The Fickle Photographer - Me!
I was watching yet another YouTuber / Photographer - who was switching brands! Surprise surprise, yeah, nah, not really! I feel I see these videos every three months. Someone going from Sony to Fuji, Sony to Nikon, Nikon to Sony, Canon to Sony, etc etc, all the combinations you can think of! 

What is it about the gear that gives us G.A.S.

It’s always a little bit cringey when watching these videos. But then I look at myself, I’ve owned three cameras, three different brands myself - oops, guilty!! I remember when I got my first interchangeable lens camera (ILC), to take my photography a little more seriously. It was the awesome Sony NEX-5R. Yes, I’m the original Sony #fanboy, many years before the A1, A7, A9 full frame series came out, this camera also used the same E-mount system, that all the current #fanboys love and worship. An insanely compact camera with an APS-C size sensor, with excellent features and focusing. I could take this camera anywhere and get great photos. This line of camera has now evolved into the Sony A6000 series and the styling even to the newer A7C cameras, I do like Sony for their innovation and really driving the industry forward, without Sony much of innovation and technology we have in our cameras would not exist. Also, Sony makes most of the sensors which are in your cameras and smartphones! So, in a way we are all Sony #fanboys!

The tool is only good as the Tool behind the camera!

A few years on, I then switched to one of the most beautiful looking modern cameras - the Fujifilm X-T1, with it’s all its tactile knobby dial goodness. I love shooting with this camera, so much joy, even to this day - nobody does it better than Fuji. Something that got confirmed to me when watching a recent video from my friend Richard Wong - where Gordon Laing says how much Fuji has nailed the aesthetics, I couldn’t agree more, there is something about handling and using a Fuji. It’s not perfect of course, the focusing and low light performance was wanting, but the images that it produced was second to none at the time. The, now, famous Fuji film simulations - yes this is where it all started, so yet again well before all the hipster Fuji #fanboys jumped onto this, well now it’s the influencers which has made the Fuji X100 line so desirable. This line of camera is onto it’s fifth generation the X-T5, and I love that Fuji hasn’t changed much about ergonomics but updated the tech.

The OG "Sony"

The desire for low-light performance was what made me jump again to the Nikon Z6. It was a big risk, buying into Nikon’s first mirrorless system. It didn’t give me the same feelings as the Fuji or even my old Sony, it was more a utilitarian tool for me to get images and make photos. Disappointingly, the focusing system is well below par from its competition at the time, and sometimes I feel, even, my old’s Sony is better. Of course, Nikon has done some great enhancements in their latest model to match the competition, but it always feels like they are a step behind. Not to say it hasn’t gotten some great photos, but just not the same feeling when I go out shooting. This line of camera is on its third generation with the Nikon Z6 III. I’m tempted whether to upgrade or look elsewhere.

"Create" your own brand

I still own my old bodies, sold the lenses. It’s funny how our gear, the things we touch motivate and inspire us. So, it’s funny whenever I see these videos of “I’m leaving X-brand” But only to realise I have done the same myself - without any of sponsorship monies of course. 
I do get suspicious at the real super #fanboys and ambassadors who think that the brand that they use is THE best, and totally disregard everything else - these are the usual internet commenters, the keyboard warriors. It’s only when you get to use different brands and various products that you get the experience of what features work. For example, in the early days, there was no doubt the focus system of the Sony was the best, I did use a A7 early on as well when comparing against the Nikon. But the ergonomics and useability of a Nikon and Canon were much better. You should make a choice looking as a whole and what suits you. There will be people who say the Hasselblad medium format are the best, and yes - they would be. But what is your use case - is it sitting in a studio taking portraits or out in the field shooting sports and wildlife? Compromise. Luckily these days most of the brands are on equal par, we are so lucky as consumers, even the Fuji GFX line - with its larger sensors, relativity great performance and video could be seen as a great all round camera. We are really spoilt for choice.

Gear that serves you well, is what I love. Not a brand

So what’s my point - it doesn’t matter what you use, I remember early on before I got my Sony, I shot purely on my phone and share photos. Do what inspires you, what gives you motivation out there to shoot. And for many people it is the gear that they use, this is the physical connection they have from their mind’s eye to the zeros and ones which produce the actual image. Many times, I’ve gone out shooting with my old 50mm lens - because there is just another feeling to the photos you take from it. Create a feeling. 

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