Be careful what photography advice you follow.

[@AndyBanner]

As with any video that suddenly breaks previous channel viewer numbers, this one has attracted a few people who disagree with some of my points. Most have valid comments, often around the fact that a higher resolution image allows for more cropping. Of course, this is true, but there's so many variables to consider. Firstly, remember that most photographs will never be printed and so will be most likely viewed on a 2.1mp display - that being the common standard of 1080p. From a 20mp image, that's a lot of potential cropping. The example of bird photography is a common point raised and to this I would say that specialist subjects generally benefit from specialist and expensive gear and, clearly, I am not aiming my video at someone who's a newbie in a specialist genre - frankly anybody looking to get into such things probably needs to be watching the content of people like Simon D'entremont who makes a living from wildlife. Where people have valid comments for or against my content here, I welcome their input. I am far from the most knowledgeable person in this field and I wish to fill gaps in my knowledge and reasoning. But anyone that wishes to argue by giving weak ifs and buts, is on a fast track to being ignored. Yes, I know that someone with zero knowledge of exposure is likely to get a better exposed image with one of the program control modes rather than manual - what is precisely your point? My point was that all the exposure modes control the same things, but they do them in different ways whilst all generally giving you the option of ultimate control via EV compensation and that some modes are more suited to different scenarios that others. How can anyone argue with these fundamentally factual statements? Oh, and yes, I had a skirt/long tunic on over trousers. Get over it.

[@user-pg5rt7ju4f]

Besides S.d'E, a person among the few (in UK in particular) to watch is Sean Tucker (no bs, a very decent person, but definitely Not bcs he is an ex-priest)

[@AndyBanner]

Sean is a good guy for sure. Lovey chap to talk to also.

[@Anon54387]

@@AndyBanner I'd put it this way. There is so much dubious advice out there (or even if it is undubious still might not work for everyone) that one should just get out there and snap one's photos, one can extensively experiment since it doesn't cost one $1-$1.50 every time one clicks that shutter button as it does with film. One will learn and develop one's own style that one, in the end it is more efficient than attempting to wade through all the advice. I read a book on oil painting, and one bit of advice the guy who wrote that book gave was to limit oneself to a specific time per painting, short enough that it was a challenge to finish in that time, strictly stick to that time, quit, put the painting in a closet and don't look again at any of the paintings until one has done one painting per day for 90 days, don't worry about quality, just put paint to canvas. When one finishes those 90 days then line them up in order, one will see improvement in one's skill over those 90 days and the real bonus is that one's personal style will have developed in an organic way just by not worrying about how it looks or the results. One photographer I watch on KZbin is really frustrating because he blindly applies presets to his photos. Often his photos look better before the presets are applied, but he is so addicted to using those presets that he doesn't really slow down to consider, a shame because he actually is a talented photographer, but just doesn't stop to consider sometimes.

[@albertocarvalho8091]

I'll say it once, you said quite big words (specially when you are like someone who has dyspnea) from such an amateur level video.

[@AndyBanner]

I don't understand your comment @albert. It can be taken in different ways.

[@nealewilliams1677]

As someone who is just starting to dip his toe into photography, and having spent many hours looking at videos about what is the best camera, what lenses (minefield) and how to take good pictures. This video was a breath of fresh air. Many thanks.

[@AndyBanner]

Simple advice: buy used from a reputable company with a warranty. Even an older DSLR will get you great image quality so long as you have decent lenses. don't over spend and invest in your skills more than the gear - book a workshop or training. Get out and practice. Use your phone - it's remarkably capable. Oh, and of course, subscribe to my channel...

[@knoxyish]

@@AndyBanner that is good advice .

[@Stoater1]

Or even pick a good film camera. 35 mm film takes great pictures.

[@AndyBanner]

I wouldn't recommend a film camera unless you have deep pockets. Photography was never a cheap hobby, but what you'll save in gear will be very quickly spent on film and processing. It's a great way to learn as you become more focused on the task because of the cost, but learning will be slow because of processing time. Get a semi-modern digital camera and work methodically.

[@VoidShepherd]

The best camera is the one you have with you.

[@dudmanjohn]

Watching this was refreshing. Fifty years ago, when I was 15 years old, I probably took better photographs with a basic 35 mm rangefinder camera than I have taken since because I was concerned about the composition of the image. I understood the camera settings because they fascinated me and being a curious boy I had read up on them and experimented. Remember that changing the ISO setting on a film camera means changing the film so not an option while out and about. I left school at 16 and my interest, and my pictures, led to me becoming a photographer's assistant in Maurice Rickards' (look him up) small and creative photographic and graphic London studio. I then became the photographer at the studio. Maurice sold the business to concentrate on his writing. I was no good at winning new clients however and the design business also declined so after 8 years I was out of a job. What's the point of this ramble? Being a professional photographer involves much more than taking photographs, it involves marketing, making and keeping contacts and meeting the client's requirements or if you take photographs on spec marketing those photographs in a crowded market. Being an amateur means enjoying what you do and having no-one to please but yourself. To complete my personal story I moved into IT and had a successful career.

[@Hacienda_27]

Have you tried turning it off and on again ?

[@photoray002]

Thanks for sharing that. Parts of your story really hit a familiar spot for me as well.

[@Littlelewie151]

As a new amateur photographer, i have done 75% of my photography on the job driving a truck locally picking up milk at dairy farms. It amazes me how many great shots ive gotten!

[@tilerman]

When i started my 'journey' i was always chasing a picture worthy of the front cover of Time or National Geographic LOL but now i take pictures of the ordinary and mundane but with my own little twists. I load the pictures onto my FB groups and people are amazed, are they great images, no of course not it's just pictures of things most people wouldn't think of taking a picture of, and it works!

[@HighTones]

You nailed it !! Great info! You got to get out and shoot. Out of 100 shots you might get 2 keepers but don’t stop keep shooting! I’m still using a Nikon D700 and D810 they both produce incredible photos! Thanks

[@66kandFrends]

Although I do have fancy pants cameras, the one next to me on the table is my D300 with the Tamron 17-50 2.8 - this has the front end superglued on. The best camera is the one you reach for, and that's something that reviewers never factor in. Yes if you are only ever going to be doing photography in your house then there is no issue with fancy pants, but when you have to go out in the real world an older camera with great weatherproofing that you can easily afford to replace is the much better option, because it means you'll actually go out into the real world with it.

[@brucetomlin4912]

Thanks!

[@AndyBanner]

Bruce, your frequent support is so kind. Thank you so much

[@NickDixon]

“Today the colour's there.” That alone is inspiring to someone who like you sees the same surroundings day after day and wonders how to photograph any of it in a new way.

[@Wolf-6567]

Good advice Andrew, I have shot thousands of photos, and I use whatever is required in the toolbox to get the image that I want. Sometimes I had to use a camera setting such as Aperture priority, because I would have missed the shot in manuel. I agree the skills and practice are needed to get better images, not the location or the gear. Location and gear and skill can produce an amazing image, but those photographers can craft an amazing image in their local park. With zoom lenses, I use the walking zoom, as you do, to walk round and view the image in different angles, different lights, and different compositions. I'll happily use a zoom to change the perspective and therefore the crafted image- it depends on the day, the subject, and what I have pre-visualised. After years of photography I don't really care about settings, lenses, or expensive latest cameras, I look at what I'm about to take, then manipulate what I can to get the image I want. Finally art is subjective, what I love about an image you may think is garbage. Skirt / long tunic over trousers who cares, we are here for photography. You wear what you want- art and photography are the topic, you're Andrew- keep being you.

[@AndyBanner]

Thanks, Wolf.

[@rogerhampton2844]

Loved the video. So much good advice. I’ve dabbled in photography for years. Two years ago I got more serious. I watched thousands of hours of how to, which camera, which lens etc. I’ve learned lots but come to the conclusion only I can make myself a better photographer. And it’s a long process. I’m constantly told I need this camera/lens, and I don’t. Any half decent camera is way better than I need. I’ve learned that as someone who wants to take landscape photographs there’s no point listening to what is the perfect camera from a street, portrait photographer or videographer.

[@johnchipperfield3367]

I started my photography journey about 4 year's ago, and I fell into the trap of watching loads of KZbin videos giving advice, some good some bad, but I found from watching one video to another video, you get bombarded with so much contradictory advice, that's my experience anyway.

[@AndyBanner]

The problem is that as an inexperienced person in any field, it can be difficult to know what advice is good or bad. Strangely, the best and unbiased advice is often in the thick camera manual that too few people read.

[@ayo30s]

Omg!!! That’s the craziest thing… This TRUTH literally stopped me in my tracks. Fine, I’ll give the manual a few hours. I know absolutely nothing about photography or videography besides point and shoot. I own a Cannon 70d that I used maybe 5 times that’s now apparently “antiquated” I’m keeping the 70d to learn but will be getting the R6 Mii cos of video and price drop since the R6 Miii is rumored. Also I will get the Mii with the L lens and the STM 50mm. Do you think this is a good plan? 👊🏾🇳🇬🇺🇸

[@besperus4475]

Thanks❤if I were to get on the internet id be saying what you illustrate so well.

[@AndyBanner]

Thank you so much. Your support is so welcome.

[@paultrunfull3324]

Some good words spoken here, to add I would always say 'shot for yourself, unless your being paid to do a job' and always look behind you 'cos the light/image/comp maybe better.

[@nigellee7892]

A lot of so-called articles about ‘photography’ are not so much about photography as about selling photographic equipment. Back in the day when I was a kid, I used to regularly buy the AP (Amateur Photographer) Magazine and I used to lap it up. It wasn’t until I got older and developed more sense that I realised that the magazine was mostly about selling cameras and lenses rather than about photography - for that, reading a few good books on the subject is probably the best thing to do. By the same token, most of the KZbinrs you see are generally more interested in the photo-gear and promoting it (for a fee) than about imparting any real knowledge about photography.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

Same with any hobby,fishing,shooting etc it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of thinking you always need to upgrade your gear.

[@nigellee7892]

@ I totally agree - with fishing especially … my grandfather used to make and sell handmade fishing tackle, and as a kid he’d tell me that most of the tackle he sold was largely aimed at catching the fisherman rather than the fish!

[@AndyBanner]

My dad used to tell me that a new rod or reel or float would not make me catch more fish. It was all about my skill and not the reel.

[@redpillnibbler4423]

@@nigellee7892 Absolutely true (learned from experience)

[@DavidMBanes]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video Andy. I'm new to digital photography and have been wondering about a lot of these KZbin '12 Must do....', '3 rules...' etc and started to learn to take with a pinch already.

[@AndyBanner]

There's some very good advice out there, David, but there's some pretty dumb advice too. Part of the problem is that most of us don't know everything but in order to try and stay "relevant" in the world of KZbin, some might come up with obscure topics or occasionally pure twaddle. I had one very well subscribed KZbinr telling me that my opinion that ISO isn't part of exposure (my opinion no less) was a silly comment and that when I explained how ISO worked (quite accurately) he told me I was wrong on many accounts. 6 hours later, in an attempt to not look foolish (I imagine) he deleted his comments. This is the kind of problem I highlight - if I an shown to be wrong, I will do my best to own the situation and learn. Not everybody's character will allow them to do this. BUT, the problem for you is that if you don't know any better, you might believe what apparently more knowledgeable people tell you. It's similar to having someone walk around with a clip board looking authoritative. I am not sure how you sort the BS from the genuinely useful info.

[@DavidMBanes]

@@AndyBanner It’s the same with most things. I’ve got 35 years in IT security and I hear people with a lot less pushing opinion that is clearly incorrect but they believe it so their audience will.

[@thomasschemmel8002]

I am now going to be subscribing to your channel and I came across your page by random chance. I wanted to thank you very much I'm an amateur photographer and I've chased having a new gear and never seemed satisfied but that's because I was always following the wrong advice that I thought would make me good with taking photos. More people need to see your video because it can help people understand a little bit more and also the joys of photography with actually considering more about your composition and just the practical aspect. I love your video extremely refreshing I am from the not so fantastic United States of America but I really enjoyed how relatable you are and the content the way you presented it and with practical knowledge.

[@AndyBanner]

Thank you so much, Thomas.

[@satur9]

I find it absolutely refreshing that you say you don't have to go exotic places (or cold places, for that matter) for good photos. And that there are photographers without a driver's licence. Yep, I'm one of them, hehe. I like photographing in my boring little town, there's so much beauty if you want to see it. But of course I'm happy we have a camper and my husband can drive it, so every now and then I can make wild shots of the Atlantic Ocean or photograph Le Mont-Saint-Michel from paths less walked on.

[@SkylerKing]

Now, this is the type of photography video/channel I like. Seems it’s getting harder and harder to find that, these days.

[@AndyBanner]

There's still a good few worth watching. Thanks for watching this one.

[@lindam3240]

Great video! I've watched you for two years now I think. Great advice! When I first got my camera I was sitting on the patio faffing with the settings to learn, just shooting random stuff that caught my eye. Our lawn was over grown and I liked the way the sun was hitting some tall grass and took a photo. It came out really well! When my daughter saw it, she was jealous of it LOL. She has more experience than I do and was so mad I took it just messing around. Thank you for the good advice

[@AndyBanner]

Being observant is a significant proportion of the art.

[@fintonmainz7845]

"Why your photographs are bad" type videos really irritate me.

[@AndyBanner]

Indeed.

[@GonnerandMusic]

Why would you spend time writing a negative comment? KZbin is full of people that try to help, that is why we watch them but if you dislike the video move on, I always thumbs up any video I think will help me even if it wasn't what I thought it was because they took the time to make it.

[@fintonmainz7845]

@GonnerandMusic Why did you spend time writing a negative comment about my comment?

[@ciscou]

Because you're not using this secret trick that professionals use that will take your photography to the next level 🤭

[@azorazul007]

This is the first time I see a video from your channel and I cannot agree more with all what you've said and how you approach to your photography is. I've started with photography almost 4 years ago and as you've said it was easier to check on videos than reading my camera manual... so I've fallen on all those bad and contradictory advices you can find on KZbin. What I hate the most is the new trend "pro and newbie / amateur" stuff... or the "use these settings to get good pictures"... and of course "this is my new favourite/best/sharpest lens"... video sponsored by... the manufacturer :o) I thank you for the 28 minutes of fresh air. Good new year for you an all the viewers.

[@SouthernOregonCoast]

Great points. After doing photography 60 years it is interesting to see people convinced that their SLR camera is outdated and jump onto the latest mirrorless camera expenses. Not complaining because the Canon 5DMkIV can be bought used and are more than adequate so I bought 2 bodies used at a good price. A Canon tech guy confirmed this and his point that after 4 generations this camera is as good as it gets and that the new designs are starting all over in the refinement cycles.

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, indeed. The 5d Mk 4 is a real workhorse loved by professional photographers the world over. The fact is that there's been very few significant image quality enhancements over the last few years and, actually, when you think about it, just how much better can it get? There's no point in generating a reproduction that the human eye cannot perceive. Advancements are more likely in computational capabilities in future and we've probably reach peak image quality and the fight will become over resolution which, again, very few people actually need. Colour bit depth is the other improvement possible and that's more where we can improve dynamic range which is already superior to most film anyway. Is there a size/weight advantage between a DSLR and a Mirrorless - often yes, but often also outweighed by the cost differences. The biggest advantage for me is that a mirrorless is built for permeant live view which is a tool I find most useful.

[@SouthernOregonCoast]

​@@AndyBanner I use Live View most often because it translates the image into a 2D space with a frame to better preview of the final image composition. That was one aspect of working with large format that has stayed with me. The few image enhancements for my system, if needed can be gained with DxO Pure Raw. I agree the PhotoLab program is a great way to go (I bought it) but I need the TK plugins with Photoshop for even more control. Diminishing returns have arrived in the hardware but the software is extending the capabilities. The biggest NEED now is . . . time in the field, both literally and figuratively.

[@robertleeimages]

Ahhh the best settings question, my reply is when asked "the settings that get you the shot" mine won't work because that moment in time, light/conditions has gone

[@AndyBanner]

It's not just light and conditions, it's location, distance to subject, gear. It's literally every variable that combines to make a photograph. The problem with these question is not the questions themselves but anyone who answers them with definitive settings.

[@robertleeimages]

@AndyBanner yeah sorry I thought location was implied if someone is asking about settings of any particular image

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, but even location is subject to finding the same tripod holes - if you see what I mean.

[@robertleeimages]

@@AndyBanner although in saying that(my last reply ) I have had many people who followed me on twitter from the UK ask me what settings for the nightscapes i take, and that is more them expecting my settings to work over there and they just won't due to my very good bortle 1-2 sky

[@robertleeimages]

@@AndyBanner yes again that stuff is implied

[@richardharmon2519]

Another great video Andy. Marketing does seem to drive the assumption that more pixels must be better. I know it’s a little off topic, but, as an amateur astronomer I’m often asked about cameras for taking pictures of the night sky - quite commonly “should I buy camera x because it has more megapixels”. Bigger pixels (so normally fewer megapixels for a given sensor size) can really help improve the signal to noise ratio, important when taking photos of such faint targets. There are other things to consider of course, but your point on pixel count rings true here as well.

[@TheLDunn1]

Hi Andrew, nice to watch your video & put more of your character to a name on 617. Some good examples of lessons in this video. Unlike several who have commented, I can’t say i get particularly annoyed at most photo videos on KZbin, even if I don’t agree with what the video is saying, it’s still someone else’s idea, view or opinion on something, it all goes into the melting pot and gets distilled, i then pick out which bits work for me & my situation, and disregard what I don’t think works for me so well. I think the only videos I find mildly irritating are those where the title implies it’s going to reveal, or answer something, and then totally fails to do so, but it’s only when you get to the end of the video that you realise that the title was misleading. I’ve recently noticed a lot like this on the subject of the 2025 F1 season. You watch the video anticipating learning something, but nothing is revealed & you have just waste time watching those types of videos. I primarily used a Sony A7Riii from 2017 until 2024, and mostly shot in manual mode with it, not because I’m a ‘purist’ or anything like that, but because I found I was often accidentally rotating the Exposure Compensation dial, which is on the top right corner & doesn’t have a locking mechanism. I found it so irritating, that I mainly reverted to manual mode where the exp comp dial has no effect. I write this to illustrate an unconventional reason to shoot a specific mode. I learnt on manual only film cameras, so it is no issue to me to shoot this way. I did use other modes when there was a good reason for me to do so specifically though. Yeah, totally agree about enjoying the process comment. I recently did a long 5 hour walk in the New Forest with my camera, and it was over 2 hours before I got my camera out, but I still enjoyed the hunt.

[@keithchowney3392]

Good advice Andrew .I agree you can get good photos locally you just have to go and look for them I get most of mine mainly street photography in about 5 miles from were I live in a small town . Enjoy your videos a lot . Have a good new year

[@AndyBanner]

Thank you. You too.

[@Pozi_Drive]

if you add the domain extension of 'the netherlands' to the word 'knipser' you get my subjects, most of which are located in an area with a radius of 15 km. The light changes, the seasons change. You don't need to go abroad.

[@D.Trider]

I agree- but am interested as to why you don’t think iso is not part of the exposure triangle…

[@AndyBanner]

I will go into this more in another video, but basically, ISO is an electronic gain control that allows the image to b3 brightened at the expense of fidelity. There's no creative element of ISO, only degradation, and nobody is likely to ever increase ISO unless they can't get the image they want using their creative exposure choices from aperture and shutter speed. Thank you for asking rather than telling me how wrong I am and what a silly comment it was unlike a number of other people.

[@keswicklimeyphotography]

Great video mate. Was pointed to it during the livestream on The 617 Club tonight. Have subscribed and look forward to future videos.

[@AndyBanner]

Thank you. It was a surprise to hear Tom's shoutout as I had no expectation of him watching it! Hope you find the other videos valuable. There's a lot to catch up on! ;-)

[@keswicklimeyphotography]

@ it is not often I go back on a channel but just pick future one I like to look of. You would see from my channel that I am into landscape photography and getting into the fells in the Lake District so tend to watch related videos or ones that cover photography in general like your latest.

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

Great video Andy and sage advice. I would disagree (to a point) with your definition of the difference between a pro and an amateur. Expertise might be a factor when looking at a new amateur photographer vs a pro, but in general I'd argue that the only real difference is that a pro gets paid to take pictures while an amateur does it mostly for the love of the image or process. anyway, whatever - nice jacket 🙂

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, of course, the dictionary definition of a pro is someone who gets paid to carry out a service. Too many people feel that it's otherwise of course and use it as some kind of "I know what I am talking about" definition. I know there's plenty of "pro" photographers who are actually bloody awful. At best, some of them are mere shutter pressers working to prescriptive instructions. I would consider myself a pro inland boat pilot who's experienced tug boat operators with oodles more boat handling experience than I totally foul up manoeuvre after manoeuvre. Some lorry drivers are shockingly bad at driving. Like I say, be careful what BS you believe. I don't wear that coat very often these days. It was purchased on my honeymoon a very long time ago as a coat for bombing about in my Morgan. As you can see, I still have the coat. Just about still have the wife. Sadly, the car is somebody else's now. Be well, Nick

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

@@AndyBanner 2 out of 3 ain't bad Andy!!

[@TimLaytonDarkroomDiary]

I totally agree with you. Not only is a lot of what you read or hear from "KZbinrs" is a repeat of what someone has heard and not based on their own empirical testing and work. I have found that very few people actually do the work and base their comments on first-hand experience. I specialize in analog large and ultra large format photography, but your comments apply to any type of photography. Glad I found your channel.

[@AndyBanner]

A lot of what people say and believe is from comments rather than learned experiences and other education. Much of it also acts directly on existing biases which people don't want to be challenged on. We're all guilty of this to some extent and cognitive dissonance plays a big part too. I try to be mindful of this and wish to be as open-minded as possible because I absolutely understand that what I know and believe can be inaccurate or plain wrong on occasion. I generally try to make it clear when I am giving an opinion rather than stating facts. Of course, not everybody listens and will just cherry pick what triggers them into reaction or retention, ignoring the context and reframing things. To err is human.

[@jodalry]

Andrew, many thanks for a very considered and well presented video. New subscriber here looking forward to viewing more of your content. 👍🏻😎

[@PhilipBallGarry]

For me, the diffence in stopping and getting a decent image of a scene I may have passed by many times is simply that of inspiration. That inspiration can come in many forms. Changing seasons, the quality of light, time of day - a myriad of things. But many times, it's simply a state of mind. If I'm going through a creative "dry" period it can often help to choose a theme or give yourself a little project. Perhaps, decide to deliberately confine yourself to black and white? Or maybe choose a specific colour theme instead. BUT, don't be too rigid with this. If the project of the day enhances your inspiration, it can often lead to a great image when you break the self-imposed rule of the day 😊

[@Gusttafa]

When I got my first camera, Pentax K-r I did not know anything. What helped me best was trying different priority modes by myself and just shoot anything. To experience what every priority modes does, to experience differences between them with realtime examples. And then I had my own experience which I could use to decide which mode is best for me. I use mostly Manual, because I like that mode, but I dont see any problem to use other priority mode, if you think that in your situation it would be better. I see lot of these videos you are mentioning and 95% of them are talking on loop about same stuff. They talks about stuff what could be explained in 1 minute around 10 minutes and I often consider them as clickbaits for new photographers. I mean if you need some baseline information and you are lazy to learn it by trying or reading manual, its good starting point, but photography is art. You are artist and its entirely up to you, how you decide approach your art.

[@AndyBanner]

Precisely.

[@MikeScheerer]

Great video Andrew and you make some really valid points, and as many others have said, it is refreshing to hear common sense advice and you put it across so well. Thank you and keep up the fine work.

[@oc2phish07]

Thanks Andrew. New to your channel but this was extremely interesting and kept me glued to the screen all the way to the end.

[@AndyBanner]

Awesome, thank you!

[@imagseer]

Thanks for your video. I remember back in the 1970's when using a Yashica GTN rangefinder automatic camera, that changing the ISO was one of the ways to trick it into using +/- EV to allow faster or slower shutter for water. What you say about the modes is correct for the exposure triangle other than in extreme situations where in film terms reciprocity failure might have occurred, or in digital terms noise would become a problem. With landscape shots the aperture is always going to be important for depth of field in single shot compositions, keeping the lens in its sweet spot, or if seeking the starburst effect stopping the lens right down. The aperture is equally important for portraits requiring a nicely out of focus background. Shutter priority for things that move is vital, and for that reason any camera in my bag is set to that mode in case a grab shot presents itself. Photography ever dynamic and our job is to "help" the camera.

[@sergekronz]

I have recently purchased a Sony A7R4A with 61MP and it's the best camera I had, cropping is one thing but the detail on the shots is amazing. One negative I seem to have is more noise to battle against

[@AndyBanner]

Nice to see you here, Serge. Noise is quite a common issue when you pile more pixels into the same physical space. Another thing that people tend to ignore is that the more resolution you're capturing, the better your optics need to be.

[@kluntjeknieper]

It's always a pleasure to watch your enthusiasm and patience in teaching how simple photography can be if someone keeps the eyes open and have a look around. What I like especially is that you debunk the fairytale MFT is unusable for any good pictures that are not wildlife or macro - best regards from North-western Germany 🙂

[@AndyBanner]

Thank you. It's interesting that you mention the great m4/3 "issue" as I don't believe I have ever really gotten into this debate on the channel. I just quietly plug away with a body that was released in 2016. Whilst it was somewhat groundbreaking then, that was nine years ago. However, the point is that very few people really need anything "better". There's a constant debate in certain circles about how M4/3 has had its day (and some argue it never did). You might as well be arguing that cars are better than motor cycles and that because there's more cars, m-cycles must be rubbish. A better analogy is perhaps that ships are better than trucks because they can carry more goods further distances and if all you ever measured ships vs trucks in was distance and volume you would come to that uneducated belief that ships were so much better than trucks... Often what these "debates" boil.down to is people's ability to think properly whilst being aware of their own biases and cognitive dissonance.

[@sharkusZ]

Thank you Andrew. Wishing you a good year.

[@AndyBanner]

Thank you. You too.

[@digitaliphotography]

Well said, Andy. All valid comments, and no bs. Lets hope some new photogs see this and take note.

[@AndyBanner]

I hope so too.

[@davidmill7289]

Great shout Andrew and good advice as always. There’s a trainer out there (won’t give any names) who always insists to learn in manual mode. However I’ve always found aperture priority coupled with a minimum shutter speed and designated ISO range to be far more flexible, using exposure compensation as required. Each to their own but don’t preach that only one way is best. Experiment I say until you find your preference.

[@AndyBanner]

Learning to shoot in manual shouldn't be at all hard if you understand exposure and, of course, understanding exposure isn't that hard either. But driving instructors don't teach you how the automatic gearbox works...

[@bennielaars]

I recognize BS channels by looking at the list of videos and number of camera swaps over the last few years, you are genuine.

[@hartsphotography]

While not a novice i loved this video and the presentation, I wish id come across something like this when i was starting out.

[@flightographist]

Your field of view is what you make it.

[@turgs1]

So nice to hear some Honesty

[@walkingmanvideo9455]

Every self titled 'photographer ' on youtube is a professional guru in their opinion. Andrew, I agree 100%. Lots of tossers on the web claiming to be the know it alls!

[@dangilmore9724]

Truth. Ive been shooting professionally for nearly 40 years and I do not consider myself an "expert." The more I know, the more I know what I don't know. Any expert opinion is just that, an opinion. If ypu don't learn something new every day, you're not progressing.

[@paulk2257]

@@dangilmore9724 So true - and yet some of what I learn many days are little trips and tricks I pick up from these”gurus” on KZbin. To stop looking at their videos because some of them are full of themselves is a bit of cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[@AndyBanner]

That depends on just how much tosh you can suffer. If you have to sit through hours of garbage in hope of a nugget, you probably have too much time on your hands.

[@paulk2257]

@ I don’t agree. There are many bs photo videos but you can quickly identify them and ignore them in future. But there are some excellent presenters from whom you can learn. Even if it’s only a tip or two, it’s still good to hear their approach and admire their beautiful images. You can’t tar the whole community with one brush.

[@AndyBanner]

I am not trying to. The biggest culprits tend to be those making their way up the greasy YT pole. Those at the top are there because they are good at what they do and aren't pretending to be anything they are not.

[@johnniewelbornjr.8940]

This was priceless advice, for you're quite right: It's been an issue ever since the beginning of time, really... People accepting "advice" at face-value as "facts/rules". Seems we also encourage this lack of thinking for ourselves in society in this day and age. I've been shooting Olympus ever since the film days and I love my E-M1X, heavy "brick" though it may be, especially when I'm packing gear in and out of the badlands of western North Dakota. I've had more than a few scoff at my gear but that's just fine (my dad was the real pro and shooting models all of my adult life with Oly gear). I am aware of the limitations of my gear and did a lot of research before choosing to buy this setup a couple of years ago. I have always been one to experiment and the learning never really ends. Is all my gear necessary for new photographers or even for myself? Not at all... Much of it only simplifies my capture of compositions. It simply means I have more time to "see" compositions instead of just "snapshots" (I use my cameraphone for snapshots lol). The ability to "see" is far more important than how many programable function buttons one has... I always tell anyone new to photography to learn how to "see" the world around them. I shoot MOSTLY places that are not cliche shots, just to be away from those crowds and so I can shoot something that is off the beaten path that is different from everyone else (hopefully lol). Making a challenge with one's self to shoot something every day or every week, just to keep that practice in place, is often a great technique (sometimes I have to remind even myself when I begin feeling a creative rut settling in). Forgive my rambling! I enjoyed hearing this commentary today... Very refreshing, indeed. Too bad I didn't wait another year or so to buy my body, for now I can find them at half the price on the used sites and though they were introduced about 2019, they still hold their own quite well. Happy New Year and thanks for sharing these thoughts!

[@AndyBanner]

Hey, John, ramble away. I love reading people's comments.

[@haeskenhoff]

Very good teaching. I like your analytic thorough approach and of course the british dry humour.

[@ianwestwood2991]

Thanks Andrew. Where is the info about your holiday lets, and how one registers an interest in a workshop? Be interested in both. Thanks. So many traps that I fall into it would be good to get some re-setting!! Cheers.

[@MM.]

Based on my (informal) tests, it doesn't seem wise to go below 16MP when the final product is a DIN A4 or US letter print of a picture with fine detail. My inkling is that this format may actually be one of the most demanding, as with smaller sizes, lower camera resolution is rather obviously sufficient, whereas with larger sizes, one is bound to look at them from further afar and not notice IQ issues at the micro level unless it is an extremely detailed picture, e.g. a very busy and layered wide-angle shot which invites close inspection. With A4, however, lack of resolving power in fine detail is easily apparent when viewed at a reasonable distance (up to what I'd consider reading distance) and can make e.g. fine lines look worse than they do on a 1080p screen. The 10MP of one of my older cameras, the E-400, are very clearly not sufficient. Does this correspond to your experience?

[@AndyBanner]

In truth, I don't print many images, but from a purely mathematical standpoint, your about right I think. Of the millions of images captured every day, probably less than 1% are likely to be printed as opposed to about my guess of perhaps 90% of all negative film ever exposed.

[@kaywayneflor89]

Myself and another photographer was hired to take wedding photos. He had a Sony 7R V, I had the original Canon 6D. 90% of the photos the Bride shared on social media and printed to have placed in her photo album were mine.

[@AndyBanner]

Too few people are prepared to admit that a camera is merely a tool and it's the operator that makes photos. That's a pretty stupid situation to admit to unwittingly of course. I really don't care what people capture images on. I will judge an image on what I see on a screen or on paper, not on the exif data.

[@SimonBurnCreative]

Great video Andrew, we need more videos like this, that cut the BS and hyperbole. There is too much talk about gear on YT, not enough about the craft.

[@AndyBanner]

I agree fully.

[@jamesmlodynia8757]

I have been using Aperture priority for the 16 years that I have been involved in digital photography. For me Aperture is the very first thing I set depending upon the subject and the amount of Depth of field is need, next i set ISO depending upon the amount of light and subject, if it is a landscape photography is take into consideration will i be using a tripod or hand held and do i need every thing sharp or some motion shown. If it's wildlife i use a 100-400mm Fujifilm lens and I use a higher ISO. Lastly I use exposure compensation to make adjustments to exposure, shooting in this way I have been able to photograph a variety of subjects including events.

[@AndyBanner]

Obviously, we should all use our gear in a way that we're happy with. There's always more than one way to achieve an outcome and some ways are more optimised for different scenarios than others. Personally, if I need to consider the shutter speed more than depth of field, the camera is switched to Shutter Priority every time - it's what it's for. But the same result can be achieved using Aperture priority. It just might take more dial movement. It's much the same as someone using the menu system to cut and paste text rather than control x and control p. We tend to stick with what we are used to because change can be difficult to effect. ISO is only ever a consideration for me if I can't capture the image properly using the actual creative exposure settings of aperture and shutter. ISO is the only one of these settings that isn't a creative choice (working on the reasonable premise that you want the best quality image capture).

[@jamesmlodynia8757]

Very good video, a few minutes from my house is a public park that i walk my dog 🐕 each morning, once the winter breaks, i bring my Fujifilm XH2 and a 100-400mm Fujifilm lens, last year I photographed a female wood duck with 6 of her little fur balls in the creek that flows along the outer perimeter of the park, in past years i have phographed a mother deer with her fawns and one occasion i photograph a mother deer nursing two fawns along the bank of the creek, it pays to have a camera ready to capture special moments in nature.

[@jilljones-j6u]

Andrew i totally agree with your comments , where were all of these so called pros , before utube

[@therealbonj]

My problem with a lot of photography youtube videos are they're far too beginner-focussed. Why are there so many videos that assume viewers are all 'beginners'? And why do so many think they need to add yet more to them? Or even just too "instruction" focussed. I don't want to be _taught_ photography, or told what to do, or not do, I just like to watch people doing it.

[@AndyBanner]

I think that if you follow people like Tom Heaton, Nigel Danson, Henry Turner, Simon Booth and Simon Baxter, you'll get exactly that. Oh, and me obviously.

[@LeighKempPhotoArt]

Bravo!, a nice, common sense, down to earth video, that pretty much says it all.

[@d.idowuolutosin4250]

Excellent video. Every new photographer who comes to KZbin for “sage” advice should watch this video first. If you shoot a digital mirrorless camera, regardless the brand, 24MP is more than enough for every genre of photography especially if you’re an amateur photographer. For professional photographers there made be a need for more MPs because of cropping or printing needs but honestly, you can get away with a 16-18MP camera and the naked eye won’t really know the difference. I’ve standardised on 24MP cameras with only one camera over that amount and it’s my Leica M10-R which is a 40MP camera. My take is invest in great quality lenses regardless the brand of camera you use. Your lenses will make the difference in the quality of an image. Last but certainly not least, actually learn how to use the camera you have and stop chasing the dream of being the coolest person with the coolest and newest camera gear. I’ll leave it there.

[@AndyBanner]

Absolutely. You're bang on. It's not that there isn't an improvement when you increase the resolution, it's that the improvement gets more and more challenging to realise and appreciate depending on your level of skill and how you need to use the images.

[@Brewbug]

Great video, as so many of your videos are. I do beg to differ a bit about the zooming with feet argument. To be exact only changing your distance to the subject changes your perspective, and with that the ratio and angles between foreground and background. Zooming with the lens is just cropping with a change of depth of field, not perspective. Obviously both can fit different circumstances.

[@AndyBanner]

Zooming with a lens is very different from getting physically closer (zooming with your feet). It's not cropping at all but there seems to be a few people with this incorrect belief. Optical zooming compresses the image which as the effect of making far off objects seem closer to each other than they actually are. Someone else also said that optical zoom was merely cropping. It isn't and you can easily prove this to yourself in simple tests. The more extreme your focal length, the more pronounced the compression is. Very easy to detect it zooming between 300-600 mm. It took me a long while to appreciate the point and it smacked me a few years ago photographing two windmills that are about 500 yards apart. I was photographing from about a mile away with a 600mm and the mill that was further away was huge, way larger than it should be in comparison to the closer structure. This seems to be another misunderstood photographic situation that propagates.

[@colin-4794]

Great advice and timely commentary, an enjoyable video Andrew. 👍👏🏻

[@AndyBanner]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks, Colin.

[@reflux043]

At 2:24, that's not entirely true, you don't get the same control or photograph. With fujifilm, make sure you have "preview exp/wb in manual mode" switched on. If you go into one of the priority modes, the camera controls the exposure, and what you see on the screen isn't what you get. If you're in full manual mode, what you see is what you get. For example, go into a priority mode and shoot in low light, and the image on the screen will be bright, making you think you're exposure is correct, but when you view the photo after its taken, its dark. Switch off the priority modes and you take control of the aperture and shutter speed, and try shooting in low light again, adjust to get the correct exposure, and what you see on screen is exactly what you get. Try it out.

[@AndyBanner]

I am not a fuji user, so I can't test your point. However, the issue is not about wysiwyg, it's about the control. If you have ev adjustment control (and I doubt there's a modern digital camera that doesn't), you have the same level of exposure control in all modes and, as I pointed out the issue is whether you choose to exert that control. On the fuji point, I would be surprised if the display differences you highlighted cannot be adjusted in the menu settings.

[@haneyfrancis2780]

Thank you for a rare and honest video on photography. I will be watching your channel more often now

[@AndyBanner]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@svenndvergastein]

I have been photographing nature in Norway for over 20 years. I really needed your reminder. Thanks!

[@AndyBanner]

Wonderful! Thanks for your support

[@saraventura1333]

I so agree... When I first started there were these photographers literally saying what real photos were and later I found out that wasn't true ... Vivid Myer was my inspiration she never wanted to be published most people didn't even know she took pictures but after her death... That's the type of photographer I wanna be... Thanks for your video friend!!!!

[@GenX_in_the_wild]

Any tool or advise is useful if you know how to use it 😊

[@vali69]

I'm new to photography and have watched and read a limited amount of material. What I've learned tho is that megapixels are only good, or I guess a priority, if you're gonna crop heavily, like in sports, wildlife or landscape, or if you're doing some niche thing like food photography, or for large prints. Otherwise even 8mp from an old 1d mk2 are good enough cause in the end you're getting a picture that's slightly above 4k in resolution.

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, I think that's the reality. For some, it's a mark of status and they often treat it like a teenager getting in a sporty car and tear-arseing it around making themselves unpopular with their stereo and awful, inconsiderate driving. These cameras are there for anyone that wants to buy them but too few fully appreciate and utilise the benefits that the big sensors and high pixel counts offer. Obviously, I am not suggesting everyone is like this, but many are and the evangelists really love to preach, don't they?

[@vali69]

@@AndyBanner I'm guessing it's like with PCs where everyone wants to have the latest and fastest graphics card or cpu, basically spec chasing, even though I don't think many do benefit from these high specs. One thing I will say though is that these same people are the ones selling their old gear and upgrading and are thus the source for us the second or third hand buyers. Like down the line in 4 or 5 years I would for sure upgrade from whatever I buy now to a used but in good condition sony a7 mk3 or mk4. Which I have to say isn't the case for PC components for example, components older than 7 to 10 years are truly outdated performance wise, software wise you could get by with linux but new windows versions never like old hardware.

[@AndyBanner]

Of course, PC hardware also needs to have its software keep track of new security threats and such too. That in itself can create obsolescence.

[@vali69]

@@AndyBanner no not really, antivirus software is not something needed nowadays. Windows defender is plenty enough. Linux would be a superior platform for security but it'll be harder to use to non techies. You only really need to know what not to click on and stay safe on the web, which you could make an easier thing to deal with by installing filtering extensions like privacy badger on your browser and setting a specific dns like adguard, these things filter traffic and the dns is especially useful since you can set it on your router so you don't have to go into all your devices to set it there.

[@osvaldoverduzco3900]

I have never subscribed to the idea that s larger sensor is required to get good images and I certainly argued against the idea of “zooming with your feet.” In fact, it was a the 10x zoom of my first ever point and shoot that got me hooked! Now I use aps-c cameras, but only because my point and shoot camera was not capable of focusing fast enough to capture my my children performing indoors and in low light.

[@ampegor]

Thanks for a honest breath of fresh air in youtube photography content. I am a wildlife photographer mostly - some landscape. I do not subscribe to the super mega pixel hype. Some of the best lens for wildlife photography as tested by labs can only resolve at most 30MP on a full frame sensor and maybe 20 on a crop. Having more megapixels is just marketing. As an example canons ef 100-400 II a widely regarded lens according to dxomark can only resolve about 20 megapixels on a full frame sensor. why do we need more. Its just to sell cameras. Thanks again for talking truth. I will keep using my 12 year old 20 megapixal DSLR and getting great results the youtube crowd says cant be had - HA.

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, lots of people sucked into the numbers game are so unaware of this and, honestly, I think many of them would argue the facts anyway. You only hove to look at the political landscape in so many democracies to see how people's minds aren't for changing

[@davidgreenwood5442]

Hi Andrew I agree with your points raised on this video. My wife and I came to see you in Norfolk last summer we hope you're doing ok. We will be at link's again in summer.

[@AndyBanner]

Hi, David. Thanks for saying Hi. Yeah, I guess I am OK. Hope to see you later in the year.

[@tremaincheerful4189]

Excellent advice well explained. Down to earth with priorities straight. Thank you Andrew! Also, I say let your tunic weed out the small minded. Excelsior!

[@trevorronson676]

Great video Andrew. Good to hear some good advice being aired for once.

[@AndyBanner]

Thanks.

[@malcolmdillaway8274]

Enjoyed the video Andrew some very sound and good advice, I have stopped watching some channels for this very reason you discussed. Happy New Year

[@AndyBanner]

Thanks. Happy New Year to you too.

[@munmelenfrance6710]

Echo your comments. I have MFT, APSC and FF cameras and of course trusty IPhone Pro. They all get used at different times and honestly each one of them can produce absolutely fine images. It depends on how I’ve taken it as you rightly say and every so often they really tick the box! And you’re right, find the interesting around you.

[@kluntjeknieper]

1+ I add a careful "for different purposes" and/or ideas to be done. That's one important detail that is often misappropriated in discussions on camera-systems. At least it doesn't matter which camera, system or sensor. The thoughts on the "todays-project" before going out, (was it the previsualisation ?) are more important than the system or sensor size.

[@1010AllOne]

Hello Andrew, thanks for the video, as a newbie I can already understand what you’re saying as I’ve watched many many hours of YT videos during the last 6 months of 2024. May I ask which camera bag you were using there (3:45 in the video) as I’m looking for one and after trying several now I’m still looking. I’m not looking for a rucksack type, but something over the shoulder.

[@AndyBanner]

I tend to use the Peak Design Everyday backpack. I have both sizes though use the smaller 20l one mostly at the moment. They can be slung off of one shoulder for access on either side but are more designed as a backpack than a side sling. I would recommend Peak Design bags purely on their lifetime warranty which I can personally vouch for. I have had some very good reports from a friend and well-respected tuber - Rob Trek - on a KF sling. geni.us/kfsling - note this is an affiliate link. Peak design have incredibly good slings too.

[@1010AllOne]

@@AndyBanner appreciate the quick reply! 3min and 45 seconds in to the video there is a shot of you taking your camera out of a bag but it’s not your backpack.

[@AndyBanner]

It is my backpack. I have no other camera bag. The PD everyday backpacks have dual full side access and top access. There's no front or rear zippers.

[@1010AllOne]

@@AndyBanner okay, thanks for clarifying.

[@ihateunicorns867]

@@1010AllOne The Peak Design backpack is pretty good, but it doesn’t hold lenses securely enough for my liking. They tend to roll around a bit with their fold-up flap system. For transporting large amounts of gear on big jobs, ThinkTank are pretty good. But for everyday walking around, I don’t think you can beat a Billingham shoulder bag like a Hadley Pro.

[@ThatGuyKiwiwi]

What camera should I get? I want to get into photography

[@TexpatOTG]

Start with your smartphone.

[@AndyBanner]

Hmm, That's a bit like asking what are the Best Settings. Use you phone and don't spend any money until you have a good understanding of what kind of photography floats your boat and then buy a low-cost used camera and lens that fits your kind of photography - crucially, visit a camera store and HOLD the cameras you're considering. If you buy a camera you don't like holding, you won't want to use it.

[@kevinattig6689]

Don't worry about sensor size or mega pixels or how fancy a camera is. Learn about lighting and composition, if you do that you will begin to create great photos with what ever camera is in your hands.

[@flyingo]

Good points. I’ve been filming since the early 1960s - both stills and cinema. My issue with most KZbin photographers is the overwhelming emphasis being placed on what I think are meaningless, wasted photos of trees or landscapes. Of course there are fantastic images of nature created by the likes of Ansel Adams and so on, but.. set a group of photos, of landscapes or people’s faces, out for an audience and by far the attention given to the photos of people will be much greater than that given to photos of trees. So much expensive film is being “wasted” on irrelevant shots of things that never change rather than subjects that do. Recording history, one moment at a time, has been the main reason for photography since the invention of film. So in my opinion, put people and faces in photographs instead of trees and gas stations.. please.

[@AndyBanner]

Hmm. I am struggling to think of how to reply to your comment. Basically, what you're saying that only people change. Clearly, this isn't true. Woodlands change minute by minute. Landscapes too. I am not suggesting that you have to like them, we all have our preferences after all, but you're simply ignoring the fact that the sun moves across the sky and the direction and strength and colour of the light is in constant flux due to the weather which can diffuse it with clouds or make it very harsh without them. Clouds also cast shadows on the landscape and these can race in and out of your frame like a F1 car around a track. I am not in any way trying to change your opinion over two very specific and incredibly popular genres of photography. What I am trying to do is make you see how factually incorrect your opinion is.

[@davex2614]

I have a Nikon D80, a Nikon D7200, and a Nikon D750. Quite often I just go out with the D80 and I'm quite happy with the photos that I come home with.

[@AndyBanner]

I moved on from my D90 to micro4/3 some time ago. Great camera in its time as was the Fuji S2 Pro that it replaced. I still have both. The d90 is in a sorry state though.

[@plagueofkoalas]

I just watched a video by a popular Fuji youtube reviewer saying to focus better with the Voigtlander 23 f1.2 that you should focus wide open...then stop down. Reason being that the focus peaking with Voigtlander X mount lenses was different than the native Fuji lenses. He failed to mention that the CV 23 f1.2 has severe field curvature, even though he himself did a video about it with that lens. So his entire video about focusing better with it was completely wrong

[@MarkHarveyArt]

Bought myself a used Nikon D200 a short while ago and absolutely love it.. the ccd sensor is really great for its colour and my two lenses are enough. Of course I would like more kit, but it’s not the end of the world. The joy of physical control over digital menus makes my life sooo much easier. Don’t care if anyone thinks I am a fossil for using this old camera, it does what I need, so job done!

[@AndyBanner]

Use whatever kit you have, what you like and what you can afford. The only person that the gear matters to is you. For the rest of us seeing your images, the camera and lens is immaterial. We're interested only in the photograph you've produced.

[@Goat.Herder]

I shoot wildlife with a 42 & 60mp sensor because I crop a lot and don't want to lose much detail. On a 60mp and a 200-600 I don't need a Tele converter for extra reach as I can crop in and still have good detail. If I shot landscapes or street I'd probably just use a 24mp.

[@hfvhf987]

As an old hand that kind of learned the hard way a long time ago i can safely say this is some great advice here.

[@npdady]

Took me a long time to figure out what kind of images I like to make. I tried it all, and after 10 years or so, I figured I like taking family documentary photography. It doesn't matter how many birthday photos I took, I love looking at them each and every time I browse my albums. I don't care about my street photos or my landscapes at all these instagrammable places. I don't care about my astro photos. I have absolutely 0 care about my bug photos when I dabbled in macro. I guess my point is, it just takes a while to figure out one's genre of photography. Once you do, it's really enjoyable.

[@Strider1122]

I have a big question here, I don't know nothing about photography really I've watched videos and I'm reading some books but I was wondering if it was possible to film in a decent resolution the spots where I believe there are good shots simply video it and then afterwards when I go through the video take still frames from that video. Is that allowed It's a silly question Is that allowed... The reason why I'm asking is because when I use my mobile I've got a Samsung galaxy s23 plus and when I do video I can take still frames from the video and I don't miss a trick and I seem to get many shots that I wouldn't be able to get if I was actually snapping. Does that make any sense? And could I do the same thing with my camera I recently purchased a camera and I can take still shots but as I was saying I don't want to miss a shot so is videoing allowed and then take still frames from that video? Let's say I was filming where you are and there was that fork in the path kind of like too pathways to the unknown and you're taking it from the single pathway looking at that fork in the path that would be a good shot but would it be a crime to video it and then take stills from it I don't know how many times I have said that or how to explain it exactly but I find that it's a pretty good way of getting some shots. I apologise I've only just woke up and it is 5:00 a.m. so my words probably aren't getting across properly ADHD doesn't help either lol

[@AndyBanner]

I get what you're saying and, at base level it sounds perfectly reasonable. Sadly, when you drill down into how video works, the viability of this begins to fall apart. There are many factors, but let's start with resolution: The highest common video resolution is 4K and in megapixel terms, just 8.3. Sounds high, but it's not really. Yes, I know your phone can do 8K too, but look at the size of the sensor. It's tiny. To avoid motion blur, you need to be very steady and have a lot of light and whilst this has little effect on video, every still is likely to have some blur from movement. Then there's the colour depth and the fact that the video frame compression is going to seriously degrade the image. Again, a lot of this is can be unnoticeable in the video, but much more so in the stills. And that compression seriously impacts the editability of the still also. Basically, if you want to get a good photograph, take a photograph. If you want a good video, take a video. The two things appear to be much the same but their method of capture and storage are so different as to make each unsuitable for crossover. There will be lucky exceptions, obviously.

[@christianpetersen1782]

I’m only n enthusiastic photographer and I love having 40mpx because sometimes when reviewing my photos on the larger computer screen I see compositions I missed when taking the photo and can extensively crop if required. Maybe I should slow right down when taking photos to consider more composition options at the time.

[@AndyBanner]

Yes. The biggest advantage of a high mp camera for most users is the ability to crop and still have a lot of pixels to work with. In other words, you have salvageability. It's rather debatable as to how much (if at all) this leeway improves your ability as a photographer as you allude. One of my biggest bugbears is the "Straight out of camera" people... I'll be broaching that nugget sometime.

[@bewing77]

Depends on what you’re shooting of course. If you’re shooting landscapes you often, but not always have plenty of time to frame your shot, while in wildlife, or street you may just have a fraction of a second. There’s also the occasional situation wherw you want to frame a certain way but don’t have a long enough lens and can’t physically get closer where you may crop to get a closer frame. Or you want to avoid the longitudinal compression of the image a tele lens gives but still want to get a closer framing. Etc, etc. Point is, yes, there are uses for high pixel density, but it’s certainly not necessary to make good photos. I used a Nikon D700 for years, a full frame camera with 12 Megapixels. One of the best cameras I’ve owned and some of my best pictures ever were made with that body.

[@sbimages5408]

I think , understand how the exposure triangle relates to a camera then take loads and loads of photos, then print a lot , the good the bad and the wonderful, I found it really moved me on to handle and look at an image.

[@AndyBanner]

Printing certainly helps and if often overlooked these days. You need deep pockets though.

[@SpencersStuffTV]

My only argument for the megapixel argument is if I like to crop more into something and retain detail with that. There have been times I've gone back on my a7iv, saw a photo, hated most of it but a small area, cropped in, then found the image to be fine, but not optimal for detail. Good video overall

[@JesusChrist-xb7jq]

"More megapixels doesn't make better photos" may be true if you are shooting landscapes or portraits. But, if you are shooting wildlife (particularly birds) and have to crop your photos, more megapixels can absolutely be helpful.

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, there are a few situations where more resolution is better or where you're compensating for having a shorter focal length. Specialist situations require more specialist tools.

[@Yorci62]

To some extent I do agree. For me if shooting wildlife it is getting the right shutter and settings then I can get some amazing results with my 20 megapixels at A4 printing.

[@ihateunicorns867]

The ability to crop into images is a useful feature. People like Elliott Erwitt and Arnold Newman shot medium and large format for precisely this reason. The 60MP on the Leica Q3 enables multiple fields of view without needing to change lenses. It's really useful. You could argue it's a gimmick, but I use it for professional work all the time.

[@AndyBanner]

Indeed. I actually interviewed Elliot Erwitt once: long time ago. Knowing how to properly make the most out of a tool is the key to its benefits. For most people, Black and Decker is sufficient, for someone that needs the power and precision and can make the most of it they'll go for Festool.

[@user-pg5rt7ju4f]

@@ihateunicorns867 In Sept 1993 I ran into a younger Erwitt (a son?) working for the Daily News in the last Wigstock held in the East Village. I used OC flash (by cable to the detachable sensor in the hotshoe; deep shades under the summer trees) & a 16mm fisheye (portrait orientation, no AF) to shoot the costumed trans. 12x16 c-prints (from cut paper) were hand made the next day in a friend's lab. By mid Dec (having missed a 15-hr flight 6 days earlier; printing for my late friend, a forensic pathologist), I called it my last day in a darkroom. By 2010 it was all digital ; there's no return although I'm still keeping some film cameras & lenses. Having grown up on Agfachromes (more "affordable" for a kid) I DoNot RAW !! {Time is better spent shooting & on math.}

[@laplu1955]

Really enjoyed that Andrew, great advice thank you

[@AndyBanner]

Thanks for your ongoing support

[@michaellong9526]

Love your common sense , watching you I’m missing my sheepskin coat, it’s -25C today. Take care ,appreciate your channel.

[@AndyBanner]

I really didn't need that coat on during this trip. It looked very cold when I went out, but it wasn't in the end.

[@metalheadz07]

Great work mate love your videos how you explain things well done to you I live in Shropshire by the way

[@daviddaw999]

Plenty of great advice here, so thanks Andrew. I have always thought that anyone who says, 'Zoom with your feet' does not understand how their camera functions, and I am sure that little section on the leaf will help lots of your viewers. Incidentally, I like your aviator jacket - very smart.

[@mtbboy1993]

Zooming giwyh feet, even arms can help if one simply doesn't have the reach, but that's only to get a bit more reach on a flat surface where one can walk, but that's just basic knowledge, and common sense, but you are right you can't always do that, like in small area, also if shooting up at something you can't walk closer, as that changes the angle.

[@ihateunicorns867]

I tried zooming with my feet, but I just can't get a good enough grip on the zoom ring with my toes.

[@mtbboy1993]

@ihateunicorns867 😁

[@karlbrodowsky7744]

I love how you find interesting subjects in your vicinity, that is inspiring. You are mentioning Simon d'Entremont. What is funny, essentially he says similar things about general photography, like he presents what he is doing, but never tries to sell it as absolute truth, as far as its the artistic side of photography, neither does he suggest extremely expensive gear to start wildlife. Yeah, you don't start wildlife with a 24mm,... I don't want to waste my time on videos that suggest the choices of the maker as absolute truth, "the pro way"..., but on videos that provide inspiration and help me find and develop my own style. I'm not a "pro", its just a hobby.

[@AndyBanner]

Yes, I like Simon's approach to content creation. Not prescriptive but informative and very knowledgeable. I wish I was half as good as he is. Photography for me has been professional and hobby. I have made images for magazines and newspapers and for my own businesses in the past. Today, I run this channel and a couple of holiday cottages (yes, I photographed the holiday cottages too). I guess you could say I am semi pro, but it's all relative anyway. I have seen pros turn out borderline dross and hobbyists win international photo competitions. Talent, skill and a certain amount of luck is what we all need to achieve anything.

[@alantee1]

A good way to experiment with settings, and composition may be to use a manual lens {via adapter} on a digital camera. The histogram gives good feedback, peaking helps focusing, and the instant image view tells the whole story. If you start to get good {to your own mind} images the reward is instant and the knowledge will be retained.

[@PhilipBallGarry]

I went out yesterday with my old X-E1 and an adapted m42 Fujinon 35mm f/2.8. Sometimes, even seasoned photograpers need a re-grounding and it was extremely therapeutic. Focusing manually, choosing an appropriate aperture for the subject, I had a great time 😊. A useful tip when focusing manually is to do so as accurately as possible wide open. Once stopped down to the final aperture of choice, the chances of a sharp image with a vintage optic are even more likely.

[@AndyBanner]

Sometimes, you may find that focus peaking is linked to a lens and that old optics may not allow the camera to operate that feature. That's when camera skills really need to be learned. Often, changing your gear can have a significant impact on your work. Initially it's probably a negative impact, but the new skills you gain from it are invaluable.

[@michaelt1103]

Also, I have found focus peaking on my manual lenses to be slightly off when I have thin fields of focus, so I end up having to take three times the photos to ensure I get a sharp one. It still helps more than hurts, because it gives you a good starting point, but always check your photos to ensure you got the focus you wanted and don't be afraid to adjust around what the camera is claiming is the best focus.

[@andrewmartin8739]

With digital , you can afford to spend time using various auto and manual modes/ settings , it woukd have cost a bomb in film processing costs years ago. You don't need high megapixel sensors . Blimey I started by processing and printing my own film years ago , using a light meter and manual focus. Today's technology has taken all of that away. Great video

[@danthegeetarman]

Very good video. It is easy to get sucked into the KZbinr product- pushing videos, when the more important thing to do is just simply go out and shoot

[@BrianDunn-r1k]

Love this video. New or old photographers should just go out and shoot a few frames. The more pictures you take the sooner you'll find your "look" or "style." Find what works for you. I still shoot with a 18MP camera. The latest & greatest gear won't make me a better photographer. Cheers

[@AndyBanner]

Indeed it won't. The best it will do is encourage you to go out more.

[@gozoomdaddy]

Very good..Thanks for sharing !!

[@AndyBanner]

Thanks for your support.

[@kharodm1]

"Never use a tripod, I hate lugging these around" was the first bit of YT advice I was happy to dispense with, while I do often do my best to get the shot hand held... a tripod is hardly a heavy load these days and,... good lord... can it enable the right shots in tough conditions. I do rely considerably on my ability to crop, so the d850, from Nikon, while aged for a modern camera, provides ample forgiving resolution to readjust and fix my shortcomings.

[@AndyBanner]

Nowt wrong with cropping. Elliot Erwitt famously cropped. The d850 is a beast of a camera - I would have liked to be able to justify one some years ago.

[@paulbonge6617]

Indeed, the tripod is/is not essential gear, depends entirely on what you're seeking to achieve. Now, 50 years ago, expressing a desire to be a photographer like my father, I said one day when he came into the house from the darkroom, "I've been looking through Uncle Edward's 'Day Books" and his two sons, Cole and Brett are photographers, and I'm your son so I'm going to be a photographer." My father said, "Well ok then." Not long after that presumptuous statement, my father gave me one of his 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 Graflexes and mounted it on one of his large wood/brass/cast metal tripods he used with his larger view cameras with the instruction being that I was restricted to using the tripod for at least 50 exposures. He'd give me the first 10 sheets of film and then I'd have to buy the remaining 40 from him at cost. I wanted to use his fairly new 'seeing eye dog' Nikon F and he knew it. He taught me the fundamentals of using his back up Weston (not Edward) II light meter with the Edward Weston add on Zone System ring, which at the time was like some mysterious alchemical concoction steeped in lore, but later fully understood by me. I went out and crafted mostly banal images, but my father had told me that would be the case and the point of the exercise was to teach me to see, to instruct me in composition, (he didn't want to see images cluttered with unnecessary things within the frame, such as bottle caps, garden hoses, trash or other things unless they supported the composition) and he said, "I'll know whether you took the time to compose or not and that's why I am not letting you use my Nikon, so you don't just go out there pointing and shooting in youthful exuberance." All that came with many lessons in how a lens works, what focal length means, how shutter speed and aperture affect exposure, the difference in slow film versus faster films (low ASA/ISO and high ASA/ISO) and this instruction continued over years, including grain size, edge acutance, darkroom science film and paper developer recipes and the mystery of all those brown jars of chemicals became working knowledge in my young brain. Now to the question of zooming with your feet/legs! True enough today because of "Zoom" lenses, but those didn't really exist back then. On a camera with a prime lens, the only way, IS to "zoom with one's feet" or to attach a longer lens and still have to reposition yourself. Furthermore, the fixed focal length coupled with a tripod teaches one patience in crafting images, teaches seeing & composition because it requires you to deliberately maneuver, sometimes incrementally adjusting the position/height/tilt among other things until you achieve the composition that you find works and is pleasing. Once composed on a tripod it's FIXED without any fear of slight movement affecting the shot. I'm always amused when I hear that the tripod is such a burden to carry around. My GOD, what delicate flowers photographers have become, (I jest, this is me being funny) when a matter of grams and millimeters of size is so inconveniently encumbering the agility of modern image makers! Today's photographers operate in an era of unprecedented LUXURY myself included, and I'm glad for it! My first tripod with that Graflex was over 3' feet long with the legs retracted, weighed about 15 pounds, had large bronze collars and wingnuts to make leg adjustments, the legs would bind making adjustments an effort at times, and it was "head" heavy so carrying it and balancing it along with my gear bag holding 5 or six film sleeves and a changing bag to load and unload the sleeves, was problematic at best. I really don't have much sympathy for people that complain about an eighth of a kilo in tripod weight today. I love today's lightweight gear and cameras as much as the next person, but I wouldn't change a jot of how I came up in the craft. I happily trek about with tripod and gear, hour after hour to this day. Tripod or hand-held each have their place, and neither is intrinsically better than the other except as I've mentioned in learning the craft and instilling patience. Large format sheet film, View/Field cameras require a tripod, and we ALWAYS composed to ALL frame edges and any cropping was merely an incremental thing of millimeters most times.

[@blue5469]

This was the pep talk I needed

[@JezdziecBezNicka]

I mostly stopped watching "photography youtube", because rather than focusing on the art, youtubers are obsessed with gear - and keep trying to convince me that my m43 camera's sensor is somehow not good enough anymore. This is a nice change of pace.

[@AndyBanner]

Yeah, well I have rarely engaged with people who want to argue that m4/3 is in some way deficient. They are often the kind of person who would argue that Ford and a Bentley are fundamentally different modes of transport.

[@jerry2357]

I agree with most of what you say. But sometimes you don't want to focus on one thing, you want to tell a story by showing a wider picture. The background can be as much a part of the story as the main subject. I agree that the technique of stepping back and zooming in can be very useful if you want to reduce the effect of a distracting background. One thing that annoys me is people (e.g. camera club judges) who advocate strict adherence to the "rules of composition". If you visit art galleries, you will see paintings by great artists that completely ignore these rules (e.g. a painting by Degas at a racecourse where he puts the starting post right across the centre of the picture*). In fact, to improve your composition, I would advocate visiting art galleries (as well as those that exhibit photographs) when you have the chance. * The picture is "Jockeys Before the Race" at the Barber Institute in Birmingham.

[@66kandFrends]

Today I went out with my Rioch street camera on a old railway line walk in the snow and all my pictures were bad because although portable, I just wasn't feeling the focal length. However I spent 20 mins standing next to a complete stranger both of us holding our Yorkshire terriers watching a door mouse. I now know to bring back my 100-300mm m4/3 lens to that same spot because the stranger told me that each side of this path was a nature reserve and hawks live in it.

[@AndyBanner]

Hope the mouse says "hi" when you're next out near its home.