"If only I had that camera," we often tell ourselves, thinking that magically our photography is finally going to transcend to a whole new plane of perfection where our creativity will feel no restrictions and our photographs will carry no flaws. We've all felt this at least once, often more.
Many Say It, Fewer Get It
Gear does not matter. You've heard it said in one way or another many times. And yes, for the most part, it truly does not, except when it does. I find the whole saying unfortunately missing an often overlooked point. Of course, you can create beautiful work once you learn to work within the confines of your own limitations or the limitations of your gear. There are many photographers who can create stunning images or at least very usable keepers even when presented with low-budget equipment. But do not kid yourself or lie to your fellow photographers that there is nothing a better camera or lens would get you that you can't get yourself with the equipment you already own. There are many instances where certain camera gear simply produces wholly better results than your budget options.
Are you planning on capturing a polar bear hunting in the wilderness beyond the Arctic Circle? Good luck staying alive without proper protection and a seriously long telephoto lens. Is your goal getting a perfect shot of a face a diver makes upon impacting the surface of an Olympic pool? You may try with a 3 fps Canon 1200D, but having the option to shoot 50 fps or more simply takes the guesswork out of the equation. Would you like to capture the tiniest detail of a fruit fly with the perfect focus and resolving capability? It’ll be extremely tough without an extreme macro lens. Or is your dream to shoot the Eagle Nebula in all its colorful glory? Get a star-tracking telescope or forget about it. So yeah, there are countless examples of gear making a hell of a difference in photography.
But there are even more examples of photographers daydreaming about, for whatever superficial reason, needing that particular camera to be the ultimate photographer. Those are the ones I'm addressing here. Not the ones who actually need the premium equipment to fully utilize their vision and potential.
The Hype Train Speeds Over Its Passengers
Many photographers fall into the trap of seeing a new camera announcement, reading all the new and exciting specs, watching all of the preview/review videos released at the same time once the embargoes have lifted, and naturally feel at least a tiny bit compelled to want the shiny new toy everyone is overly excited about. That is very much the purpose of modern embargoes and tech announcements: to sell as much of the new shiny thing as possible. I've fallen into this trap personally too often. Luckily, I've never really been able to afford the latest and greatest until recently when I spent my money buying only two cameras on day one. But only after trying the pre-production units for a few weeks prior to the announcements and knowing I can utilize them fully in my work. Those cameras are the Fujifilm X-T5 and the recently released Fujifilm X100VI. I am well aware that my older X100V would have done just as good of a job for less, but this was purely a practical decision that made perfect sense to me financially as I was able to sell the older model at a great price.
I currently work in a camera store, so I get in contact with dozens of photographers every single day. And more often than not, I get into conversations about the most expensive or the most premium camera bodies and lenses known to man being put on a proverbial pedestal. Too often, I hear people talk all dream-like about a top-tier Leica M11, or a Sony a1, or a Nikon Z9, or even a Fujifilm X100VI as if, regardless of their skill, those are the cameras to finally make them the ultimate photographers. I'm writing this to tell you, "Lower your expectations. Ground yourself."
The camera you currently have is perfectly fine. And if it isn't, you rarely need the latest and greatest to achieve your vision. Are you longing for a Sony a1 or the recently-hyped a9 III? The a7 III still offers incredible image quality and wonderful low-light performance for less than a quarter of the cost with the exact same lens selection. Do you feel like you need the Leica M11 to finally become the ultimate street photographer? Pick up an older used M9, or an M6. Hell, even an older Zorki 4 could get you beautiful images at a fraction of the price. Would you love to shoot in digital medium format? You do not need to spend on a GFX 100 II. Just pick up a used GFX 50S or even a Pentax 645Z. Is the Fujifilm X100VI hype we are witnessing currently all over the internet pulling your mouse cursor toward the purchase button? Look for an older X100F or an X-E3 with a 27mm pancake. It'll still get wonderful results. All I'm trying to say is there are many options out there to get the job done without needing to sell your organs.
Get Ahead of Disappointment
The worst feeling is reading all the positive reviews, watching all the exciting videos, spending hard-earned savings, impatiently waiting for the delivery, only to finally get the camera in your hand only to realize within a few days that your photography is nearly identical, if not exactly the same, to what it was before. It can be truly disheartening to feel as if the camera is not elevating your creativity to the next level like you have been telling yourself for the last few weeks, months, or even years while you were saving up for it. All that time spent researching gear, and you forgot about the key ingredient. Keep shooting with what you have, improve with each shutter click, get better after every photo walk, learn to work with what you have, study light, notice different compositions, and observe color. Be a photographer, not a gear nut.
My job makes me incredibly lucky with the amount of different cameras I get to use and shoot with. It is thanks to this privilege that I've realized what I've been saying in this article. It wasn't immediate and it did not hit hard. I gradually walked into this mindset a few years ago and boy, am I glad I did. I know I often seem overly excited about the gear I review in my articles here on Fstoppers. And that is because I am excited. I enjoy all of the new and advanced tech being released. But I've known for a while that rarely will a new piece of tech help me improve my photography unless I improve with it. The key is to enjoy using what I've got.
This entire piece started as I was getting ready to write my review of the Hasselblad X2D-100C, which I've been shooting with for the past few weeks. That camera perfectly encompasses what I've been talking about. It is a beautiful piece of engineering. The body feels absolutely perfect in hand, the files captured by the 102-megapixel sensor are often flawless, the leaf shutter allows for near-unlimited possibilities with flashes, and the touch-oriented UI flows beautifully. But I simply can't bring myself to enjoy using the camera. Whenever I told my friends and colleagues about the fact I've got it, they were either incredibly excited for me or jealous. And upon shooting with it for a few weeks nearly daily, I know that if any one of them actually spent the ridiculous amount of money for it, they'd be disappointed as well as it does not bring anything extra a considerably cheaper camera would not do already, albeit with a little less detail. The entire hype around it was simply because of the name Hasselblad and the awe around the medium format. Of course, there are photographers out there who can utilize this camera to its full potential in a studio setting or out and about shooting landscapes. But the majority of your average Joes like me do not need such a camera and honestly do not need to daydream about having one.
Just Photograph, That Is Important
There is only one way of getting better at photography. No amount of money spent will make you better, no camera will magically turn you into the next Salgado, no lens will make your shots as powerful as Sir McCullin's unless you actually put in the time, the effort, and the dedication to learn the craft and to improve yourself. Don't give in to the hype only to find disappointment on the other side. Shoot with what you've got and get better. It couldn't be simpler.
In your conclusion, "Shoot with what you've got and get better", you left out an important detail, you mention twice in the article: "Make sure you have gear you enjoy using."
That's because gear you enjoy using, makes you want to go out and shoot and thus get better.
In 2015 I bought a used X100T. Until then, I always used zoom lenses and I wanted to try if the limitation of just one focal length would improve my photography - or if I'd hate it.
It turned out that I loved the experience and I used the X100T more then 2 years exclusively. I finally sold the X100T because it lacked certain features, above all a flip-screen.
My X100VI that arrived 2 weeks ago has everything I was missing at the X100T. It not only has the flip-screen, it has WR, image stabilizaion, jpg+raw when using the digital tele and more resolution to make the digital tele more usable.
I really enjoy using it, just like I enjoyed my X100T. For me the X100VI is a beautiful camera with three primes with 40MP at 23mm, 17MP at 35mm and 10MP at 47mm.
I can't say if it'll make me a better photographer, but it definitely makes me want to go out and make images. :-)
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PS: I admit that I don't "need" the X100VI. I'm a hobbyist and on most occasions the Sony RX100mk1 I bought a decade ago would still do. The RX100 has still the best value for money of all digital cameras I owned.
You're right. In my experience of almost a decade selling cameras, I agree that a camera that makes you want to shoot is miles better than a technically superior one. And X100 series cameras oftentimes make you want to shoot or at least carry it on you just in case way more often. I've had tons of clients whose DSLRs just gathered dust on the shelves and once they bought an X100 they fell in love with photography all over again. At one time when the X100F was the current model, I sold at least one such camera a day just for this reason alone.
Absolutely. For similar reasons I bought my Sony RX100mk1 in 2013.
At a time when aps-c DSLRs were still bulky, the RX100 was liberating.
Look at you, having an off-brand Hasselblad Stellar 😁
I had almost forgotten that there was a Hasselblad branded RX100. 😁
Hasselblad wanted 1500€ while the Sony RX100 costed 600€. It was the same scheme Leica later tried with Panasonic's LX100.
Hopefully, the LX100 II wasn't the end of it. There are rumors of a new D-Lux, which could indicate a new LX100.
Well said
Right now I have lot of fun shooting with the A6000 + kit lens, it fit in my pocket and is perfect for street.
The main significance of any camera is how it makes you feel and that it makes you want to go out and take photographs with it. It has nothing to do with a person's technical ability. Of course this subject has already been discussed far too many times now and I guess as gear continues to dominate a lot of photographers interest it will still continue to be discussed.
That is true. I was aiming more toward the photographers who think getting an expensive camera will magically turn them into better ones.
Gear doesn't matter? That erroneous opinion fell directly from the tail end of a male bovine.
In the very early 1980s, I was a US military Photographer, and I spent 11 months in Libya and 17 months in Syria. I carried a Beseler Topcon Super D. Could I have carried my personal camera, a Canon Ftb? No, because the Canon would have become functionally a pile of scrap within a couple of months. Instead, I carried a camera designated a combat camera, because gear matters.
Have you actually read the article?
Yes, I read the article. It's mindless drivel.
You seem fun ❤️
Sometimes. Accurate? Always.
Everything else? Mastercard.
You read without comprehending.
I comprehended perfectly well. This bit of ridiculous advice is a trope on sites like this and it's pure nonsense.
You obviously did not comprehend beyond the first sentence of the second paragraph, as you accused Ondrej of saying the opposite of what he ultimately said.
You're just in such a hurry to make someone your enemy that it literally doesn't matter whether they actually agree with your position or not.
Thanks for the nice comments, Jacques. I've learned not to take these hate spewers seriously. It's pigeon chess...
Jesus, you can't let it go, can you?
Dearest Mark, of course these articles are fluff. Don't take it so seriously. Amongst the fluff, there is the occasional bit of wisdom. But for SERIOUS, buff wartime Capa wannabes, you need your body armour too.
Ondrej explicitly rejects the idea that "gear doesn't matter" in the second paragraph of the article. What is wrong with you? Do you just walk around picking fights over nothing all the time?
Hey Mark, you're so right! Gear matters for sure! Next time I'm going into combat, I'll reflect on your wisdom. Next time I'm deep sea diving, I'll reflect on it too. Next time I'm in the space shuttle, as well. Next time I'm hot air ballooning, heli-skiing, riding dolphins or shotgun with an F1 driver. But for 99.99999% of the rest of the time, a camera like a Nikon D610 would serve most of us for life. But thanks for pointing out the absurd.
I agree with this article, and it's a rule that can be applied to many things in life, not just cameras. There's zero point in chasing technology, at best you'll have the "top" product for a few weeks - then the next big thing will be released.
Funny this article has come up for me, I have been debating for the past year about jumping ship from my Canon RP, which I love but just don’t enjoy using as much anymore, over to either a Fuji X-T5 or X-H2.
Something about those cameras makes me want to go out and take images, where my RP just feels and seems like it’s just another item, the same feeling I have with my iPhone when it comes to taking pictures.
Just like winzehnt gates said in their post, getting something new or different won’t make me better, but new gear makes me want to get out and take pictures and hopefully make me better in the long run.
Change is hard, change can not alway work out, but until you make that change you never really know. I totally understand the idea of use what you have and get better, that has been my view for years now, but at the same time if I’m not inspired enough to use what I have enough times, am I getting any better?
This is very much a personal thing, no one can tell you what is best for you, I always take stories like this as good for thought and use it to help me decide. Still on the fence about making the switch, but might be a little more clearer after reading this.
Thank you for the post.
I agree. Thanks for the comment. Of course, wanting to use the camera is the key ingredient here. But feeling obligated to get the expensive one because everyone around you is salivating over it won't make you better. You hit the nail on the head.
There are places that will let you rent nice camera gear....
No place local for me, would have to go online which I’m not sure how comfortable I am with that. But could be my only option if I want to”try before I buy”
Oh there's reliable on-line rental places.
Always wanted a Leica. Bought a Q, used. Fantastic stuff, but not sealed and a crap on/off mechanism. It was pretty dusty inside for a single lens cam. Sold it for the Q2. Both gave me the joy the great x100f couldn't give me.
Still wanted a Leica. A rangefinder. Bought the CL and some lenses (used, of course). Got me fixed, but. There's always a but: It wasn't that great compared to my Canon EOS R. Bought further lenses for the M system, used them on the EOS R. Sold the CL. M lenses tend to have corner and border flaws on other systems. Still wanted a Leica.
Bought a M10, used. Finally my lenses had the right body. Using a rangefinder is a totally different experience. Now I have some Voigtländer lenses (28mm, 75mm), some old/less old Leica lenses (used; 50/1.4, 90/2, 135/4) and a Lomography Atoll (17/2.8), I mostly use viewer mag. lenses for better focusing when using the longer lenses, and the extra EVF for the 17mm or more precise focusing the f1.4/1.5 lenses.
I'm still learning to compose better, trying to learn to use both eyes (I normally use my left eye, and try to strengthen my right one with the rangefinder). That keeps me alive, at least I think so.
For macro work or impressionist bokeh stuff I still like to use my Canon (now R6, which will stay for long). That also gives me joy, and the possibility of flexibility when travelling (24-105 + 100-400).
Still want the Leica M11-P for time to time. As it won't change a single thing in my photography, I'm not gonna buy it. Now it's time for travelling, enjoying life. I know, there'll be the day when Leica brings something completely new to the market, the fan boys will buy it and sell nice, rarely used M11s or M11-Ps. In a weak second I'll ...
About five years ago, I bought a Canon T7 and a couple of lenses in a kit. Yeh, I know better now. But I like the camera and it takes much better pictures than I'm capable of doing. From day one, I downloaded the manual on my laptop and started with the basics. I periodically go through the manual for review and come up with some things that might, just might, make me a bit better. I have priced the newer mirrorless camera but they are waaaay out of my budget. I often wonder how the old time photographers made it with the "modern" cameras of that day.
In one the earlier opinion posts, the article was about how dinosaur cameras, like the OVF's could still have a life. I made the point that if a 5 or even 10 year old camera served its purpose well, why shouldn't it continue to? Several posters commented about what amazing photos new cameras could take in comparison. Of course, that completely misses the point. It's like saying, Imagine if Karsh had a good camera, what good photos he would have taken. Or imagine if only Robert Capa had had a modern EVF camera, he might have taken a good picture. This topic is another flavour-filled issue. Personally, I find considerably less joy with modern cameras than I did with the struggles of using film cameras like an XD11, Graflex XL, Lihof Super Technica 23. It was slow and tedious to pull out a loupe to check focus. I was limited to 8 or maybe 16 shots, Six if I was shooting 4 x 5 with a Graphmatic. Where is the challenge today with so many AF modes? i don't even need to look through the camera. Literally just point and shoot. Auto, auto on the auto AI. You don't even need to really think about focal length with 60mp that could be cropped to a third of the frame and still be enough. At a recent Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award, a youth winner was using a Z9 with a 600mm f.4. Now there's a kit for a teenager. Suddenly, we can really respect the images greats like Capa took.
Glad you liked it :)
You're welcome!
Having worked professionally over the past 30 years with dozens of cameras and scores of lenses of several formats from most of the major brands, I now find that my pre-purchase excitement lasts about, oh, five minutes after I begin actually working with a new camera or lens. If I've been successful in setting it up so it's not a distraction, it largely disappears from my awareness once I shift my attention to making images. My Sony a7RV purchase was a "big deal" right up to the day after I got it, at which point it just became another camera alongside my others.
Yes, the frisson of excitement around acquiring a "better" something is fun, but in the end what matters is only whether it actually contributes to making more/better images.
Yes! If it is just a work camera then as long as it gets the job done it'll just be that, a tool. Your photography, your eye, your sense of composition, or your feel for color won't magically ascend with a new camera body.
I agree, but that rarely or never applies to whatever camera you just happen to have by chance. Sometimes, Gear very much matters.
Jeezus, can you stop running around accusing folks of saying gear doesn't matter when they never asserted that in the first place?
Couldnt agree more. I have a flagship Android phone & use Snapseed for editing. I'm in love with computational photography. My photos have never looked better, especially in the shadows.
Check out the award nominees for Wildlife Photographer of the Year. A wide smattering of gear used including a NikonD810 and numerous shots taken with the D850. Long life the OVF!
As an event photographer, I find the night-vision aspect of EVFs tremendously helpful. Had a look through a colleague's OVF in a dim conference room a while back, and man was it dark. About 12 years back when I switched from DSLRs to mirrorless I was AMAZED that I could actually see what was happening on a dance floor.
Mark, ya happy now? Sometimes gear matters.
In the 1970s, a well known fashion photographer shot a series for Vogue (I think) with a Kodak Pocket Instamatic. The magazine didn't know he did that until he said so in a photo magazine interview.