The Best Camera Ever

People often ask me what the best camera is, or what camera they should buy.  My response can sometimes me very lengthy and very technical.  There are so many variables: camera type, sensor size desired, or film, what size film do you want to use, purpose, desired accessories, do you own any lenses or do you have access to some, if so what brand, this can effect your decision.  But at the bottom of it all...it doesn't really matter.  The best camera, is the one you have with you.  Cell phone cameras are amazing now, there are great point and shoots available and the digital SLR market offers unbelievable quality to consumers.

What it boils down to is knowing how to use what gear you have.  You should be able to shoot great photos of your family and friends, and even clients with the gear you have available to you.  There should be no reason to have to go out and buy a bunch of gear until you get to a point where you can not perform at a higher level without the addition of a piece of equipment.

To demonstrate my point here are some photos, that I'm proud of, that I shot with my iPhone.

I want to challenge you to choose one camera and one lens and work strictly with that combination for a month.  What you will find is that it pushes you to learn your equipment better and to explore and experiment with what your shooting.  Get closer to your subject, move further away, lay down, climb up.  Whatever it might take to push that piece of gear to its maximum.

I would say that 90% of my work is shot with a Nikon D700 and a 50mm f1.4 lens.  Make that 95%.  The Miraflor and Byrd family shoots were both shot entirely with this combination.  And I wouldn't change a thing.  I know this combo and its capabilities like the back of my hand.  It just works for me.  But it works  for me because at some point I said this is what I want to work with because its good and I already own it.

Most importantly above everything else is that you get out and shoot, no matter what equipment you have.  And have fun with it because the best camera is the one you already have.