Since I was a very young photographer, I always remember mentors of mine to always have my camera on me. I also fondly remember how some folks would hide behind it while others always felt that it was just a part of them. Amongst this, some folks brought it with them as simply just a fashion accessory. At times, I too think about what camera I’m going to bring when I leave the house. I don’t always need to have one on my and people even take notice when one isn’t slung around me. But as time has gone on, I’ve thought more and more about the idea of the emotional support camera.
It sounds nuts, right? Well, if you think about technology, it really isn’t. The emotional support camera is one that you’ve got on you at all times just in case. It may mean that you go out and never even make a single frame with it. But at other times, it just feels like a companion to you in some way or another. It’s a different relationship than you’d have with your phone or your wallet. Instead, it’s more akin to having a beloved necklace, watch, a specific belt, etc.
There’s some sort of sentimental value here.
And this, I think is, what’s ultimately missing so much from the camera market right now. What better camera to be the emotional support camera than really good compact cameras designed to come everywhere with you and to be ready for you to shoot with whenever you desire.
A photographer can surely put a small, compact lens on a small mirrorless camera and stick with that. But it goes even further than that. This camera really shouldn’t get in the way of you making photographs. And the truth is that nearly every camera does this.
For example, if I put a Viltrox 28mm f4.5 on my Sony a7r III, it would be a really small package that I could tote around. But then, I’d need to have special functions turned on or off. If the camera was against my body, it would activate the viewfinder. Then I’d bring it away from my body in order to bring it up to my eye. And during that whole period, the camera would switch some sort of configuration settings. So it would ultimately get in the way of my taking a photograph.
Besides Leica M cameras, the only camera that never really felt like it was getting in the way is the Fujifilm X Pro 3 with the screen folded in and the eye sensor turned off. Then, by default, the X Pro 3 would just have the EVF turned on.
With my Nikon Zf, I can set it up to only have the EVF on, but then it still relies on the eye sensor even if the LCD screen is closed up. The same goes for my Leica SL2s. But with my Nikon D850, I don’t need to worry about any of that because it’s an optical finder.
This ultimately lets me feel closer to the camera and more in-tune with the device because it isn’t actively getting in the way of the shooting experience. It’s always ready to be in my hand.
Little things like these help me feel like something is a true companion product and an emotional support camera that can always be with me and ready.