Back into photography

On returning to photography

Rediscovering the past

Back in September, I talked about and launched a photos page on this website. My thinking was that I could talk about more than just development and mental health, and also showcase another side of my life.

For me, photography was a hobby that I'd mostly pushed aside. I say that, but I never stopped taking photographs when the opportunity arose. I did stop taking my pro camera with me much of the time though. The Nikon D750 isn't super-heavy, but you add in a weighty metal 80-200 lens (from the 1990's no less), a 24-70 lens, and a bunch of accessories, and you either need to take a big camera backpack, or you carry it in a side-bag which aches your shoulder. And don't even get me started on the size and weight of a Sigma 150-500mm (f/5.6-6.3) for wildlife.

Phone cameras also drastically improved from when I got the D750 (very early 2016) through to when I mostly stopped using it. Computational photography became a thing, so carrying a DSLR and lenses felt unnecessary. I'd argue it is most of the time. The lenses I used on the D750 were often mechanical drive - as in they have an actual screw at the back and a motor in the camera body turns it to focus. The noise control of the camera in low light was decent, but managing the noise while still maintaining detail felt like a balancing act. Part of the skills needed, I suppose.

More recently, I've been feeling an urge to get back into photography. I used to do gig photography - concerts, small bands, and even some DJ and club nights, but abstract photography was always one of my favourite genres. For me, it's about the light and texture of something, but it mostly covers things that don't necessarily fit into one of the well defined categories.

I couldn't bring myself to use the D750 again. It's not that it's a bad camera, but that it's always teetered on that edge between being amazing and being annoying. To this end, I decided it was time to look to the market of modern marvels.

I had always been a fan of Nikon but I was envious of Sony even back when I got my D750. I saw actual cinematic-quality videos filmed in just moonlight. The video stabilisation was amazing, the picture quality was incredible. Of course, they were probably using some fast glass, maybe f/1.4 or f/1.8, but the point was that this sort of thing was even possible.

The shift from DSLR

Fast forward to 2026, and the camera market has continued on its trajectory. DSLR's are dead in the water nowadays and every major manufacturer has shifted to mirrorless (as far as I'm aware). That's not to say you should ditch your DSLR for mirrorless, just that you probably won't find any new DSLR models being made.

I spent a good long time looking at the market, but I gravitated towards Sony. I knew that they'd got A7, A7R, and A7S series cameras, and each had some selling point over the others - be it 'all round', low-light performance, video focus, or sensors with higher MP count.

Straight away, it came down to a choice between the A7V and the A7R6. Ultimately, I decided the price increase of the A7R6 wasn't worth it - it had higher MP count which might have been better for cropping, but I'm the sort of person who tries to not crop in for photos during post-processing unless it's a very minor adjustment.

For a short time, I did look at Nikon options. The main selling point I saw from them was that they supposedly have even better low-light autofocus (6 stops vs 10) on some models, but in terms of everything else, it felt like I'd be limiting myself. A big selling point of the A7V was that it's second-level in dual-ISO is at ISO 8000. As someone who would likely be doing photographs in low-light, that's a key factor, because it means I can have quicker shutter speeds in dark conditions and still maintain a usable photo.

Photos in low-light aren't all I do though. I still sometimes like to photograph wildlife or events where fast-moving subjects are involved, and so a fast burst-rate is kind of important there, but that also requires lighting-quick and accurate autofocus.

So I decided on the A7V, along with a 24-70 f/2.8 lens. It's the standard close-mid range lens, often used for photographs, bands, DJ nights, etc.

First steps

Normally, with any tech, I open the package and jump straight in to trying it. Pro cameras are a little different in that they have a whole bunch of dials and buttons. Even though my D750 has been mostly unused for a while, my hands still remember what the dials do, so the first thing I did with this new camera? Put it into manual mode, went into settings and customised the dials to feel familiar. Aperture on the front, ISO on the rear-right, shutter speed on the rear-left.

Being that it was late-October when I got this camera, we'd just started to get nights that were foggy and misty - perfect for some 'spooky' test shots.

I did make some rookie mistakes though. Even though I've done photography with the D750 since 2015, I still forgot to set my shutter speed fast enough because I felt like pushing the ISO would give bad photos. Most of the photos came out blurry, but a few were OK.

Extending range...

I quickly decided it was time to consider longer range lenses. Wildlife photography isn't something I do often, and I'm more likely to want to do events with a longer lens that's still not a super-telephoto. So, I decided to settle on a compromise: I ordered a 70-200mm f/2.8, as well as a 2x Teleconverter.

I wasn't sure if the teleconverter would hit the image quality badly, but the reviews and videos seemed to show the image quality was still decent. My main conern was that it would be too 'slow' or dark if used in forests.

Honestly, it's not. There's a slight decrease in quality compared to not using the teleconverter, but pixel peeping is where it's mostly noticeable.

...but also getting closer

Macro is another genre of photography I like to do once in a while, but right now, the cost of buying a dedicated macro lens wasn't something I could consider. Fortunate it is that the 70-200 f/2.8 with the teleconverter can get REALLY close. It's not quite the same as a true macro lens, but you can still peer into a world that is mostly hidden from the naked eye.

What about the burst?

30 photos per second at full 14-bit RAW. That is ridiculous. You want to photograph a speeding vehicle, or running wildlife, or a bird, you can do it. The autofocus mostly manages to keep up too. Not only that, but because it's a mirrorless camera, it can do it without blacking out between frames. The D750 on the other hand - that capped out at 6.5 frames per second, also 14-bit RAW, but being a DSLR meant that the mirror would clack up and back down every shot.

Video?

I haven't tried the A7V out for video yet, but I'm sure I will at some point. The fact it can record 4K at up to 120 FPS and a high bitrate to match makes the D750 pale in comparison (that could manage 1080p up to 60 fps, but at a low bit rate).

How do I actually feel about it so far?

Honestly, I was kind of nervous. Cameras and lenses are an expensive purchase, and I was worried whether it would be worthwhile. I'm still undecided on that point, but I am much happier about the decision now that I've had some hands-on time with it. It feels like it solves all those frustrations I had with the D750.

No longer am I forced to deal with the repeated clacking of a DSLR mirror (which was a genuine anxiety-inducer during quiet events). No longer do I feel like I am dealing with auto-focus that sometimes works but often misses at the worst possible times. No longer do I feel afraid to push the ISO up because it no longer feels like it will destroy all details in an image.

So, what now?

Now, I start to take time out to pursue this further. To that end, I have removed the photos page from this website, and launched a brand new one: ScottP.Photos. I just feel that I can more effectively convey what I want to present by moving the photography to its own site.

My next steps are to start doing photography again, and to contact venues and perhaps a few people from the time when I last did this. There's no end-goal with photography, and in the age we live in, it feels like it could bring back a bit of authenticity to the world.

It's time for me to return to a time when creativity was what I cared for most of all