Therefore, while this will still be a photography-related blog, it will be a more general one; I’ll be commenting on problems I have with the industry, mentioning artistic styles that I find worthwhile, and writing about this hobby/profession/lifestyle in a way that doesn’t concern itself with “OMG CHECK OUT THE LATEST FROM CANON/NIKON/LEICA/RICOH/PENTAX/ETC”. I am neither an industry insider nor a professional photographer, I offer a hobbyist amateur’s point of view.

Read the full post for: a brief introduction to Cameraism’s main reviewer.

Know your reviewer: beginnings in film

Hello there, I go by the handle VictorTakesAPicture and I’ve been an amateur photographer for about six years. While I’ve been in love with photography from the start, the only formal training I’ve had was a very basic three-month course at the Spéos Photographic Institute in Paris. There, I was assigned various themes as subjects and learned developing and how to make prints from black and white film. My first camera was a Pentax K1000, which is still in fine working order. I moved on to a Nikon F2, then to a Nikon F2AS Photomic for a good long time, though I did have a brief but torrid affair with a Konica Hexar AF Silver. I’ve been lucky enough to try out a Leica M6, though only for a little while.

Know your reviewer: the move to digital

It is only very recently that I made the leap to digital. For a long time, I just didn’t feel that the new digital SLRs could stand up to film’s image quality and the cheap plastic construction of the new cameras just turned me off. I’ve got to admit, I like a camera to feel solid, to make metallic clicking noises, and to feel like something I can enjoy for a lifetime and pass on to my children, just as my father passed the Pentax, Nikons, and Konica on to me. My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot G6, which was, while an excellent compact camera, made with much more plastic than my darling F2AS. I’ve since moved on to a Leica D-Lux 3 (so much metal!) for my digital compact. Yes, I know that it’s just a re-branded Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2. As for a digital SLR, I’m currently enjoying the Sigma SD14 [warning: flash] and I’ve also had some fun trying out the Canon Digital Rebel XTi and the Leica M8.

Know your reviewer: camera philosophy

Here are a few basic principles that are important to me in a camera, in no particular order:

• Image quality: Self-explanatory, but be careful about packing too many megapixels into a small sensor

• Ease of use: One thing about the Nikon F2AS that really struck me was how simple it was to operate. One thing I want all camera companies to remember is that external, physical controls can be operated quickly, at any time, and often without even looking at them; so DON’T BURY IMPORTANT SETTINGS IN THE MENUS.

• Construction: Using metal, rather than plastic, sends me the message that you are ready to stand behind your product. I think it’s a bit unfair that professional photographers without the means to afford a top-shelf dSLR have to use less reliable products; the differentiation should be in the sensor, the features, etc, rather than in the build quality. Anything retailing for $1000 or more should be made of metal.

• Compatibility: One huge reason why I cringe at buying Olympus and Pentax equipment is that I’d be afraid to be locked into one of their much smaller (as compared to Canon or Nikon) lens catalogs. That said, the Four-Thirds System is a great idea for standardizing lenses, though Pentax isn’t on board for some reason.

Well, that’s more or less me. Leave a comment if you want to know anything else. I hope this will be the start of a journey we can all enjoy.