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What do you spend most of your money on when it comes to photography gear? It probably depends on quite a few things: how long you’ve been a photographer, whether you’re a pro or a hobbyist, and what sort of photography you do.
But one thing is for sure: we photographers love to waste money on all the wrong things. In this video, Scott from Tin House Studio weighs in on what he thinks we should be spending our hard-earned cash on.
It always seems like everybody scrambles to get all new gear every year or two when the manufacturers announce the newest bodies in their latest release cycle. The same goes for lenses, too. We’re always striving for faster, quieter, sharper, with ever-wider apertures. But Gear Acquisition Syndrom (GAS) isn’t a great thing for you or your photography.
In this video, photographer Roman Fox takes a look at gear and when and why you shouldn’t upgrade your kit. In the interests of fairness, he does talk about why and when you should upgrade a piece of gear, too. Buying new stuff isn’t always just GAS, after all. Sometimes new gear can satisfy a genuine need. But, as Roman suggests, do make sure you need it before putting your money down.
I often think that photographers are a lot like drummers, at least when it comes to Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS). You never replace your equipment, you merely add to it. A new lens here, another camera body there, filters, tripods, light stands oh my! It’s all getting a bit out of hand. And with the rising cost of living and higher inflation, most of us have less disposable income for wasting I mean carefully purchasing new camera equipment.
In this video, landscape photographer Mads Peter Iversen goes against the grain and tells us the things he thinks that we shouldn’t be wasting our money on. It’s so tempting to rush out and buy that newer gazillion megapixel camera thinking that with it our photographs will shine brighter, but sadly as well all know, that is seldom the case.
This was a curious video to see pop up on my feed last night from Mike Smith. In it, he talks about the marketing hype surrounding most new camera releases and what the camera companies aren’t telling you – basically, that the gear you already own is probably already more than good enough or at least 90% of you. And, well, I think he’s right. I’ve thought it for a while.
Every time a new camera is announced, there’s a massive marketing campaign, with countless YouTubers and yes, websites like this one extolling its virtues and talking about how awesome this or that new feature is (or potentially is). But the truth is, you have to consider context and you can’t rely on just one source of information for whether or not you should buy that shiny new piece of kit.
You’ll have to forgive this post coming just a couple of hours before Panasonic is set to announce the shiny new GH6 but with the gear lust I’ve seen in Micro Four Thirds groups lately, it actually seems like some pretty fortuitous timing. Photographer Mitchell Kanashkevich just posted a video about gear and how it doesn’t matter. And, yes, we’ve all heard that before, “the best camera is the one that’s with you”, etc. But this one actually comes with some pretty compelling backup.
I’ve had people over the years swearing to me that they could tell the difference between images shot on APS-C cameras vs full-frame cameras for years. Usually, I challenge them by throwing down a stack of 18×12 prints and make them pick which is which. They always get it wrong. This video kind of aims to do the same thing but with a bit more of an explanation than I usually have the patience to give.
It is often said that gear makes little to no difference, however that couldn’t be further from the truth in the case of Lon Moore. In an exclusive interview with DIYPhotography, Mr. Moore agreed to share his experiences.
From curated Instagram accounts to the digital aisles of online stores, the temptation of shiny new tech is everpresent. There’s always something new and improved that I ‘need’ to be a better photographer. A filter for this, an adapter for that, an extra few megapixels here, a pinch of dynamic range there… and don’t get me started on lenses, tripods, and backpacks.
Truth be told, practice — not purchase — makes perfect. Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, said it best: The more you know, the less you need.
The question “Does gear matter?” probably ever since photography became more widely available. Some swear that it does, some that it doesn’t, we’ve heard it all before. But photographer Robert Hall takes a different approach to the topic. In his latest video, he discusses the argument itself, wondering if it’s the most pointless argument photographers keep having.
Ah, buying new camera gear. The most exciting moment in every photographer’s life. When you’re just starting, you sure need a bunch of stuff – but don’t rush! There are some things that you should never buy, no matter how tempting they seem, and in this video, Miguel Quiles gives you five of them. Let’s see if you agree.
We can argue forever if gear matters or not, and we won’t get anywhere. Sure, in some cases it does, but you don’t need the latest gear to take some epic photos. If you’re feeling frustrated because you can’t afford to upgrade, this video from Taylor Jackson could boost your confidence and inspire you to go out and shoot regardless of the gear that you have.
Udi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.
John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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