Canon or Nikon? DSLR or mirrorless? Full frame or cropped sensor? Prime or Zoom? New or used? How about if you are trying to capture a full-frame, tack-sharp photo of the Moon with your cellphone camera? Or walking around a major city doing street photography with a 600mm prime! How much and when does “Gear” really matter? Along with are you using your gear within its limits? I know having the latest and greatest gear does very, very little when it comes to taking better photos. Then there’s the aspect of using one’s gear the wrong way. I can think of only two scenarios in which gear matters. The first is when one has substandard or inadequate gear that inhibits their ability to capture an image that they envision. And the other is there is something about your gear that you dislike so much, it discourages you from using it.
Gear doesn’t matter but the wrong gear does because it hampers your abilities. It would be like having Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton drive a Tesla Model S Plaid at the Grand Prix of Monaco. Yeah, it’s a fast car but it is not the proper car for a Formula One race. And the same goes for you and your photography. Having the wrong or inadequate equipment can be very detrimental to your growth as a photographer. If as a photographer who has an understanding of not only exposure and light but a working knowledge of the elements of the arts, and if you are using gear that is preventing you from reaching your creative potential then it is bad for you and your ability to create images. It could be gear that doesn’t allow you to change lenses, or manipulate various settings, or you do have enough focal length.
Back in 2004, I was shooting aviation events with my Digital Rebel. And was using a function that still is necessary for aviation photography today (if you’re a Canon shooter) is AI Servo. This auto-focus mode is for tracking fast-moving subjects. When you half depress the shutter button, with your AF point on a moving subject, the camera will continue to keep the subject in focus. The only downside is that on the Digital Rebel, you could only access AI Servos in Sport mode which prevents you from selecting your aperture and shutter speed as well as locking the ISO at 400. Back then 400 was super noisy due to the tiny 6.3-megapixel sensor. But it wasn’t an issue when I was shooting jets because the camera maintained a fast enough shutter speed to capture them. But my love was for WWII warbirds, which requires control of the shutter to prevent freezing the props and get what is known as prop blur. Because of this lack of control, which was hindering my ability to photograph what I love, I chose to upgrade to the Canon 20D which allowed me to select AI Servos in any mode without locking the ISO.
Gear that you’re so dissatisfied with it, that you no longer want to use it matters as well. It should be noted that a lack of understanding of how to use your gear properly and misusing it does not count here. It would be similar to a painter who dislikes a certain brand of paint or a sketch artist who doesn’t like a type of marker or pencil. When it comes to your gear, it could be a lens that just doesn’t perform well, a tripod that can’t support your setup or you just hate the way your camera body feels in your hands. As a photographer, your tools are your gear. And being hampered by one’s tools can destroy one’s confidence along with enthusiasm to continue to capture images. There has to be a good level of comfort along with enjoyment with your gear that keeps you excited about photography.
Years ago, I purchased both the Canon 100-400mm zoom (the push-pull mark 1) and the 400mm F/5.6 prime. Both were L series lenses that “promise of professional quality in image reproduction performance, operability and reliability.” I intended to use the prime as my main lens and the versatility of the zoom as my secondary. But the images from the 100-400 were constantly soft. And when the images were in focus, the clarity was nowhere near the 400mm prime which was always tack sharp. I used it at multiple airshows but was never able to get results that I was happy with. Because of its soft focusing and how inconsistent it was, I didn’t want to shoot with it. I was so disappointed with the fact that it was supposed to be of professional performance. In the end, I lost all enthusiasm for that lens, and I eventually sold it.
The art form of photography is not about the gear but rather the images that we create and share. The camera, lenses, light meters, and tripods… are all just tools that allow you to capture photos. And about 98% of the time, it doesn’t matter. I’m willing to bet that a large portion of your audience doesn’t care about what gear you use. But if your gear is harming your growth, by either obstructing your development and abilities or is causing you to lose enthusiasm and confidence in your ability to create images, that’s when gear matters.
How do you feel about gear? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven
Gear Used:
iPhone 6
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