WHICH CAMERA BRAND IS BEST?
Photographers never shut up about camera gear. Sometimes playfully. Sometimes less so.
I once had an argument forced on me by a random stranger who noticed I was trying to sell a lens on ebay. He’d announced proudly that those new digital cameras (like mine) couldn’t hold a candle to film cameras. He knew this because his brother had been a professional photographer (that’s right, he wasn’t even arguing from his own experience) who shot with a Hasselblad.
I didn’t have the heart to tell the poor bastard that Hasselblad was now digital as well and his information was nearly two decades out of date.
For a lot of people, what kind of camera and what brand you use say a lot about who you are.
Shot w/ Sony a7c mk i and Viltox 40mm f/2.5
Hasselblad is a perfect example. Now, I’m sure they’re great cameras. Never had one. But if you are shooting Hasselblad, it’s because you want people to know you shoot Hasselblad. It’s the Rolls Royce of cameras. I think the cheapest one is like $8000. You don’t have to spend ten grand on a camera body to get good images. It’s for status.
I feel similarly about Leica. Again, nothing against Leica or those who shoot them. I’ve heard great things. But their cheapest interchangeable lens camera is six thousand dollars— without the lens. And the specs look roughly similar to a Sony in the two thousand dollar range.
Fujifilm is an interesting one. Their focus seems to lean in two directions. They make more or less affordable medium format cameras— for those that don’t want to take out a second mortgage to get a Hasselblad. And then they make cameras like the X100VI. I shot with it once. It’s a decent little pocket sized camera. But it’s biggest sales pitch is the gimmick that a lot of Fujifilm cameras have- the picture profiles. Essentially, they make in-body filters. Fine. If that’s your jam, go for it. But it doesn’t sell me on a camera that has a fixed lens. If Fujifilm’s Medium formats are their to challenge Hasselblad, their compact cameras are there to take on Leica.
Fujifilm x100vi
Then there are the big three. Sony, Canon and Nikon.
Sony wasn’t the first company to create mirrorless cameras, but for a short time, they were the front runner. The revolutionary Sony a7iii knocked Canon and Nikon on their ass and forced them to get into the mirrorless game. But in the end, they were the hare facing the tortoise. Canon quickly shot past them and Nikon has more or less caught up. And their brand is drowning in overlapping, confused new cameras. They are a company with no direction.\
Canon would be the front runner if not for the fact that their brand is much less affordable than Sony. They even shut down third party lens use on their cameras for a while. I heard they’ve recently reconsidered that position.
And Nikon? Their pitch seems to be—- “we aren’t Canon or Sony”.
Canon m6 mk ii w/ 22mm f/2
So what is the best camera brand? None of them. It really doesn’t matter.
The fact is, your gear shouldn’t say more about you than your shots do. I’d happily shoot Leica, Fuji, Olympus or Nikon if it gets me the shots I want. My main rig is the Sony a7iii and my backup is the a7c mk i. But I talk a lot about the Canon m6 mk ii, which is an incredible camera (and way better than the x100vi). I also shoot with my iPhone. And my DJI drone.
Get the camera that works best for your needs. Who cares what other people shoot?
#Nikon #Sony #Canon #Fujifilm #Leica #Hasselblad #cameragear #camerabrand #brandrecognition
