How do you know that you have the right camera?

 Barn Swallow

   I've thought about what it means to have the right camera. From the start I will define what I think the right camera is, because without that context this post may seem confusing. To me the right camera is the one that allows you to take the photos you want, without having to think about it. Meaning, I should be able to focus completely on the process of making the image, not on the camera itself. To be honest I don't run into that problem very often when I'm using the Nikon D300. Generally speaking I can go out and shoot, without putting too much thought into what I am doing with the camera. First of all because I made myself aware of its' functions, and became used to using it. So the process of finding out whether or not you have the right camera is not something that happens over night.

    Based on my experience with about 5 different DSLR cameras, I'd say it takes about 4-6 months to really get used to the camera, to the point that you don't have to think about what button to press, it just comes naturally. At that point you either forget about the camera and take photos, or you are constantly bothered by the limitations of the camera. The question is what do you do when you find the camera is limiting your creativity? Do you rush out and buy the latest and greatest gear to try and solve the problem, or do you try and find ways to get around the limits of the camera? Is there another solution?

    There are ways to either work around, or with the limits of your camera. For example, I know that I do not like the ISO performance of the D300 over ISO800, so I do what ever I can to work at lower ISO sensitivities. We should consider ourselves lucky to have such cameras today, considering that I wouldn't want to use film with that fast a speed rating, based on the grain. So what do you consider the limits of your camera? Are there ways you can work with or around those limits? Sometimes the limit resides in our minds and not in the camera. If that becomes the case, we are the ones restraining our creativity, not the camera itself.

I'll be posting more thoughts on this as the week goes on.