and what do you normally take photos of in Europe? Castles, churches, landmarks, etc.

In this case, a bad photo would be where the subject is either too large or too small compared to the background. I want to place the subject, either my wife or me, almost as big as the castles or churches. Phone camera won't cut it anymore. I put it back in my pocket. Wouldn't want to leave Europe with sad pictures.

Let's try an experiment:

In the pictures below, compare the relative size of the background to the subject? In other words, why is the duck suddenly larger?

Picture 1: Lens is ZOOMED OUT
producing a relatively smaller background.


Picture 2: Lens is ZOOMED IN
producing a relatively larger background

Thought that the background is larger because the woman stepped back closer to the duck? You thought wrong. She stayed in the same spot. The only difference was that the photographer, I, zoomed the lens in. Pictures were taken in Hong Kong airport, in case you were wondering.

Experiment 2: Which photo is better?


Picture 3: Lens is ZOOMED IN
producing a larger background

Picture 4: Lens is ZOOMED OUT
producing a smaller background.

Picture 4 is better because of the ratio between the subject and the background. We looked as big as the Colosseo in Rome, Italy. Although, using a different camera, the two pictures demonstrate the difference between zooming in and out.

This is different from just walking closer or farther. Very important to note: It's not the size but the ratio.

Zoom In = Larger Background
Zoom Out = Smaller Background



I needed a lens that zooms in and out. In photography language, this is called focal length (I only recently learned about this). This was the only reason I finally got a DSLR. Outweighed the three disadvantages listed above.

Here's a video explaining it:




Long story short, the DSLR is here now. Can't throw it away. I, at least, have to make the most of it. So here I am, blogging and learning photography.

No comments:

Post a Comment