Canon's announcement of the new EOS 5D Mark-II digital camera has made many photographers around the globe excited and full of anticipation. One can easily be impressed by the vast improvements and features of this camera (one very important is the capability to record High Definition Video on memory cards) and the standard improvements of a new model (more pixels, higher ISO) but I think that looking beyond the features that canon packed into this camera you can see an even more significant process that began on previous models of Digital SLRs and reaches maturity in this new model, the 5D MK-II.
The digital photography gains control of the studio.
First some background. Traditionally, studio photography was ruled by medium format and large format cameras back in the the film age, and with the evolvement of the digital era the manufacturers developed digital products that would match the old gear in the studio and upgrade it to digital. This of course relates to the digital backs, which also got upgraded along the timeline, from better resolution and better quality to the development of new digital bodies from scratch. Those reached very high levels of quality in every ratio and provide a solution to the high end of studio photography. Hence what is the big message of the new Canon 5D MK-II and how does it contribute to the digital take over the studio?
The consensus starts to break...
On September 2002 Canon announced the first 35mm Full Frame camera. This high end 35mm camera had an impressive resolution of 11 mega-pixels and an impressive image quality relative to that time. It was then that 35 mm digital gear began to invade the photography studio and it was not rare to find studio works that were shot using the EOS 1Ds. In the following years the 35 mm digital format "matured" but generally speaking the medium format was in most cases preferable, excluding the expensive costs o the gear...
Now we're jumping in time to September 2008, time of the announcement of he new EOS 5D Mark-II; A full frame body with an amazing count of 21 megapixels that not so long ago were solely seen in medium format digital backs. A well shot image of 21 mega pixels theoretically covers most of the tasks for which photographers usually had to use medium format equipment. I'm not claiming that the 5D MK-II provides an image of better quality then a good MF camera, after all MFs have larger sensors and lenses that will probably put them ahead of the 35 mm format forever, but considering the image quality of the new 5D and its price there's no doubt that more and more photographers will enter it to their studios and in many photography projects the 5D will be used as the main camera without compromising on the results.
Not only for the resolution.
One of the best features of the latest generations digital cameras is the ability to watch the scene in real time using the LCD screen or a computer tethered to the camera. The live preview simplified the working process at the studio in continuation to the previous technology advancement that the digital era introduced – streaming the photos that were shot instantaneously to a nearby workstation. In the past we relied on the Polaroid; every studio shot started with a series of Polaroid shots that provided an "instant" feedback and helped the photographer to design the perfect scene and observe all aspects of the photo. Studio photographers happily adopted the digital cameras as a replacement to the Polaroid, making the sketch photos faster and cheaper, but as time progressed many photographers began using the digital cameras throughout the production. The live preview took the digital benefits one step forward and now we can actually see what we're about to shoot – on a large computer screen - even before the shot is taken. In the studio it means that better cooperation of the whole team is achieved and things like makeup, styling and decoration are quickly evaluated and adapted to the way we want them to show on the final shot.
Price matters!
For the present there are two extremities of digital photo gear for the studio. On one end is the 5D with a price of $2700 and on the other end are cameras that cost 10 times then the 5D and more. That difference is very significant and does not necessarily match the differences in image quality between the high end and low end studio cameras. Cost and benefit considerations have always been a major factor in a decision to buy professional gear. As far as cost goes the 5D has an obvious advantage. When examining the benefits we need to acknowledge that using the 5D as a primary camera in a photography project is done after characterizing the project. What is the output we need, what medias it will be used in and in what sizes will it be printed. The answer, in many cases, may be that the 5D can provide an excellent solution to the production needs without involving a 10 times more expensive MF camera.
All in one camera.
One of the reasons I like the new 5D so much is the ability to carry high quality photo equipment to every location without thinking twice. When you use a camera that's worth tens of thousands of dollars you think twice before you take it out to the field. The production has to be in a certain scope and payment that will justify carrying such expensive equipment out of the studio, exposing it to wear and tear and other risks. With the 5D you can fit a wider range of customers and productions on various scopes. In a world that relies on instant visuals photographers need a camera that will provide a high quality, instant output, and still remain portable and handy. The 5D, not being a solely studio camera takes it a step further, allowing you to shoot both high quality stills as well as high definition video. In my opinion this it a truly revolutionary development that will allow photographers a wider spectrum of services they can provide to their customers. Without carrying an extra equipment a photo journalist can provide his editor a video feed directly from the field and the absence of recording tape makes it a snap to transfer the recorded video to a laptop computer and then through the internet to any place around the globe within minutes. The combination of high quality video and stills inside the same camera enables some new and exciting ways of creativity using different lenses that were already inside the average photographer's bag anyway; wide open apertures, superior optics, ultra wide angles as well as narrow telephoto… who could imagine not so long ago that composing a video shot will be transparent to the still photographer and will only come down to using a different mode in the camera…
Inexpensive high quality camera available to everyone.
With all the above said and in continuation the trend that began when digital cameras reached reasonable prices, we are witnessing some major changes in the business of photography. More and more amateur photographers own equipment that matches the quality of the professional photographers and in the case of the 5D – the very same camera. This blurs the borderline between professional photography and amateur photography, and many amateur photographers aspire to turn their hobby into a second job to generate some extra income. This causes some problems to the professional photographers because of the increasing competition and the wear in prices that clients are willing to pay. Some photographers may see it as a threat on their source of livelihood and have difficulty accepting the new situation. some of them may also abandon the business and give up. I thing the long term winners will be the ones that will adopt the latest developments and make the best out of them. The toeing of the line in the technical aspect (high quality cameras available for all) force the better photographers to provide the added value that will distinguish them from the other photographers that flow the market. Deeper understanding of the profession and of the client needs, updating and widening the services provided to the client and better utilizing the equipment will strengthen the professional photographers currently struggling to keep their heads above the wave that floods the photography world. The penetration of new photographers is also parallel to the wearing of the studio as the ivory tower of photography. The studio will live on in the future too, but the market forces will not skip it as well. Fewer productions will be photographed using tens of thousands worth cameras and the prices paid for those productions will also wear. In the same way as the move from film to digital affected prices (expenses dropped down, photographers offered more competitive prices), the penetration of 35mm equipment to the studio will also affect the prices paid in that territory.
No excuses...
There's a common saying that "it's not the camera, it's the man behind the camera", relating to taking good pictures. Well we all know that talent and creativity matters but lets face it; with a poor camera you can only go as far as the camera lets you, while with a fine camera you can express yourself the way you want to, no only the way you are limited to. So with the attractive price tag, image quality and other included features, the EOS 5D Mark-II is sure to be a best seller. Now it only comes down to who puts his hands on her first…
