A few photo equipment reviews & advice

One of the better pics I took during our honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta

Lately, I've had a few friends say to me, "I'm getting into photography - what equipment should I buy?" I humbly tell them that I'm anything but a professional photographer or photography expert, but I've owned a number of printers, scanners and digital cameras, so I do bring some knowledge to the table.

When it comes to being serious or even semi-serious about photography (aside from getting a camera, obviously, and I'll get to cameras in a bit), having a good printer is a must. I like the use the stereo system analogy when it comes to having a good photo printer - you can buy a $3,000 stereo system, but if you skimp on the speakers, you just blew three grand on a stereo which you will never be able to truly listen to and appreciate. Just like building a good stereo system starts with the speakers, so it goes with having a good photography set up. You can own a 15 megapixel, top-of-the-line camera, but if you're printing on a sub par printer, it won't make a difference.

I've owned two Canon photo printers - I started with the S9000, Canon's original wide-format, 13" x 19" photo-capable printer. It was a thing of beauty, and I'll never forget how I came to know about this printer - a review in the New York Times entitled, Picasso, your prints are ready. But, the S9000 had a few drawbacks - its 13 x 19 prints were not borderless, and it went through ink like the town drunk through tequila. Next came the i9100, which had some notable improvements (which I did not own), and then the i9900, which I now own.

In short, the i9900 is one dynamite printer, and for most amateur photographers, this beast is more than enough to fit the bill. I'm NOT being critical of the printer, but I've observed a few drawbacks that I personally don't like, which I'll hit first, and then I'll cover the many positives, which far outweigh the negatives. (By the way, I link it to Amazon, because the i9900 was just discontinued by Canon late last year - more on that later.)

My biggest complaint is that the i9900 does not print 8" x 10" borderless prints. I have no clue why a company as bright, cutting edge and consumer conscious as Canon is yet to catch on to the fact that most Americans want 8 x 10 prints, buy 8 x 10 frames, etc. I would venture to guess that very few of us want 8 1/2" x 11" prints, and even fewer enjoy cropping them down to 8 x 10. Cropping every print down to 8 x 10 size annoying, but I can live with it.

My two other complaints are smaller in comparison, and I'm getting another printer to meet these needs anyway: 1. The i9900 doesn't excel producing black and white prints. Yes, you can alter and tinker a B&W file in Photoshop to get a halfway decent print, but that's not good enough if you're selling a print or giving one as a present. Plus, you'll go through a lot of ink and paper trying to get it right. 2. The i9900 is also not nearly as friendly as it should be toward other brand name papers, specifically thicker, fine art papers. And it's not cordial toward other, comparable mass produced papers, either, such as Kodak or HP glossy papers. I've had bad luck with both in this printer, so I decided to just stick with the Canon papers, which I have tremendous luck with. To be fair, Canon doesn't give you a reason to seek out another paper brand in most situations, their paper products are that good. Plus, Canon has announced more paper selections to come in the near future, including some fine art selections. I'm looking forward to using experimenting with them.

Okay, those minor complaints aside, the Canon i9900 is a thing of beauty and I would recommend it to just about anyone. If anything, I would recommend it more so now than I would have months ago, because it was just discontinued to make way for the two new printers that Canon is rolling out - the PIXMA Pro9500, Pro9000 and imagePROGRAF iPF5000 printers. These newer, expensive models are quite nice, but do more than what the average photographer needs.

The i9900 is incredibly ink efficient, due in part to eight individual ink tanks. Canon was the first company to mass produce a printer with individual ink tanks in its photo printers - all of the others quickly followed.

The resolution on the i9900 is gaudy by most amateur standards (4,800 x 2,400 dpi), and it produces photo lab quality color prints - I defy most people to be able to tell the difference between the two - I know I can't without a high-powered lupe and some nitpicking.

Canon's i9900 is also quick and quiet, for the most part - except when it originally takes in a sheet to print, when it sounds like a small car crash, but I can certainly live with it. It's USB 2.0 and Firewire compatible, so you won't sit at your desk waiting and waiting for the print to start.

Best of all, the i9900's coming down in price, because of the aforementioned new Canon PIXMA printers being rolled out. So, you'll be able to pick up an i9900 considerably cheaper as a new leftover or in very good condition on eBay as owners upgrade to the newer models.

Personally, I foresee owning the i9900 into the foreseeable future. It only gets used for photo printing; anyone who buys this printer to run pages of text through it is foolish. Rumors (see Amazon) about print heads clogging and ink cartridges cracking/leaking are completely unfounded in my experience, and I've probably run between 5,000 and 6,000 prints through both 9000 series Canon printers I've owned.

When I launch my photography site later this year, I will be moving to a pigment-ink based printer - they are much better at black and white prints, and the archival quality is much, much longer, and that will be critical in my case. If I'm selling a print, I don't want it fading in even 15 years. However, the Canon ink used in the i9900 has gotten a bum rap on some testing Websites - I've read reports that its archival quality has tested as low as 5-6 years. I ain't buyin' it - I still have prints from my original Canon photo printer, printed some five years ago, and I'd have to scrutinize it to find any fading or difference, if I could find any at all.

Just one more thought on printing, and I'll move on to a few other pieces of equipment of choice. I've read many editorials which opine that printing photos is passé. I don't share that opinion. I still hang prints on the wall, I still keep up with my photo albums (or try to) and there's something to be said for being able to show someone your photo album in lieu of staring at a computer screen to check out some of your friend's prints. Don't we stare at computer screens enough? Plus, what about hanging prints? It's safe to say we are hundreds of years away from about 20 mini-computer screens being hung around houses to display pictures.

If you're looking for a quality photo printer, you cannot go wrong, ever, by picking a Canon printer. There are many, many affordable models available. If you don't want to capability to print super-wide photos like the printer I just described, there are comparable models that do just as good of a job as the i9900, but don't print as big a print. Check out Canon's Website for the latest models, but DON'T buy directly from Canon, unless you enjoy paying full MSRP. And, read reviews! A few great sites to start - DP Review (an excellent site!), Shutterbug Magazine, Popular Photography and Imaging and also CNET. (Read a CNET review of the i9900 Here.)

Another piece of equipment that I find very useful is a scanner. Their importance is diminishing as more and more people move away from film, but they will stick around for a while. They do come in handy for scanning in photos and also negatives and slides. The great news, as with printers, is that the price of scanners has decreased dramatically in recent years.

I'm on my third Canon scanner, the Canoscan 9950F. It's a wonderful scanner, and the last one I will be purchasing for a long time, because it more than meets my needs at 4800 x 9600 dpi color resolution (max.) and 48-bit color depth for over 281 trillion possible colors. Um, YEA, that meets my needs.

I do scan in lots of files, both slides and prints, and it's very handy for that. Something else I find the scanner handy for is using it as a copier - scan in a page, and out the printer it comes. That's very convenient, and it gets lots of use that way.

I can't recommend CanoScan scanners enough, and if you're not looking for one that scans negatives or slides, you can get yourself into a CanoScan for under $100 quite easily.

As far as cameras go, right now I own a Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR. It's my 9th Canon camera overall, and my 8th Canon SLR. I've never had one problem with any of my Canon cameras, ever. Not one. I have a tendency to be brand loyal (can you tell yet?!?), and since my Dad started me out with a Canon, I've remained loyal. Since I've never had a problem, why switch?

I will write a comprehensive review of the 5D once I get to know it better, but to date I haven't had a whole lot of time to get it out into the field extensively, but '07 indeed promises to be a very busy photography year for me, so when I'm better qualified to write a review, I'll bring it to you.

I find it inconvenient, impractical and unsafe to take my EOS camera to some places, but I never want to miss a photo opportunity. That's where my new point-and-shoot Hewlett-Packard Photosmart R967 comes in quite handy. This is another new purchase - I bought it the day after Christmas. I've used it some, but not enough to write an extensive review, but that's coming soon, too.

I was a bit skittish about buying an HP camera - as I've previously blogged, it's the first non-Canon camera I've ever bought, but so far, so good. (My Dad, about 15 years ago, bought me a point-and-shoot Yashica film camera, but the camera was short lived. My Yashica is the only camera I've ever dropped, and the first one I'd ever had stolen [DON'T ask me about the second one!]. I took solace in the fact that the unwitting criminal stole a camera that was most decidedly broken, probably beyond repair.) For you curious readers, Yashica cameras are no longer manufactured as of 2005.

Anyway, a few other recommendations:

What bags are best to carry your photo equipment? I've always owned Lowe Pro bags - they are awesome, durable, and will last you a lifetime if you take care of them. They are built to take the punishment, wear and tear that virtually any photographer can dish out. My in-laws got me an awesome camera bag last Christmas, a Lowe Pro Magnum (above). I've often said it's probably the last camera bag I ever own, and I mean it. It holds everything and more. If I ever buy another one, it will only be because I'll have acquired additional equipment that needs to be transported, but it will always be my primary photo bag. Take a look at the Magnum's details Here.

Anyway, I own/have owned nine different Lowe Pro products (currently have five; four smaller ones to hold smaller photography items and electronic gadgets), and I've never been disappointed, ever. I've never worn out a Lowe Pro product; just outgrown it. And they are reasonably priced if you shop around.

As for tripods, I'm on my second Bogen Manfrotto, and you will NOT find a better support, anywhere. (I also own the Manfrotto monopod pictured here.) Yes, there are comparable models out there like Slik and Gitzo, and they are great as well, but you know by now I stick with what works, and a Manfrotto is like hitting the Manlotto - I've never had a problem or complaint about one I've owned..

If you're a serious photographer, get a ball head with whatever tripod you choose, and you will NOT be sorry. The extra dough will sock you, but you'll never regret paying the extra few dollars.

Lastly, where should you buy photo products? That depends on what you're buying and how quickly you want/need it. My best advice is to shop around. If you have plenty of time and have the patience, you can do quite well surfing the Websites. Amazon, Buy.com and Half.com will often have pretty good deals on stuff. Photo.net also has a good Where-to-Buy section, and it details some customer horror stories and bad experiences from some people who have ordered from New York (B&H and Adorama seem to fare well on this site, BTW.)

If you're looking for a point-and-shoot, as many photographers are these days, you can't go wrong with a big box retailer like Best Buy. For Godsakes, PLEASE don't buy from Circuit City. Someday I will get around to typing up my boycott list on here, but let's just say those Circuit City morons AREN'T Just What I Needed.

I love ordering from New York and have had nothing but good experiences from Adorama and B&H Photo. I've spent thousands over the years from both places, and I'm yet to have a bad experience. *Knocking on Wood* Adorama has just about any photo gadget that you are looking for, and B&H, too; the latter stocks an extensive line of darkroom equipment. Often, when one is back ordered on an item, I'll simply order from the other.

If you live within driving distance of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Dan's Camera City is the Mecca of local camera stores. I flat out love the place, and have purchased a great deal of equipment with them over the years. Dan's offers you something that the New York stores often don't - friendly advice! I mean that - when a Dan's employee is helping you, you're the #1 priority and he/she will take his/her time with you, offer you lots of advice, and you won't be steered wrong by. The only downside is price - Dan's can't possibly compete with the New York stores on most things out of sheer volume, but you would be surprised. When making a big purchase, most of the time I will check Dan's, because if Dan's is close in price to others, I'd much rather give the business to a local store. Plus, I get to take it home that day, and I know exactly what I'm getting product-wise when I walk out the store - no unpleasant surprises when I open up the UPS box.

Anyway, that's my advice for starting out in photography, for those of you who have been asking me. I know it's not all inclusive, but hopefully this is a good start. I'm always happy to help out with any advice though, so feel free to ask me anytime. I love to see friends and family get into photography, and I'm happy to bring someone into the fold of the greatest hobby on Earth.