The Camera - my weapon to fight crimes against nature
I am often asked as a photography instructor what kind of camera do I use and what do I recommend. First one must realize that the camera is only a tool, albeit an important one - the ability to see is far more important then the equipment one chooses. That being said certain types of equipment and lenses are more suitable for nature photography for both technical and safety reasons. High quality and almost always expensive equipment tends to be better then cheaper equipment. New lens coatings, higher resolution digital cameras and vibration reduction technologies have a significant impact on the quality of the images one is able to achieve. As I get older my eyes aren't as good as they used to be and I like features like autofocus lenses and Vibration reduction technology!
R. Berdan Photographing Moose in Kananaskis, October 7, 2006, Camera Nikon D2DX and 70-200 mm
F2.8 VR lens photo by Peter Dettling (using a Cannon Mark II camera & 500 mm F4 lens)
Free Article by Robert Berdan "Composition & Visual Elements of Design"
Equipment cont'dI have heard some very good photographers say equipment does not matter - what I think they mean is that if you give a great photographer a cheap camera they will probably take better pictures then an inexperienced photographer with a much more expensive camera and that I would agree with them. However, that does not mean that equipment is not important - it may not be if youjust wantshoot snapshots. I would argue that if you want to shoot wildlife or birds you are going to need a decent telephoto lens. Sure you could try to creep up on a grizzly bear but I would prefer to use a long lens and shoot from a reasonably safe distance. About half the workshop participants I see have Canon gear and the other half have Nikon gear - it does not mean that good photos can't be taken with Olympus, Pentax and other brands its just a reflection that both Canon and Nikon are the leaders in SLR cameras right now and offer the widest range of lenses and accessories at a reasonable price. I recently purchased two Canon Cameras the 5D and 50D primarily because the 5D has the ability to shoot HD video at full 1920 x 1080 pixels and it offered 21 Megapixels at a cost much cheaper then Nikon. I also discovered that Canon offers lenses like a 24 mm F1.4 which is ideal for Aurora photography and Nikon does not. That being said, Nikon's camera bodies feel better to me the buttons are larger and easier to control with gloves on, but this is just my personal taste. Bottom line is I know shoot with both Nikon and Canon gear because I can take advantage the best that each has to offer. The most important thing is that if you are interested in photography - get yourself a digital camera and start shooting, upgrade your equipment as your interest increases and as you can afford to. You don't need a complete kit to get started. In fact if you can afford a digital SLR I would buy one with an 18-200 mm zoom lens to start - that should take care of most of your needs until you find you need additional lenses and accessories.
See Some of Robert's PublicationsCheck out January 2006 issue of PhotoLife
"The Joy of Winter Photography by Robert Berdan"
in stores now!
Free e-book by R. Berdan "Moods of Nature" here - book still under construction
January 2006 Greek Photography Magazine - Article
"Composition and Visual Elements of Design" read article here in English
Visit the magazine Web site http://www.photoeidolo.gr/greek/index.html
2006 Wildlife Poster by Robert Berdan
(22 in. x 17.5 in.)
Available from Friends of Kananaskis $10.00 each
Canadian Fly Fisher Magazine November/January 2007
Article by Frank Wood Photography by Robert Berdan
Canadian Fly Fisher Magazine February\April 2007
Article by Frank Wood Photography by Robert Berdan
Robert Berdan in Kayak at top of Nature's Best Magazine - photo by Peter Dettling
135 mm
