outside

A Walk Outside With the Canon R

I had a chance to walk around with a new Canon R – one of the mirrorless, full-frame cameras set to take over from the SLR series – on a mid-March evening with the family.

There are little pockets of snow still hanging around, but you can feel spring in the air: the birds are chirping, the crocuses are poking out of the damp ground, and it’s no longer freezing cold outside. This happens every year, when we take our first tentative steps outside and stroll around the neighborhood. 

The camera is slick. It’s so light, it reminds me of my much older, much more creaky Canon M. This one was paired with the 50mm f/1.8, a typical walk-around lens. With the two together, I had a lightweight, easy-to-handle bundle. Snappy and crisp, the lens was perfect for capturing the family and the scenery at golden hour.

A few things I noticed while shooting with the R:

  • I missed the optical viewfinder – the digital viewfinder was decent, but not like looking through a mirror
  • I also missed the instant “on” of an optical viewfinder – the digital version took a second to detect my eye and switch on
  • The grip was perfect for my hands, and the smaller size and weight was a welcome break from my hefty 5D
  • Image quality and classic Canon colors were all there – no need to switch from my Canon-trained eye

This was the camera system of my future. Unfortunately for Canon, I have no plans on upgrading anytime soon. My 5D, 6D, and Canon M aren’t broken, and while I feel a bit of gear lust, it’s not a strong enough pull to make me spend anything on a new camera, let alone new lenses. Someday, sure, but my investments in the EOS system keep me grounded in what I have.

Still, it was nice to get outside and try something new – a rite of spring. 

 

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Go Outside and Play

Last summer, at our former house, we noticed something more and more: of all our neighbors, we were the only ones who spent any measurable amount of time outside.

Whether for grilling, or for playing on the swing set, or going for a simple walk around the block, our family was largely alone. We didn’t see some neighbors for weeks. Others only went outside to mow the lawn, or get in their car and leave. My wife and I would sit in the backyard, after putting the kids to bed, just to read and drink and watch the birds. Again: all alone, all by ourselves.

Granted, we lived in a rural neighborhood, and most country folks stick to themselves. But we couldn’t shake a thought: how weird that other people in our neighborhood weren’t enjoying the lovely Michigan summer. So far, it’s been the same story at our new house.

Maybe a lot has changed since I was a kid (“Go outside and play!” my mother would shout, and we did – all day long). There are a lot of new time suck options, from Netflix to Facebook, even in rural areas. Given that more people (especially children) are spending less time outside, my values probably differ from my nation’s.

On the other hand, it’s easy to fall into nature worship, and praise fresh air so much that you become annoying. I’ll admit that not everyone craves Thoreau’s “tonic of wilderness” like I do. We sent our son to a nature center for preschool, and he spent most of his school day outdoors in the woods. That’s not for everyone.

But, I do think that if you have a yard, you should spend time in it. If you live on a road, you should walk up and down it from time to time.

And if you’re a photographer, getting outside should be a part of your practice. Take your camera, grab your kids or pet, and go outside to see what the season has accomplished.

(Coincidentally, a recent Roderick On the Line podcast episode had a discussion about this subject, specifically about people playing sports outside. Good listen.)

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