Size Matters: A Photographer's Eternal Dilemma

They say size doesn’t matter. But photographers have always had their doubts.

Some men buy sports cars. Others invest in expensive watches. Photographers prefer enormous lenses, preferably long enough to attract attention before anyone even notices the camera.

Our gentleman appears particularly well equipped. He has a perfectly functional camera in his hands, but the real attraction is hanging considerably lower. A magnificent, oversized telephoto lens, proudly suspended in front of him, impossible to overlook and apparently requiring no explanation.

His companion seems remarkably unimpressed. Perhaps she’s heard it all before. Perhaps she knows that impressive dimensions don’t necessarily guarantee impressive performance.

And there’s the irony. Despite having that enormous piece of equipment dangling in front of him, he’s actually using something much smaller.

Experienced photographers will tell you that technique matters more than size, that knowing how to use your equipment is more important than its dimensions, and that a shorter lens can sometimes produce far more satisfying results.

All perfectly reasonable arguments, of course. But somehow, the biggest lenses still attract the most attention.

Photography is full of such contradictions. You spend a fortune on extra length, complain about the weight, struggle to find a comfortable position, and eventually discover that the smaller one was more than adequate for the job.

So, does size matter?

Perhaps. But knowing when to use it matters considerably more.

Photograph hosted by MediaGallery.org.