Peter Truman Photography

David DuChemin's blog strapline is "Gear is good. Vision is better." His point is that whilst the cameras and all the other paraphernalia we use to create photographs are important, it is having the vision to make a picture that has much more value and will contribute so much more to the finished image. Of course, he is absolutely correct and his writing and book do a lot to explain what vision is and means for a photographer. Highly recommended.

If that sounds like a lame excuse for this piece about cameras, then you have seen through me very quickly. Whilst I completely subscribe to his view about vision, I do not subscribe to an alternative view that "the camera doesn't matter." Of course it does! If anyone says you can get just as good a picture from the Apple iPhone camera or latest Canon or Nikon DSLR they are probably talking complete nonsense, although clearly the amount of "goodness" needed depends on the final use of the picture. If it is to be used only on a social networking site like Facebook then chances are the iPhone or other phone-based camera will do the job perfectly. But when the image is to be used in publications, printed or require other critical examination (and I don't mean just anorak-clad pixel peepers) then something different is required.

From Canon's press release dated 22nd July 2009:

Canon Inc. announced today the development of Hybrid Image Stabilizer (IS), the world’s first* optical Image Stabilizer which compensates for both angular camera shake and shift camera shake. The technology will be incorporated in an interchangeable single lens reflex (SLR) camera lens planned for commercial release before the end of 2009.

This is quite a significant development given that existing Canon IS lenses include technology first introduced in 1995. It has of course been refined significantly to sense shake more accurately and to be able to improve the level of stabilisation. This has helped us take clear, unblurred shots in lower light, use the camera handheld more often and, with the stabilisation now fitted to some of the bigger lenses, take clear pictures that just could not be taken of some sports and wildlife.