Well howdy, friends… and Merry Christmas.
I just want to take a quiet moment by the fire and thank you for following my blog this past year. We made a whole lot of discoveries together, chased light through all four seasons, and learned that photography is not about gear… it’s about what you see, slowing down, and creating work you’re proud to hang on your wall.
This journey has never been about trends or flashy new cameras. It’s about learning the entire process…from concept, to composition, to capture, to shaping your vision in the digital darkroom, and finally standing back and saying, yeah… I made that. That’s a photograph, not a snapshot!
Meet Ol’ Clickety
Everywhere I look lately it’s gear, gear, gear. “What camera should I buy, Garrett?” is the question I hear most. So I decided to create the Adventures of Ol’ Clickety.
I went hunting for a real-world camera someone could buy today for under $300. After researching what was available, I picked up a Nikon D7100 from MPB in “good” condition for $279. It has a 24.1-megapixel sensor and only 16,475 clicks on the shutter…about 1,400 photos a year. That’s barely broken in.
Back when this camera was new, it would have cost about $1,600…which just happens to be what a Nikon Z6II costs today. And before anyone goes there… I am not comparing those two cameras! That would start World War III.
What I am saying is this:
You can buy a very capable camera today for a couple hundred dollars and use it to learn what really matters.
And yes, Canon and Sony have great options too, so let’s not start a brand skirmish.
Where Knowledge Matters More Than Money
The camera arrived in better shape than I expected…but the firmware wasn’t updated. Would a beginner even think to check that? Probably not. That’s where knowledge begins to matter more than gear.
Updating it meant finding SD cards the camera would accept… no larger than 64GB. In 2013, that was a huge card and could cost hundreds of dollars. Today? I found one for $14.99.
Even then, the firmware wouldn’t copy using my current computer. I had to dig up an older system just to make it work.
That little headache right there? That’s the kind of thing a price-shopping beginner will run into…and it’s also where real learning begins.
Then came the menu system. Setting this camera up correctly is its own adventure. But once dialed in, it becomes a solid, dependable photographic tool.
A Powerful Setup for Under $450
The D7100 uses the same batteries as my current cameras, and the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens can be found used for around $149. That makes a serious learning setup for under $450…proof again that photography is not about gear, it’s about understanding the process.
From Snapshot to Photograph
This whole adventure with Ol’ Clickety is about showing you something deeper.
Photography isn’t about what’s in your bag.
It’s about what’s in your heart, your mind, and your willingness to learn.
From concept…
to composition…
to capture…
to developing your vision in the digital darkroom…
to the pride you feel when your finished photograph is hanging on your wall.
That’s the path from snapshot to photograph. The Image below is my first example of what can be accomplished with Ol’ Clickety a 279.00 “entry level camera” and a bit of knowledge…This was composed on Christmas Eve of 2025 at high noon on a funky rainy day…
We Leave on PhotoSafari This Saturday
The Adventures of Ol’ Clickety officially begin this weekend when we head out on PhotoSafari. This little camera is about to see some country.
Merry Christmas, my friends. From my campfire to yours…may your days be quiet, your light be soft, and your photographs full of heart.
Thanks For Being Here!
— Garrett
bywinslow
