Why are brands scared?

[commanderspike]

Over the video landscape right now we have a ton of equipment new and old that is very well understood by those who have used them.

There is a clear (almost over the top) dissection of image quality on various forums on the net, this one included.

It is very well understood for example that the GH1 is a great image and the 7D has a great image, but the GH1 is a weaker codec and the 7D has some dodgy moire issues. Both have different pros and cons - not often 'better or worse' overall, just different and designed for different needs.

It's also clear that for their price points, both are game changers. So everybody's happy.

However, whenever a image quality test is done, people swear blind that their brand of camera still holds the edge on another, even when the evidence up on screen completely contradicts their opinion.

Why are people so loyal to their equipment, and their chosen brand? Why is there so much debate between Canon owners and Panasonic owners?

What is it? Do human beings have a primeval need to feel so personally attached to their tools?

I don't think anyone means to say 'your camera is rubbish, get mine' when doing a technical comparison, but that is often how it's perceived. Can we have some kind of mutual understanding in tech discussions that whilst one camera may be technically superior to another, the prevailing factor is about what's right for one person and not another? And since that has nothing to do with technical stuff, can we just shut up about it and accept what the facts tell us about the camera's capabilities?

[Cassius]

First, I don't completely agree that this is the case. I've seen brand loyalty much less here than with still photographers in the past.

Second, yes. Humans have a basic need for association; republican, democrat, American, European, white, Californian, surfer, skater, artist, musician, Panasonic user and so forth. That's just how it is for some people.

[PaPa]

most likely an ego thing. you want what you own to be the best, even if it's not true, solely to comfort/ reassure yourself on the choice that you made.

p.s. my camera, memory card, and dog are bigger than yours.

[Ben_B]

Sacred not scared?

:P

I think it is in many ways derived from personal experience...many of my favorite movies I've done I happened to be shooting on Panasonic. Every Sony I've ever owned has broken, but this was because I used Sony back when I was a high school student and using consumer equipment, which is more likely to break..I still avoid Sony. My first exposure to a Canon SLR was when I didn't know how to use an SLR...I didn't like it, it was scary and confusing...later I learned to use an SLR when I had enough knowledge that it all made perfect sense I happened to go out shooting on a Nikon...wow it was so much nicer and easier than the Canon I remembered!

Now I am a Panasonic, Nikon man....why? From my experiences... does that mean that I justify my belief in them as superior through rationale means? No. Do I like using them more? Yes. Why? Nothing to do with ease of use, end product, or anything...it's just emotional.

But if using another brand would be better for a particular job or project would I use it? Hell yeah. If someone gave me the choice of shooting on a 1D mk IV or an HVX I would say let me use that 1D! If someone gave me a choice between the DVX and a PD-170 (or whatever Sony would be equivealant) I'll take the DVX. Between the EX-1 and the HPX-170? I'll take the Panny. Between the EX-3 and an HMC-150, I'll take the EX-3..

When it's a close call I'll go with the brands I know and love, but when it's not I'll go with what I want. I love my GH1, I like it way more than the 5D...I had to shoot a nearly pitch black long take the other day...when I got to the location (a party) and saw my friend who has a 5D there I instantly asked "hey do you have your camera with you I'd rather shoot on it in this situation." He didn't, and I made due...but most of the time I'd rather have my GH1, that's why I got it.

[commanderspike]

Weird sure I typed sacred!! Maybe I was scared. It is close to halloween after all.

Sure, it's hard to go against personal experience but when the landscape changes we need to put aside loyalty and adapt to the brave new world.

What if, like in my first example, Sanyo suddenly became a major player. Would you trust the brand? Or say, Samsung who have pretty much made rubbish compact cameras up till now came out with a GH1 beater, I know for a fact if this happened the forums would be alight with flames. But why?

We know this mentality exists, and not everyone is like this. As in Ben's example at the party, he wanted to choose the right tool for the job. But there is a certain 'cool' factor with choosing an underdog or an outsider product and getting great results with it.

But on the subject of brand loyalty, I think this does touch on something primeval going on, maybe some creepy aspect of human psychology. It's become easy in the modern world to become too attached to objects and ideologies. Are there such a thing as religious fanatics? Yeah. Camera fanatics? Yeah! What a strange world we live in.

[PaPa]

My dog is bigger than yours too Ben.

[commanderspike]

p.s. my camera, memory card, and dog are bigger than yours

My dog is sponsored by Sony and barks at 24 barks per second so there is no doubt my dog is better than yours, just look at the hard facts.