Photography Misconceptions
Common Photography and Equipment Misconceptions
1. A Brief Overview
There are lots of misconceptions about photography and photography equipments. Often, we get to hear questions like, “How many megapixels will I need?”, “Which camera is better, Nikon or Canon?” “Should I or my photographer use a full frame or a crop frame camera?” “Is film or digital better?”
This article has been written to help explain the facts and correct some of the common misconceptions about photography.
2. Megapixels Megashmixels – Don’t Get Caught up in Megapixel Marketing
Camera companies have been marketing their products for years by touting the number of megapixels to their clients and consumers. Megapixels is not a measure of the image quality but represented the printable size of the image. The quality of print is determined by the image sensor quality, not the megapixels. An 8 megapixel camera can produce a lovely 8 x 10 print while a bad 8 x 10 print can come out of a 15 megapixel camera.
An example is a 3 megapixel camera that can print a 5 x 7 picture while an 8 megapixel camera can print an 8 x 11 sized photo without any post-production sharpening. But a sharp image above 8 megapixels maybe enlarged to produce any size of picture using a little bit of post production preparation. You should look at the type and quality of the camera than the megapixels.
3. Large Raw Vs. Small Raw
It is a common belief that shooting LRAW or Large RAW provide higher quality images than SRAW or Small RAW. The megapixel specification of your camera means the largest print size that comes out straight from the camera. SRAW can be printed at 9 x 13 directly from the camera while LRAW can be printed up to 12 x 18. An SRAW image however, can be enlarged for printing at any size. In addition, images that are printed larger than 8 x 10 will need touch ups as image flaws become more noticeable the larger the print which are not noticeable in a 4 x 6 print.
There are also several downsides when shooting in LRAW, the most important being the decreased light performance. Noise handling is significantly improved when shooting in SRAW in low light situations. 75% of weddings are typically shot in low light situations. Wedding preparation, indoor ceremonies and receptions are all considered low light environments. Thus shooting in SRAW will actually result in higher quality images because of these situations.
The increased usage of space is another disadvantage in shooting in LRAW. The photographer has to swap out cards twice as much when shooting in LRAW, and these distractions may cause the photographer to miss special moments. Post production workflows are also slower as the file sizes are larger. Many common labs such as Costco will not also accept files larger than 10 megabytes.
This is why we shoot in the SRAW format, because there are no downsides and because of the much improved noise handling and higher quality low light images.
4. Canon vs. Nikon – Two Great Camera Systems
Although our studio uses Canon cameras and equipment, there is really no clear cut answer to the question which is better: Nikon or Canon. Both Canon and Nikon make great camera bodies and lenses for professional photography. There are subtle differences to the cameras both manufacturers make but they are both great camera makers. While Nikon cameras have more autofocus points than Canon cameras, the choice between the two is based more on preference than quality.
Both types of cameras take turn in getting recognition as a top performer, but in the long run they are both equal. Canon was the top camera maker with their 1D series prior to the release of Nikon’s D3. Canon lagged behind when D3 became the popular choice until the release of the 5D Mark II. This has always been the case in the professional photography equipment market – a manufacturer always comes up with something new and better. When the question of which camera is better pops up, it will most probably depend on the month and year of the question. In general, both camera and their accessories are great for professional photography.
5. Full Frame vs. Crop Frame Sensors
Sensor format is often one of the frequent questions of consumers. Professional photographers have varied choices like full frame sensors as in Nikon D700 or Canon 5D or a crop frame sensor as in the Nikon D300 or the Canon 40D
The overall image quality is generally higher and the low light performance is better when using a camera body with a full fame sensor. However camera bodies with a nice crop frame sensor can also produce amazingly professional quality images. The quality of the images actually depends more on the photographer and his technique than the equipment itself.
Many professional photographers produce amazing photos using Nikon D300s and Canon 40Ds for shooting. The truth is a large portion of our photos are taken using a Canon 40D as our secondary camera. The technical skill of the photographer is the determining factor whether the images will turn out good or astounding.
However, it should be emphasized that professional photographers should use at least a Canon 40D or Nikon D300 or its equivalent as their primary camera body. These cameras are considered the first level when talking about professional cameras. The current top of the line camera models of Nikon are the D3 and D3x while the top Canon models are the ID series and the 5D Mark II.
6. Digital vs. Film
There has been much argument about the use of digital and film among professional photographers a few years ago. However, times have changed and the scene of professional photography is very different from several years ago. There may still be certain situations where film is needed for performance, but digital is now widely accepted choice for its overall quality and its advantages over film.
Digital photo shooting allows professional photographers almost unlimited storage capacities and can thus take more shots. Although you should see our article on quality over quantity because more is not always a good thing. These days, professional photographers can take 2,000-3,000 shots in a single day using digital where before, it was unheard of to exceed 1,000 shots with film. This means that the photographer can choose the best out of three shots, than just accepting and using whatever single shot of a scene he took.
Digital also has a preview feature, allowing the professional photographer to “chimp” the shot right after while still in the camera. They can quickly remove poor shots, re-shoot some unsatisfactory scenes as well as creatively test their exposure right there and then.
In theory, the digital workflow is still similar to the workflow when photographers were still using film. Previously, film were developed in the dark room while today, the computer serves as the developing medium. However, photographers still use dodging, burning, brightening, levels and other techniques which are largely the same as in the days of film.
Because of digital’s overall quality, the feature to create and test on the spot, the improved and faster workflow and many more modern features, our studio now shoots only digital.
