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It ain't the equipment
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Oct 10, 2017 12:25:18   #
tnturk Loc: Gallatin Tennessee
 
Please understand this is an observation. Not the magic do all, fix all.
I am a grinder. By grinder I mean just a guy that loves photography and have loved it all my life.My equipment is sparse and in almost all cases entry level. Not a complaint but a fact of life. Kids, college, weddings, all came first. Photography is a passion but in most cases comes lower on the list of must haves. I watch posts on UHH and almost daily people ask for this vs that and seem to think this will make them better. What makes you better is practice and knowledge of the equipment you have. My lenses are kit lenses. My camera an entry level DSLR. My enjoyment has been and is over the top. I love what I do. I love getting better. I love the knowledge. So for all you people out there who think the equipment will make you better. Nope it's practice, read, understand. That's what makes you better.



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Oct 10, 2017 12:33:58   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
I agree. I have seen amazing photos taken by a smartphone camera. However, it is not my first choice for photography. At least not yet.

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Oct 10, 2017 12:37:33   #
BarryUP Loc: NEW YORK CITY
 
Philosophically sound also avery nice photo .

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Oct 10, 2017 12:40:19   #
SharpShooter Loc: NorCal
 
tnturk wrote:
Please understand this is an observation. Not the magic do all, fix all.
I am a grinder. By grinder I mean just a guy that loves photography and have loved it all my life.My equipment is sparse and in almost all cases entry level. Not a complaint but a fact of life. Kids, college, weddings, all came first. Photography is a passion but in most cases comes lower on the list of must haves. I watch posts on UHH and almost daily people ask for this vs that and seem to think this will make them better. What makes you better is practice and knowledge of the equipment you have. My lenses are kit lenses. My camera an entry level DSLR. My enjoyment has been and is over the top. I love what I do. I love getting better. I love the knowledge. So for all you people out there who think the equipment will make you better. Nope it's practice, read, understand. That's what makes you better.
Please understand this is an observation. Not the ... (show quote)


LoL!
Wait till you're advanced and you can't get the shots you want because your entry level camera doesn't have the focus system capable of getting the shots?!
Suddenly the equipment becomes brutally important, no matter HOW good you are.
Don't judge a camera by how good you are not!!!
SS

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Oct 10, 2017 12:42:02   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 

--Bob
tnturk wrote:
Please understand this is an observation. Not the magic do all, fix all.
I am a grinder. By grinder I mean just a guy that loves photography and have loved it all my life.My equipment is sparse and in almost all cases entry level. Not a complaint but a fact of life. Kids, college, weddings, all came first. Photography is a passion but in most cases comes lower on the list of must haves. I watch posts on UHH and almost daily people ask for this vs that and seem to think this will make them better. What makes you better is practice and knowledge of the equipment you have. My lenses are kit lenses. My camera an entry level DSLR. My enjoyment has been and is over the top. I love what I do. I love getting better. I love the knowledge. So for all you people out there who think the equipment will make you better. Nope it's practice, read, understand. That's what makes you better.
Please understand this is an observation. Not the ... (show quote)

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Oct 10, 2017 12:54:26   #
Bill_de Loc: US
 
Equipment can make a difference. As a kid I had a plastic Kodak camera that took 127 film. If the light was right and I was the right distance from my subject I got a 'good' picture. Otherwise not so much. Forget about dark days or into the evening. Then Santa brought me a new plastic Kodak that took peanut size flash bulbs.

If I shot in the same situations as I did before the pictures were no better, but now I could take 'acceptable to a 10 year old' pictures as the light was fading. Years later with a strobe with adjustable output made fill flash possible.

It is the same today. If you develop a style of shooting that can be done with you present equipment and don't want to do anything else, newer equipment won't help. But a longer lens, a faster lens, a better sensor, etc., may very well open up new opportunities.

I still use my D300, but I can do more, or get more keepers, with my D500. It's called progress 'of' the equipment and 'for' the photographer.

Of course you do need to practice and continue to learn, but advancements in technology are real.

---

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Oct 10, 2017 12:59:41   #
barbie.lewis Loc: Livingston, Texas
 
I really like the photo!

You are so right. Powerful images have been made with pinhole cameras, Argus C-3's, and all sorts of things.

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Oct 10, 2017 13:09:52   #
JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco
 
tnturk wrote:
Please understand this is an observation. Not the magic do all, fix all.
I am a grinder. By grinder I mean just a guy that loves photography and have loved it all my life.My equipment is sparse and in almost all cases entry level. Not a complaint but a fact of life. Kids, college, weddings, all came first. Photography is a passion but in most cases comes lower on the list of must haves. I watch posts on UHH and almost daily people ask for this vs that and seem to think this will make them better. What makes you better is practice and knowledge of the equipment you have. My lenses are kit lenses. My camera an entry level DSLR. My enjoyment has been and is over the top. I love what I do. I love getting better. I love the knowledge. So for all you people out there who think the equipment will make you better. Nope it's practice, read, understand. That's what makes you better.
Please understand this is an observation. Not the ... (show quote)


It's true no camera will make you a better photographer. But the right equipment will give a good photographer capabilities that will allow him to take better photos in specific conditions. If you want to shoot in low light, cameras with great high ISO performance and fast lenses will get you better photos. If you are shooting fast action, a camera with a high FPS and sophisticated focusing system will help. If you have contrasty lighting conditions a camera with a high dynamic range will help. A good eye for composition and a good understanding of exposure will get you a long way with basic equipment, but it may limit the types of photography you can do.

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Oct 10, 2017 13:21:46   #
Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
SharpShooter wrote:
LoL!
Wait till you're advanced and you can't get the shots you want because your entry level camera doesn't have the focus system capable of getting the shots?!
Suddenly the equipment becomes brutally important, no matter HOW good you are.
Don't judge a camera by how good you are not!!!
SS
If a person starting out in photography and has the aspirations of becoming a professional sports or wedding photographer then yes, your point is well taken. Their the ones buying the latest equipment every two or three years. Do I need a DSLR that shoots 10 or 15 fps? no. Or a camera that has 50 mega pixels? No. Or a camera that has a lightning fast focus system? No. I can see the poster's point...you can be a camera enthusiast who loves to take pictures but their are other more important things in life.

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Oct 10, 2017 13:22:48   #
tnturk Loc: Gallatin Tennessee
 
Thank you

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Oct 10, 2017 13:27:16   #
tnturk Loc: Gallatin Tennessee
 
Agree'd. When the ultimate destination is pro, then equipment matters. Your knowledge has to have a basic start point. You don't start with an advanced camera

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Oct 10, 2017 13:31:02   #
joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois
 
SharpShooter wrote:
LoL!
Wait till you're advanced and you can't get the shots you want because your entry level camera doesn't have the focus system capable of getting the shots?!
Suddenly the equipment becomes brutally important, no matter HOW good you are.
Don't judge a camera by how good you are not!!!
SS


Right on target SS.

Practice, knowledge and skill are important but so is the right tool for the job. A professional camera and lenses provide photographic opportunities that entry level equipment can never match.

Many people that think the photographer is every thing have never tried top notch equipment.

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Oct 10, 2017 13:40:13   #
rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA
 
JohnSwanda wrote:
It's true no camera will make you a better photographer. But the right equipment will give a good photographer capabilities that will allow him to take better photos in specific conditions. If you want to shoot in low light, cameras with great high ISO performance and fast lenses will get you better photos. If you are shooting fast action, a camera with a high FPS and sophisticated focusing system will help. If you have contrasty lighting conditions a camera with a high dynamic range will help. A good eye for composition and a good understanding of exposure will get you a long way with basic equipment, but it may limit the types of photography you can do.
It's true no camera will make you a better photogr... (show quote)


The issue is not so much about better, but by how much better. A marginal improvement may not be worth investing, at least not if it is the overall results that really matters.

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Oct 10, 2017 13:57:48   #
G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK
 
tnturk wrote:
Please understand this is an observation. Not the magic do all, fix all.
I am a grinder. By grinder I mean just a guy that loves photography and have loved it all my life.My equipment is sparse and in almost all cases entry level. Not a complaint but a fact of life. Kids, college, weddings, all came first. Photography is a passion but in most cases comes lower on the list of must haves. I watch posts on UHH and almost daily people ask for this vs that and seem to think this will make them better. What makes you better is practice and knowledge of the equipment you have. My lenses are kit lenses. My camera an entry level DSLR. My enjoyment has been and is over the top. I love what I do. I love getting better. I love the knowledge. So for all you people out there who think the equipment will make you better. Nope it's practice, read, understand. That's what makes you better.
Please understand this is an observation. Not the ... (show quote)


Seems like you have both your priorities right and the skill to get the best from your tools. Sometimes the advice given here sounds like a typical sales pitch....I only know of one memberwho actually sells kit!!! and he generally gives advice on how to get the best out of your particular camera and kit - go figure.!

If it ain't broke - it was probably as good as it could be when you bought it. Which can't be said for us humans.

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Oct 10, 2017 14:12:48   #
Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
joer wrote:
Right on target SS.

Practice, knowledge and skill are important but so is the right tool for the job. A professional camera and lenses provide photographic opportunities that entry level equipment can never match.

Many people that think the photographer is every thing have never tried top notch equipment.
The key words here are PROFESSIONAL camera and lens. The only thing a PROFESSIONAL camera lets you do is get to the different settings quickly. If you would put a photo taken by a $350.00 D3400 and one taken by a $6000.00 D5 side by side...you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.

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