The last two blogs around here have been pretty fun. In the first in this blog series, we discussed how people like to argue over hardware performance when it comes to camera equipment and guns, how they’ve both taken major leaps forward technologically speaking, and how there’s always something new to add buy for them, whether it’s a speedloader or a higher-capacity memory card. In the second blog, we talked about a lot more, such as how people explore the history of both as collectors and museum goers, how you need to pick and choose the right tool for the right job (even if it means leaving the latest cool doodad at home), and how they both make use of optics in order to get the job done.
We’ve come to the third and final blog in the series, and we like to think that these reasons are just as relevant as anything that’s come before.
Weight Is Always An Issue
In general, lighter is better when it comes to both handguns and cameras. That’s especially true when it comes to concealed carry, and most people would rather walk around all day with a lighter point-and-shoot camera than with a big SLR.
Still, added weight is almost always unavoidable when the job demands it. Your typical “elephant gun” has to be heavier because it’s going to be longer, plus it has to stand up to the explosive power of the huge cartridges it uses. Similarly, safari lenses such as a Canon 600 f/4 are filled with multiple glass elements, making it weight about 9 pounds. (While that might not sound like much, the heaviest glass is at the part that’s furthest from you. Imagine holding two Smith & Wesson Model 500’s out in front of you, one in front of the other.)
So, how are you going to carry all of this stuff around? Well, there’s always…
The Protection
We like our guns, and we try to keep them looking as good as possible. While most of us have a beater gun and we don’t care what it looks like so long as it fires, we pay a lot of money for many of our guns and want to keep them looking as good as possible. Protecting it also makes sure that it works properly. So we buy soft cases, and that goes in a hard case, and that goes in the safe.
Camera people are in a similar situation. There are protective filters that go over the front glass, and lens hoods provide additional protection. Then there are cases for lenses, and rubber cases for camera bodies. There are specialty backpacks that are made to carry and protect the gear, and anti-humidity boxes that prevent fungus from growing on the inside of the glass elements. But once again, if you put that much money into something you want to make sure it’s going to stay in good shape!
The More You Practice…
Here at Speed Beez, we have quite a few guns and love shooting them. And, all things being equal, the more we shoot the better we get. Practice makes perfect, or, as they say, “the more I practice the luckier I get.” Shoot more photos and you just keep getting better and better.
You Just Can’t Get Any Advocates To Shut Up!
Put us in a room with a bunch of gun enthusiasts and guess what we’re going to do. We’re going to talk about guns! We’re going to talk about guns we like, guns we hate, guns we have, guns we want, guns that are too expensive for us, and guns that we wouldn’t own if you gave them to us. There’s a certain reverence that gun people have to the craft that goes into gun manufacturing and gunsmithing…a level of craft that we try to duplicate as we make our speedloaders here in the USA.
Camera people are much the same. Don’t even get Leica owners started, because they’re going to tell you that they’ll hold up so well that cockroaches will be using them after a nuclear apocalypse. Nikon fans will be telling you about the dreams they have about finding a 6mm fisheye (it can see behind itself!) or a 13.5 rectilinear, each of which was blessed by a Shinto priest before it was delivered. Canon fans hope for the day they can get their hands on a Canon 7 and its f/.95 50mm. See, when you like these things it’s hard to stop talking about them!
Yeah, You Can Go Too Far
In our first blog we talked about all of the extras that you can get for your revolver, and there’s never a dearth of fun stuff (like speedloaders) that can be quite useful under the proper circumstances. And add-ons like external flashes can certainly improve your photos.
But then you have something like AR-15s, where there are dozens of aftermarket pieces that really aren’t necessary. Do you really need iron sites and a scope and a laser site and two flashlights and an espresso maker on it? We have to admit, it looks cool. But is it necessary? Is it practical? Is it going to help you get the job done any better? In most cases, the answer is no.
The camera club isn’t immune. They’ll add battery grips to take pictures of their kid at soccer practice, flash diffusers the size of pizza boxes, camera straps that are so big they look like vests, and lens camouflaging socks even if they’re only going to a public park. Yes, you can go too far.
They Can Make You Feel Cool
Look at this guy. This guy looks like Jim Henson’s dorkier brother, and yet he’s the coolest person you’re going to see today because he’s carrying the largest portable zoom lens of all time, the Nikon 1200-1700mm. The fact is, having big camera equipment or a big gun is something that just makes you feel really cool. People can make all of the “over compensating” jokes they want, but it doesn’t matter because you’ve got the equipment to get the job done.
They’re Everywhere
Thanks to the expansion of concealed carry laws over the years, guns are everywhere whether you see them or not. While it’s unfortunate that our country is currently in a state where people feel the need to be armed at all times, there’s no doubt that you’ve passed dozens, if not hundreds of people today who are ready to defend themselves.
Cameras, too, are everywhere, and the primary reason is the adding of cameras to cell phones. While there were always point-and-shoot cameras that people could take with them, they were more likely than not to leave them at home. With everyone taking their smartphone everywhere, there are 999 cameras for every 1000 people you see. (Which makes you wonder, will anyone ever make a cell phone gun? They have already? Well look at that.)
Whew, after three blogs and 17 reasons about how photographers and gun owners are similar, we’re exhausted. We hope you’ve enjoyed this series, because we certainly have. Go out and buy a new lens, grab a speedloader or moon clips from us, and have fun with your hobby!