Is There a Point When You Should Upgrade Your Photography Gear?

Do you think about improving the contents of your kit bag? It’s expensive, so is it worth it? Let’s talk about upgrading your gear, or not.

Whether your hobby is golf, painting, sailing, SCUBA diving, playing or listening to music, or photography, specialist equipment is expensive. You get what you pay for. There comes a point where you no longer buy a piece of equipment, but it becomes an investment.

That isn’t using the word “investment” in the same way as you invest money for it to grow in value. Unless you buy vintage high-end cameras that once belonged to famous photographers, you are most unlikely to sell your used cameras or lenses for more than you paid, especially when you bought them new.

My use of the word “invest” is closer to the business point of view, where a capital investment is putting money into something because it will generate a return. In this case, it isn’t necessarily a financial return, although it may be if you are a professional photographer. Instead, it will yield, one would hope, the opportunity to take better photographs and more joy from using the equipment.

Of course, there is more to achieving good photos than having good-quality gear. After all, most of the equipment available today, even at entry-level, is superior to what was available to many of the great-name photographers of the past. However, there are two factors to consider. Firstly, although those great names from history were breaking boundaries and taking photography to places that hadn’t been considered, they have since been emulated many times. To break new boundaries now is far harder to do with obsolete and low-end gear. Secondly, the expectations of photographic image quality are usually much higher now than they once were.

It depends upon the level of photography you want to achieve whether the investment is worth it.

Upgrading the Primary Gear

Lenses

For me, great-quality glass is most important, followed by the quality of the camera. I shoot commercially and my high-end clients have high-end expectations. For someone who walks around shooting snaps to share on social media, buying expensive equipment may not be a priority. Nevertheless, if you want to improve image quality, spending money on a new, higher-end lens will make a bigger difference than buying a new camera.

Recently, I was out photographing the same scene with two other photographers. One used a cheap kit lens supplied with the camera and the other had one that retails for around $1,000. Although the cheaper lens wasn't bad, the difference in image quality between them was staggering.

The reasons for these differences are manifold. Expensive lenses usually come with superior anti-reflective coatings on the glass. These coatings reduce light scatter, thus resulting in better light transmittance. Consequently, they enhance clarity and reduce glare. Also, higher-quality optics in expensive lenses have more accurately manufactured elements. They are made from premium materials, such as fluorite glass. They'll include ultra-low dispersion elements that minimize distortion, chromatic aberrations, and flare. That better optical quality leads to improved color rendering and contrast.

In more expensive lenses, there is greater precision in the manufacturing processes, which ensures optimal lens shape and alignment.

Furthermore, higher-quality lenses have faster and more accurate drive motors. Each manufacturer has its unique terminology for this: Direct Drive Supersonic Motor (Sony), Voice Coil Motor (OM System), Silent Wave Motor (Nikon), Ultrasonic Motor (Canon), and Linear Motor (Fujifilm), each of which has a slightly different design.

Sadly, most camera companies make lenses that only fit their own cameras. Furthermore, until recently, Canon monopolized their RF mount, meaning that people could not buy third-party lenses from other manufacturers such as Tamron and Sigma. However, on a brighter note, companies like MPB and B&H sell great-quality used cameras and lenses with different mounts.

The Camera

Of course, there are reasons why one might want to upgrade a camera. If you previously bought an entry-level model and have since outgrown it, as happens to many aspiring photographers, having a model with more sophisticated features and where you buy a separate lens that meets your needs, as opposed to a kit lens, maybe something to consider. Much of my previous article was about this, therefore I won’t dwell on it here. I teach a lot of people photography and after a basic six-hour workshop, many find that they are seeking performance beyond that offered by their camera, therefore always advise buying the best camera you can afford.

However, there are also reasons why you might want to change the system altogether. Once you get beyond buying the entry-level with the poor-quality kit lens, it gets more challenging financially to let one system go and switch to another. When photographers have outgrown the basic camera, they usually know if another system offers features their current brand is missing.

Other Gear Worth Upgrading

Tripods

A long time ago, I used a cheap, aluminum tripod. I decided to upgrade when a strong gust blew the tripod over; I dived and caught it just before the camera hit the ground. However, it wasn’t until I tried a good-quality model that I realized how much difference it makes beyond stability. Its steadiness combined with lightness, the way the head stayed still when tightened, and the ability to position the camera to give a worm’s-eye view made an enormous difference to my landscape photography.

There's an adage that when buying tripods you must choose which two from three things are important to you: weight, stability, and price. To a certain extent, that is true, but I would add design and build quality to the list.

It’s worth trying tripods before buying. I have many pass through my hands and there are significant differences in their functions. Also, as a rule, I avoid new releases and check people’s feedback after they have owned a tripod for at least a year. Some popular, expensive models fall apart quickly, and long-term reviews reveal this.

Filters

There’s much debate about filters. I’ve tried many and found some pretty disastrous ones out there, some of which have premium price tags. Low-quality filters degrade your image. Several people come to me because they are disappointed with their image quality. I tell them to remove their UV filter and suddenly the image is sharp. That degradation isn’t limited to solely cheap filters.

There are many people who get hot under the collar about UV filters and whether you should use them to protect your lens’ front element. I use a high-quality filter to protect mine from scratches, in conjunction with a lens hood that offers impact protection. I stick with Urth filters because I can’t tell whether the filter is fitted. The quality is first class and I like their ethical approach; they plant trees in rainforests with every purchase.

When I buy a filter, I rigorously test it to see if there is any difference when it's fitted. I find the best test is looking at out-of-focus reflections in the water, and the bokeh on a poor filter will show up unwanted artifacts such as doughnut rings or lines across balls of light.

Other photographers prefer Lee filters, NiSi, and Tiffen, which all have good reputations. The filters made by your camera brand should also stand up to inspection.

Batteries

Camera battery technology is much better now than five years ago. I can carry out photoshoots for a whole day before the battery in my camera runs down. Nevertheless, I also carry a couple of spares.

Many manufacturers restrict cameras so they only work properly with their own-brand batteries and their chargers won’t work with third-party versions. Historically, I have bought good-quality Duracell batteries that had a great life and were chipped so they had full functionality with my camera and its charger. They were also two-thirds the cost of the manufacturer’s battery. But, if you decide to go for a cheaper option – and given the cost of living crisis that is hitting many people, it’s an understandable decision – stick with a reliable known brand, such as Duracell, and buy those from a reputable dealer; there are unsafe fakes found in online marketplaces.

In Conclusion

For reasons creative, financial, and practical, you may or may not want to upgrade your gear. It's a decision only you can make. The choices of others might not be relevant to you, so do your research, and get your hands on the equipment you want to buy.

Are you thinking of upgrading? Have you upgraded gear in the past? Or, have you stuck with the basic entry-level kit and are happy with it? It would be fantastic to hear your reasoning in the comments.