Tony Northrup: "Yes, the gear does matter."
May 2, 2019 21:53:38 #
your are correct .. technique and post processing ONLY comes with years of experience .... on this site .. "implied" ..., as perceived by so many ... will generate all kinds of noise .., so i think it best to spell it out ...
May 2, 2019 22:35:20 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Does the artist or the chisel create the sculpture?
Does the musician or the instrument create the music?
One of the greatest musicians I ever knew played the balalaika. That instrument has only three strings, and two of them are tuned in unison. It is very primitive and simple.
Mike
Does the musician or the instrument create the music?
One of the greatest musicians I ever knew played the balalaika. That instrument has only three strings, and two of them are tuned in unison. It is very primitive and simple.
Mike
Yeah, and Kenny G could no doubt play a decent tune on a tin horn, but it's the sax that has made him immortal in the world of Jazz.
May 3, 2019 01:24:21 #
Blenheim Orange wrote:
Does the artist or the chisel create the sculpture?
Does the musician or the instrument create the music?
One of the greatest musicians I ever knew played the balalaika. That instrument has only three strings, and two of them are tuned in unison. It is very primitive and simple.
Mike
Does the musician or the instrument create the music?
One of the greatest musicians I ever knew played the balalaika. That instrument has only three strings, and two of them are tuned in unison. It is very primitive and simple.
Mike
Then again, you didn't see Segovia playing the balalaika, didja?
May 3, 2019 05:34:50 #
May 3, 2019 05:36:57 #
Gear does not matter one bit if you don't know how to use the camera or how to compose an image. Too many think buying a $3000 rig will give them great photos. When their images are no better than before they blame the gear and spend more money. Eventually they shelve the gear and sell it at a loss.
Others just have bad GAS and are constantly buying new gear and never perfect the craft so gear only matters when it advances the quality of your work.
Others just have bad GAS and are constantly buying new gear and never perfect the craft so gear only matters when it advances the quality of your work.
May 3, 2019 05:47:54 #
cmc4214
Loc: S.W. Pennsylvania
Good gear will help a good photographer, but will not turn a bad photographer into a good one.
May 3, 2019 06:11:52 #
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.
40yrs ago this was mostly true, the camera was just a holder for the film and lens, these days the camera is much more important, but thats not to say you can't make a great image with a simple Digital camera.
My first digital was a Sony Mavica 2.2 mp, image quality was okay at 4X6, Then a Pentax iSTD 5 mp, next a Nikon D70, D2x, D300,D7100,D800 and last a D810 this will be my last unless the D810 dies. Each camera was an improvement or the last in I/Q and ease of control, but each came with an added expense in software and sometimes hardware. Do I miss film? Hell No. I went digital and never looked back. I gave my darkroom equip. away and sold my film cameras for a song and a Jig. Sorry I got off subject here, While I agree with Tony, I believe you can get great images with some of the entry level gear.!!!!
May 3, 2019 06:15:52 #
People ask why I have 5 surfboards, and it's the same thing. Yes, a pro surfer can surf on almost anything: even a wooden door can be surfed on: but they spend countless hours fine tuning boards to perform to their surfing style, their personal body dimensions, and the waves they are surfing.
There are images you can't create without specific gear. It's simply a matter of physics and light properties.
If you're not trying to create those images, then you don't need the gear.
I didn't want to create stitched together images of the massive buildings I see when I'm traveling, so I bought a wide angle that could capture the entire structure in one image.
I wanted to create distorted fisheye images that captured entire valley, bowed out the edges of patterns, and extended the legs of the models I was shooting: so I bought a fisheye.
I wanted to take clear pictures of surfers from 150 yards away while I was standing on the shore. So I bought a telephoto.
I wanted to take portraits with a creamy bokeh and thin DOF, so I bought a more expensive 58mm f1.4
The point is that you certainly CAN take cool pictures with a pin-hole camera.
But if you have specific visions of what you want to create, and if there are specific objects you want to capture, there are specific lenses that will allow you to capture the light reflecting off those objects in ways that an iPhone camera will not allow.
Note: I am neither a pro surfer nor a pro photographer.
There are images you can't create without specific gear. It's simply a matter of physics and light properties.
If you're not trying to create those images, then you don't need the gear.
I didn't want to create stitched together images of the massive buildings I see when I'm traveling, so I bought a wide angle that could capture the entire structure in one image.
I wanted to create distorted fisheye images that captured entire valley, bowed out the edges of patterns, and extended the legs of the models I was shooting: so I bought a fisheye.
I wanted to take clear pictures of surfers from 150 yards away while I was standing on the shore. So I bought a telephoto.
I wanted to take portraits with a creamy bokeh and thin DOF, so I bought a more expensive 58mm f1.4
The point is that you certainly CAN take cool pictures with a pin-hole camera.
But if you have specific visions of what you want to create, and if there are specific objects you want to capture, there are specific lenses that will allow you to capture the light reflecting off those objects in ways that an iPhone camera will not allow.
Note: I am neither a pro surfer nor a pro photographer.
May 3, 2019 06:24:53 #
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.
Maybe. Now there is this guy Bryan Peterson, who has written many books on the subject of photography. A professional photographer. He has many video tutorials on photography. Runs a variety of photography tours and workshops. On the cover of one of his books; Understanding Exposure there is inserted "How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera" I think in the end it what you want to believe not so much what you know. It's not rocket science it's just a picture.
May 3, 2019 06:27:44 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
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.
I agree, here is my shot with an older Ebay used Sony HX90V, $89.00 camera. But it does not have to be expensive.
May 3, 2019 06:34:59 #
Then why do you keep buying cameras that are not better than your 750? Buy an 850.
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.
May 3, 2019 06:40:11 #
johnbhome2
Loc: Wyoming, Michigan
Come on, it has always been about the glass and always will be. The latest and greatest camera with a crappy lens will always be the latest and greatest with a crap lens. Comparing a Kodak Brownie to today's latest and greatest is ludacris at best.
May 3, 2019 06:54:43 #
I am The Snapologist. Maybe a better one now than I was - but I bought my Fujica ST801 because I knew it would take a higher quality snap than my mums brownie, even if the image was no better.
May 3, 2019 07:04:05 #
What matters is your vision and style regardless of the gear. Constantly be developing your skill sets in all facets of the process. It is fine to be economical if needed in the cost but do not cheapen out when it comes to the time spent in front of the computer to make some magic happen.
Solitude - (1990) - Nikon N2000 - Quanatary mid-zoom -Kodacolor 100
(Download)
Emerald Isles - (2007) - D995 Coolpix (2mpx)
(Download)
A Walk In The Clouds - (2010) - D70s - 18-35 Nikkor - Bulb
(Download)
Cribworks - (2013) - D200 - 18-35 Nikkor (stitched pano)
(Download)
Tuckerman's Ravine - (2014) - D600 - 50mm 1.4 af-d
(Download)
Acadia Sunrise - (2018) - D800 - 58mm Voigtlander
(Download)
Cribworks II - 2018 - D850 - 58mm Voigtlander
(Download)
May 3, 2019 07:08:38 #
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.
I really shoot about 70% of the time in “normal” lighting and dynamic range which lends itself to APS-C or smaller sensors and a body with a kit lens. Fifteen years ago I was doing everything wrong photographically. The only thing I really knew, through experimentation, was the relationships within the basic exposure triangle. I was then, and still, learning how to take a decent pic. The UHH photo gallery keeps me humble and constantly reminds me of how far I must travel photographically until I can take a decent pic.
My real photo interest and passion is to take great (for me) shots of all kinds within a huge dynamic range with as little noise as possible. These “self-inflicted requirements” for me demand at least “good equipment” that will give me a chance to produce something that strokes that need for me. I guess that I could spend more time in photoshop and the “Denoise” type products. However, that has never appealed to me. Being partially color blind I try to stay away from a lot of PP. I use PhotoScape X which is free, very capable and can “save” marginal pics without a lot of time or effort.
Personally, I have found that my pics have improved over my “digital years” from two things.
1. My hunger to learn and technique. This makes up 2/3 of the contribution for me.
2. Improved Cameras, sensors and lens have made 1/3 of the contribution for me.
Honestly, the equipment upgrades make less of an impact now than just a few years ago.
I continue to shoot a lot and cull out about 80% of what I shoot.
I guess, that equipment does make a difference, but only in its’ capacity to produce a good pic.
As I can attest, you may buy good equipment, however, you can only buy a good pic at the store.
Please forgive my rambling on and . . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends
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