"The photographer with the better gear will take the better images" - Opinions?

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Hmmm. Photobucket rips out the copyright info on images.

I think you really need to define just what "better" is. All better gear does is bend light a little more precisely. I think a great photographer is simply someone who knows the image they wish to capture, and are not limited by their equiptment or skill, and if there is a limitation, their skill can work around it.

I agree that statement is incorrect. A good photographer should know the limitations of his gear and should be able to take good pictures when he stays within the limitations (including kit lenses). In situations where a lens will not perform, better gear meeting the requirements of the scene will allow the photographer to take better pictures.

Ok...give me an XT with a kit lens and all my lighting gear and I'll still blow the pants off of someone with a 1Ds Mark III with any L glass without the lighting gear. Yes, the gear is key...but knowing how to use it effectively is even more important. However, you could give anyone $100,000 worth of equipment...but without the knowledge and expertise gained through trial and error, they'll rarely make interesting and captivating images. Gear is only part of the equation...expertise is what makes a masterful image.

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

Ok...give me an XT with a kit lens and all my lighting gear and I'll still blow the pants off of someone with a 1Ds Mark III with any L glass without the lighting gear. Yes, the gear is key...but knowing how to use it effectively is even more important. However, you could give anyone $100,000 worth of equipment...but without the knowledge and expertise gained through trial and error, they'll rarely make interesting and captivating images. Gear is only part of the equation...expertise is what makes a masterful image.

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Yeah Helmut Newton really sucked. What the heck was he thinking.

As several folks have mentioned, good photos are a mixture of lots of key element, including having a good eye and having the right gear. In a way the "right" lens is just a tool in the hands of a good photographer. You can get a great shot with a basic lens and camera. But with the right lens, the good photographer opens up the range of possibilities.





If you're shooting a sports event, it helps to have a zoom with enough reach and some speed. If I'm shooting at an orchid farm, it doesn't hurt to have a good macro lens in the bag. Sometimes the gear can help you to see the shot you want -- if you're holding a hammer, the world looks more like a nail. But if you don't have an eye for what works, nothing will help.

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Originally Posted by TimT

But if you don't have an eye for what works, nothing will help.

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I guess I might as well give up, then. [*-)]

Thanks! Monday at 5, I needed a laugh.

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Originally Posted by TimT

If you're shooting a sports event, it helps to have a zoom with enough reach and some speed. If I'm shooting at an orchid farm, it doesn't hurt to have a good macro lens in the bag. Sometimes the gear can help you to see the shot you want

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Yea, I shoot with a XSi + 75-300 at sporting events i can still manage to get great shots at 3.5 frames per second and f 4-5.6





it helps to have gear to suit what your shooting on the other hand you dont have to go all out and spend money on the best to get quality pictures.