My Life in Cameras

© ROBERT CANIS
Technical Support
My life in
cameras
Professional nature photographer
Robert Canis looks back at the
cameras that have shaped his life
BLAST FROM THE PAST
1995
Robert Canis
Nikon F4
Robert Canis is a
professional nature
photographer,
workshop and tour
leader based in Kent.
He has received
numerous awards
in competitions,
such Wildlife Photographer of the Year,
International Garden Photographer of the
Year and British Wildlife Photography Awards.
In 2014, Robert was appointed a Nikon
ambassador for the company’s Extreme
Weather Photography campaign. Visit
www.robertcanis.com to view his work.
I don’t get attached to cameras,
as they are merely tools for the
job. The Nikon F4, however, was an exception. It
was rugged and reliable with a metering system
that would match any of today’s cameras. In fact,
it took Nikon an age to equal the flash-exposure
accuracy that you would
get with this camera
on a digital
model. With
motordrive
attached it
was the
ultimate
tool for
the job.
1982
1995
1988
Nikon FA
I bought a Nikon FA while
studying for my BTEC National
Diploma in Photography at Paddington College
in London. At the time I was using a Nikon FE2,
but I was drawn to the FA as it was the first of its
kind to introduce matrix metering and had the
most beautiful shutter noise – something you
just don’t get on modern
digital SLRs. As
with all my
film cameras,
I also
purchased
the
motordrive,
which made
it sound
even better!
2010
1988
1995
The Cosina CT-1A was my first
SLR. At the time, if you were just
starting out, there were two makes that caught
the budget-conscious beginner’s eye: Zenit and
Praktica. We had a camera shop nearby and the
owner suggested the more compact Cosina. It
was with the Cosina
CT-1A that
I learnt to
understand
the building
blocks of the
photographic
process.
1982
Cosina CT-1A
Bronica ETRS
In the early days, in order to
supplement my income, I would
photograph weddings – I shot almost 200. At a
wedding, using a medium-format camera (with
Metz hammerhead flashgun)
it was hard not to stand
out. It was also a struggle
to use, particularly when
the light was poor and
you had to use a
tripod, but the
optics were first
class and you
could produce
huge prints.
2010
Nikon D300
The Nikon D300 is a model
I really enjoyed using. I eventually
purchased the D300S, which had marginally
faster AF and which I’ve only just traded in for
the D7200. It had great
handling and
speed, but
it was a
pity the
resolution
was just
12.3MP. But,
unlike its
followers, it
had all the
buttons in all the right
places – and no
gimmicks!
subscribe 0330 333 4555 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 31 October 2015
Minolta
Dynax 404si
Ivor Matanle recalls
an entry-level AF SLR
LAUNCHED 1999
NEW PRICE £219.99 with
28-80mm zoom lens
GUIDE PRICE NOW £35-£45
THE MINOLTA Dynax 404si is
an attractive, lightweight,
‘entry-level’ 35mm autofocus
SLR normally sold with a fine
28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom. It
shares the Minolta ‘A’ AF lens
mount with other 35mm Minolta
AF SLRs and the Sony Alphaseries DSLRs, and is capable of
very good results.
The shutter has speeds from
20-1/2000sec plus B. The TTL
metering is based on using
DX-encoded film, but the ISO
can also be set manually from 6
to 6,400. Exposure modes
include program, aperture
priority, shutter priority, and
manual, while drive modes
include single, continuous at
1fps, self-timer and multiple
exposure.
What’s good Caters for a wide
range of abilities. Reliable.
What’s bad Autofocus is slow
and can be inaccurate in low
light. Too keen to use auto flash.
Users report heavy battery drain
when not in use.
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