M-PRINT DIGITAL IMAGERY

23 years ago I was given a Praktica MTL5 - a relatively cheap german SLR. This camera was totally manual, with a limited number of exposure times available and a rather cumbersome mechanical self-timer.

This however taught me the basic theories of photograpy - shutter speed and it's effects, aperture and depth of field. I always preferred to shoot black and white as opposed to colour because it allowed for more creative expression, for example using coloured filters on black and white shots could wildly increase the details of clouds in the sky or bring out the leaves on a tree. The days of manual photography were great because it forced you to think about the effect you wanted.

A large step forward in the sense that this camera was among the first SLR's in the world that featured a CPU control, allowing for programmed AE in addition to Shutter Priority AE. Another big bonus for me was the introduction to Canon's FD lenses, allowing me access to a wide range of lenses. The build quality was also substantially better wheras the Praktica was prone to occasional shutter jams.

Introduced in 1986,  the Canon T90 was years ahead of anything else on the market at that time. It is, quite simply, one of the best manual focus 35mm SLR designs of all time. Japanese Photojournalists called it "The Tank" for its ruggedness.

This is the forefather of all modern SLR's with it's bioform curved body, integrated LCD display and pictograms replacing the traditional dials and a host of computer controlled multiple metering modes that take the brains out of planning that perfect shot. Features such as multiple exposure, depth of field preview and a smooth electronic shutter were unheard of before this camera.

I probably would have used the T90 forever if it wasn't for one drawback - focus!

I found myself being let down on numerous occasions when trying to capture something quickly and being let down when I discovered the image wasn't pin sharp.

In 2003 I took a gamble and bought a brand new digital SLR that hadn't been fully market tested. Fortunately, the EOS 10D proved to be a worthy successor to my T90, with a decent autofocus system, a rugged magnesium alloy body for durability and the huge range of EF lenses at my disposal.

The details from the images this camera produces are simply stunning at 21.1 MegaPixels. I've also gained the benefit of increased dynamic range, improved ISO range, Live View shooting and full HD video recording. Combined with Canon's legendary 70-200 f2.8L IS and 24-105 f4L IS lenses, the clarity at large print sizes simply has to be seen to be believed.