Wouldn't it be nice...Nikon v Canon

[Manfred M]

Hello Boab
I contacted my friend, and he remembers that the version for his original A77 was 1.2 or 1.3 - he got it from an aquaintance
It must have been - as Manfred suggested - a beta version, that was never released for the original A77. The code probably made it into the version 2.0 for the A77 II
From the point of view of Sony I can understand that they "spared" the better version for the A77 II, yet as a customer....
Erwin

Erwin - there is little benefit to the camera manufacturers in making improvements to equipment that has already been sold. There is definitely a benefit to offering something that will help them sell you new equipment.

High end / commercial video camera manufacturers do not offer free firmware upgrades for enhanced functionality on their equipment. The owner has to pay extra for these. The only free updates are to fix problems.

[lukaswerth]

I don't have a ready answer to this, I just want to enhance your lament. In this age, photographical practice allows the industry ever so often to lead around the practitioner/customer on a leash. I find this degrading, and I plainly hate it when people talk of themselves as "Nikon-guy" or Canon-guy" (or "-girl", though I hear that less often).

Once upon a time, a photographer used to get a camera from somewhere, a lens from another place, took a piece of paper or a pane of glass, applied some silver iodide , perhaps mixed with collodium, or, later, gelatine, placed it in the camera, exposed, developed. Oh those days! Only they were the same when most people worked for 10-12 hours a day just to get by, and when it was common to die of malnutrition, syphilis, or tuberculosis.

But until very few years ago, I myself did most of my expressive photography with analog large-format cameras, and in this world, you, get yourself a camera, film-holders, lenses. Digital, with its limitation of sensor sizes and large production numbers has closed that avenue (even though I might step back to it, just a little...)

Lukas

[Harrie]

I don't think it is important what brand of camera you use. Most brands have great camera's and when nobody tells you what camera made the picture you won't be able to guess what camera, nor what brand was used.
I think everyone can give one or more reasons why they chose the brand they are now using. And as long as no camera undermines these reason(s) nobody will switch. Special what you already own some good lenses. Photography is my hobby, for over 50 years now and after some digital point and shoots, I bought my first DSLR some 5 years ago. I liked the specs of the 60D and the D7000. For some reasons it became the D7000 and now I'm using the D810. But in another mood, it could have been the 60D then and I would be shooting with a 5D ???? now. I don't think my shots would be any different or better or worse.
Who knows, in a couple of years, when the EVFs are better, I switch to a Sony FF, because I can take with me all the glass I now own?
But again, I don't think my pictures will be any better.

[William W]

. . . I wonder if other members sometimes have a similar dilemma and how you dealt with it.

I've owned and used: Minolta; Nikon; Pentax; Mamyia; Toyo; Polariod; Samsung and Canon (still) Cameras (there's one more I am sure, but can't remember it.). It's not been a dilemma for me. How I have always dealt with it is, I take a point in time (the now), research and buy the best tool for the job, then use it. I have never got involved in the "purchase upgrade for technology's sake" that's just illogical. (BTW - I wrote a paper on that topic)

***

That does NOT mean that I have not bought a camera for passion. I have. And I do. But that purchase follows the same rules though, I take a point in time and buy the best tool for the job, it is just that 'the job' is to satisfy my passion. My Fuji x100s and my EF 24 to 105/4L are examples of passion purchases, I did not need either I just wanted them.

But I have no desire to 'upgrade' my Fuji for to the present model - it will be at least another two or three years before I master all it's intricacies and can use it blindfolded as an extension of my brain, without thinking - then probably more still because I've started playing with IR Photography again - this time without the Film.

Sample here:


***

I think it is simply a matter of the way you look at it. Whatever camera that I buy today will not make any worse pictures tomorrow or next year - but during the next twelve months I have the opportunity to master the camera and extract as much as I can from it, review and correct the mistakes that I made: I just like making pictures too much to waste too much of my time wondering about buying and selling gear - my old gear I keep until it wears out, (really dies); until I no longer use it or think I will not use it again (see big list of "Film Cameras" sold around 2006); or I give it to a worthy party.

***

It's interesting, Adrian, I understand your question, I really do: but it occurred to me that you would never have asked such a question and it would not be a dilemma for you - because you'd be too busy perfecting what you can do with you Canon gear, or just having fun playing with it. I guess you're more inclined to have a look each day with the palette empty and ask the 'what are the other options' question - I do too, but not about the choices that I have made, that is not until those choices don't work anymore.

Anyway, I hope my last unusually "conversational" comments also assist.

Bill

[Adrian]

Very interesting reply Bill. When I think more about it, prompted by your post, I compare cameras to other things that interest me. For example, I have a workshop at home (for woodwork) and have chisels from various eras and manufacturers: Lie Nielson, Stanley 750, and some Japanese chisels too. They all have interesting different characteristics. On woodwork forums some will extoll the virtues of one brand over another to develop a clear preference. In my case curiosity about tools (including cameras - they are just tools too) is interesting. The end product (picture) is much the same, but the route to it can be a different type of experience. That experience is part of the pleasure.

I had a flirtation with Leica for a while, intrigued somewhat by the history and engineering quality. The lightness and small size were attractions, despite the antiquated (still) electronics. Doing this is an expensive distraction though. Recently I went on an extended course for taking pictures of birds. The tutor, quite a well known wildlife photographer, was a deeply entrenched Nikon guy, to the extent of being irrationally prejudiced I felt. Somewhat ruined the course actually. It made me wonder if he knew something that I didn't. That was an emotional response: the logical reality is that he didn't. Does not stop me being curious though as to how I would enjoy an 810.

Adrian

[William W]

Thanks for the quick response. I think I placed too much emphasis on some of the words that you wrote: probably also I did not think of other words could have been written and were not for the sake of brevity - words like "things that interest me" and "curiosity" and "experience is part of the pleasure".

*

I cook. I write (with a pen). I do woodwork (not very well). I have lots and lots of: Knives, Fountain Pens, Inks and also chisels (a bit nuts about hammers, too). I understand all that. And I do understand the experience is part of the pleasure. At the moment it's green ink from Austria and a light-weight Waterman - I am using those two all the time.

I also understand how your course would be less enjoyable when predicated by "it's got to be this tool".

"curious" and "enjoy" in the one sentence are good-meaning words and I identify with those two words in the one sentence - and that's not a dilemma for me, that's just theatre of the mind thinking, usually going on when doing other stuff, like cooking.

Interesting topic. Thank you.

Bill