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You'll have to excuse this post as it's a bit of a self indulgent one I suppose, but one I feel I want to share somewhere with people who may understand. I don't know what exactly has triggered this, but I have recently become more self-reflective. I've given a lot of thought to what I am spending my time doing, and trying to think about why I do what I do.
Since I got myself a Canon DSLR 4 years or so ago to take on holiday, I've been falling more and more into the hole of upgrading my gear. I won't bore you with it all as it's a story that anyone who has this hobby has probably experienced, and so to cut a long story short I've come to realise that the gear upgrade path is me chasing something that is never satisfied. Using digital leaves me feeling cold, when I'd look at my pictures I'd often find that I'd be looking at dynamic range and sharpness, not what I've taken a photo of. Going out and taking landscape photos was my main aim with much of this upgrading of gear, but even then I was finding myself in beautiful surroundings but feeling stressed trying to find a composition rather than enjoying myself. I'd take pictures on days out, process them but then not feel any connection with them and not bother printing them, so they just fill up a hard drive.
Personally, I get a very different feeling using a film camera. I take it on days out with my wife and it doesn't get in the way, I enjoy the day and capture memories of it, rather than the day being about me taking pictures. The process of using something analogue is a joy for me. Home developing and scanning is so massively rewarding. Seems I'm going through something similar to what Gaz and Carl have done recently too.
TL;DR
I wasn't taking pictures for me when using digital cameras, the medium you use shouldn't get in the way, but it seems like it has been for me. All my digital gear is for sale here and elsewhere, and I've just ordered myself a Nikon F3 which is something I've been after for a long time now, I'll pair it with a lens or two and enjoy using it.
Not sure I'll own a digital camera again, it just doesn't do it for me anymore.
Since I got myself a Canon DSLR 4 years or so ago to take on holiday, I've been falling more and more into the hole of upgrading my gear. I won't bore you with it all as it's a story that anyone who has this hobby has probably experienced, and so to cut a long story short I've come to realise that the gear upgrade path is me chasing something that is never satisfied. Using digital leaves me feeling cold, when I'd look at my pictures I'd often find that I'd be looking at dynamic range and sharpness, not what I've taken a photo of. Going out and taking landscape photos was my main aim with much of this upgrading of gear, but even then I was finding myself in beautiful surroundings but feeling stressed trying to find a composition rather than enjoying myself. I'd take pictures on days out, process them but then not feel any connection with them and not bother printing them, so they just fill up a hard drive.
Personally, I get a very different feeling using a film camera. I take it on days out with my wife and it doesn't get in the way, I enjoy the day and capture memories of it, rather than the day being about me taking pictures. The process of using something analogue is a joy for me. Home developing and scanning is so massively rewarding. Seems I'm going through something similar to what Gaz and Carl have done recently too.
TL;DR
I wasn't taking pictures for me when using digital cameras, the medium you use shouldn't get in the way, but it seems like it has been for me. All my digital gear is for sale here and elsewhere, and I've just ordered myself a Nikon F3 which is something I've been after for a long time now, I'll pair it with a lens or two and enjoy using it.
Not sure I'll own a digital camera again, it just doesn't do it for me anymore.