That’s right. My primary camera until very recently was the Nikon D80. A simple, entry level camera that I have pushed to the max. People that understand the camera world are always surprised to find out that I have been using an entry level camera for the last 13 years. I have felt the need to upgrade for quite a long time, but I was never impressed enough with anything Nikon was producing to actually pull the trigger, or release the shutter depending on how you view it. But, there are a few reasons why I haven’t upgraded.
This camera is very basic by modern digital SLR standards. You can’t really get usable shots past ISO 800. There are only 10 megapixels, so you can’t really push the editing to far. The dynamic range prevents you from pushing or pulling shadows and highlights very far. And, with a shutter speed of only 3 frames per seconds, it is not really an action camera.
Now, with all that being said, I have photographed football games, basketball, weddings, very large indoor events, indoor weddings, outdoor weddings, proms, graduations, architecture, fashion, portraits, landscapes, literately every type of photography most people can think of. This camera has done it, and done it well. I have been rained on, and snowed on while using this camera. I have used it in 105 degree heat, and down to 17 degrees. I have been run over by football players, slammed by basketball players, have used this thing to over 120% of its expected shutter life and it keeps on going.
So, with all of the technological disadvantages a camera like this offers, what are the advantages? Simple.
It makes you learn.
Using a basic camera like this makes you learn. It makes you learn how to solve problems. Several years ago I had a shoot where the models showed up 2 hours late. Try to put yourself in this situation. You have a camera that can only go to ISO 800, it is getting dark, quick, and you have no flash. What do you do? Go home? NO!
After using a camera like this you learn to plan. I keep a flashlight with me all the time for just such an eventuality. Which completely saved the shoot. And helped produce some very interesting, and creepy images.
This is by no means an action camera. But, for 3 years during high school I was on the sidelines with the newspaper photographers shooting the football games and basketball games. Not having a lot of frames per second to play with teaches you to wait till that moment. The “decisive moment” and Henri Cartier-Bresson called it, where everything in time is just right.
Back in the day, photographers recommend amateurs learn on film. While this is still a option, learning on a simple digital camera can produce some of the same results. And, in a modern world where film and processing is very expensive, and hard to come by, these small DSLR’s are a more economic option.
Happy Shooting.