Posted by Kah Kit Yoong on April 22, 2007 at 11:49 AM
Couldn't you come up with another 5 pitfalls a la Letterman? I don't agree with number 1 by the way. Post-processing, while an important tool, doesn't really make up for technical short-comings. Sure it may look okay on the web but it will never look good in print. In fact I sometimes take a shot in a certain way because I know the post-processing will be easier e.g. shooting waterfalls I under-expose just enough so that the flowing water doesn't have blown highlights. I know in CS3 I can use "fill light" to correct the exposure on everything else. I would put those dust spots at number 1.
How about RAW file retention? How many shots do you archive even though you'll never see them again?
The other problem is a flow on effect of gear envy. When I had a Nikon D70, CS2 ran really slow on my G4 Powerbook, so I doubled the RAM. Things ran quicker for a few weeks. Then I got a 5D. The step up in megapixels from 6 to 12 caused my computer to slow right down again. So now I need an Intel Mac to go with my 5D & recently purchased CS3.
Of course, owning some nice gear usually means I am at the receving end of the gear envy. I seem to get a private message/email every few days about whether one should upgrade the D-SLR or lens to something the same or similar as mine. Never mind the early alarm or hanging around for the right light. It has to be the equipment. My usual response is that one should upgrade the equipment when it becomes the weak link in the chain. How often does that happen with the quality of entry-level D-SLRs these days?
Posted by Tom Webster on April 22, 2007 at 2:11 PM
I think many of the items you listed as pitfalls are actually benefits of digital imaging. For example, cataloging. I bet you never had to keep up a card file on 30,000 images and be able to put your hand on a contact sheet in a matter of seconds. Sorry, but I just don't buy in to all of these as pitfalls.
Posted by Jim Goldstein on April 22, 2007 at 3:03 PM
Kah Kit Yoong I didn't say all post-processing makes up for technical short-comings although I have observed many do fall prey to this mentality. I like your point about RAW file retention. That is a good one. I also agree about the close tie in system upgrades tied to camera gear. It's a silent expense when you're upgrading camera gear.
Tom I would say that each pitfall affords a potential benefit. There is a good and bad to each as with most things. IF you catalog and are organized then yes its of great benefit, but not everyone is disciplined in this area. If a great technology is there, but not being used or used inconsistently then I'd say a photographer has hit the pitfall mentioned. No doubt the difference between dealing with a 30,000 image card filing system, and a digital system is like night and day. Personally I think the ease in which a digital catalog can be lost (just as with an individual image file) is a real risk and with out proper backup is a potential pitfall. So in that regard I'd say the pitfalls can compound each other. To your point though when strategically and consistently used these "pitfalls" have a flip side of providing an incredible benefit.
Discussion
3 repliesThe 5 Biggest Pitfalls of Digital Photography
How about RAW file retention? How many shots do you archive even though you'll never see them again?
The other problem is a flow on effect of gear envy. When I had a Nikon D70, CS2 ran really slow on my G4 Powerbook, so I doubled the RAM. Things ran quicker for a few weeks. Then I got a 5D. The step up in megapixels from 6 to 12 caused my computer to slow right down again. So now I need an Intel Mac to go with my 5D & recently purchased CS3.
Of course, owning some nice gear usually means I am at the receving end of the gear envy. I seem to get a private message/email every few days about whether one should upgrade the D-SLR or lens to something the same or similar as mine. Never mind the early alarm or hanging around for the right light. It has to be the equipment. My usual response is that one should upgrade the equipment when it becomes the weak link in the chain. How often does that happen with the quality of entry-level D-SLRs these days?
Tom I would say that each pitfall affords a potential benefit. There is a good and bad to each as with most things. IF you catalog and are organized then yes its of great benefit, but not everyone is disciplined in this area. If a great technology is there, but not being used or used inconsistently then I'd say a photographer has hit the pitfall mentioned. No doubt the difference between dealing with a 30,000 image card filing system, and a digital system is like night and day. Personally I think the ease in which a digital catalog can be lost (just as with an individual image file) is a real risk and with out proper backup is a potential pitfall. So in that regard I'd say the pitfalls can compound each other. To your point though when strategically and consistently used these "pitfalls" have a flip side of providing an incredible benefit.