Let's see some great shots taken with old, cheap gear!

[RomainF]

So many of the great shots posted on this thread validate that old chestnut, "A good workman never blames his tools..."

That may be right but for a lot of things you definitely must get the best tools to get the most out of the event.
Was shooting at a live concert last week and i had to push the isos up to 4.000/5.000 to reach 1/80th at f/2.8. My AF was unable to focus properly and the quality at 4.000iso was execrable. I hated my 60D for the whole night. I had to spend hours working on the iso noise to get some proper shots... Hopefully, i sold a few of them but i know i've missed some great ones because of my camera...
As one said on the first pages, cheap gear is really good at shooting calm and steady things. Whenever you need tough specs, it can't handle the needs.

I may be one of the first to promote the use of obsolete gear.
I made the best shots of my life using my Canon 1D. The Mark I, from 2001 ! 4mpx of pure fury ;D ! I still use it daily. Because of it CCD sensor (other Canons use CMOS) it is a great "unlike" camera. Pictures feel really "film-like". Moreover, it costs about 200$ used and shoots 8fps...

Canon EOS1D Mk.I

Canon EOS 60D + 50mm 1.8
(i've seen some 60D shots, so i imagine i can add mine, even if it ain't really cheap or old...even though, today, it really ain't a good choice of camera)
[

Canon EOS 60D + old manual Nikon Ai-s 105mm f/2.5 (150$ lens : excellent one)

We can say that old cheap digital cameras are still great ones when used in "easy" conditions. On a sunny day, with lot of light, you can clearly get excellent quality shots. If i had to choose between my 2001 EOS 1D and my 2011 60D, i'd decidely get the 1D. But my agency want me to have a large-megapixel sensor and i regularly need a high-iso-capable sensor so i got the 60D, which was the only one i could afford at that time.

My friend (photojournalist too) works with a 1Dx and...a 5Dc he loves !

 

[Terry Rogers]

Here are a few shots from the completely useless Xsi.

 

[Hannes]

Canon Ixus 105 @5000m altitude

 

[rpt]

Canon Ixus 105 @5000m altitude

Wow! beautiful!

A question:
How were you able to locate and press the shutter?

 

[500d]

8)

 

[Drizzt321]

Perkeo I, 6x6cm 120 roll folder, Tri-X 400, scanned on Epson v600 with VueScan. Cost me $70 with shipping on ebay, fully working.

 

[dgatwood]

Canon XTi:

"Man in Motion"

Turtle dove. Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Near Assisi, Italy.

Pope Benedict XVI

St. Peter's Basilica (Rome, Italy)

Ponte Vecchio. Florence, Italy.

Central Park. NYC.

300D

The Smell of Defeat

Moonlight over the Amo (Florence, Italy)

Finally, if you want to bring your browser to its knees, view some of the panorama shots here:

http://www.gatwood.net/photos/Diocesan%20Choir%20of%20Monterey/2008-06-11%20-%202008-06-25:%20Italy%20Trip%20'08/Panoramas/

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Great thread, and a great reminder of the truth that it is the photographer who makes the image; not the gear!

Here's a few from a weak T1i and a forty year old SMC Takumar 28mm f/3.5:


Nature's Canvas by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr


Polar Blue by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

T1i and Super Takumar 35mm f/3.5


One Perfect Winter Day by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr


Winter's Yin and Yang - Explored January 10th, 2012 by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

Olympus Superzoom (550 UZ) - These are are from Israel


The Tourist (in Jerusalem) by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr


Next Year in Jerusalem - Explored November 27th, 2011 by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr


Sunset in Jerusalem by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

 

[AprilForever]

Canon Ixus 105 @5000m altitude

What mountain?

 

[dexstrose]

Here is one with my old trusty 10d in Paris and Spain last year.

 

[Damon]

My first Cam--Canon G2 (still works)
Promethia Moths Mating

 

[Damon]

Canon G2 again.

Using a P&S with useless zoom, one finds himself doing a lot of macro and pics of stuff that doesn't move.

It actually made me learn a great deal about macro work, which was cool.

 

[RGF]

Nice work

 

[JBeckwith]

For some reason I enjoy this picture and it was taken with an iPhone.


skyscraper2 by Joe Beckwith, on Flickr

 

[Barrfly]

Shot with my old 50D ( before it got swamped while kayaking ) and that old 70-300 zoom that goes for 150 bucks.

 

[lundstrom.emil]

Canon 300D

Beginning of next, Photographer Emil by imaginize.net, on Flickr


Epic, Photographer Emil, Chosen by Marko and Nicklas by imaginize.net, on Flickr

 

[Timothy_Bruce]

old 350D with an even older dismantled Pancolar 50mm 1.8 that was fitted as a tilt lens with some duct tape.

 

[Portrait_Moments_Photogra]

Canon Digital Rebel 300D

80mm (70-300 EF non-IS version) @ f10

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Here's one with one of my favorite vintage lenses, the SMC Takumar 55mm f/1.8 M42 lens. This was a kit lens with a lot of Spotmatic cameras back in the day. It is a tiny little thing, but it's optics and color rendering are not vintage at all - it is a sharp, contrasty, and has great color. Best of all, it works flawlessly on modern FF bodies with no mirror hang. Because of it I actually ditched my EF 50mm f/1.4 (I don't shot 50mm a ton, and between this vintage glass and my Tamron 24-70 VC I have 50mm covered nicely).

 

[Portrait_Moments_Photogra]

Hello Dustin,

beautiful indeed.

I have the Mamiya 1.4 on M42 mount with the same 55mm FL.

I wonder if they share a common optical design
- they kind of look the same as well -

any thoughts between the two would be greatly appreciated.

Here's one with one of my favorite vintage lenses, the SMC Takumar 55mm f/1.8 M42 lens. This was a kit lens with a lot of Spotmatic cameras back in the day. It is a tiny little thing, but it's optics and color rendering are not vintage at all - it is a sharp, contrasty, and has great color. Best of all, it works flawlessly on modern FF bodies with no mirror hang. Because of it I actually ditched my EF 50mm f/1.4 (I don't shot 50mm a ton, and between this vintage glass and my Tamron 24-70 VC I have 50mm covered nicely).