Seasons Bargains (or Old Cameras are Great)
A small issue that has been looming over the last few months has been partially fixed by being in the right place at the right time.
A real bargain camera (Em10 mk2 $329 au. on clearance) and a lucky second hand grab (a mint EPM-1 black with VF 4 for $90) have filled the hole left by two EM5 mk1’s that have become a little un-trustworthy*.
My stocks of camera bodies are a embarrassingly ridiculous (9), but given my current desire to run them until they fail, this is not surprising. If the total output of an art leaning image maker is a few thousand top tier images over their working life, then I have potentially several life times of cameras. I also console myself with the knowledge that they are worth in total less than a single Sony A7r 4 body is right now
One of the ironic benefits of never being fully satisfied with my Canon gear was that by constantly changing gear, I was protected from old camera syndrome. Some Canon’s only lasted for a few thousand shutter fires before I moved them on. The EM5’s have a total of 20 years work between them and one has had 6 more with someone else.
My love affair with the 16mp sensor has also forced the issue. I have absolutely no issue with the technically superior 20mp sensor, but they are different in work flow and results. The “film like” rendering of the older sensor, even with their gradual processor evolutions through the years, has something I find reassuring, honest and character filled. Finding this look was not automatic. The images straight out of the first cameras did little to impress me. They were sharp (but hard) and colour rich (although too magenta/yellow for my tastes). I missed the Canon and Fuji looks that I had mixed in with them in the early days of my mirrorless transition.
I now take for granted files that have deep colour and contrast flexibility, and files that have a strong sense of reality. Almost an anti-Hollywood realism. Fuji files (XE-1) were near perfect as was, but very opinionated in their rendering and had little more to offer outside of their signature look. Canon files at that stage had deeper colour (I often think of a tint based paint compared to a white base), but a habit of losing highlight detail and although they looked smooth and clear, lacked the biting sharpness the early Olympus cameras offered. Granted this was something I chose to tame on the Oly’s as their “hard” sharp look was often too much, but that is still preferable to not enough.
As much as newer cameras have to offer, I think it is important to look at the recent history of the major brands. Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, Fuji, Canon and Olympus have offered the same sensors in multiple generations of their cameras for a while now. Progression in video has been strong, but otherwise, things have remained stable for about five years (Em5 mk1 to EM10 m3, D750 Nikon to Z6, Sony A6XXX’s etc). Nursing an older camera, especially for stills shooting is no longer the guarantee of image making short fall it used to be.
The relevant technical benefits I have bought into over the last 5 years have been;
Better tracking focus, although I am a little short in the lens area and don’t really care.
Electronic silent and vibration free shutter fire, which is a big deal.
Option of high res imaging, that I have used a hand-full of times.
Nothing else has had any real photographic relevance for me. The first grab AF on the older bodies still surprises, image quality is as always limited more by technique and lenses than other factors and their handling/interface has changed, sometimes for the better, sometimes not.
This year, more image production (printing), less gear changes.
*The two Mk 1’s will be used for testing etc or when nothing is at risk. Both have issues (one exposure and shutter oddness, one banding occasionally) that can be worked around, but no point in trying too hard with other cameras at hand.