I’m currently selecting and developing photos for my second zine,
mainly images I took in Taiwan about ten years ago.
At that time, mirrorless cameras weren’t mainstream yet, so I was using a Nikon DSLR.
This photo was taken on a whim while walking back to the hotel after a shoot during a business trip to Taiwan in 2016.
Back then,
I preferred 35mm over 50mm, so I kept the Nikon AF‑S 35mm F1.8 permanently attached to my D610.
I used to carry my camera with me everywhere, but looking back,
I realized I haven’t carried a camera at all outside of client work for the past few years.
And at the same time,
I find myself thinking that I really don’t need the latest camera after all.
As I wrote in the company column, a camera that can guarantee a certain level of quality is enough.
For reviewers and similar people,
“meaninglessly wide dynamic range” or “absurdly high megapixel counts” might be selling points.
But in actual practice, as long as the camera meets the requirements for deliverable quality, anything beyond that is unnecessary.
There’s a Japanese proverb: “A master craftsman doesn’t choose his tools.”
It doesn’t mean tools don’t matter— it means you choose tools based on the goal you want to achieve, not the other way around.
And honestly, if you can’t reach your goal no matter what tools you use, that’s a different problem altogether.
Looking at this photo I took ten years ago, I was reminded once again that any camera will do.
There’s absolutely no need to spend a lot of money on the latest model.
This photo was taken with a Nikon D610 from ten years ago.
Even today, I think it’s still perfectly usable for client work. If I mixed it in with photos taken on my Sony work setup, I doubt any client would notice.
But even though I keep saying I don’t need a new camera, the truth is that part of me still wants the Nikon Zfc.
Working with Nikon files again for this zine reminded me how impressive they are.
Since I’ve been considering getting a personal camera for future creative projects, I’m seriously debating the Zfc.
I switched to Sony as the industry shifted (and because Nikon entered the mirrorless market so late), but this process made me realize again how much I love Nikon’s image quality.
I suspect I’ll probably end up buying one within the year.
But still— the important thing isn’t the camera or the gear.
