Will Better Kit Make Me A Better Photographer

CaptainPenguin

CaptainPenguin

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Nigel Cliff
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Humour me on this one guy's I am talking footy here,now I know that an f2.8 zoom opposed to my f4 will throw backgrounds out of focus and make the sharp figures stand out more.A 1D or 7D as opposed to my 400D will have a faster burst rate and mean I will capture more "Decisive Moments" and under lights a combination of higher iso and the f2.8 will mean I will get shots that my more humble kit cannot hope to get.

But will all that improve my skills and make me a better photographer or just the same photographer with better kit
 
You will get better photographs going from a 400D to a 1D or 7D but the kit wont make you a better photographer.
 
^ What he said! :)


(although it might help you learn to be one, if you need to!)
 
You'll be the same photographer with better kit - why would buying new kit automatically make you a better photographer? :shrug:
 
Sectionate said:
That's poor salesmen speak.

On a way, it will (after a while) as the kit will allow you to be more flexible in your shooting...but it won't be an instant improvement!
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I have noticed a distinct improvement in my photos, since upgrading my D80 and 18-200 lens, to a D300s and a 24-70 and 70-200.

Not sure my photography skills have changed much (although I clearly take in so much great information with the amount of time I spend here), but there is an argument that certain kit has quality limitations. That doesnt maketh the photographer though.
 
i find , when i improve my kit, my photos improve.
poor kit has its limitations when it comes to great sports photos, if you want top quality shots and what to improve your skills more, get good gear. But would only suggest this if your seriuos about it,and can afford it
 
Now i must state straight away, im by no means a great (or good for that matter) photgrapher but when i upgraded my sony A200 to an A450 and my kit lens to tamron 17-50mm f2.8 i actually did get better, im pretty sure its not because of the kit directly, but indirectly i was excited i had new kit, meaning i wanted to get out more and take more and better photos. So imo, Indirectly i reckon you will get better.

Of course if you spend money like we use bog paper (assuming you use bog paper :p:LOL:) then you probably wouldnt be as excited as i would be :)

Si
 
The reality of it is you can only shoot what you see, if you don't or cant see it you cannot shoot it. Having better kit will give better quality images but not necessarily better images.
 
snapzz said:
The reality of it is you can only shoot what you see, if you don't or cant see it you cannot shoot it. Having better kit will give better quality images but not necessarily better images.
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/end thread
 
I am not going to elevate the rather straightforward skill of being able to take a decent photograph. So, another way of looking at it is this - the shots you currently take, will be better.

Given your question you seem to know the ropes, so in a nutshell, yes I think your getting a better camera will make you a better photographer.

Go for it.
 
You may become more successful with your results as focussing will be better, lenses will be sharper.. but you will still need to be able to master them as a photographer at the same time as framing the picture, looking for the better backgrounds and all that arty farty stuff!
 
:LOL:
 
better kit does improve confidance. but dont mistake it for being a better photographer. photography is the making of photos , Cameras are a tool to enable us to make the pictures.

Cheers Steve
 
Let me put it this way, man in diesel mondeo is an okay driver. Stick him in a DB9 and he's still an okay driver but in a quicker car. He'll win every traffic light GP, he'll exit the slip in front of you, but he's still only okay.

Every time I think about changing my camera,thinking if I got a 7D my shots would be sharper I have a look somewhere like pixel peeper. I've seen amazing shots from others with 20D's and the same lenses I have so it must be me. I've tried a 40D and my shots looked a bit better, but still had the same technical faults. The reason that they looked better, because they were bigger and denser.
 
In my case, better kit did make a big difference for me, but for rather bizarre reasons.

When I moved from a 30D to a 1D3, I felt I had to try much harder to get good photos to "justify" having such a super camera. The result was that I put far more effort into my photography, took more pictures, and tried more techniques than I would have done otherwise.

Additionally, I found that I had the nerve to get myself into (fairly minor) sports events which I wouldn't have previously tried with the 30D. I had a 70-200 f4 at this stage.

The result was that I built up my confidence significantly and was able to build and build on my techniques, skills and event access, and gradually move "up the ladder" to get to my current situation.

So, whilst I am sure I could have got a lot of great pics and built up my technique with my 30D, the psychological impact of the 1D3 really spurred me on and I have no doubt that if I hadn't got it I'd be nowhere near where I am now. It was the trigger for me without a doubt.
 
Tobers said:
In my case, better kit did make a big difference for me, but for rather bizarre reasons.

When I moved from a 30D to a 1D3, I felt I had to try much harder to get good photos to "justify" having such a super camera. The result was that I put far more effort into my photography, took more pictures, and tried more techniques than I would have done otherwise.

Additionally, I found that I had the nerve to get myself into (fairly minor) sports events which I wouldn't have previously tried with the 30D. I had a 70-200 f4 at this stage.

The result was that I built up my confidence significantly and was able to build and build on my techniques, skills and event access, and gradually move "up the ladder" to get to my current situation.

So, whilst I am sure I could have got a lot of great pics and built up my technique with my 30D, the psychological impact of the 1D3 really spurred me on and I have no doubt that if I hadn't got it I'd be nowhere near where I am now. It was the trigger for me without a doubt.
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I think thats the answer I was looking for now i have got to start saving
 
Having an eye for a shot, having an understanding of the sport you're shooting and to be able to anticipate what will happen next will all make you a far better photographer than any amount of kit
 
Better kit will make you a poor photographer - poor as in broke. :D
 
Every time I get better kit my photography improves.

I bought a Sigma 150mm 1.8 for far more than I could really afford and the quality of my images went up at least twice as much overnight. The quality of images improves depending on the body and the lens, I can agree that a better photographer will get fair results from any camera but OP asked "Will Better Kit Make Me A Better Photographer" That it wont, but if he asked "will better kit get me better photos" I believe that will be a yes.
 
CGeezer said:
Every time I get better kit my photography improves.

I bought a Sigma 150mm 1.8 for far more than I could really afford and the quality of my images went up at least twice as much overnight. The quality of images improves depending on the body and the lens, I can agree that a better photographer will get fair results from any camera but OP asked "Will Better Kit Make Me A Better Photographer" That it wont, but if he asked "will better kit get me better photos" I believe that will be a yes.
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Totally agree. If you buy a F1 racing car today, you will not be the grandprix champion tomorrow.
 
i thought this thread ended with the first reply by bigrob ...all replies after are the same as his only reworded or stretched :)
 
Nige,
The better kit will highlight the short coming in the 'not so better kit'

Once the image quality is there, you will have no excuses, except for poor technique. You will then have the confidence you have the right tools for the job. It's then that you will see if you cut it or not .
 
KIPAX said:
i thought this thread ended with the first reply by bigrob ...all replies after are the same as his only reworded or stretched :)
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What Kipax said :D
 
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