The world’s most rewarding photography competition has presented its grand prize of an astonishing $200,000 to Liping Cao from China for his stunning black-and-white photograph of a remote wind farm situated by a freshwater lake in Australia (see below).
This year marks the thirteenth edition of the HIPA Sustainability award, which has set a record with a total prize pool of $1 million for this year’s winners. The judges selected Quiet Power, an image taken in 2021 of a previously dried-up Lake George in New South Wales, Australia, as the overall champion.
What’s particularly remarkable about Liping’s achievement is the camera he utilized for his winning shot—a Canon DSLR.
This particular camera is not among the top DSLRs; it is a 12-year-old Canon EOS 5D Mark III, a full-frame model you can find secondhand for about $300 from vendors like KEH in the US or around £325 from MPB in the UK, with slightly higher prices for those in excellent condition.
Liping paired his EOS 5D Mark III with the EF 24-105mm F4L IS USM, a versatile zoom lens that used to be available with the camera as part of a bundle—making the combination accessible for photography enthusiasts.
The image that won the contest was originally captured in color and then transformed into black and white, as Liping stated it “reveals more levels of detail and better conveys the experience of environmental impact.”
A Win for DSLRs
Canon announced some time ago that it would no longer continue developing DSLR cameras, opting instead to focus on its mirrorless models. However, Liping’s award-winning photo, taken with an outdated Canon, serves as a reminder that cutting-edge technology isn’t always necessary to achieve stunning results.
The full-frame EOS 5D Mark III features a 22.9MP sensor, which nearly rivals Canon’s newer mirrorless models like the EOS R6 Mark II, which takes 24MP photographs and comes at a significantly higher price.
My recent experience using my old Nikon DSLR for the first time in years made me appreciate the advancements in mirrorless technology, but Liping’s triumph proves that traditional DSLRs still have a lot to offer.
If you’re looking for the best DSLRs available, take a look at our guide on the top DSLR options. If you’re a beginner feeling overwhelmed by technical terms, be sure to check out our comparison of mirrorless and DSLR cameras.
