Tony Northrup: "Yes, the gear does matter.": Have any of you seen Tony's video about how important good gear is in photography? We keep getting responses here saying that the gear...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Have any of you seen Tony's video about how important good gear is in photography? We keep getting responses here saying that the gear doesn't matter. It's the photographer that makes the picture. I've never believed that, and that's why I buy a new camera occasionally. Otherwise, I'd still be using my parents' old Kodak box camera.

The D750 is my main camera, and when I use something else, the results are not as good.

BebuLamar

All I know for sure you have no photo without a camera. You can have photo with a camera and a monkey.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

BebuLamar wrote:

You can have photo with a camera and a monkey.

And PETA will make a court case out of it.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I wholly agree. The equipment does matter, to a point. Stick a roll of 120 in a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye and a roll in a Hasselblad and you'll see quite a difference in the quality of the image. That is unless one is going for the style of photograph produced by the Kodak camera. So, people who state it's the photographer and not the camera are simply parroting some cliche they've heard somewhere. One with which I've never agreed.

Although I've not seen this edition of Tony's videos, it's probably the only one with which I've agreed.
--Bob

jerryc41 wrote:

Have any of you seen Tony's video about how important good gear is in photography? We keep getting responses here saying that the gear doesn't matter. It's the photographer that makes the picture. I've never believed that, and that's why I buy a new camera occasionally. Otherwise, I'd still be using my parents' old Kodak box camera.

The D750 is my main camera, and when I use something else, the results are not as good.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

Jerry:

Could it be that you get the best results from your D750 because you're familiar with that camera and its workings?

I have to admit that I saw a vast improvement in my prints when I went from my D40 to my D3200 as a result of the larger sensor.

That being said, I took some amazing prints (and still do) with my D40.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

reminds me of a curve mentioned before about the photographer experience curve (from Photographer's Learning Curve)

(Download)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

photoman022 wrote:

Jerry:

Could it be that you get the best results from your D750 because you're familiar with that camera and its workings?

I have to admit that I saw a vast improvement in my prints when I went from my D40 to my D3200 as a result of the larger sensor.

That being said, I took some amazing prints (and still do) with my D40.

Could be.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

BebuLamar wrote:

All I know for sure you have no photo without a camera. You can have photo with a camera and a monkey.

If only I had a monkey, I'm doomed to mediocrity, I do have a puppy and a kitty, hopefully those will do.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

While I have not seen the video it should be a given that within reasonable boundaries, everything matters. Most cameras made today and many in the past are excellent cameras that most good photographers could use to take a prize winning photograph. But give those same cameras to someone who has never taken a photo and the results would be the opposite. While the camera does matter it is also a balance of the photographer knowing which camera settings to use, and knowledge of composition and lighting to make a great photograph. Take away any one of those pieces and the GREAT photograph won't happen.

Obviously I am using the KISS principle here for those who may quibble.

Dennis

saxman71 Loc: Wenatchee

Better camera + better lenses + better shooting technique + better post processing skills = better photos. Did I leave anything out?

blue-ultra Loc: New Hampshire

dennis2146 wrote:

While I have not seen the video it should be a giv... (show quote)

BebuLamar

dennis2146 wrote:

While I have not seen the video it should be a giv... (show quote)

The type of photos taken by Northrup do require serious gear.

MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama

Tony and Chelsea are like the soft porn of photography... I keep going back to their vids because they talk about interesting topics irregardless of their specific relevance to us average button pushers. their topics are usually on interesting subjects whether or not you agree with anything they say. Its like food for thought to keep the gray matter active. I get a chuckle out of watching them and usually learn something as I do a little further digging to either discredit or validate what they are crowing about.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

saxman71 wrote:

Better camera + better lenses + better shooting technique + better post processing skills = better photos. Did I leave anything out?

Yes.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

Much depends on the genre... and the client... but ultimately possibly on the skill set of the craftsman...
I like Tony, and have benefited from his love of the craft... even though we work in totally different genres..

And then there is an issue of commercial aesthetics which can often drive an image equation in the genre I work in...

But here on UHH there seems to be an assumption that kit actually does matter... Why? Because if so then excellence obviously is a consumer commodity... This epic myth is perpetuated by the vendors of gear... Best advice? Try to get published... See how impressed magazine art directors are with your "kit"

enough said...
All the best on your journey