Trey Ratcliff stirred up some great discussion regarding the future of DSLRs in a recent post to his blog, Stuck in Customs. Since It’s publication, I have had some very interesting conversations with fellow photographers about the advent of mirrorless, or 3^rd generation cameras. Many want to know if these systems are worth the investment? Could they really be the future of photography?

While it is fun to talk about new technology and gear, I think the real question we should be asking ourselves is this:  Will a 3^rd generation camera fit into, and advance, my creative process?

The answer for me is yes, and here are two reasons why.

Creating Digital Composites.

Digital composites are works of art, made by combining multiple images in the digital darkroom in order to communicate the artist’s vision. My Olympus PEN has found a place in my creative process as a tool for capturing the elements for digital composites. The camera’s small size makes it easy to carry everywhere and it’s high image quality allows me to use the files with confidence when creating a composite piece.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

I have heard it takes 10,000 hours of practice or study to master any subject. However you break it down, that means a lot of time with a camera in your hand. Before I had my PEN camera, I was simply not shooting enough. Nowhere close. In fact, the number of frames I shoot annually has been declining over the past three years. So I became determined to pick up the pace and attempt to reach my 10,000 hours sooner rather than later. The size and weight of my DSLR prevented me from carrying my camera in everyday situations, so I turned to my PEN camera for help. The outcome? Well, I am no master (yet) but I can tell you that since I picked up my frame pace, I see faster, I frame better and I have exponentially increased my creative output.

Conclusion

I am not selling my DSLR anytime soon. In fact, I think it’s an incredible tool that can do things the PEN cannot. But for the reasons stated above, the little camera has found a home in my creative process and I am enjoying using it.

So what about you – have you purchased a 3^rd generation camera yet? If so, has it found a place in your process or does it just sit in your camera bag? Let me know!