Everyone
has different definitions.
Even funnier, professional
cameras are more often owned by hobbyists than
by professional photographers!
People bicker
over shades of meaning of "professional,"
but the real issue is that they're each discussing different levels.
Professional means three different things when applied towards a
camera, an occupation or a person's behavior.
Cameras Used by Professional Photographers
PHOTO CREDITS : The Digital Picture.com
Professional
photographers photograph to make money.
They use
whatever cameras make them the most money. The less expensive
the camera, the better.
Today, with
digital cameras effectively being disposable as the technology
advances, I see loads of professional photographers using D70s and D50s to
shoot paying jobs.
A few thousand extra dollars not squandered on
a D3 keeps that money in their pockets.
Professional Cameras
My dad taught me that decades ago when
shopping for magnetic recording tape. All the crummy stuff was marked
"Professional Quality" and of course the good stuff didn't
have to be.
I define
a professional camera by its durability and utility. If
it says "professional," it probably isn't.
Durability
means a professional camera must not have plastic parts
that wear,
like plastic battery doors, plastic CF card doors, plastic
door catches, plastic filter threads, plastic rewind cranks or plastic
lens
mounts.
Professional
cameras must have utility. They have to be easy to use and
provide instant access to all adjustments.
Today that means
a professional camera must provide direct access at least to each
of exposure mode, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance and
quality settings.
Direct access means access via a single-function
button for each adjustment.
Access only by menu or by multi-function
button doesn't count.
Native Flash
sync speed has to be at least 1/250, ideally 1/500
or 1/1,000. Slow sync speeds make it difficult to get enough
flash range, and make it impossible to stop action.
Trick modes
like Nikon's FP mode don't count. See my Flash
sync page for details.
The camera
has to be part of a larger system with future compatibility and
expandability. The lenses must cover every possible need, today,
not tomorrow.
Oddly, professional
cameras are more often owned by professionals like physicians,
CPAs, engineers and lawyers than they are by photographers. Professional
photographers don't spend money if they don't have to - it's a
business. Photography
is not a profession, although many photographers
behave professionally.
Adapted from KenRockwell.com
