This is The Digital Story Podcast #945, April 30, 2024. Today's theme is "It's the Shooting Experience, Not Image Quality." I'm Derrick Story.

Opening Monologue


Why do we choose the cameras that we do? Is it sensor size, megapixels, lens catalog, high-tech features, or something else altogether? I recently polled our Inner Circle Members about the brands they use and stick with. I found their responses illuminating, and thought that you might too. All of that, and more, on today's TDS Photography Podcast I hope you enjoy the show.




Digital Photography Podcast 945






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It's the Shooting Experience, Not Image Quality



Derrick Story riding the Verde Canyon Railroad. Photo by Steve Csoto.



A recent conversation on the Inner Circle site centered around brand loyalty and what our photographers favor for cameras. I thought the comments were terrific, and I was enjoying each of them when I came across this thought by Rudiger Wolf:



Olympus, Leica, Hasselblad, Apple all have unique uses and relevance. I'm finding the shooting experience is becoming more important to me than image quality. Each has a different shooting window (wildlife, portraits, macro, Astro, travel, sports, etc.). We are fortunate to have so many choices and options.



Rudiger's comment seemed to have a many heads nodding in approval. Jim Kuzman followed up by writing: "Your comment about the shooting experience really resonates with me. I have some excellent lenses but I'm more inclined to trade ultimate image quality for a smaller, more compact, and ultimately more enjoyable setup that gets me 90% of the quality at 50% of the bulk and weight and 100% of the joy.


Larry Borreson chimed in, "I have to agree. Each camera tends to lend itself to its own type of creativity."

Michael Alford commented, "Fuji and OM Systems/Olympus. Main systems, but I also have a Lumix LX100. Then Nikon and Bronica for film, I agree with Ruddier that the shooting experience is more important than image quality, At least now that image quality is so high it hardly matters what you use."


Forty-two percent of our audience have found the brand they like and are sticking with it. Another 42 percent are toggling between two brands depending on the task that's at hand.



I started thinking about my own camera choices. It goes beyond brand for me into the actual camera model. I shoot Nikon for example, but not the more modern Z8 or Z9. I like the Zf. My favorite Olympus model is the PEN-F. And I adore the Fujifilm X100V, but an not interested at all in their X-S20 body.



Along with Rudiger, Michael, Jim, and Larry, the shooting experience is my most important feature.



And I don't know if this happens to you, but I can see just the picture of a new camera and right away know if I want to hold it in my hands.



I remember testing the Nikon Z5 a few years ago. It was a perfectly capable camera, and I said so in my review. But after publishing those words, I promptly sent back my loaner, not even waiting for the full 30 day deadline. I just wasn't inspired with it.



I tested other Nikons too. I was intrigued by the Zfc when it was released, thinking that we were going to become fast friends. I took my loaner on a camping trip in Mendocino County. I came home with lovely pictures. But the camera just didn't feel right in my hands. The retro design was sweet, but the shooting experience was off for me. I sent back my loaner after 30 days.



More time passed and the Nikon Zf hit the market. Once again, B&H sent me a loaner right away. My first shoot with it was a haunted house assignment for a client. That's crazy depending on a brand new camera for a paying gig. But that's what I did. I never sent the Zf back.



The shooting experience was amazing. And I was just as thrilled with its performance when I reviewed the images on my MacBook