There's this persistent idea around TPF, among some members, that beginner-level cameras are good enough for anybody, and that moving to a mid-level enthusiast's camera, or even a pro-level body, will do nothing to improve one's picture taking or picture-making. I'm here to say that is nonsense.
I've shot digital slrs since February 2001. The "pro" bodies I have owned, Nikon D1, D1h, D2x, and D3x, have all been easy shooting cameras, with fabulous viewfinder systems, powerful focusing modules for their era of manufacture, and almost instantaneous shutter lag time, as well as industry-leading latency time (how fast the camera's mechanical systems recover for the next shot, not framing rate per se). I have also owned or used a number of cheaper cameras...Fuji S1, Fuji S2, Canon 20D, Nikon D40, Canon 20D, as well as the Canon 5D classic...ALL those were built on either low-end film cameras (S1, S2 from Fuji) or mid-level designs (Canon 5D> EOS Elan). The Fuji S5 Pro was a converted Nikon D200, but it has a substandard viewfinder and a weak AF system overall.
It's pretty simple. When I switched from the Canon 5D to the Nikon D3x in early 2013, my average success/keeper rate on almost every type of shoot I did tripled. Instantly. In one week. Over the next two and a half years. The pro-level Nikon camera bodies are simply vastly superior to cameras that are mid-level bodies. Everything is faster. Trigger is faster. Mirror comes back faster. Camera shoots as fast as you can think. Focusing is state of the art fast and state of the art reliable. Controls are better, and more external, single use controls over stuff that matters: ISO, white balance, exposure comp.
When you have to 1) fight the camera all the time or 2) fight the camera occasionally or 3)have a camera that functions in every way as well as is possible to manufacture...it becomes pretty clear that beginner, intermediate, and top-level equipment makes things difficult, or mostly easy but occasionally a hassle, or dead-simple every time.
The entry-level cameras with single-button control are slower to shoot in manual mode, and occasionally, lead to the dreaded "accidental +/-EC input error," which is something I've diagnosed for four or five noobs on here over the years...pressing the +/- button and spinning the control whell, thinking that they are adjusting the f/stop when they are actually dialing in minus or plus EC.
I just do not hear people saying that beginner tools are the equal of professional or serious enthusiast tools in other areas of interest. The higher the performance of the inherent, base-level systems in a camera are, the LESS of a limiting factor the camera is in tricky situations. Here's a good example: the Sony RX10 II mirrorless camera pitted against the Nikon D5500 d-slr, at an NCAA women's soccer match in Seattle. The mirrorless Sony achieved 10 percent success rates, the little Nikon mid-level camera achieved a two-thirds success rate! There is no type of education that can overcome a crap AF system. But you can easily BUY your way into a good AF system.
Beginners and mid-level shooters are the people who, and I have said this for literally years on here, they
are the ones that benefit the MOST from having access to higher-end gear. GO shoot a soccer game with a 55-200 Nikon zoom, then try it with a 70-200 VR. One is a PITA, the other works every time. One will struggle to focus at times, the other will almost always lock focus in 1/2 second or so. Experienced shooters can adapt to anything, but
beginners will shoot better with better equipment than they do with cheap gear.
Can a Sony RX10 II keep up with a Nikon D5500 on the soccer field?
Have a cheerful New Year's Eve.
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