It seems that the question “Does gear matter?” is a subject of an endless debate. Some photographer say it does and some that it doesn’t, but the fact is – you can still take good photos even with cheap gear. And in this video, Peter McKinnon will give you a proof.
Peter took some photos with the super-cheap Canon EOS T100/4000D and the new Canon EOS R mirrorless camera. Can you even tell which photo was shot on which? Take a look at the examples and try to guess, you may be surprised.
Peter was inspired by a friend of his who creates fantastic product shots with a 15-year-old Canon Rebel XT and a cheap 50mm lens. So, Peter grabbed the Canon T100 that cost him $500 along with the 18-55mm kit lens, lens and he tested it out for some product shots. He took the photos at his own home to prove that you can still make good images even if you don’t have the high-end gear or a dedicated studio. After a couple of basic tweaks in Lightroom, he ended up with some pretty neat shots.
In order to make this a challenge, he also took some photos with the Canon EOS R, which cost him around $4,000 along with the lens. He asked his photographer friend Gabriel if he could guess which photo was taken with which setup. And even though he is a professional, he got a couple of them wrong. Peter shares the photos in the video, so you can test yourself, too. I did rather well, but I also got one wrong.
Personally, I think that gear does matter depending on the task you have ahead of you. Sometimes you need high-end gear if the task demands it. But, the point here is that the lack of money and super-pricey gear don’t need to stop you from creating. If you have ideas and the skill, you can take good photos with a cheap camera or even with a smartphone.
[Can a Professional Photographer spot the difference? $400 Camera VS $4,000.00 Camera | Peter McKinnon]
