Does Gear Really Matter? 30 Mind-Blowing Images Taken With Entry-Level Gear

Derrel · Jun 14, 2014

manaheim said:
Gear or not, photoshop or not, I just kinda thought it was cool to see the images.

They were pretty cool.

The whole "whether or not you need top gear" conversation is just so tired.

Says a guy who shoots the Nikon D800 and top-shelf lenses. In a thread started by a Canon 5D Mark III shooter. Not exactly entry-level gear in ANY way,shape, or form. You two guys shoot camera bodies that cost more than the entire outfits of many people.

I've noticed the same exact statements made over many years. Namely, that one needs only "one light", or "The simplest of equipment." Almost always by people who own state-of-the-art equipment and shoot that regularly.

manaheim · Jun 15, 2014

Well, you've been watching me enough to know what I shoot, but not watching me enough to know my stance on this topic.

As I always say... YES. Gear is important, but NO you do not have to have top-tier gear to produce tier-end images, with the exception of specialized cases such as moving subjects in very low light.

Also, as I've said numerous times, this whole question is a defensive one. People rally around one view or another largely based on their need to justify either their inability to purchase this kind of gear, or to justify having spent more money on gear than most people spend on a car.

Also, as I've said numerous times, this question is tiring because there really IS an answer to it, but no one wants to hear it. BECAUSE, as in the case of any polarized argument, the real answer is somewhere in-between the two poles, and both sides are far too far from center emotionally to be able to see it.