Upgrades!

It seems with digital, photographers must upgrade their equipment every few years to keep up with technology. We didn't have to do that with film cameras in the past because the film itself was the upgrade!

Over the years, film had improved in quality. Years ago, we would have to shoot with our medium format cameras if we wanted the best images for our clients (see my post on my Hasselblad equipment about a month ago.) But then, 35mm film took a major jump in quality and then all photojournalistic wedding photographers adopted 35mm as the camera of choice.

35mm film never reached the quality of medium format, but the new films made it really close. Today, most photographers are moving to digital if they haven't already. Digital is getting better every day too!

Pictured above is one of the three Hasselblad medium format film cameras I own. They don't get used much because everyone wants digital today! Did you know that the original Hasselblad 500C medium format camera which is often referred to as the "Rolls Royce" of cameras was first introduced in 1957? Many of those original cameras are still in use today! The one pictured above wasn't manufactured in 1957, but the 500c hadn't gone through that many changes over the years.

For 2006, I'll be shooting with two new 10.2 Megapixel digital cameras and a 12.3 Megapixel digital camera. The increase in the megapixel size also means an increase in file size forcing the purchase of not only new cameras, but additional memory cards. And, it also means that to process the extra data quicker, you need a faster computer or risk a reduction in post-production processing efficiency.

So you see, it's a chain reaction. Every step in upgrading of acquisition equipment (cameras) results in an upgrade throughout the path... right down to burning more CD's for the larger files!

Luckily, business is good for me and I can afford to make these changes in my gear to offer better service for my clients for 2006!

I wonder what I'll be buying in 2007?

:)

Enjoy!