The perfect photo doesn’t exist, because all art is subjective. But the perfect camera doesn’t exist either, because A, it’s not been invented yet and B, if we’re photographers worth our salt, our requirements keep changing anyway.
Yes, I might think I’ve found something close to perfection to capture a particular subject or location. Or kid myself owning a Panasonic Lumix L10 or Fujifilm X100VI will make me a better photographer. But I never 100% get there. And this is based on 25 years of using and reviewing cameras.
A key sticking point is what might appear the perfect camera creatively is not always practically perfect. And vice versa.
A compact camera that fits snugly in my pocket won’t be my preference for capturing a moment of a lifetime, even if its diminutive size means it’s the one I’m most likely to have with me.
Likewise, a fully featured, large sensor camera isn’t what I’d choose for everyday snaps – even if using it everyday increases the possibility of my capturing an actual moment of a lifetime.
Buy well, buy once
Choosing which camera and lens combination is right for any given job takes prior knowledge and skill. It also requires me to have bought well and wisely in the first place.
Did I really need the extra spend and bulk that came with full frame camera ownership, if most of my photos just end up on my desktop, are never printed, or never intended for commercial use? Conversely, does the compact camera I invested in because of hype, definitively better my existing smartphone’s capability?
Yes, the ‘best camera for the job’ might be the camera I have with me at the time – particularly if it’s the only one I have. But does that make it perfect? Of course not.
But the fact it allowed me to capture an image I otherwise wouldn’t have, does give it value.
Even if I do review a camera that appears Swiss Army Knife-like – for example a superzoom bridge camera – that won’t stop me occasionally longing for the point-and-shoot simplicity of a compact snapshot. Limitations can be a spur for creativity, a challenge to my usual photographic go-tos and a reason to think outside of the box. And, after all, any jack-of-all-trades can infamously end up being the master of none.
But the fact that the perfect camera does not exist shouldn’t necessitate investing in a bunch of cameras and lenses in the hope of being able to cover all eventualities, all the time. Sure, it’s nice to have several options. But unless you’re a working pro – which I’m not – it’s hard to justify.
Better then to choose the camera that suits my needs at that given moment. It may not be perfect, but then nothing in life is.
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: [email protected]
Related reading:
- I didn’t expect to fall in love with this entry-level full-frame camera
- Everyone thinks this is the most exciting new camera of the year, but I think it misses the point
- I may have found the perfect camera for travel & street photography
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