bonefish Loc: Bradenton FL

Great quote.. I need to read this every time I look at ads for new gear!

karno Loc: Chico ,California

When can you say you have truly mastered anything?

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

I don't know him but get the odd feeling he knows me!

bedouin Loc: Big Bend area, Texas

Camera,lens,and gadget makers want us all to be Thoroughly Modern Millies.

ross13

If I want a new camera, I don’t need to justify that to anyone but my wife. And while it may not make me a better photographer, it also doesn’t make me a worse photographer. And it has no effect on whether I will ever master it. Changing digital cameras is not like changing paper, etc.

twice_shooter

From Quora: “Ansel used a Hasselblad, a Korona view, a Polaroid Land (a.k.a SX-70) he was a consultant to Polaroid for years, a Leica, a Linhof, a 35mm Zeiss Contax. His view cameras included several 4x5s and 8x10s. Primarily a view camera, 4x5 and 8x10“

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

steve49 Loc: massachusetts

Any camera is a complex instrument with many levels of sophistication.
Practically anything you can buy far exceeds the quality of Cartier Bressons old Leica...
But look at the images he recorded.
Use what you have and work toward improving your work.

srt101fan

I would think this to be pretty straightforward.

Seriously, rigorously and honestly analyze your photos and identify flaws or things you don't like about them.

Seriously, rigorously and honestly judge and decide if these perceived deficiencies are due to equipment limitations or your own shortcomings as a photographer.

If you honestly conclude your gear is holding you back than it's time to consider a hardware change.

Of course, some equipment limitations are pretty clear cut. Tough to do wildlife if all you have is a wide angle lens. Tough to do "available light" photography (do they still use that term?) if your lens only opens to f/8 and you don't have a tripod...

Maybe "honesty" is the issue here!? A clinical analysis of "Gear Acquisition Syndrome" would probably reveal that it clouds your judgement....and it IS so easy to blame your gear!

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

I see many agreements to this but how many who agree have the D850, D500 etc with the latest lenses they bought when their older camera was only months old.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Well, as much as I admire EW, I think he may be off on this one.

I go to the musician analogy.


A beginner at the guitar can never appreciate all the qualities - both visual and tonal - of a $4000 Martin CEO-8-2e, but it will be far easier for the beginner to play than the $50 Walmart special because it is precisely tunable and the action is quite easy. I am not suggesting that every beginner get $4000 guitar, but no beginner should start out with the $50 one either. There is a middle ground on price for ownership, and usually a low cost rental option that works as well. When the skill level increases, so should the quality of the instrument.

Photography gear is no different. Usually people start out with a modest camera and lens(es) and work their way up. As you improve your skills, or develop specific interests in subject matter, the original purchase may not suit their needs. It has nothing to do with mastery - but all to do with focus (pun intended). One does not need to have a full, in-depth understanding of a camera and a kit lens to know that they won't get amazing results when shooting high school football in a dimly lit stadium, or indoors at a birthday party with a combination of light - including the pop-up flash. So they start their quest for better results. Of course there is technique that needs to be addressed, but even with good technique, an inadequate camera can be an obstacle to getting quality images.

The other important component is the marketplace. Every year brings new gear. Digital cameras have been on a very fast R&D cycle, with improvements in sensor technology (higher res, less noise, better color), handing (faster processors, bigger buffers, ergonomics, etc), size, etc. The R&D on lenses is a little slower, but in many cases, the new stuff is discernibly better than the old stuff. Or cheaper. Or lighter. Or more resistant to poor environmental conditions. This constant advance of technology, coupled with the advancement of skill level and creative desires, is often what leads to GAS.

Of course, there is the other very human part - it's exciting to get new toys! And many people who get the new toys or gadgets often figure out how to best used them. I have yet to know of any working photographer that shoots in the field and/or studio and doesn't have a small warehouse of "stuff" for the job.

The other thing is that "stuff" breaks and routinely needs to be either repaired or replaced. An excellent opportunity to replace with newer, better gear. GAS has it's place and there is nothing wrong with it. And you don't have to master what you have to "merit" something new and better. You just have to be able to afford it.

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

Though this quote has a valuable message, I wonder if there is anyone here who can truly say that they have complete mastery over ANY camera? As part of this equation, one must also have "mastery" over the entire process from shutter click to processed print. That being the case, if I followed this advice to the letter, I'd still be using a Brownie Hawkeye.

gym Loc: Athens, Georgia

mkiegold86 Loc: New York, NY. U.S.A.

I agree totally. I have one camera and three lenses but one lens ,the 18,140 is my primary lens. I do about 85% of my work with it. The first month I had this camera I really enjoyed testing out all it's features. Now I shoot for or five days a week and am really comfortable with my new tools. So much so that the mechanics are mostly muscle motion which gives me more time to really concentrate on the shot.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

I agree some have to have the latest and greatest in hope of improving their photos.