Best camera for a photojournalism project

[darin3200]

I have two cameras and I'm not sure which I want to use for a photojournalism project. My idea is to follow a country vet on their rounds. On one hand there is the Praktica B200, a smaller, black SLR with automatic shutter speed and manual focusing, and on the other hand there is the Canon Eos-1 with power booster, with autofocus and a lot of features but big and noisy.

What I'm worried about is that everyone who has seen the Eos-1 thinks its massive (which it is) and I'm worried that its size and noise will be distracting and intimitating. However, it would be considered more "professional". I think autofocus might be helpful but probably not a must, and lenses for the B200 are much cheaper.



Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks

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[jstuedle]

Since nobody wants to answer I'll take a stab at it. I shoot a big camera for PJ work (Nikon D1H or X)and don't think a thing of it. It seems when you show up on site and look like you know what you are doing, it makes your job a lot easier. I show up, walk in and start shooting. More often than not I am not asked for ID or who I shoot for. I am free lance and more than a few times the local papers photog with there little Nikon cool pix 990 is stopped and made to produce ID. Meanwhile I have the scoop. The smaller more amateurish camera might be more of a hindrance than an advantage. Another way to look at it is use whatever camera you are more confident with. It will show. Hope this helps, and hope you get a little more input.

[craig]

Fascinating project. I would check with the vet. I am guessing that if things get out of control you yourself will be the biggest distraction. Try and plan on being way out of the way. As a general rule use the camera you are most comfortable with. If you have not already; check out W. Eugene Smith's "Country Doctor".

[Hertz van Rental]

You use the camera you feel most comfortable with.


PS Moving this to the General Q&A where you'll get a better response. It's a sort of technical question.

[FuddyDuddy]

Hello,

Well presumably you won't be "doorstepping" the vet and then stalking him/her. In a situation where your subject is complicit, John's points about ID etc probably do not apply as much as they do for him. What he says about using the gear you are most confident about, however, is very relevant. You may also want to consider the following points:

1) Camera noise. Animals can spook quite easily at unusual noises.
2) Solidity of build. A camera which disintegrates after one blow at a herd of stampeding poodles is not much use.

F. Duddy

[jstuedle]

1) Camera noise. Animals can spook quite easily at unusual noises.
2) Solidity of build. A camera which disintegrates after one blow at a herd of stampeding poodles is not much use.

A fair percentage of my work is animal portraits with a good amount of vet operating room documentation. The noise is really not as much of a problem as you might think. My D1's are not small or quiet, but I don't see any difference from when I shot a M3, an almost silent rangefinder. The heard of stampeding poodles (or flock of flying macaws) is a valid point. Durability is a factor anytime you need to depend on your equipment. Still, the confidence factor can't be overstated. Use what ever you have the most confidence in. Like I said, it will show.