Qual a cor da sua câmera?
Você já prestou atenção na cor das câmeras DSLR? Dê uma olhada na bolsa de um fotógrafo de casamento ou confira o mar de fotógrafos em uma conferência de imprensa ou evento esportivo e você notará que a maioria (ou todas) suas câmeras são de uma cor – preta. Continue procurando e você notará que a maioria de seus equipamentos também é preta.
Por que é que? Existe uma razão pela qual a maioria das câmeras DSLR são pretas?
Tal como acontece com a maioria das coisas na fotografia, sim, há uma razão pela qual o preto é a cor do corpo da câmera de escolha. Leia para descobrir o porquê.
Não apenas parece mais profissional, mas também corpos e equipamentos de câmera pretos ajudam a reduzir os reflexos e a projeção de cores da câmera em objetos próximos. Além disso, câmeras coloridas brilhantes ou brilhantes podem distrair tanto o fotógrafo quanto o assunto. Mas há muito mais razões para essa escolha de cor do que você pensa.
Por que as câmeras DSLR são pretas?
As câmeras point and shoot vêm em uma ampla variedade de cores, incluindo azul, verde, vermelho, rosa, roxo e muito mais. DLSRs, no entanto, são principalmente pretos. Claro, você pode encontrar modelos de cor carvão, bem como modelos preto e prata como este Pentax KP.
No entanto, a grande maioria deles são negros.
Existe uma razão para isso? Na verdade, existem vários. Vamos vê-los aqui.
Câmeras pretas parecem mais profissionais
Imagine aparecer para fotografar um casamento com uma câmera amarela brilhante. Você está se movimentando, trabalhando duro para obter as imagens de qualidade que seu cliente espera quando ouve alguém gritar:“onde está o fotógrafo? Precisamos de uma foto!”
Você começa a olhar em volta para ver onde está acontecendo a emergência fotográfica e então ouve a resposta. “Basta procurar o segundo sol, esse é o fotógrafo!” Seguido por um coro de risadas.
You can make whatever you like of the comment, but the fact of the matter is that brightly colored cameras just don’t seem as professional. They stir up memories of those oversized plastic cameras you might have played with as a kid and just seem more cheaply made.
But why is that? Is there a legitimate reason why we associate black cameras with professionalism? Perhaps camera manufacturers all got together and decided that black meant professional cameras and so that’s what they made. Now, after so many years of seeing professionals use black cameras, it has been pounded into our brains and we perceive black as professional as well.
Well, not exactly. Just think about that bright yellow camera we just mentioned.
There are a few other reasons why black cameras have been used more often by professional photographers and thus have come to be perceived as “professional”. Let’s keep digging.
Black Cameras Have a Lower Profile
Photographers often don’t want to draw too much attention to themselves.
For example, wedding photographers can be seen dodging guests and popping out from behind columns or decorations to photograph their clients somewhat surreptitiously. People often feel uncomfortable with a camera in their faces, so in order to capture genuine, heartfelt emotions from the day, photographers look for ways to minimize the intrusion of the camera. Additionally, candid shots during the reception often turn into favorite wedding photos, but they are hard to get with a camera that screams for attention.
But it isn’t just wedding photographers. Street photographers, photojournalists, and even portrait photographers don’t always want to be noticed by their subject.
As another example, hiring a photographer for a surprise proposal is common these days. However, a photographer who shows up with a hot pink camera may be slightly more noticeable than one with a more modest black one.
In the event that you want to draw your subject’s attention (such as a toddler’s portrait session), you can always hold up a colorful object and dance around like a crazy person. However, the reverse (toning down a bright camera) is more difficult.
Reflections Are a Concern
Particularly in a studio setting because of the artificial lighting, reflections can be a big problem. This is most concerning when you are trying to photograph a shiny or reflective object like glass or metal. A shiny or reflective camera can easily create unwanted reflections in your subject.
It is for this same reason that most photography equipment like light stands, tripods, etc., are also black. If their type of photography requires it, some photographers will even go so far as to black out any white lettering from the camera’s name on the front of their camera. This might be extreme for many photographers, but illustrates the point of how careful you may have to be to avoid reflections.
Interested in learning more about how to light a reflective object in the studio? Check out this quick tutorial by a scientific photographer professor Gale Spring at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
A Bright-Colored Camera Could Cast Color onto a Near Object
It’s important to remember that a camera is a tool, not a fashion accessory. A flashy metallic blue camera body might seem like a fun idea until you start to realize that the blue color shows up reflected in some of your photos.
Of course, it will only be a problem at short distances, such as those used for macro photography, some types of product photography, and the like. However, if you realize that it is a problem in your photos, what are you going to do?
You either have to buy a cover for your camera or sell it and get a new (black) one. To avoid this altogether, most professional photographers stick with the tried and true black models.
Bright/Shiny Colors Could Distract/Scare the Subject
In some types of photography, a flashy camera could actually scare off your subject. For example, wildlife photographers probably won’t have much luck if they bring a brightly-colored camera to the jungle. Bright colors in the jungle typically mean “stay away! I’m poisonous!” potentially prompting your subjects to run or hide.
So, if you show up with a bright-colored camera, you might have a really hard time pinning down your subject. Since wildlife is often hard to pin down anyway, you don’t want to make it worse on yourself.
Think this is an extreme example?
Many of Canon’s L-Series telephoto lenses are white and nature photographers often use a camo cover to help them blend into the background better.
Furthermore, a bright-colored camera might even be counterproductive with human subjects. Bright colors are more distracting than black and can interfere with your subject’s concentration.
A Bright-Colored Camera Could Throw Off the Photographer’s Eye
Bright colors can affect more than just the subject — they can affect the photographer too. Of course, you’re unlikely to get scared or distracted by your own camera because you’re used to it. But a bright color could still be a problem.
For example, the color cast of the camera might show up in what you see when you look through the viewfinder. This will make it difficult to correctly choose settings such as white balance.
Black Is the Cheapest/Easiest Paint to Use
Henry Ford started out only making black cars because it was the cheapest option. Not only was black paint cheaper to produce but also it was easier and faster to paint all the cars the same color.
Even though manufacturing has advanced considerably since the early 1900s, this principle still applies. The cost difference may be negligible considering that you’re already spending hundreds of dollars, but anything that helps keep the price down is appreciated.
Looking Like a Professional
Just as you want to look like a professional by carrying professional-looking equipment, camera companies want professionals to take their gear seriously. Those sleek red Nikons might be pretty flashy, but really they only appeal to a small subset of photographers — and not those likely to spend thousands of dollars on a camera.
After all, the problems with reflections and distractions we mentioned are not something professionals want to deal with. Not to mention a brightly-colored camera, regardless of the shade it sports, just won’t be taken as seriously by clients and other people.
Interested to learn more random facts about cameras? Feel free to check out more of our articles. To get you started, click here to learn if disposable cameras are any good.
