here<\/a> on Tuesday past. I replied briefly just before getting on the plane to Scotland but felt that his comments were so out of line that I would share them with you along with a more detailed response.<\/p>\nWhy some folks go out of their way to comment at length in a negative fashion without having a clue as to what they are talking about is beyond me. I love when stuff like this happens as it gives me a chance to set the record straight. I take notes like this as compliments that speak of the success that I have been blessed with over the past two decades. Success, I might add, that has come mainly not due to my possessing any great skills other than the desire to work hard and my determination to succeed after being told numerous times in the early 1990s that it would be impossible for me to make a decent living photographing birds….<\/p>\n
MC: Hi Artie, Firstly thanks for your time and the insight you provide on your blog.<\/p>\n
AM: YAW.<\/p>\n
MC: I was looking through the choices of gear that you are thinking of taking on your trip to Scotland recently. Artie it is a pretty self- indulgent list \u2013 3 of this and 2 of this oh by the way 2 Canon 1dDx\u2019s and 3 extenders etc., etc.<\/p>\n
AM: Self-indulgent makes no sense to me. My lenses are the tools of my trade. Cameras and teleconverters are among my most important tools. To go on a big international trip without proper back-ups at hand is just plain stupid. What you see as self-indulgent I see as sensible and prepared. <\/p>\n
MC: For the most of us this is just camera porn. Truly, how many photo pros in the world can really stroke their chin and think about such gear to take.<\/p>\n
AM: Many. Not to mention countless friends and clients who have as much or more gear than I do. <\/p>\n
MC: I know people like Greg de Toit, winner of the Wildlife Photographer of the year has no such choices nor do many other pros.<\/p>\n
AM: I am not at all of sure of what your point is. Perhaps your comment was meant to be insulting? Congrats to Greg; I have eight honored BBC images myself.
\nI have long espoused three things that are relevant here:<\/p>\n
1-folks should buy the best gear that they can afford.
\n2-It ain\u2019t the lens and it ain\u2019t the camera. It is the heart, soul, skill, and vision of the person holding the gear that matters.
\n3-Folks should spend more time studying and practicing with the gear that they own instead of worrying about buying the next great lens or camera body. <\/p>\n
MC: It is really time Artie for you to come clean and say what of your gear is free from Canon so we, as your reading public, can truly make our mind up about the potential bias in your judgments. <\/p>\n
AM: It is really time for you to come clean and apologize Mark as none of my gear is or ever has been “free from Canon.” I receive a small discount off the best retail prices–Canon calls it 10% off low dealer net–that ranging from about 8% to no more than 10% off. BTW, someone here is<\/em><\/strong> clearly biased.<\/p>\nMC: It is quite clear that Canon seem always to be slightly better than Nikon (surprise surprise).<\/p>\n
AM: It is not a big surprise that most folks feel that the big Canon lenses of recent years are quite excellent. It is very rare that I state that Canon is \u201cslightly better than Nikon\u201d but when it comes to comparing the current 200-400s for example, I really cannot help but state the facts: the Canon 2-4 with internal extender kills the Nikon 2-4 six ways to Sunday. <\/p>\n
MC: Yes, I have heard your reasoned opinion on this but however your reading audience would be glad to know if your gear is supplied free by Canon as is many Canon photographers. <\/p>\n
AM: Here, and there is no polite way to say this, but you are full of it. You should try getting your facts straight. As I noted above, none of my gear is given to me by Canon. None as in zero, zilch, nada. The hard-earned money that I use to buy all of my Canon gear comes out of my pocket. And with the possible exception of Art Wolfe many years ago, I know of no pros in the US who receive their gear free from Canon. And that story was an unconfirmed rumor. Art Wolfe is no longer an Explorer of Light; he left the program several years ago. <\/p>\n
MC: You see Artie when you enter the Canon is better than Nikon blog, as you have done in the past, re: lenses, we need to know that you are sponsored by Canon. <\/p>\n
AM: As an Explorer of Light, Canon has supported most of my speaking events for nearly two decades now. And I get paid nicely on occasion for various writing assignments. But as someone who is obviously late to the party, you have not realized that that fact has been revealed here and in my various books for years. <\/p>\n
MC: If you study history the first thing they teach you is to deduct bias and the reason for that bias. No matter how much you tell us you are objective, how can we believe this if you are, as I believe you are, supplied with free kit from Canon which might total what, 50-100,000 dollars. <\/p>\n
AM: Again Mark, you are totally full of it and I think that I forgot the \u201csh.\u201d Please let us know where do you come up with such drivel? And why on earth would you choose to pass along such stuff as fact? <\/p>\n
MC: I have gone to Africa a few times with one camera and two lenses, got some good snaps. <\/p>\n
AM: I applaud you. Trips to Africa are not cheap\u2026.<\/p>\n
MC: Your blog is fantastic, great insight and I have learnt a lot, but you really have got to read through some of it. <\/p>\n
AM: I am truly sorry that you have to work so hard to dig out the free information that I provide pretty much on a daily basis; you have my sincere apologies. <\/p>\n
MC: It can sound pretty materialist stuff, ever so slanted the Canon way and I think we are all a bit too old around the edges for that now.<\/p>\n
AM: Please speak for yourself. Over the years I have created a few dozen images at most with Nikon Digital gear. Though I rarely engage in the Canon\/Nikon wars, I must say that I was not impressed at all by the Dark Side stuff, that surely in part due to my familiarity with Canon camera bodies. I do comment regularly on the gear that I have used and depended on for more than 3 decades.<\/p>\n
MC: Please, please, keep it real regarding real world photographer\u2019s needs with real world photographers budgets paid for by themselves and please don\u2019t go in for Canon is better than Nikon crap.<\/p>\n
AM: Well, it surely seems that you know a lot about the crap business. Just for the record, there are 7 folks on the puffin trip. At least 4 of them own 600 IIs. And two of those folks also own the 200-400. That is my real world. Not to mention that everyone, no matter how humble their gear, can learn a ton just by looking at the captions for each image. <\/p>\n
MC: There is no need for a reply Artie. I am a follower of yours nothing more, but I really felt these points need to be made to ground some of this in reality.<\/p>\n
AM: Whatever. <\/p>\n
MC: Cheers mate.<\/p>\n
AM: If you do reply you might consider apologizing. If you have any more nasty stuff to pitch you will be spammed mate. Cheers yourself. artie<\/p>\n
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