Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I am with B.D. on this one. I too am more than comfortable with my 2-year old computer with 1 GB RAM and a 2.4 Pentium. I have bought two 250 GB external hard drives for archiving purposes and will add to that as needed, but otherwise I have not needed to upgrade my computer equipment when I bought my Canon DSLR last summer. I already had the printers, Photoshop etc., since I have been scanning film and printing from PS since 1998. So the much talked about cost of computer upgrades has been close to zero for me. As far as the style of shooting--I will admit to taking somewhat more pictures than with film, but not that much more, perhaps 50%. I definitely do not shoot machine-gun style. I still try to compose each image in the viewfinder, get the correct exposure etc. During a recent trip to Madrid where I had 1.5 day of free time I shot about 200 images. Had I been shooting film, I think that I would very likely have shot six rolls as well. What is new is the freedom to experiment a bit at zero cost. If I see an image in front of me that seems a bit marginal (i.e. I think it might be interesting but I am not sure) I shoot it, knowing that if it does not work I will just delete it on the computer later (I do not use the LCD screen of the camera for anything except a quick glance at the histogram just after a picture is taken). On another thread someone mentioned cost. I have a Canon 20D and 24mm, 17-40mm, 50mm and 85mm lenses for it plus a couple of Leica R to Canon EOS adapters which let me use my Leica R lenses as well. The Canon equipment was more than paid for by selling my M7 and a couple of little used M lenses; I have kept my M6+35mm Summilux as well as the CL and its 40mm lens (and most of my Leica R lenses for use on the Canon, plus a Leicaflex SL). The Canon lenses I have bought are all normal, "film" lenses so that when I upgrade bodies in the future I will continue to be able to use them, also if I go to a full-size sensor body. So the only replaceable component in this outfit is the 20D body which I bought new for $1500 last October. Even though my volumes do not approach Tina's, I am sure that I have saved the price of the body in film and processing during the 5 months I have had this camera. Nathan B. D. Colen wrote: > No, Dave, shooting digital is NOT like using a machine gun - unless YOU > are shooting that way. Shooting with digital is precisely like shooting > with film - except that there's no cost-per-image. Some people shoot > with total abandon, forgetting what photography is all about; some > people shoot as they would with a film camera. If you don't want to have > to deal with terabytes of images, don't shoot them. > > As to needing 4 gigs of ram - I wonder why I'm comfortable with 1? ;-) > -- Nathan Wajsman Almere, The Netherlands General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507 Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com