Someone on social media stated “A pro would never use a Z50!” If you’re not familiar with Nikon, this is their crop sensor entry-level camera, costing $860. I’ve heard similar statements dozens of times—matter-of-fact assertions about what pros do, usually made by photographers who aren’t actually professionals.
The statement about the Z50 caught my interest because I use one. I’ve had it for five years now, and I love it. Small and light, it's the perfect EDC (Everyday Carry) and an ideal travel camera.
As a full-time professional, I've found myself using it many times for client projects. It’s a tool, and like any tool, if it helps me get the job done, that’s all that matters.
I feel the need to speak up and make my own statement on the internet, which is actually based on experience rather than assumptions: The latest pro-spec, high-end cameras and lenses are not as important and necessary as many are led to believe.
Nikon Z50 Versus Z9
Not so long ago, I went out to shoot some color street photography with my little Z50. The following day, I went back to the same location with my Z9 to do some more shooting and also grab some video, as I decided to make a YouTube video, which you can see below. The only reason to use the Z9 was for the video footage. I put the final selects together, shot on both cameras, in a gallery. When I looked through the images, I realized I had no idea which were shot on the Z9 or Z50. They all looked good.
It’s worth reminding ourselves every now and then that only photography enthusiasts look at the technical aspects of a photo. Everyone else is looking at the subject of the photo for its visual appeal, the way it makes you feel, or the story it tells. That's all that matters.
A five-year-old entry-level crop sensor camera actually mattered more than the latest flagship model in this street photography scenario. How so? The Z50 is small and discreet, while the Z9 is big and not so discreet, which can be a disadvantage for street and documentary photography. The lesson here: Don’t equate the latest and most expensive as mattering the most.
When Gear Does Matter
There are a couple of genres where buying the latest gear does matter. If you rely on your income from fast-paced sports or wildlife photography, it makes total sense that you would want the very best cameras and lenses to stay competitive and help you nail incredible photos. Focus tracking, raw frame rates, and stabilization have all improved in recent years.
If you shoot landscapes, travel, portraits, products, interiors, or food, will that new camera or lens really help you make better photos? Be honest now!
I remember one professional wedding photographer once saying a pro needs the big flagship cameras and big fast pro lenses to stand out and look the part. His argument was that so many people are buying nice cameras now and taking them to weddings, he was worried he would look the same as them and not stand out. I would suggest this is a case of insecurity and lack of confidence. Wouldn’t his work be the thing that should stand out, not the tools he uses?
Build Quality, Not Image Quality
A desirable benefit of having more expensive pro-spec cameras and lenses comes down to build quality. A professional who is using their camera day in, day out, often rushing around to meet deadlines, is going to be working their gear hard. It’s going to take a lot of abuse, so pro gear tends to be made of tougher materials that can take the knocks. Improved weather sealing can be another benefit of pro gear. A pro may have no choice but to shoot in the rain, so they need peace of mind that their camera can reliably handle the conditions.
I’ve discovered this firsthand when it comes to lenses. Cheap, light plastic lenses break easily and tend not to be weather-sealed, particularly telephoto lenses. I’ve dropped two plastic Nikon Z mount lenses in recent years, and they both broke. Solid pro-spec lenses can take a beating and be thrown around. I’ve dropped a few onto concrete and rocks over the years, and with the exception of one, they survived and thrived. Personally, I favor older prime lenses made of metal to be the best at taking a beating. Helicoidal over focus-by-wire wins the day.
A more expensive, high-quality lens matters more than a more expensive camera model upgrade. Good optics make a photo, not more megapixels.
The Most Important Reason Why Gear Matters
Let’s be honest, it’s exciting to aspire to owning something new. The experience of getting it, learning to use it, and the enthusiasm it generates to get out and use it—priceless! If you shoot more because of it, you’re going to become a better photographer.
I use old gear for client projects. My main camera is still my beaten-up, slightly broken six-year-old Z6. It does what I need it to do, so there’s absolutely no reason to upgrade to a Z6 III. I have no emotional attachment to it; it’s just a tool.
For personal photography projects, I’m not so business-like and sensible. My emotions drive my photography. Last year—favoring black-and-white photography—I bought a dream camera, the Leica Q2 Monochrom. It’s such a pleasure to use for so many reasons; 15 months later, I’m still excited about picking it up and going out to shoot with it. It goes pretty much everywhere with me. My street photography has most certainly improved. My wife thinks I'm on the verge of identifying as a camera and eloping with it.
I’ve written an entire article about this camera and why it’s so important to me. Click here.
Conclusion
- Gear only matters if what you currently have is stopping you from achieving what you need to achieve.
- New gear won’t make you a better photographer.
- Pro gear tends to give peace of mind, not better image quality.
- If choosing between upgrading your camera or lens, I would choose the lens upgrade first.
- New gear matters if it makes you feel good to be using it and, as a result, gets you out shooting more.
I’ve been completely honest and transparent, sharing my perspective here based on my own personal experiences with gear, and I am sure many will disagree with the points I’ve made. And that’s fine—we should all be able to make up our own minds and develop our own opinions about things. There is no right or wrong, despite some stating there is and criticizing others to reinforce their opinions. I hope my perspective has contributed to helping someone make up their own mind about gear, and potentially avoid the peer pressure that is prevalent online about the need to keep upgrading and buy the latest gear.
I’m interested to hear from you. Is there a piece of gear you aspire to own, and why? Let me know in the comments!
It's always quality of life improvements.
I shoot professionally, studio and on location ad work. Mains are Z9 and Z6III.
I had a Z30 for a while, and I could confidently shoot probably 60-75% of my work on it, and neither me, or my clients would notice any image quality difference.
However,
1) My clients would notice I'm using what looks like a point and shoot
2) I would be frustrated with the ergonomics, and some fringe features I rely on.
Resolution isn't a problem, 20MP is enough for just about all commercial work. Z30 tethers, so that's not a problem. It's the "in my hands for 8 hours" and having things like dedicated AF buttons and joysticks where using a camera without those becomes a pain and you miss shots.
You touch on something that is a concern for some—what the client thinks. Looking the part with big cameras is not something i've had to worry about with my clients, but I can see it could be an issue for some. Even though it shouldn't be.
I shoot lots of corporate and private events. When I traded in my Canon 1-series kit for a Micro Four Thirds kit about ten years ago, only one of my repeat clients noticed, and their comment was something like "Wow, it's so quiet!" as I was shooting in silent mode.
In event work, it's your behavior, not your gear, that makes a lasting impression. Politeness, humor and listening skills are golden assets. And, if you're really working the room, folks know you're the pro, regardless of what's in your hands.
Exactly. Gear doesn't define you, your work and work ethic does. This needs to be talked about, and this is my turn to say something. There's an impression given that to go next level with your photography you need to sell that expensive Leica M11 you bought last year, and get the new equally expensive Hasselblad now. Complete nonsense. These influencers with new gear every few months are basically sales people and it's disingenuous. I'm going to speak up about it.
Appreciate your comment.
For video jobs I used to rent a dslr and shoot a few shots on it, then when client walked away I would pull out my iPhone and get the real footage. They never said a word about deliverables, loved all the work.
The Z50 would be awesome if they could have at least used Sony's 26 megapixel sensor, along with including OIS on more of their lenses. At the moment most of their small aperture kit style lenses use OIS, along with some of their long focal length lenses, but nothing above the entry level in the standard zoom range have OIS. Overall, if a user wants OIS, they are stuck, thus no modern options for f/2.8 or larger with OIS to be used on cameras that lack IBIS.
I've needed OIS. The Z50 is a great camera.
There is another important aspect—taxes.
For a working photographer, buying equipment and deducting expenses is often the only way to save something from paying taxes. I know it's not great to talk like this, and paying taxes is important and necessary.
But sometimes, you find yourself on the edge of your tax bracket and think, "What the hell? I'm already paying a ton of money and working from morning till night. So let me at least work with the best."
Although, of course, these are isolated cases. And don’t take it seriously :)
Good point, and a very nice position to be in!
Can you please STOP with the repetitive "does gear matter" articles b/c gear does matter and it doesn't matter.
It is a bit tired. But, put yourself in the shoes of Fstoppers editors who have to come up with new story ideas EVERY DAY. The thought of having that pressure on my shoulders gives me the screaming heebie jeebies. Is there an interesting topic you'd like to see covered?
Well, I understand that, but you are supposed to be a "creative" and come up with new things, not the same stuff over and over. People can search the archives for subject matter (IJS). I would like to see various topics that are not retreads of the same thing that has been covered multiple times.
Is there an interesting topic you'd like to see covered? Perhaps you could suggest one to the editors.
This is the first time I've written about gear mattering. There was no pressure from Fstoppers, this was my idea. Yes, articles have been written about gear, but this is from my own perspective based on my experience.
I wrote this because I so many influential people on social media and YouTube seem to have a new camera every month, giving the impression it's normal to keep buying gear. It's not. They have new gear because they're not professional photographers, they're professional sales people working to make a commission from the brands. I want the average person getting into photography to know they don't need to heed to BS peer pressure and keep spending money.
As for being creative, rather than just criticize, why not suggest some topics to write about? What interests you?
For the most part I avoid talking about gear, especially when I am holding it and trying to get something done. I know what gear I need and what serves my purpose. I don't feel obliged to defend it, promote it or make someone else feel good about their need for confirmation bias.
I do generally agree with the overall premise of this article. I see so many people chase specs and flip to a different manufacturer just KNOWING that is going to make all the difference. If they could just get a 100 frames per second with perfect AI focus with enough dynamic range to give them an ISO that they can hold in low light and using high shutter speeds they could FINALLY capture a decisive moment LOL.
They could spend more time learning about composition, lighting, practicing, working on their anticipation as they learn patters of whatever so they can time moments, etc. etc. but nah.
The "does it matter?" question seems divided into two parts: "Does it matter to you?" and "Does it matter to everybody else?" A follow-up question is "If it matters to everybody else, does that matter to you?"
Personally, my "gear" matters to me. And nobody else's gear matters to me. :)
I've always wondered why anyone plays the mugs game of trying to have leading edge equipment in any technical field. It's just so expensive, and nearly always disappoints. Worse, it can be regressive when features you're comfortable with disappear and are replaced with something you have to learn how to use.
For cameras - as an enthusiast, rather than a pro - I find it takes about 6 months to get fully comfortable with a new model if its features have been majorly upgraded. Fortunately, for most camera users, it's rare to see a new version within their manufacturer ecosystem arrive more than once every 3-4 years.
Sure if you have unlimited funds you could jump around Sony, Nikon, Canon, etc as each one releases something new. If I find learning a new camera takes time when it comes from the same manufacturer, I can't even imagine what switching bodies and lenses would do.
Does new gear matter to someone that isn't even a pro? I don't really think so, unless it's been about 6 or 7 years since you last upgraded. By then you'll get features that are a nice step forward, and best of all you have plenty of time to save up for it.
I'm not a pro and I realised a long time ago that I could use ANY camera to take a good photograph and is why I now use a second hand Lumix FZ330 which is such a versatile and brilliant camera. Yes it struggles in low light but whatever camera you choose, their are compromises
You don't use a Toyota Camry for farm work any more than using an Z50 for professional sports. Yes the Camry has four wheels and a motor and the Z50 has shutter and aperture they're both grossly inadequate for the intended purpose.
It matters and it doesn't..... It matters what you do with the gear. You have not the gear itself. I've run plenty of workshops where I've grabbed someone else's camera and within a few minutes have been able to take some great photos with it but can I take better photos with my GFX camera, of course I can but that's because I'm well trained and know how to use that camera. In fact the higher spec cameras are more difficult to use because they will show up your faults if you don't know what you're doing. It really just depends on how you understand light composition and storytelling. Those three components are actually probably the most important parts of Photography and if you understand those three components pretty well you'll do well in Photography but I do think it helps if you've got decent gear you don't have to have top-of-the-line but decent. I like spending my money on gear and I have enough money to get by and still grow my Photography business while maintaining my day job because there's just not enough money in Photography where I live. And I work really hard. I do a lot of different things with Photography and most of it is not based on image quality. It's based on consistency and telling the story I see some great photos that tell No story and I just keep scrolling.
Long ago, probably 1976 or so I was shooting weddings with a twin lens Yashica 124G. It actually did a great job for the time. I switched to Bronica S2A (3 bodies and various Nikkor lenses) not because the Yashica did a poor job, but because a guy brought an early RB67 to a wedding. My photos were better due to skill, the proper film, and my pro-lab. Still, I wanted more. I wanted Hasselblad but I could see that the Bronica with the Nikon lenses did a great job. So I had multiple reasons to change to the Bronica and I never regretted it. It looked like a "Blad" and that took care of that aspect. All the backs, bodies and lenses in the Halliburton case also helped with that distinction. I'm retired now so even using a DSLR isn't a thing any more. I would still still love to get a digital Hasselblad but I really don't need one. So I agree with both sides of this discussion.
I shoot fashion in a fashion climate for fashionistas. Therefore a Nikon is not just a Nikon. A Hasselblad is not just a Hasselblad (I have had an ELM for decades) I affix Hasselblad lens shade. I shot Polaroids (mainly for present clients) d’require say the old working folks. 😎
I want to add a more serious comment, a sort of IMHO.
A camera is only part of the workflow. The organization of your workflow can determine which camera you use, just as much as your specialization does. Choosing a camera based on the lenses you already have is understandable. But there’s also the system choice, which is dictated by your workflow.
These will differ for a street photographer and a studio photographer. They will also differ for someone shooting for Instagram versus creating large-format fine art. Depending on how deeply you want to understand your camera and how precisely you want to fine-tune it, the choice will vary.
Ultimately, what matters most is what you feel comfortable working with and what feels made for you—in ergonomics, interface, and integration. Don't you think this also determines the importance of certain gear?
Totally agree, for me anyway, it's what camera feels good to hold and use that is most important. My chosen camera for most of my work is a Nikon Z6. It's 6 years old now. There's nothing a newer model can give me that will help with what I shoot. Thanks for your input.
"Wouldn’t his work be the thing that should stand out, not the tools he uses?"
Well... yes and no. It's hard for your work to stand out when the bride's 2nd cousin once removed keeps moving right in front of you to get shots with her tablet because she thinks you're only the groom's high school junior varsity teammate, and not a paid photographer hired by the couple.
That's a pert of being a good professional, to take command of the situation and direct things. Let people know who you are and what they can expect from you etc.
To a degree you're correct. But there are some folks that refuse to respond to any degree of tactful direction, especially when alcohol consumption (on their part) is involved. A wedding is not a commercial photoshoot where everyone on set KNOWS who is in charge and writing the checks. You're there to photograph an event that is much more than a photo shoot. You're not there to offend the guests of those who hired you.
Gear doesn't matter.
It's true.
But it's not the whole truth.
The whole truth is:
Gear doesn't matter... until it does. Then it really matters.
The gear that really matters doesn't *have* to be expensive, though. Sometimes it's a $40 stepladder that can mean the difference between getting stuck in a crowd, half of whom are drunk and not even remotely self-aware and reasonable, and not getting a clean shot you need or getting your camera two feet above the top of everyone else's head and getting the shot.
Giving global sweeping statements on photography is a meaningless waste of time. Why? Because the needs and requirements for different genres and for situations within each genre can be so vastly different that they can often bear no relation to each other. Yes they all use cameras and lenses but they can be used in totally different situations in very different ways for differing outcomes with the technical requirements for each often being completely different.
People tend to make sweeping statements on photography often based on no more than their own narrow experience, thinking that it must apply to all situations. It doesn’t.
Statements like;
“ Resolution isn't a problem, 20MP is enough for just about all commercial work. ”
Someone making a sweeping statement like the one above based on not very much is endemic in photography. Personal experience for them is all. There are many commercial situations where 20MP is not nearly enough for projects that the person who made that comment knows nothing about. Their own narrow experience is just that. A narrow experience that cannot be applied globally.
He should have said “for the work I do 20MP is enough” and leave it like that.
That narrow insular and blinkered mode of thinking is everywhere in photography with each person thinking the way they work, the gear they use, and the methods they employ is the way it should be done. Well it’s not!
The moral of the story if there is one is be careful who you believe and be careful making purchasing decisions on the narrow personal opinions of others. Instead use neutral non biased verifiable facts wherever possible and know and understand your own photographic needs, for as sure as onions are not potatoes they won’t be the same as some author pontificating about; this is how you should do it, or you can’t live without buying this, or worst of all; this camera system is the best.
The world of photography like a minefield is difficult to navigate around without making costly mistakes. They won’t end your life but a wrong move could cost you a ton of money.
The advice I would give to any photographer starting out is know and understand your own photographic needs based on having a firm grasp of the technical and aesthetic requirements of the particular area you intend working in. Research its parameters as much as you can.
Avoid and ignore at all costs anyone who comes out with dogmatic narrow opinions like;
“ Resolution isn't a problem, 20MP is enough for just about all commercial work. ”
You have been warned.
I ended this opinion piece with:
"I’ve been completely honest and transparent, sharing my perspective here based on my own personal experiences with gear, and I am sure many will disagree with the points I’ve made. And that’s fine—we should all be able to make up our own minds and develop our own opinions about things. There is no right or wrong, despite some stating there is and criticizing others to reinforce their opinions. I hope my perspective has contributed to helping someone make up their own mind about gear, and potentially avoid the peer pressure that is prevalent online about the need to keep upgrading and buy the latest gear."
I try to avoid giving advice, or tell anyone what to do. Or issue warnings.
That would just be arrogant.
I get what you're saying. But I really enjoy my GFX gear that I worked hard to obtain. And yes, it's a 100 megapixels.And yes it has some advantages. It's almost like people who don't have that gear.Get angry at the people that do?Is that jealousy I don't know. I see articles about this all the time.And it's almost like the author is angry at someone else because they have a camera so they criticize it....does anyone need a Leica? No , but good on them if they do own one. I would love one of them too.
The author is not angry that someone has a 100px camera, lol. Why would I be? 😂