At least you weren't replaced by AI. But it's early.
PD News gave me structure in the fertile days that developed SF's South of Market photo community in the 80s. In the new century, big money Real Estate developers planted the seeds of the Digital Gulch. The days of $0.75 sq/ft were over. The photo community moved further south of China Basin and Potrero Hill or, those who saw the writing on the wall, retired to the Central Coast or the Foothills. Film labs; the New Lab, Robyn Color, Hi Fi, collapsed. Soon Gassers, now Samy's Camera SF, closed their doors. Along with lucrative photo markets, PD News disappeared.
I'm getting there...
Enter Mirrorless cameras, spun as a move forward. Sure, they are the latest thing, but I don't buy that they are a substantial move forward. Cynically the net effect, from more than likely the biggest motivation, was to create a new market. What got my attention was the fact the major photographic manufacturers and 3rd party supporters' plans for DSLR lenses were set aside as obsolete. MILC lenses took front and center to serve the new MILC market. Further, in a fashion much like SLR Film cameras, the manufacture of DSLR cameras was clearly disappearing.
So, while I did not buy into the new platform, I did have to look to the future of our college photo program. Our DSLR-to-MILC transition plan is costing $30,000, while the basic bang-for-buck camera from the majors has gone from a $500 DSLR kit to a $900 MILC kit. Whatever I think about MILC, our DSLRs are destined to join our dusty pile of 35mm SLRs: they win.
I told you I'd get here...
And the glass that is the real backbone of our work? We are using adapters to allow the use of over a hundred Nikon and Canon lenses in our safes (55 1.2, 400 2.8, 24-70 & 17-55 2.8s). The new MILC lenses are limited in scope and pretty expensive. In our view, it is the MILC cameras that are being adapted to our lenses, not the other way around. Some of that is that we believe in those lenses, mostly though we already own them.
We have to follow the glass. Otherwise, I'd go full-tilt into Fuji in a heartbeat.
At least you weren't replaced by AI. But it's early.
PD News gave me structure in the fertile days that developed SF's South of Market photo community in the 80s. In the new century, big money Real Estate developers planted the seeds of the Digital Gulch. The days of $0.75 sq/ft were over. The photo community moved further south of China Basin and Potrero Hill or, those who saw the writing on the wall, retired to the Central Coast or the Foothills. Film labs; the New Lab, Robyn Color, Hi Fi, collapsed. Soon Gassers, now Samy's Camera SF, closed their doors. Along with lucrative photo markets, PD News disappeared.
I'm getting there...
Enter Mirrorless cameras, spun as a move forward. Sure, they are the latest thing, but I don't buy that they are a substantial move forward. Cynically the net effect, from more than likely the biggest motivation, was to create a new market. What got my attention was the fact the major photographic manufacturers and 3rd party supporters' plans for DSLR lenses were set aside as obsolete. MILC lenses took front and center to serve the new MILC market. Further, in a fashion much like SLR Film cameras, the manufacture of DSLR cameras was clearly disappearing.
So, while I did not buy into the new platform, I did have to look to the future of our college photo program. Our DSLR-to-MILC transition plan is costing $30,000, while the basic bang-for-buck camera from the majors has gone from a $500 DSLR kit to a $900 MILC kit. Whatever I think about MILC, our DSLRs are destined to join our dusty pile of 35mm SLRs: they win.
I told you I'd get here...
And the glass that is the real backbone of our work? We are using adapters to allow the use of over a hundred Nikon and Canon lenses in our safes (55 1.2, 400 2.8, 24-70 & 17-55 2.8s). The new MILC lenses are limited in scope and pretty expensive. In our view, it is the MILC cameras that are being adapted to our lenses, not the other way around. Some of that is that we believe in those lenses, mostly though we already own them.
We have to follow the glass. Otherwise, I'd go full-tilt into Fuji in a heartbeat.