Photographers, Stop Watching YouTube Photography Channels!
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- čas přidán 17. 10. 2019
- This video represents my personal opinion. To me, it appears that some popular CZcams videos have gone to the dark side of commercialism. Save time and money by getting your photography information elsewhere.
I agree with you Mike, the organic nature of what was youtube was and the "how-to" somewhat educational material has all but disappeared. I fell into that trap and felt the need to constantly upgrade instead of focusing on the skill ("art") of photography and that is all that these "photography channels" are about. Selling their stuff and other peoples stuff, sponsored by squarespace and that is about it. These days, pretty much any camera can take great pictures, these high end, special purpose cameras are just that. I have unsubscribed from most of these channels, they are hollow empty shills and not worth my time, instead buy a good book, get your camera and go take pictures/movies whatever makes you happy and here is a tip, lately there seems to be an over supply of almost brand new, hardly used cameras for sale, there is a cycle as soon as a new version is released, you will see a bunch of last months cameras come up for sale, so don't buy new, buy almost new.
TheSanzca good advice!
This video earned my subscription to your channel. I could not agree more. 90+% of photography channels are just tools for the industry. In the last 20 years, I've probably wasted $10000 on various equipment that I had to have. In reality, the impactful nature of my photos only started to take off after I became serious about constantly respecting the fundamentals (as you stated, composition, subject, light) and picked up and studied Henri Cartier-Bresson's Decisive Moment. My digital camera is turning 10 this year, and literally not a single person who happened to like one of my pics ever commented that it lacked pixels or any other bs numbers that we gearheads worry about. Live a simple life. Nobody gives a shit about your gear. But punch them once with emotions from a single photograph and they'll remember you.
Gray pigeon Tony and his wife, their channel is for them a money making machine. He cannot say it often enough that they are not sponsored by manufacturers ..... yes of course. The two are no longer standing with their feet on the ground.
Those two are a joke. They aren’t real photographers first of all. They are just a marketing duo. Most of the things they have been saying the past few years have been dead wrong.
And yeah fro has crazy sold out man, he is just a photo company shill now, he’s lost it.
Anyone with tons of money can shoot with the best gear. But it takes a artist to use what they have to the best of their ability. Just go out and shoot. Forget these corporate shills.
I think they do it for the clicks and views. The more views, the more money they make.
So they are under a lot of pressure to make a lot of videos that appeal to the greatest number of people.
Frank Styburski well of course that’s why they do it. It’s for their own pressure they put on them selves do to greed. The problem is they aren’t helping anyone out anymore. Neither is Fro, he isn’t doing photography videos at all anymore only gear videos.
At least they were honest about how bad the hassy was. There were some youtubers that say how good that camera was. I rented it and it was a steamer. I am sure its been improved but i know they had to release a version 2 to correct many of its flaws.
You are so right. I saw this episode of the famous couple (the same that again and again declares that MFT is dead) and had the same thoughts about the trick that was used to get the result that was supposed to come out of this "test". Especially since some real (!) photographers had made comparison shots and printed them really large and made a comparison with those - and found that the differences in the overall look (from reasonable distances) were rather small to invisible. Or Joe Edelman (oh, well, you mentioned him), having one of his 20 MP MFT shots printed on a billboard …
Completely agree. Although I have definitely reduced watching photo videos, I still watch some. There are several videos on CZcams where people make HUGE prints from 20-24 MP images. Yes, if you stuck your nose on the print they wouldn't look great, but at 5-6 feet they are awe inspiring. A billboard only has to be a few MP, bus stop posters are often at 50 dpi, and magazine covers only require 6-7 MP.
@@Drmikekuna Well, posters covering facades are printed with even smaller dpi values - everything else would be un-economical. Our eyes are easy to trick, and all those tricks are known for quite some time by now … ;-) And while "80 MP files" sound nice, they do nothing for me. I did some hires shots with my Olympus Pen F (80 MP, around 60 MP "real" resolution), and I used a Sony A7RII (something above 40 MP) and came to the conclusion that no, I don't need so many pixels (not even to reproduce/digitize my 6x9 film negatives). I find the 24 MP of my Sony A7 to be quite nice, even for cropping to a certain degree, and the 20 MP Pen F does a good job too. Even my iPhone SE (12 MP) does a nice job if the light is right, as was the case with the Leica M9 (18 MP) I once owned. That said, the 10 MP out of the Leica M8 was actually not enough (well, it did suit me back then, but now it shows that it is a bit low on pixels). Theoretically 24 MP is the "goldilocks zone" of resolution. I'll stay there for a while (until every camera on the market comes with 30 MP or so ;-)).
I am sad that this video doesn’t have more views. So much truth here. I literally just did a video about this subject myself. I like smaller channels these days, hence I just subscribed to your channel today. Thank you. 👍📸
Thank you!
Everything Mike said is absolutely correct. I m one of those people who was subscribed to about 2 dozen photography channels (including 'Sony Northrup' and Jared Polin) and kept switching between Fuji, Sony and Olympus over a couple of years. I lost some money buying new and selling a few months later and buy it again the following month. I finally realized my stupidity and compared Olympus and Fuji images and I was surprised to find out that I was getting better IQ from Olympus. Not that Fuji is bad but likely i have shaky hands and Olympus IBIS was helping. Now I happily own EM10II+17/1.8+45/1.8+40-150/4-5.6, Total cost $600 thats less than the Fuji 56/1.2 alone ... Cheap and Better IQ, atleast for me ... i miss Fuji film simulations at times though.
Thanks for you comment. I recently pulled out my "old" OMD EM1 for some Christmas parties... Like you, I was amazed at how good the images looked.
If you'd buy Olympus PRO grade lenses you would probably stayed on this system.
Your talk makes so much sense. I have ten different cameras myself and admit have GAS syndrome :)) Thank you very much.
Great video Mike, I totally agree, commercialism is spoiling CZcams and many of the early creators. I have been a Canon FF shooter for a few years now, lugging far too many pounds of kit up hill and down dale. With every trip out the effort required and toll on ageing knees increased whilst at the same time diminishing my enthusiasm and passion towards my photography. I finally woke up to the fact that FF is not the only way to produce great results. So after stuffing my FF ego firmly away in the cupboard, I purchased an Olympus Micro43 setup and now feel liberated. My backpack is 1/2 the size and half the weight. Days out are far less exhausting and I do not miss the extra megapixels. What I have found is that I have to think harder about composition and settings, which is a good thing. FF had made me lazy. I regularly cropped myself out of a poorly composed image. I cannot do that so much now and have re-discovered my enthusiasm and passion for creation. Like you I am a kit nut and will not dispose of my FF equipment as it has its place. If I go out for a "Park up and Shoot" day it will go with me, but on hiking and family days the M43 will now always be my kit of choice.
I also love to hike and never take a FF camera with me, not only because of the size of the camera, but also the size of the lenses. On recent hikes I have been using a Canon m50. BTW, more and more I only take a single standard zoom on my hikes. In the past I took a Olympus OMD EM 10. I don't have a preference over either of the cameras, I just like to mix it up.
I think every new photographer should start off with an entry level camera. It forces you to really learn composition, how to make use of the settings and understand the limits of the camera. From there , it is much easier to make an informed decision on future upgrades.
Another frustration I have is a lot of smaller camera reviews tend to focus on the video capabilities of the camera, particularly as it relates to vloging. On another note, I watched a video recently about what new photographers don't need to buy and in his list was a tripod. He went on to say he never uses a tripod, suggesting no one else should need one either. Those of us who have been doing this for a while can quickly identify who is giving bad advise. Unfortunately, someone new to photography will have no idea.
I started out with a "crap" tripod... I now have a big, expensive and huge one... I love it.
@@Drmikekuna I don't use a tripod enough to justify the expense of a quality one. I have a normal sized and one that is very compact. What I miss most, on both, is the lack of a quality head. Not being able to to make minor adjustments, on a smooth head, is very annoying.
Mike, awesome video. Finally someone with brains, who knows the facts. I am saying this for years. Huge megapixels cameras are overrated in most cases with few exceptions. . I just sold my Nikon D3s and Nikon D4 since I only used them in low light and they were great. Since I shoot mostly birds I had to crop all the time and I always went back to my crop sensor cameras . I am mostly shooting with Nikon D2Hs (4.1MB) and sometimes even with Nikon D1h (2.7MB) and I I am making metal prints 20x30" and they are jaw dropping.
Problem is folks get sucked in to believe that we all need high MB cameras and that is not true, there are also many disadvantages with high MB bodies. People treat cameras like microscope.
Far as all these channels you mentioned, you are. spot on.
I agree. The majority of my professional work goes on the website/blogs/or social media. I have to reduce the size of the images to 1-3 MP... why do I need 60 MP? When I do print images they are typically 5 x7 (some 8 x 10)... I have some high MP cameras, but their huge files just clog up my computer. Hmmm.. shoot a 60 MP image and then reduce it to 3 MP...???
100% true coming from someone using leica and tons of money spent falling in those traps to compensate for my lack of skills, composition knowledge and light quality; thank you sir.
Found your videos looking for alarm clock recommendations.. you are my spirit animal.
Thanks!
I agree.......my gripe is most of the photographers on you tube are not really photographers. They sell information and drum up subscribers. Subscriber collectors who could care less about the work of people who may 'like' their content. There is one lady on youtube who touts herself as being a photographer but all you see are pictures of herself. One wonders. I tend to follow folks who put real content on their sites and in particular film. It must be horrible to have to worry all the time about sponsors and likes on youtube and instagram.
Yes Sir,you are spot on!its all commercial,not good and misleading
Hello again Dr. Mike, long time no see, I'm happy that you have added new videos :)
Deep in the Sky Hello to you too.
Thank you so much, Dr. Mike! Ever since I discovered Mike Browne (also Gavin Hoey to an extent) through this video of yours, my understanding of photography (and photography skills, dare I say) has been continually improving. Forget the gadget-geeks! Composition is king! And light is queen, or vice versa. You will NEVER get on with your photography if you stick with channels like the ones Mike mentiones prior to 8:48. NEVER. Apart from the wonderful photographers Mike listed, I would also recommend Bryan Peterson and (especially) Michael Freeman (the National Geographic guy). Have a wonderful Christmas Dr. Mike and best of luck to all in the hopefully more sane New Year 2021. S pozdravom z druhej strany Tatier!
Nice video thanks! The best thing I did was join a local photography club. One of the many things we do there is take a monthly outing and learn from each other. It’s been a great opportunity for me to talk to many people in person, talk about their gear and why. As a new photographer myself I found that half the stuff I bought from watching CZcams videos I don’t even use.
The club thing is something that I have wanted to do. I did join a meetup group, but it was so huge I felt a bit lost. I need to find a smaller club in my area. A place to not only learn but also to celebrate the joy of photography.
Good points. Had to sub because I agree with ALOT of what you said. Keep the videos coming. PEACE from ATL ✊🏾📸
thank you!
Doctor Mike thank you for your Insight I agree with you 100%
I hardly watch any YT photography channels these days... There were a few good ones waaaaay back, but now so many of them today are slick commercials and gear obsessed. Sure if you want a new camera, they're probably worth checking, but otherwise you're just gonna be tempted to buy more than you need. The trick is to be happy with what you've got and go out and shoot... Which is exactly what I'm going to do tomorrow with my trusty 5D classic and two cheap lenses... Might bring my Lomo along for the ride too.
You have to love the original 5D. What an awesome camera.
Ikr. 98% of the channels are about video 🤣 but sometimes I'm lucky to find some tips about photography 😁
Thanks
I recommend a CZcams chap called steve o'nions, excellent photography
Thank you! Exactly my impression. Sometimes its so subtile, sometimes its blunt. Lately, I saw many channels with a so called "haul"-videos for Sony A73. Allways the same story: I have a new project where my old camera sucks, therefore I need a A73...
Ain't it the truth... If all my problems could be solved with a new camera purchase...
Hi Mike, really informative, and I’m with you about the pretty couple, the hairy guy, and I’ll add the angry one.
But there are really interesting ones, such as Craig Roberts of E6, Steve O’Nions, and Dimitri Lazardeux if you understand French. People has to be cautious about the informations and opinions they are listening to, probably more now than 10 years ago. But photography is still as relevant and inspiring as before.
I'll have to check them out, but I agree there are some wonderful photography channels on CZcams. Places where passion (about photography) trumps purchasing. Sadly, I barely speak English.
I agree with what you are saying. As far as M43 goes, I find David Thorpe (now deceased) and Rob Trek videos are very informative. T & C are nothing more than informercial material. So many others overdo the philosophical approach to 'getting to understand' what photography is about.
100% right, great video
I do have some channels that are about photography and not about gear : please check out mitchellkphotos , Jamie Windsor and Phillip McCordall channels . Take a look,you will all love them
ok
Correct. Many of those camera reviewers get paid to tell lies or are just simply fan boys with bias reviews to suite themselves. Impartiality is almost non-existent.
Hey Mike. I totally agree. Cant stand the photography couple. I did watch a lot of the big hair guy haha butbhe is quite aggressive. Mike Browne was great i watched a lot of his early videos. I really like Thomas Heaton, James Popsys, Gary Gough, Mark Denney, Nigel Danson and the like. More about the passion for photography...composition and places they go.
I am literally self taught from watching these guys
Thanks for your video
So true.
thanks!
I think, one of the mayor problems of our time is that people, especially 30+, are very naive about social media. They don't understand, that the internet went from this nice little open space to a big commercial and political machine, that tries to catch their money and opinion.
weizenobst müsli I agree
very true comments
Gofor It thanks
I would love to see a list of recommended channels
So hard to give you that as channels seem to go bad the more popular they become. I would suggest that you look for earlier videos.
Perhaps just my view, but it seems fairly obvious when someone is commercially paid and motivated. I prefer videos that have an "amateur" look which does not mean they do not know what they are talking about.
A hate of mine is people saying _"You can get it from Amazon"_ like there is anyone in the world who is unaware that you can get just about everything from the blighters, who are revelling in the Covid epidemic and putting other retailers out of business. Why do they need to say it?
I love mike brown. Reason im into photography
His early videos were fantastic (I also learned a lot from him). I have not seen any recent of his vids. I'll need to do a search.
@@Drmikekuna now he's active promoting his photography workshop. Recently he uploaded how to photograph motorcycle tutorial
Very interesting..
I guess you won't be subscribing... LOL
@@Drmikekuna now I feel rotten...great reply..
..and just watched your 'truth about aps-c' and enjoyed, many good points..Can you see how I'm trying to make up for my original comment?
@@dongee6351 Ha! Don we are all one big photography family.
Good to hear some plain common sense,
Thanks, Robert.
Not taking your advice sir, had to subscribe.
thanks!
Whatever the CZcams camera pundits say about not being paid by one or the other of the camera companies, the overall effect of their message is to induce people to spend more and more money on new equipment with only marginal benefits. Once a sucker doesn't mean you are always a sucker. Do you really need bokeh for your photo of Mount Fuji?
So true.
👍
Hate so much? They talk sometime about data that they already talk about before. Why the hell they need to talk another 12-30m explaining something they already talk about in the video? They proof it so many thing with data, still people hate them because well "people" They already tell, they nerdy side about camera. Of course they is talking about technical side. If we talk about, artistic we might still using film with blurry lens today.
CZcamss monetization rules these days require them to upload videos constantly.
Another CZcams idiot is Cameraville. He keeps plugging different camera brands in the hope that he will get sponsorship or influencer status, fails to get it (I guess because the brands would consider him a liability), and then promptly turns to trashing it.
Ok thanks for advice I will start by blocking your channel
OK... Wait, you won't be able to read this because I'm block!!! (LOL).