Quote: (09-05-2011 01:48 PM)kerouac Wrote:
Two websites that will give you a lot of info on photography + cameras:
Those are good sites. I am really happy with FilMor's recommendation, even though I haven't yet received the camera. The OKCupid article ranked attractiveness of profile pictures based on the camera. The best ones were by complicated, big, heavy SLR's. The exception was an advanced $700 Leica Point and Shoot. But Leica is an expensive, snobby brand. My dad took crummy pictures with his Leica! It's not the camera, it's the photographer and the whole photo system (lens, flash, tripod). Complex cameras produce better photos, largely because better photographers use them. The question is what camera will take the best photos for me.
Different cameras have different advantages. There is sensor size. Availability of wideangle lenses and other accessories. Zoom. Burst and movie capability. Focus speed. Size of viewfinder. Stabilization and low light performance. Digital (.RAW) file format. And other advanced features. Again, I'm clueless about what I need.
Professional photographers worry more about tripods and lighting accessories than about cameras. An old survey of professional photographers said the best camera was one they could easily fit in their pocket. Many old pros kept cheap Canon Powershots in their glove compartments and jacket pockets.
My priorities are portability and ease of general use. I will have a better portfolio from convenient pictures taken every week than from expensive pictures taken infrequently. The mirrorless micro format was designed to be small and light, with near-SLR quality. That's probably why it topped the OKCupid list. In principle more complex cameras will have better performance. But in practice people end up with more pictures and better pictures from simpler, portable micros. More pictures = better pictures.
The Olympus EPL1 seems like a simple, solid, general choice, with image stabilization and built-in flash. If I can't get laid with photos it takes, then a more expensive camera will not help. I will only need to upgrade for underwater photography or close-up infrared movies of bees in-flight.