What real Pros shoot...

[Zlatko]

By pros you mean pro photo-journalists.

I'm surprised how popular the 16-35 is with them compared to the 24-70.

Interesting that the 2 most popular lenses are the 16-35 and 70-200. My guess is that they are the most useful for storytelling, and make an efficient combination together.

AprilForever asked who makes a 16mm prime. No one is using a 16mm prime for photojournalism. They are using the 16mm end of the 16-35mm zoom.

 

[Kernuak]

A while back there was an article about shooting the olympics and the planning involved (I can't remember if it was in a magazine or online). The agency in question (it may even have been Reuters, I can't remember) had different photographers covering different aspects, some were covering the long shots (hence the 70-200 of course), but some were covering the wideangle shots, including some at the water jumps on the steeplechases, which probably explains the use of the 16-35. There were also some more artistic shots taken from the trackside, including panning shots.

 

[Zlatko]

Interesting...anyone know why ISO 200 is the most used?

At a guess, perhaps because many people have highlight tone priority turned on, and that results in ISO 200 being the lowest setting.

That is a good guess as ISO 200 is day time setting and highlight tone priority gives a bit more dynamic range in day light, without much added noise. I think that anyone who "wished he had a D800 for that shot" would have gotten a D800. But the D800 was next to last in popularity, just ahead of the Sony Cybershot DSC H5.

 

[Deleted member 42026]

Pictures like those prove I still have a lot to learn. Or access to get! Lol. - both. Great work huh?

No surprises the 16-35 is so popular. That lens is a photojournalists basic kit, that and a 70-200.

I do wonder why f2 isn't very popular. I presume because the 2 basic lenses I just said don't have f2? Not saying some dont use primes though.

 

[Zlatko]

I just found this graphs of what gear pros are shooting. By pros I means the ones who contributed their picture to the list of the best Reuters photos of the last year.
Also interesting to see what settings they are using.

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1A9U6JVLnh0cCeWzabq03buSY26MA0CvYYJ68WquT7YM

The real world of photojournalism is in such stark contrast to the online world of camera forums. There are online forums where people try to convince everyone that Canon makes crappy crippled overpriced cameras with lousy everything, outclassed in every way by this or that new Nikon or Sony. Meanwhile real photographers are choosing and using those same "crappy" cameras to do some outstanding work under often difficult circumstances.

 

[dirtcastle]

Great shots!!

When I first heard that photojournalists were using 16-35mm, I was surprised like most. But I totally get it now. If you've absolutely GOT to get the shot, and you're within 2-5 meters of your subject... wide gets the story.

What I want to know is....

With the 16-35mm zoom, what focal length are they most commonly using: 16mm? 24mm? or 35mm?"

From the chart—if we assume that the 16-35mm got mixed into the chart—it looks like either 16mm or 24mm, but it's hard to know how much of that 24mm slice is from 24mm primes.

 

[Zlatko]

The real world of photojournalism is in such stark contrast to the online world. There are online forums where people try to convince everyone that Canon makes crappy crippled overpriced cameras with lousy everything, outclassed in every way by this or that new Nikon or Sony. Meanwhile real photographers are choosing and using those same "crappy" cameras to do some outstanding work under often difficult circumstances.

Is photojournalism the only "reality" out there? Or are there other professional/respectable photographers out there who might choose differently?

Does the choices made by current photojournalists reflect the objectively "best" tools out there, or are they biased by kick-backs, free samples, the legacy of owning a full set of lenses, or having spent 20 years learning the system?

There is not doubt that professionals make great pictures using Canon, Nikon, Sony,... whatever gear. This only tells us that it is possible. Not much about what would happen to _my_ images if I chose a particular piece of gear. I am not a pro. Never will be. I just enjoy taking images. If some tool will help me make pictures that I am more pleased with, I am all for it, no matter what the pros use.

-h

Obviously, I wasn't saying that. I wasn't talking about objectively "best" tools for every photographic task or every photographer out there. I wasn't even saying Canon is "best". I was making a contrast between the very harsh criticism that Canon gets in some online forums (for bad sensors, bad autofocus, bad everything), often from people who are anonymous and in non-photographic fields, and the work that photojournalists do — people who depend on these cameras for their bread every day.

No doubt the camera business has kick-backs, free samples, etc., but that works across brands. I don't know what deals Canon has with any photojournalists, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be using Canon if the cameras & lenses weren't helping to get the job done, get published, win awards, etc. Which is not to say another brand couldn't get the job done. But it is in contrast to the bashing that Canon gets online.

Photojournalists do "vote with their feet" to some extent, despite the legacy of owning a set of lenses, such as in the late 1980's when Canon offered autofocus and Nikon didn't, or the early 2000's, when Canon offered full-frame and good high ISO performance and Nikon didn't. Likewise, many who switched to Canon went back to Nikon once Nikon got up to speed with autofocus, or later with full-frame and high ISO. A legacy of lenses is quickly replaced and a new system is quickly learned when it becomes important to the work at hand. A legacy of lenses may consist of only a few key lenses anyway, and eBay is a quick way to find a new home for them.

 

[Zlatko]

Great shots!!

When I first heard that photojournalists were using 16-35mm, I was surprised like most. But I totally get it now. If you've absolutely GOT to get the shot, and you're within 2-5 meters of your subject... wide gets the story.

What I want to know is....

With the 16-35mm zoom, what focal length are they most commonly using: 16mm? 24mm? or 35mm?"

From the chart—if we assume that the 16-35mm got mixed into the chart—it looks like either 16mm or 24mm, but it's hard to know how much of that 24mm slice is from 24mm primes.

I think the point of using that lens is that the whole wide angle range is useful for story telling pictures. "Wide gets the story" is right because a wide lens is all about setting, environment, context, etc.

 

[And-Rew]

Some great shots that really do make you gasp, cry or smile.

A professional photographer, whether it be a photo journalist, portrait or wedding tog, fashion tog - is only some one who uses photography to make money - as simple as.

When you read into the pro togs and what they use, you often find 'why' they use the kit they have as well.
Why was was the 5D2 so popular? 1Ds3 at half the price - that's just good business sense!

 

[Jesse]

Clearly IQ isn't the most important thing in photojournalism. It's all about capturing stories. Canon is great for this because of the speed and ergonomics. Some of those pictures aren't the greatest compositionally, creatively, etc, but they tell a story. Obviously stats from say studio photographers are going to be totally different.

Pretty obvious stuff, and I don't even know anything.

 

[gmrza]

Clearly IQ isn't the most important thing in photojournalism. It's all about capturing stories. Canon is great for this because of the speed and ergonomics. Some of those pictures aren't the greatest compositionally, creatively, etc, but they tell a story. Obviously stats from say studio photographers are going to be totally different.

Pretty obvious stuff, and I don't even know anything.

Even if that is a valid point, Nikon seems dramatically under-represented in the stats. There must be some other reason for that. If the photos are largely shot by Reuters staff togs, that may be due to a business relationship between Reuters and Canon. If you think purely of large sports events - there are not that dramatically more big white lenses than black ones in the photos that circulate the web.

 

[Quasimodo]

Just to play devils advocate here. The most used knives in the world of professional chefs are Victorinox, and that has not much to do with excellence in steel or sharpness. It has to do with the fact that Victorinox has been very successful in pushing out knives set (suitcases with basic, intermidiate, and advanced sets) to pretty much cooking students all over They can get away with a basic suitcase for the same price as two Kai Shun knives...

 

[sleepnever]

I'm really surprised at the use of f/2.8 out of everything there. I thought for sure f/4 would be the most prominent.

 

[Zlatko]

Just to play devils advocate here. The most used knives in the world of professional chefs are Victorinox, and that has not much to do with excellence in steel or sharpness. It has to do with the fact that Victorinox has been very successful in pushing out knives set (suitcases with basic, intermidiate, and advanced sets) to pretty much cooking students all over They can get away with a basic suitcase for the same price as two Kai Shun knives...

That's a fair point. Popularity doesn't prove superiority. Indeed, I think most photographers could quickly adapt to systems from any of the major camera makers and produce equally good work. Likewise, the work doesn't prove superiority, as the Nikon and Canon pictures in the set are of equal quality.

However, I'm not sure how far your knife analogy extends to the camera world. I'm not aware of Canon pushing out super-cheap gear to photography students. There may well be a deal between them and Reuters, though clearly some of the photographers are still shooting other brands notwithstanding any such deal.

I am aware of huge student discounts offered by Adobe on their software. At the same time, many professionals would buy Adobe's Photoshop and Lightroom without ever having received a student discount.

 

[bycostello]

its not the camera that makes the difference it is the guy pressing the button

 

[gmrza]

Just to play devils advocate here. The most used knives in the world of professional chefs are Victorinox, and that has not much to do with excellence in steel or sharpness. It has to do with the fact that Victorinox has been very successful in pushing out knives set (suitcases with basic, intermidiate, and advanced sets) to pretty much cooking students all over They can get away with a basic suitcase for the same price as two Kai Shun knives...

That is why I am wondering if the preponderance of Canon in the stats is due to a commercial arrangement between Reuters and Canon. For instance, does Reuters have an arrangement with Canon, which gives Reuters staff access to preferential pricing from Canon?

 

[Area256]

Clearly IQ isn't the most important thing in photojournalism. It's all about capturing stories. Canon is great for this because of the speed and ergonomics. Some of those pictures aren't the greatest compositionally, creatively, etc, but they tell a story. Obviously stats from say studio photographers are going to be totally different.

Pretty obvious stuff, and I don't even know anything.

Even if that is a valid point, Nikon seems dramatically under-represented in the stats. There must be some other reason for that. If the photos are largely shot by Reuters staff togs, that may be due to a business relationship between Reuters and Canon. If you think purely of large sports events - there are not that dramatically more big white lenses than black ones in the photos that circulate the web.

Yeah I suspect there must be a business deal between Canon and Reuters. There was a time when pro sports shooters were almost all Canon for their superior auto focus (that's one of the reasons Canon became the world leader in photography). However the difference is marginal at best now days, and I would expect too see more Nikon in that list.

 

[Area256]

Interesting that the 2 most popular lenses are the 16-35 and 70-200. My guess is that they are the most useful for storytelling, and make an efficient combination together.

Most of the photojournalists and wedding photographers I know/have seen work use the 16-35mm and the 70-200 combo. I think it's largely because 40-65mm tends to be a kind of boring range. It's the normal range that we are all used to seeing. 16-35mm is great for capturing a subject and their environment, and 70-200mm is great for subject isolation (and getting closer when you physically can't). It's the combo I would choose to shoot with if I did photojournalism.

 

[AdamJ]

Just to play devils advocate here. The most used knives in the world of professional chefs are Victorinox, and that has not much to do with excellence in steel or sharpness. It has to do with the fact that Victorinox has been very successful in pushing out knives set (suitcases with basic, intermidiate, and advanced sets) to pretty much cooking students all over They can get away with a basic suitcase for the same price as two Kai Shun knives...

That is why I am wondering if the preponderance of Canon in the stats is due to a commercial arrangement between Reuters and Canon. For instance, does Reuters have an arrangement with Canon, which gives Reuters staff access to preferential pricing from Canon?

It's my understanding that Reuters' tool of trade, supplied to and used by their staff photographers, is Canon.

 

[serendipidy]

It's my understanding that Reuters' tool of trade, supplied to and used by their staff photographers, is Canon.

"The problem with quotations found on the internet is that they're rarely accurate." ~ Winston Churchill, 1941

;D Hilarious...I finally noticed the author and date of the quote..LOL