twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

Nikon D800, 1/1500, ISO 800, f22

Sigma 50 - 500 lens at 400.

He just purchased a Nikon D5200, used a 55 - 300 kit lens. Do not know his settings.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

Perfect, since you are both using Nikon gear you should be familiar with his gear. Why not take the same shot with his camera and lens and show him that his camera and lens will do the same thing as yours once you've learned the proper technique?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

You could have been really mean and offer to let him shoot with your lens. Then he'd think he needed a new camera. :D

twillsol Loc: St. Louis, MO

Great idea, thanks pepper. :thumbup:

larrycumba

twillsol, you did right by staying quiet. Didn't ruffle any feathers and perhaps your friend will be sporting a new lens.

amehta Loc: Boston

The photographer, camera, lens, subject, and lighting all matter to get a great shot. The last two are the same, but the first two are vastly different.

The question is whether your friend sees this situation as an incentive to improve his skills?

BTW, I think you did a great job biting your tongue, and then coming here to vent. We can't always take the "moral high ground" in the immediacy of a situation, the key is whether we can after we have a chance to reflect. :-)

Atchy Loc: Essex England

It's been said before

Nothing new under the sun

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

I am sorry, but now curious minds want to know, what kind of lenses were involved? I know I always used a fixed lens for years in my film days, then one day I got a new camera that had a zoom lens (a limited one but my first) and my world changed. Now I could actually control composition with the flick of the wrist, move back and forth in space 'virtually' without having to combat an obstacle course to get the right viewpoint, the possibilities were endless. Now I know we nitpick over lenses sometimes, but when I went digital I decided to move from the prime kit lens to a 28-300mm Tamron. Again my world was changed forever, not just a limited zoom, but true telephoto and wide angle too. That was a decade ago, and now a new generation of lenses is upon us, I have moved to Nikon equipment, 24 megapixels and newer Nikon lenses, and although the zoom is not as big a range, the lenses are the sharpest I have had, I look at my prints in the Gallery bins and the new ones really are a whole new level of quality, and I am even starting to wonder if people will still buy the earlier style ones. So although it is not just the lens, it is the photographer, it is the photographer with the lens that makes it, changing either one can make the difference. While it is true that a good lens in the hands of a mediocre photographer is going to give mediocre shots, I do believe a good photographer can utilize a superior lens to get better shots. I do believe when I have honed my own skills to the utmost, I can still make an improvement if I can get a better lens. I think some lenses are sharper than others, and it is not always strictly price. I know a girl who took great photos with her point and shoot, she didn't know much about photography but had "the eye". She was unduly concerned about having the latest, and when she upgraded to this year's changes but got a different brand, she, and we, noticed the pictures just weren't as sharp...even though it was newer, there was a difference in equipment, and newer isn't always better.

Beagleman Loc: Indiana

It looks like you have a very nice dog too.

==Beagleman

Gaddysmom

OK, guys, I am a woman and I have never considered the old stove joke to be particularly sexist, but maybe that is just me. On the other hand I have had several opportunities in my lifetime to tell it after someone has given me the "what great photos; you must have a good camera." I have laughed and then told the stove story: "Photographer comes back from a trip to Africa and is asked to friends' house to show photos and have dinner. After slide show his hostess says "that was great, you must have a wonderful camera. He thanks her, but then during dinner he says this food is great you must have a wonderful stove." I usually end the tale by saying "everyone gets lucky now and then and good equipment helps, but at the end of the day it comes down to the photographer." In SOL's case, since the weaker of the two photographers is her husband, I might add, "poor XX just wasn't lucky that day." I have found that by "sharing" the joke of the stove story rather than making someone the "butt" of it, the message is delivered but in a way that hurts no one's feelings. However, SOL, I think you missed your chance and I would not recommend you do as some have suggested and call the woman know. It could be tricky and cost you some friends. You know them, however, and you get to decide. My recommendation is that you vow not to miss the next opportunity.

winterrose Loc: Kyneton, Victoria, Australia

Just don't tell her she has nice chairs......

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

The other side of the coin - When your pictures don't look good, just say, "Yeah, I used a crummy lens for that shot."

Mmatu

Well said, it is the photographer not the lens..

banjonut Loc: Southern Michigan

But it actually COULD be the lens. I have a couple of lenses that I don't care who used them, the photos would not come out in a positive manner, unless you were going for the low contrast, unsharp look.
I still contend that the majority of the time, the folk that say "it's not the gear" actually have the gear.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

Why would anybody feel the need to ridicule someone who apparently was only trying to give a compliment? That takes a pretty thin ego IMHO. Thank them and forget it or attempt to educate them, but at least look at the intent before getting offended.