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“A photographer is only as good as the equipment he uses” — Nikon on Facebook

By Syl Arena On September 29, 2011 · 20 Comments

I realize that one post on Facebook does not necessarily represent the official view of an entire multi-national corporation. I also realize that marketing people have kids to feed and bills to pay, just like I do. Still, I can’t let this pass without comment.

Make no mistake. The brand of gear you use has [...]

I realize that one post on Facebook does not necessarily represent the official view of an entire multi-national corporation. I also realize that marketing people have kids to feed and bills to pay, just like I do. Still, I can’t let this pass without comment.

Make no mistake. The brand of gear you use has nothing to do with how “good” you are as a photographer. My good friend Joe McNally, a renowned shooter who happens to use Nikon gear, would still be a far better photographer than I am if we walked up to a shoot and traded cameras.

I’ve said it before. Gear is gear. Your photographs go out into the world without you. Your legacy as a photographer will be defined by the photographs you make and not by the gear you used to make them.

I’m a loyal Canon shooter. I have been for over 30 years. Still, I’d be equally offended and equally vocal if some cubicle-dweller at Canon had typed the same sentence.

It’s not the gear that makes the photograph. Rather, it’s the heart and mind of the person behind the camera that makes the difference. Oh, and a bit of luck from time to time, too.

[Click here to see Nikon's Facebook page.]

Win a $50 BorrowLenses.com Gift Certificate

By Syl Arena On June 1, 2011 · 1 Comment

Over the years, I’ve rented a lot of gear from many different sources. Now, my go-to rental house is BorrowLenses.com. They rent a wide range of Canon cameras, lenses, and Speedlites at great prices. They also rent gear from Nikon, Leica, Sony, and other major manufacturers, plus video, audio, and lighting gear. The [...]

Over the years, I’ve rented a lot of gear from many different sources. Now, my go-to rental house is BorrowLenses.com. They rent a wide range of Canon cameras, lenses, and Speedlites at great prices. They also rent gear from Nikon, Leica, Sony, and other major manufacturers, plus video, audio, and lighting gear. The cool thing about renting is that you can try out a piece of gear before you commit to making a major purchase. You can also bring in a specialized piece of gear to assure that a shoot goes perfectly and then send it back. (Although be warned: I once rented the new 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro for a month and had a very hard time returning it.)

To show their support for Speedliters, BorrowLenses has donated a $50 gift certificate.

Here’s how you can win it:
1. follow @Syl_Arena and @BorrowLenses on Twitter

2. Tweet: I’ve entered the Speedliting.com contest to win a $50 BorrowLenses.com gift certificate. Details > http://bit.ly/maqdoN #Speedliter50

The contest will close at 12:00 noon PDT on Friday, June 10. The winner will be chosen at random from the Tweets that meet the above two requirements. (To make sure that you get the Tweet right, just copy and paste the text above.)

Hey Speedliters, Canon Does Care… Meet The 7D

By Syl Arena On September 1, 2009 · 13 Comments

Almost two months ago, I published an article that many described as a rant about Canon Speedlites. The last of 17 points that I raised was “Give me a breath of hope that Canon actually cares about their Speedlite system.” [You can read the whole list along with the thoughts of more than 200 [...]

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Almost two months ago, I published an article that many described as a rant about Canon Speedlites. The last of 17 points that I raised was “Give me a breath of hope that Canon actually cares about their Speedlite system.” [You can read the whole list along with the thoughts of more than 200 Canon shooters from around the globe here.]

From Twitter - July 8, 2009

I want to be the first to fall on my sword and say that I now believe that Canon does care about us Speedliters. Among the many new features described in this morning’s announcement of the 7D is that the pop-up flash will work as a wireless commander for Speedlites. Sure, it’s not a big thing – most pro shooters don’t have cameras with pop-up flashes. Sure, there are many more powerful features that I’m still hoping they will add to a future generation of flash. But, it is a step in the right direction. It’s a sign that Canon is paying attention and wants to make their Speedlite system competitive.

The 7D has a host of other equally important features that indicate that Canon does care about a wide range of uses for their gear. Having just spent the weekend at the Collision Conference in Hollywood, I’ve no doubt that the 7D will extend Canon’s lead in the field of DSLR-based cinema. Beyond cinematography, the new auto-focus system, the new viewfinder technology… the list of reasons for still shooters to be excited about Canon’s future is long.

Many others have written detailed reports about the new features of the 7D. DPReview’s coverage, of course, is stellar. As for the utility of the pop-up for wireless control, as soon as I can get my hands on a 7D, I’ll put it to the Speedliter’s test and let you know. Click on the pic below to go to Canon’s official 7D page.