This retrospective started with an old post tucked away in my blog: “The Evolution of My Cameras,” written 15 years ago. Back then, I held a Canon 40D and dreamed of a bright prime lens. Over the past 20 years, that hobby has grown into a desk studio filled with lights and equipment. Finding the old entry made me want to look back at the cameras that had passed through my hands, and why I’d chosen them.
The evolution of camera bodies I cover here is not just a list of items from an Excel sheet. Following Professor Na Jin-kyung’s advice to “look further and think about the ‘why’ rather than getting buried in specific facts,” these cameras are traces that show how I wanted to view the world. Every choice I made—trying to reduce weight or making up for the limitations of image quality—has become the solid foundation for the content I create today.
At the End of GAS: A 20-Year Retrospective on Cameras, Lenses, and Studios
Part 1. From Point-and-Shoot to Studio: A Retrospective on Camera Bodies
Part 2. From 1600mm That Pulled the Universe to 1mm on My Desk: A Retrospective on Lenses
Part 3. From a Beginner Dreaming of Strobes to Mastering Lighting: A Retrospective on Studios
Canon PowerShot A70 (2003)
Canon PowerShot A70 sample shot. N Seoul Tower, Seoul.
This was the tool I chose when I first began exploring photography. Rather than relying on automatic settings, I used manual mode to learn how aperture and shutter speed relate to each other. That gave me the foundation for understanding exposure. Looking back, the value was in learning that light could be controlled through deliberate choices, instead of accepting whatever result the camera selected. It was a necessary early step in becoming involved in making the image.
FUJIFILM FinePix F10 (2006)
FUJIFILM FinePix F10 sample shot. Grand Canyon South Rim, USA.
Bought after my military discharge, it recorded a cross-country trip through the US and my honeymoon. The 1/1.7-inch CCD sensor and ISO 1600 noise handling gave me confidence to shoot in poor light. I was more interested in preserving a scene’s atmosphere than spending time processing it afterward.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 (2010)
Panasonic DMC-LX3 sample shot. Canoe at Mullegil, Chuncheon.
I chose it because I wanted a break from the fatigue of carrying heavy interchangeable-lens equipment. A lighter camera offered a more relaxed way to approach ordinary moments, but I didn’t want to give up the feeling of making a photograph myself. The F2.0 Leica lens and intuitive joystick-operated manual focus preserved that involvement. Even inside a compact body, there was still room to make intentional decisions about the picture. It answered a question that would keep returning throughout these changes of equipment: how much weight could I lose while keeping the experience I valued?
Canon EOS 40D (2011)
Canon EOS 40D sample shot. Veloster photo shoot event in Yongsan, featuring model Lee Ga-na.
This was my first midrange DSLR, bought to understand the physical operation of a camera more deeply. The magnesium body felt solid, and the mechanical shutter had a sound that made the act of shooting enjoyable in its own right. Photography was becoming more than the image I captured at the end. Handling the body and hearing the shutter were part of the attraction, drawing me into the process itself. That physical engagement marked a different stage from simply wanting a convenient way to record what was in front of me.
NIKON COOLPIX A (2013, 2019)
NIKON COOLPIX A sample shot. Coronarita & Berninirita.
An APS-C sensor in a compact body suited my attempt to balance image quality with portability. I liked the idea enough to become a “Legend Supporter” at its Korean launch. In 2019, I bought it again: I still missed the sharp 28mm prime and its distinctive, weighty colors.
Canon EOS 6D (2013)
Canon EOS 6D sample shot. WuqueStudio Mammoth75 keyboard.
Moving to full frame gave me a broader view and more scope to work with depth of field. The choice grew out of frustrations with crop sensors. It remains a foundation of my work, with access to EF-mount lenses that deliver the image quality I need.
FUJIFILM FinePix X100S (2013)
FUJIFILM FinePix X100S sample shot. Graffiti.
This camera helped draw my attention toward street photography. Fujifilm’s film simulations gave digital pictures an emotional texture I liked. They also let me enjoy shooting without assuming every photo needed a long session at the computer afterward.
FUJIFILM FinePix X70 (2016)
FUJIFILM FinePix X70 sample shot. My son…
I wanted to keep what I liked about the X100S in a smaller, pancake-lens body. The pocketable size and tilting screen let me photograph natural expressions without a large camera making people self-conscious.
RICOH GR II (2016)
RICOH GR II sample shot. Seoil Farm, Anseong.
The street-photography favorite earned its place as my second camera. Its lively “Positive Film” effect, secure one-handed grip, and quick startup suited the fleeting moments I wanted to catch while walking.
Canon EOS 1000D (2021)
Mobile photo. Canon EOS 1000D & 6D.
I bought this body used so that my 8-year-old son could hold a camera of his own on our photo outings. Its light plastic construction made it manageable for his small hands. Sharing the act of taking photographs was the reason for the purchase, rather than seeking another improvement in my own equipment. Recording the world through his unguarded point of view gave the camera a different significance. It became a way to share the pleasure of the hobby and feel a connection through the equipment, instead of judging a body only by what it could do for my photographs.
SONY ZV-1 (2026)
SONY ZV-1 sample shot. Hitsumabushi (eel and egg).
As my work expanded into video, this became my main camera for moving images. Product-review autofocus picks up the gadgets on my desk quickly and accurately. It helps me turn those experiences into a continuous story I can share, rather than only still records.
Looking Back
Each camera’s limits helped me decide what to choose next. Across this 20-year progression, the subject and purpose mattered more than specifications alone. Trying to shed weight or explore a new sensor’s capabilities gradually changed my approach to photography. The frustration with one setup often became the reason to attempt something different with the next.
If the body is the canvas, the lens determines the view. In Part 2, “The Evolution of My Lenses,” I’ll follow that part of the story, from broad landscapes to the small world of 1mm details.
#RetrospectiveOfAll
