- Timeless on the Silk Road - October 21, 2024
- Nikon Zf Vs iPhone 15 Pro Max - September 19, 2024
- The Bloomfield Track - August 25, 2024
Phone cameras produce images that are ‘good enough’ for blog publishing. That’s something I have said and other bloggers I follow such as Chillertek have said. It has even been stated by some serious professional photographers I follow.
Despite this while enjoying a look back at my rides recently I noticed how much better my older photos taken with cameras are compared to my current photos. The difference is not apparent in every shot but there are many I can see a distinct drop in quality of late.
Some of that previously was better dynamic range from a larger sensor. Some benefit from better lens quality. Another factor may be I always used a polarizing filter. I think what was even more important however is photography was then my hobby and I took more time and care to try capture photos with better image quality and to be more creative.
When I switched to taking photos only with a phone I started caring less about the photo taking process because with a phone it is simply point and shoot then tweak later on my PC. I also stopped using advanced photo editing software to process raw image files and switched to simple image enhancement because I had shifted my mind to thinking the photos only need be ‘good enough’.
Another recent factor has been my cancer which on one hand requires I have a very positive mental attitude towards trying to control it and that I commit to daily exercise to be fit (which I do) but on the other hand has me thinking why bother to strive for best photos or more broadly speaking why think about anything long term when most likely I’m going to be dead in 4-5 years so lets just pour another glass of wine. It’s a odd mix of telling myself to stay positive and also being a defeatist when the latest scan comes back not clear and reality hits like a freight train. But I try remain optimistic.
If I were to buy another camera it would not make much sense now but then I wonder if that even matters. Living in Japan I enjoyed many things including how their culture likes to preserve older ways. The number of old Japanese motorcycles I saw out on any fine weekend was staggering, there isn’t the same desire for the latest and greatest like here and people still love cameras and even shoot a lot of film which you can still get processed everywhere. I recently watched a wonderful movie Perfect Days and was reminded we can be happy doing what works for us regardless of what else is going on in the world.
While I love how my smartphone can do so many things, especially when I travel, a part of me misses the creative experience of using a camera. It’s fair to say that my earliest hobby in life was photography. I was gifted a simple Kodak box camera by my Grandfather when quite young. Later when I started working the first ever thing I arranged a loan for in my life was to buy a Canon EOS 650, one of the first auto focus 35mm SLR cameras. I never became very good with it but enjoy looking back at the photos of my friends in our teenage years that only exist because of that camera.
I realize most people who visit this blog will view it on a phone and never even see my photos properly let alone notice any difference and 99% of people are too lazy now to read thus only watch TikTok or YouTube but this blog is published just to please myself not to gather followers or in an attempt to make money. It is merely my diary and if I manage to also communicate with a handful of like minded people that is a nice bonus.
Well this is a bit of a ramble but if you are still reading then I’ve decided to get some new camera gear for both on and off the bike and see if I can recapture some of my former enthusiasm for photography and hopefully my health will permit me to be sharing some better quality photos with you again in future.
Warren. Great thoughts as always. I too once used a quality camera but now only my phone. It’s great to reminisce over an old photo album. I have over 30000 pictures on my phone. It’s not the same.
Be safe
David
Hi David,
Thank you. Yes I miss the golden era of photography.
Sending positive thoughts and well wishes your way mate. Buy that new camera and make yourself happy, you deserve it. Do what makes you happy. None of us know how long we have left, were not getting any younger.
Cameras – yes smartphones are good enough, depending on what your using them for. A landscape image, probably fine, a close up portrait probably good enough, fast action photography and long distance photography or low light conditions forget it. Sensor size and glass, glass, glass is what’s really important as well as composition and a few other good photography techniques but I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.
Your photography has been excellent over the years mate and the blog is inspirational giving people great ideas and inspiration to get out there and do stuff while you still have time.
If you’re ever down this way on a ride, make sure to contact me and we can take a ride together and a nice glass of red.
Take care & stay positive
Steve
Thanks so much Steve, I really appreciate your kind words.
I sure will get down your way in the future, next year I hope to get a new big touring bike and then you can expect me to be paying a visit 🙂
Warren,
Your blog makes me want to find a way to visit Japan before I die. A culture that preserves the ways of film photography and old motorcycles must be special and your pictures are terrific.
Thank you.
Hi Wallace,
Experiencing the culture of Japan is something special , I hope you will get there.
Thanks very much.
I’ve been taking photos since I went into National Service back in October 1971. I’ve got slides, negatives and more recently digital storage and can say without a doubt that all my old photos are superior to any of the phones I’ve used for photographs. Have blown up many to A4 size and picture frame sizes and the old film can get grainy but way better than the phone ones. Digital accounts for about 15,000 (simply easier and quicker to take) the other formats fill ten 20kg storage boxes, couldn’t even begin to count how many photos. Then there are the movies I have taken on action cameras, digital cameras and phones.
Hi Paul,
I scanned a selection of my old photo albums before I moved to Japan as a back up and it was fortunate I did as on my return to Australia some of my shipping was lost, well actually stolen by Australia Post couriers, and now I only have those scans.
Hi Warren, I second everything Steve said.
Give me a yell if you happen to be in Brissy. I haven’t had a Townsville overnight in 18 months but I’ll let you buy me a coffee when I next do. 😜
Cheers
Dave
Ha-ha 😀 no worries Dave that coffee is on me anytime.