Until 12-Bit 4444

it seems the jumps of camera technology, personally…for me are shifting in spheres, presenting three options. Staying under 1GRAND whilst focusing on editing, after effects, making the 3 dollar movie; basically learning and shooting on what i have is the first option.

Examples abound…for illustrations of doing a lot with less…but i won’t veer off just yet.

Second sphere evolved around the time of selling my 5dm2 and 7d…priorities shifted in my life…creativity felt like a vacuum…doing the work of an artist in a seemingly over saturated technologically obese world felt banal, aimless and noisy (ya just keep churning out more good stuff…like everybody else, was how i felt then.) But I was also becoming a “measurebator” a “pixel peeper,” ever thunk to wonder why these words have a tinge of an ill-sexual condition?! Addiction. Pride. My two word answer to my own question.

So what was this second sphere again? Where did i leave off? Ridding myself of the fabled and revered “Canonista” badge of honor? I left my visual camera+passion, as I frequently ascetically attempt to do (you know to purge myself and be vegan and pure and what not,) my prophecy was fulfilled! Technology became more readily available, artists and posers increased, and the constant socioeconomic aperture kept changing (the only constant is change if you didn’t catch that,) kept dimming. And thats where my second sphere comes in!

I never stepped up to the L glass badge (I was always dreaming of Zeiss, Contax, & Leica) but a love for Physics kept popping up; and opportunities to illustrate with cinematography presented themselves. Whilst on a seemingly long sabbatical from society; I stumbled into a credit card, a book store, and a vibrant untouched craigslist photography community. In my rented red VW bug I balled outta control! And my second sphere/option evolved into new thinking.

Partnered with the do-it-yourself mentality, championed by the “Older Millennials” the second option had to stay under 3GRAND (eventually bloat to 10GRAND, but lets stay with the first figure, because that bloating happens at all stages of Camera Lust.)

It consisted of learning from “Older Gen-X’ers” like David Hobby ala “the Strobist” on how to do off camera lighting on the cheap. And then the mantras start to overcome you subconsciously and wave like. Phrases like, “Keep it Simple Stupid,” “Its not the camera, its the dummy behind it,” and my favorite of that grade, “we zoom with our feet.” You start to get a gist of what really matters (gear wise). You start to get a gist of what really matters…in life. (emphasis mine and intentional.)(additional hint: its not codecs)

DSLRNEWSSHOOTER featured Rode.com’s series “Whats in your kit bag” (to please all the pixel peepers and…) Matthew Allard’s was straightforward, stay light with the FF A7s, proprietary sound, fastest zooms…and one can tell a documentary on glass blowing using only 60% of the technology. But, Ben Allen (whom was new to me) didn’t even have a camera in his Kit Bag! His rationale was; “camera’s change I use them all…but I always need to understand the LIGHT.” He had two light meters (one electric, one manual) some sort of viewfinder, and a handheld audio recorder to get “atmosphere” sounds that his accent intermingling with cinematographer insider lingo shortened into “atmos.”

This guy must really love Physics more than I. He focuses on the lights, really digs the sonic vibrations that a certain mood or time of day or architectural acoustic…in his respective spatial atmosphere. And only then came to the camera…and by his proposed workflow with the viewfinder…you could tell a lot about his evolved camera relationship: efficiency and a productive workflow, I assumed are bedrocks, so he can actually go live life…instead of filming it. He could stay focused studying light and sound, and surf those creative atomic particles (you know the things that matter): Perhaps more important then the latest 4K Alexa. More important than having 16 of those 80+THOUSAND DOLLAR cameras, Schneider+Cooke+ or Zeiss Cinema Glass, (all rigged to necessitate RoboCop as your SteadiCam operator)

Perhaps maybe even more important than a star studded cast, Peter Jackson type access to a whole Country, your own EFX company, your own Sound+Audio ranch (with multiple theater setups) with Venture capitalist’s and heads of state begging you to take their money and produce/write/star in their story.

More important than the pixel peeping, whoever this enlightened DP was, or the Buddhistic type journey that led him to carry such a light bag…it truly seem’d he was after that stoke that comes from solving a creative itch.

Oh wow. What happened. Second option i guess would be to work with what you got, Ive got MadMaxxed out credit cards. thats what I’ve got ;P (JK, slight pessimism in authors tone helps communicate distinct resonance with already pessimistic and self-absorbed culture, its called understanding your audience ☺

Third option would be to live out the above subconsciously hidden B&H wishlist that I just described above.