Tony Northrup: "Yes, the gear does matter."
May 2, 2019 10:59:35 #
May 2, 2019 11:02:38 #
May 2, 2019 11:15:08 #
Both the photographer and the gear matter and how the gear matters depends on how the resulting image is viewed.
Regardless of the quality of the gear, you can create images of excellent composition. However, in order to get a excellent image quality, you need an excellent sensor and an excellent lens and they both cost money. In order to judge an excellent image, you need to see the image enlarged in a big print made by an excellent printer or shown on a large, excellent monitor. If you only view images on phone or tablet or only make small prints, then the camera/lens quality is of much less importance.
One final comment, a lot of amateur photographers can't tell the difference between a good quality and not such a good quality image until they learn and appreciate good quality images. For people who can't afford good quality equipment or just don't want to spend the big bucks for it, they are better off not knowing what quality looks like because once you know, you'll probably want to have it and it will cost you. Ignorance can definitely be a blessing. On the other hand, an 'ignorant' person does not know the pleasure they may be missing.
Regardless of the quality of the gear, you can create images of excellent composition. However, in order to get a excellent image quality, you need an excellent sensor and an excellent lens and they both cost money. In order to judge an excellent image, you need to see the image enlarged in a big print made by an excellent printer or shown on a large, excellent monitor. If you only view images on phone or tablet or only make small prints, then the camera/lens quality is of much less importance.
One final comment, a lot of amateur photographers can't tell the difference between a good quality and not such a good quality image until they learn and appreciate good quality images. For people who can't afford good quality equipment or just don't want to spend the big bucks for it, they are better off not knowing what quality looks like because once you know, you'll probably want to have it and it will cost you. Ignorance can definitely be a blessing. On the other hand, an 'ignorant' person does not know the pleasure they may be missing.
May 2, 2019 11:34:38 #
Tomcat5133
Loc: Gladwyne PA
My son's in-laws were driving out of his complex in a full size Mercedes and were blindsided
by a car going very fast. My son said the car was totaled and parts folded like an accordion
to save their lives. They are injured but are OK.
Some cars not only Mercedes are built better and safer. Subaru is rated high.
I have seen one Tony Northrup video. It seemed to be interesting and informative.
Have seen snarky comments about him. Not sure why. A lot of photographers say bad
things about Ken Rockwell. I think he is one of the best reviewers. And honest about his thoughts.
Yes the gear matters. Creative and perfectionist people will do better photos with good glass and sensors.
A lot of movies and cable movies today are shot with Arri Alexi'S versions of this great camera.
I know I could advance my video jobs with one of these. The tech is outstanding.
Never before did we have such great camera's available and relatively reasonable costs for what they are.
by a car going very fast. My son said the car was totaled and parts folded like an accordion
to save their lives. They are injured but are OK.
Some cars not only Mercedes are built better and safer. Subaru is rated high.
I have seen one Tony Northrup video. It seemed to be interesting and informative.
Have seen snarky comments about him. Not sure why. A lot of photographers say bad
things about Ken Rockwell. I think he is one of the best reviewers. And honest about his thoughts.
Yes the gear matters. Creative and perfectionist people will do better photos with good glass and sensors.
A lot of movies and cable movies today are shot with Arri Alexi'S versions of this great camera.
I know I could advance my video jobs with one of these. The tech is outstanding.
Never before did we have such great camera's available and relatively reasonable costs for what they are.
May 2, 2019 12:14:14 #
Strodav
Loc: Houston, Tx
I saw the video yesterday, enjoyed it. My take aways were yes, a professional can tell the difference between images that were taken by smart phones, mid range gear and high end equipment, but I have seen award winning images taken with smart phones and mid range gear. It's the art side, the creative side, the vision that gives us the energy to create unforgettable images that show our subjects in unique ways that evoke emotion. So ya, gear does matter, but maybe not as much as analytical people might think, and maybe more important than more creative people might think.
May 2, 2019 13:16:10 #
May 2, 2019 13:22:54 #
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.
The D750 is my main camera, and when I use something else, the results are not as good.
Just my opinion, but I think the importance of gear is limited, except for a lens. A quality camera and a quality lens bought 5, or 10, or more years ago that provided high IQ when new will still provide the same the same IQ, unless it's been dropped off a bridge or something.
May 2, 2019 13:35:19 #
Matt Granger did a video, "Will a new camera improve your photography?"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CQckSsE0dSg
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CQckSsE0dSg
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May 2, 2019 13:39:31 #
nikonnate
Loc: Woodbury MN
I saw the vid last night too. Frankly I agree with it, at least the part where he mentioned getting top-end gear for the tough shots. With good lighting and good glass it's relatively easy to get a nice shot, but take a cheap camera out for a night shooting the stars or chasing RC cars around a track and you will start to see differences quickly. That first one is why I went from a T5i to a D850, the noise handling in a T5i at 3am with 20-30 second exposures is horrible. But it made nice daytime shots, no doubt.
BTW - the Northrups' channel is my favorite photography channel because Chelsea strikes me as kinda dorky and adorable, and Tony is the dorky cool dad. I like dorky people.
BTW - the Northrups' channel is my favorite photography channel because Chelsea strikes me as kinda dorky and adorable, and Tony is the dorky cool dad. I like dorky people.
May 2, 2019 13:47:01 #
It matters more to T&C because their monetized YT account without followers of gear reviews would fall quickly. A terrible photographer with high end gear still equals a bad photograph. T&C do not teach the art of making a photograph in my opinion.
May 2, 2019 13:55:20 #
Thomas902 wrote:
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"
Well said.
Mike
May 2, 2019 14:08:51 #
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.
The D750 is my main camera, and when I use something else, the results are not as good.
It depends, of course, on what people want to do. For most of the people posting here "the gear doesn't matter" is not bad advice. There is an obsession with gear among people who do not understand the fundamentals of photography. This takes extreme forms, as in a recent post where a person had a problem with overexposed images (solution - stop overexposing them, use a faster shutter speed and/or smaller aperture) and wondered if they should buy a new lens or camera body to solve that problem.
For many people the gear itself is the hobby, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, for amateurs and beginners, I think we do them a service to steer them away from obsessing over new and more sophisticated gear as the solution to everything.
There would be absolutely nothing wrong with suggesting to a beginner that they fully master their parents' old Kodak box camera before running out and throwing money at gear.
I enjoy the Northrups, but they occasionally set up a straw man to knock down for the sake of making an entertaining video as they do here. For example, Chelsea says that people say "Avedon (or Adams) didn't have auto focus (or other feature of modern cameras)..." the implication being that the person saying that is somehow "against" that new feature. She then characterizes the argument as ridiculous, and claims that Avedon (or Adams) would have loved the new features on modern cameras. But the people she is lampooning usually aren't saying that you shouldn't have or use the new features, they are saying that the new features are not a necessity.
Mike
May 2, 2019 14:13:37 #
It depends on the type of picture being taken. I've seen some very nice pics taken with a cellphone and they are great for Facebook. But you can't heavily crop those pictures if that is what you have in mind. You can't take a close up pic of the moon or a closeup of a small bird at 75 ft. with a cellphone. The cell phone lens and sensor just aren't up to the task. You don't need the newest or best equipment, but you do need equipment that is up to the task. You are limited to photographs that your gear is capable of producing. Even generations ago this was true. My father had a Leica camera during and after WWII, but none of his photos acheived the sharpness of studio photographs. The rangefinder Leica couldn't match the quality of studio photography taken with large format cameras. If you look at Anselm Adams' 35mm color photos, they are just average looking snapshots.
May 2, 2019 14:46:57 #
If you lack creativity and vision as a photographer, acquiring the newest, most expensive gear likely won't make your work anymore appealing than it was before.
May 2, 2019 14:48:38 #
Of course gear matters. High quality, high performance cameras and lenses give you more opportunities and more ways to showcase what you can accomplish with whatever talents you have.
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