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 Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Dorset
Posts: 984
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Does Equipment Maketh The Photographer?
Does Equipment Maketh The Photographer?
I ask this because I do not think it does.
Specialist equipment is required for certain aspects of photography but in general does buying a new, super duper lens, camera, printer make one a better photographer producing far better images than someone with a more basic setup?
Personally my opinion is that in general we are all to quick to run out and buy new equipment in that holy grail of producing "better" images when in reality, learning how to use ones existing equipment to it's full capabilities has more chance of working.
My best images are captured when I use my "ancient" Bronica 6x6 gear producing 12 images per roll of film. Totally manual, no light meter, manual film advance (wind a lever
) and on one of my old cameras, manual aperture step down before exposure exposure.
Love to hear your thoughts
Steve
Specialist equipment is required for certain aspects of photography but in general does buying a new, super duper lens, camera, printer make one a better photographer producing far better images than someone with a more basic setup?
Personally my opinion is that in general we are all to quick to run out and buy new equipment in that holy grail of producing "better" images when in reality, learning how to use ones existing equipment to it's full capabilities has more chance of working.
My best images are captured when I use my "ancient" Bronica 6x6 gear producing 12 images per roll of film. Totally manual, no light meter, manual film advance (wind a lever
) and on one of my old cameras, manual aperture step down before exposure exposure.Love to hear your thoughts
Steve
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Kit 1 Canon 5D MkII Canon24-105mm f4L IS USM Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM Canon 17-40mm f4L USM Canon 100mm f2.8 USM Macro Canon 70-200 f4L USM Canon MT-24EX Macro Flash |
Kit 2 Canon 5D, Canon 40D, Canon 20D |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Dorset
Posts: 984
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Appears like I have just double exposed the last post 
Steve
Steve
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Kit 1 Canon 5D MkII Canon24-105mm f4L IS USM Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM Canon 17-40mm f4L USM Canon 100mm f2.8 USM Macro Canon 70-200 f4L USM Canon MT-24EX Macro Flash |
Kit 2 Canon 5D, Canon 40D, Canon 20D |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
 Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 3,053
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Very spooky Steve. I honestly was going to start a thread about this later.
Good marketing and people having the need to show what they have, will always make the newest thing the best.
I was a member on different fishing forums for years. People would go on about the latest thing that they have, how much it cost etc. It never made them a better angler.
I'd say it doesn't make you a better photographer, clearer, sharper shots yes, but photographer, no.
Good marketing and people having the need to show what they have, will always make the newest thing the best.
I was a member on different fishing forums for years. People would go on about the latest thing that they have, how much it cost etc. It never made them a better angler.
I'd say it doesn't make you a better photographer, clearer, sharper shots yes, but photographer, no.
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 281
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I think equipment can give them more scope in what they can achieve. So it improves what they can produce in that way. I don't think having the newest, latest etc necessarilly 'makes' them though.
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My Compact/P&S: Fujifilm f10, hs20 |
 Admin Team
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: South Wales, UK
Posts: 15,385
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No.... but it sure does help 
I don't think anyone can deny the 'beauty' of crisp clear, pin sharp, well lit photos that you get with some of the pro gear. Of course you can still get great shots with less expensive kit (I'm comparing digital to digital here, not film to digital) but on the whole I think kit does play a part in getting the sorts of images that most of us like.
Have an eye for a good picture is of course something entirely different - although like any skill it's something you can pick up.
I don't think anyone can deny the 'beauty' of crisp clear, pin sharp, well lit photos that you get with some of the pro gear. Of course you can still get great shots with less expensive kit (I'm comparing digital to digital here, not film to digital) but on the whole I think kit does play a part in getting the sorts of images that most of us like.
Have an eye for a good picture is of course something entirely different - although like any skill it's something you can pick up.
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Kit 1 Nikon D300 Nikon 55-200mm VR |
Kit 2 Nikon D40 Nikon 18-55mm |
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My Compact/P&S: Panasonic Lumix TZ7 |
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: uk/usa
Posts: 10,146
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No, it can help, but you can have all the gear in the world, and still take dodgy photos. A good photographer can take wonderful images using the most basic equipment, a bad photographer given the latest gear, can end up with dire images.
So latest gear can help, but it's still only an instrument, you have to be able to see and capture the image.
So latest gear can help, but it's still only an instrument, you have to be able to see and capture the image.
 Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: West Cork, Ireland
Posts: 7,578
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I agree with Steve and MS! The best shots I've ever seen(for me at least) were nearly all taken on medium format cameras - old film ones mostly, (I try not to look at new digital backed ones because I get insanely jealous )... speaking just digital to digital - my favourite anecdote is of a friend of mine who has a D90 and a Sigma 150-500mm. He takes some of the most incredible wildlife shots I've ever seen - yet I have several friends with the latest new pro cameras and 600mm prime lenses etc, and they don't do half as well! 
I guess it depends what you're after. Sometimes you need particular kit to get what you want, long lenses for wildlife for example, but learning to use the kit you've got to the best of its and your ability is the real way forward
xx
The best shots I've ever seen(for me at least) were nearly all taken on medium format cameras - old film ones mostly, (I try not to look at new digital backed ones because I get insanely jealous )... speaking just digital to digital - my favourite anecdote is of a friend of mine who has a D90 and a Sigma 150-500mm. He takes some of the most incredible wildlife shots I've ever seen - yet I have several friends with the latest new pro cameras and 600mm prime lenses etc, and they don't do half as well! I guess it depends what you're after. Sometimes you need particular kit to get what you want, long lenses for wildlife for example, but learning to use the kit you've got to the best of its and your ability is the real way forward
xx
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Kit 1 Nikon D800 Nikkor 50mm f1.4 Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 Nikkor 105 mm f2.8 macro Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 Sigma 50-500mm F4-6.3 EX DG HSM Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Nikon 70-300mm AF f/4-5.6G Nikon 50mm f1.8 |
Kit 2 Nikon D700 |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
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My Compact/P&S: Fuji finepix bridge |
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,687
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For reasons too mundane to go into I got a brand new canon 450D last march and 3 months later got a second hand Canon 40D.
The 40D is just such a delight to use and the quality is such that the poor 450D took second place for a long time.
Recently though, I have been taking both out with me and ( if I am honest) am trying to make my 'mistakes' on the 450. ..and yes, they are different beasts and they DO perform differently with the same glass..but my last pic 'Gloria' was taken with the 450D and the nifty 50 ( my least expensive camera/lens combo) and I don't think the 40D could have brought anything extra to the table.
I also had 'Gloria' printed up which I rarely do because of cost and it looks good ..so here's to what all of your camera's can do.
The 40D is just such a delight to use and the quality is such that the poor 450D took second place for a long time.
Recently though, I have been taking both out with me and ( if I am honest) am trying to make my 'mistakes' on the 450. ..and yes, they are different beasts and they DO perform differently with the same glass..but my last pic 'Gloria' was taken with the 450D and the nifty 50 ( my least expensive camera/lens combo) and I don't think the 40D could have brought anything extra to the table.
I also had 'Gloria' printed up which I rarely do because of cost and it looks good ..so here's to what all of your camera's can do.
 Community Director
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Buckingham, UK
Posts: 3,363
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I think the equipment and photographer both have an equal part to play in producing the end results. Different types of photography (BIF, Portrait, landscape) demand different levels of equipment and different levels of skill from the photographer.
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Kit 1 1DSmkIII & 1DmkIV Canon EF70-200L f/2.8 IS Canon EF100L macro f/2.8 IS Canon EF85L f/1.2 mkII Canon EF24-105L f/4 IS Canon EF300L f/2.8 IS Canon EF17-40L f/4 |
Other Kit View my profile to see my other kit! |
 Fondly Remembered
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Perthshire Scotland
Posts: 8,168
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There's certainly some gear that enables you to get better results. It doesn't make you a better photographer though, it just swings the odds a little more in your favour.
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Kit 1 Canon 1D Mark 3 Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II |
Kit 2 1D2 & 40D |