AI Autofocus, Complex Menus, and Electronic Finders are Ruining The Photography Experience

AI Autofocus, Complex Menus, and Electronic Finders are Ruining The Photography Experience

June 2025, Carl Garrard

"Wall Street took a good idea, Lewis Ranieri's Mortgage bond, and turned it into an atomic bomb of fraud and stupidity" The Big Short (2015). And that's pretty much how I feel about camera companies and what they have and are turning the camera industry into. The title doesn't even say it all either. And although many were quite resistant to my honest observations about mirrorless 5-7 years ago, today more and more still photographers are speaking up and agreeing with me (silently or otherwise). Camera companies don't want us to speak up either, they want to sell cameras and lenses and accessories and have everyone accept what they offer without complaint. Of course they do! And instead of telling them our thoughts en masse, there is a silent revolution against them going on right now.

Stay Focused Series (#1): Wanderings and Chronicles with the Olympus Evolt E-5 DSLR

Stay Focused Series (#1): Wanderings and Chronicles with the Olympus Evolt E-5 DSLR

May 2025, Carl Garrard

Today's article highlights the Olympus Evolt E-5 DSLR, Olympus's last (D)SLR they ever made and the center spotlight of my recent photographic meanderings. This new series is intentionally not a technical or exhaustive review that I've been doing for years. Rather, every article in the series is the summary of my casual observations that place the highest value on real-world camera performance from a single outing. Real world impressions are more important to me than the limited, white-coat, lab-style evaluations. Think of each article in the series as a spontaneous outing with an experienced photographer in unpredictable conditions—one that demonstrates a camera’s real life capabilities and, most importantly, its unique connection to a photographer. Like life, each article is unrepeatable and unpredictable—a fitting demonstration of how a camera performs when it truly counts the most. The Stay Focused Series title is inspired by my valediction and marks the newest addition to Photographic Central—an approachably penned, real-life journal of my experiences with a wide range of camera types from all brands. Enjoy!

Nikon D500 Review 2025: The Crop Sensor G.O.A.T? (Part 1)

Nikon D500 Review 2025: The Crop Sensor G.O.A.T? (Part 1)

January 2025, Carl Garrard

Wow, I am finally getting around to my Nikon D500 review. I have a lot to say, and therefore it is my preference to break this review up into two parts. There remain only two APS-C DSLR's that I'd consider for the "GOAT" title, and the D500 has always been at the top of that short list (once it was three cameras, now only two remain). This review of the D500 was written based on my years of experience with this fantastic DSLR, and, the Nikon F mount in general. It's being compared to a long list of cameras from my past and current experiences, therefore my words aren't written lightly. I thought I'd start off 2025 by writing about one of my favorite cameras of all time, also, to answer the question of whether or not this camera deserves the crown of all crop sensor DSLR's. I'll get right into my experiences with this camera with zero review "bloat".