Ever Wish You Had New Gear? Here's Why It Will Never Be Good Enough

Ever Wish You Had New Gear? Here's Why It Will Never Be Good Enough

It doesn't matter if you shoot with Canon, or Sony, or Nikon, or any other great maker, nor if you use a DSLR or a mirrorless, or your sensor is full-frame, APS-C, or micro four-thirds. Your gear will never be good enough. Here's why.

As the old saying goes, you can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time. Unfortunately, we humans have a tendency to criticize most things before we praise them. I’m not sure why it is, and psychologists have studied these things for centuries upon centuries, but the reality is that very often, someone’s first reaction to something is usually to put it down. Or to question it. Or to find some kind of fault in it. Or to say it’s not as good as something else that’s similar. Whether it’s an inferiority complex, or a deflection tactic to mask insecurities, I’m not really sure, but you can bet your bottom dollar that someone will always have something snide, or cynical, or negative to say. Let me give you a few examples.

What? She's not an Olympic sprinter at nine months?!?

This is a picture of my youngest daughter. It was taken when she was about nine months old. When I showed this to my friend here in Japan who has a daughter of similar age, the first thing he said to me was: “isn’t she walking yet?” That was quickly followed by: “how many teeth does she have?” When I answered “no” and “four,” the immediate reaction I got was laughter and then a sarcastic question asking whether she was okay or not and if she was being fed enough. I kid you not. My so-called friend was treating the milestone growth stages of our daughters as some kind of competition and an opportunity to put my daughter and I down or boost him and his daughter up. He told me how his daughter was walking at eight months and how she already had seven teeth. It was utterly ridiculous.

Here’s another example that relates to work and education. I’m now an associate professor in a small college in the far southwest of rural Japan. I have a Doctor of Education (Ed.D), and I’m very satisfied with my current position in life. However, it never ceases to amaze me in terms of the discussions I have with my peers whenever I go to conferences, both domestically and internationally. When it comes to my job, people ask me why I’m not a tenured professor yet, or why I’m stuck at the associate professor stage. Then they question why I choose to live in rural Japan instead of somewhere more urban like Osaka or Tokyo.

You're not a full, tenured professor yet? Only an associate prof? The shame!!

Then they want to have a discussion about the differences between a Ph.D and Ed.D and which one is worth more or is held in higher esteem. And it very usually ends up with the obligatory question about salary and how much I could be earning in Tokyo versus what I currently earn where I am. When I tell them that I am immensely happy where I am and have absolutely no interest in moving to somewhere like Tokyo, which I don’t really like because of its size and hustle and bustle, they usually stop listening and start shaking their heads in mock wonderment. For every person that says something polite or complimentary and offers positive responses, I probably have five or six people demanding answers about why I’ve become a permanent resident in Japan and chosen to live in such a far-flung location and work in a small, boutique college. These are just a couple of examples, but you can probably apply them to dozens of similar situations in your own lives. The car you drive, the size of your house, the clothes you wear, the schools you attended: there's a never-ending list that provides the critics with something to have a crack at. 

A copy of my Doctor of Education certificate. Pray you don't get into a discussion with a Ph.D holder about the merits of each degree.

So, how does this relate to photography and the gear you choose to buy and use? And why it will never be good enough? You can probably imagine where I’m going with this, but let me point it out anyway. When I bought my first Canon DSLR camera, I was over the moon with it. I now had something that I genuinely thought could take great images, and it came with two kit lenses. I loved taking that thing on journeys with me, but as time went by, I seemed to get asked the same questions again and again by other photography enthusiasts. They asked me what body I was using and what lenses I had. When I told them it was a Canon T3i with kit lenses, I often got a polite, condescending smile or a quick rebuke and lecture about how I should change to a full frame camera, because APS-C sensors were cheap and for amateurs and that kit lenses should be thrown on the scrapheap immediately. Talk about dampening someone’s embryonic enthusiasm!

Fast-forward many years, and nothing has changed. I now use my Canon 5D Mark IV and have a vast range of relatively expensive lenses. Yet, somehow, I still, at times, have that familiar, nagging feeling of equipment inadequacy and still feel the need to defend my gear choices regardless of how happy I am with the images that I might produce. I get told that the 5D IV’s burst speed is not fast enough. I get told that the image quality in low light is not good enough. And now, more than ever, I get told that DSLRs are a dying breed and I should jump ship as soon as I can to a mirrorless ecosystem.

The thing is, though, if you shoot mirrorless, regardless of the brand, I’m sure there are dozens of people out there giving you equally negative opinions. You’ve been conned. Mirrorless cameras don’t do anything that DSLRs can’t do. You’ve wasted your money. The battery life sucks. The lens range isn’t up to scratch yet. Honestly, it never ends, does it? I’m sure if you went out and bought the Hasselblad H6D-400c and put down a cool $50,000 on it, you would then get people telling you that you’re an imbecile for wasting so much money and that your images are no better than someone who has a camera worth $47,000 less. No matter what you own, or what you use, or what you’ve invested your money in, you can never win.

If you had the money and the desire to lay $50k down for this, you'd still get mercilessly mocked; I have no doubt about that.

Therefore, honestly, there’s no point trying, and there’s no point worrying about anything other than your own satisfaction. Yes, gear matters, depending on the context that you’re shooting. For example, if you want to shoot wildlife from a distance, then you will need a supertelephoto lens. But which lens should you get? That comes down to your specific needs and your budget. Do your homework, read lots of reviews, and then go out and make a purchase based on the information that you have and forget about what anyone else says. Learn more about the art of photography, and be happy with the gear choices that you have made.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have gear envy at times, and I still have occasional insecurities about the gear that I’m using compared to some of my peers. But, I quickly come to my senses and realize that I am just getting sucked into the needless game of ego. Now, the only thing that comes into my decision-making is whether or not the new piece of gear I'm thinking about will be irrefutably better than the current piece of gear that I’m using. Regardless of brand, I need to be confident that I am taking a significant step up in equipment. That is the only thing that comes into my thought processes.

So, if you take anything away from this, don’t worry about what anyone else says or about any kind of comparisons or unsolicited advice people give you. Use sites like Fstoppers and others to get as much information as you can about gear and techniques, and then, go from there. You will never make everyone happy. The only person that needs to be happy is you.

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Iain Stanley's picture

Iain Stanley is an Associate Professor teaching photography and composition in Japan. Fstoppers is where he writes about photography, but he's also a 5x Top Writer on Medium, where he writes about his expat (mis)adventures in Japan and other things not related to photography. To view his writing, click the link above.

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72 Comments
Previous comments

As someone who worries FAR too much about public opinion I appreciate the mindful attitude your article presents. Keep up with the writing, I really enjoy some of the more philosophical topics, and it looks like a lot of the community does too!

In the past year I finally moved on from the Samsung mirrorless system (NX30) after breaking my 3rd body when it was blown into the ocean (recovered, but very dead). I loved that camera, its ergonomics, and looking back now that I'm on an A7riii there's a lot I've missed from Samsung's ways. Regardless, they're all just tools in the end and the photos should speak for themselves.

I also enjoy writing these types of articlesmore than gear specific ones but it’s just a matter of presenting them in a way that’s attractive to all our readers. Is there anything your Sony lacks in comparison with the Samsung?

Technologically no. Ergonomically yes, a ton. Mainly the flippy, twisty screen but also the (imo very under-rated) articulating EVF. I loved flipping the viewfinder up and looking down into it, made street photography less conspicuous and is overall a comfortable way to hold a camera.

There’s a lot to be said for flippiness!!

I believe most photographers think like myself. If I see an average image taken with a professional kit, I think to myself...mhhh. But if I see a good image taken with a starter kit I am immensely impressed. Skill beats gear every time.

Absolutely agree. But for me, I don’t often really care what was used, unless it’s something so unique I can’t quite wrap my head around it

LOL Yeah! That's how I went from Nikon D-610 to D-810 to D-850 to Leica to PhaseOne !!! And now I want more lenses dang it !!

Haha. I don’t think I’ve seen someone using a PhaseOne camera in my regular photography outings. Must be a good/interesting conversation starter?

I mainly use it in studio for beauty shoots so maybe just model and makeup artist are there and they know cameras much .. sometimes I give it to them to hold it :D because it is so heavy with the zoom lens lol

I’m such a klutz I’d refuse your invitation! The number of times I’ve dropped gear over the years....

Never talk down anyone’s choice of gear. Never brag about the gear you got. Because neither does any good for anyone.

Let your pictures speak for you. Thank people who appreciate them.

When I decided to upgrade from the D5300 to the D500 I had to save for a year to afford it. I was excited and looked forward to the moment to have the D500 in my hands. When Christmas arrived last year it was time to order it. ...and I hesitated!!

As it turned out, for a long year I had enjoyed the expectation and excitement of saving for the D500 and now it was about to end.

Yes, I did order it. Yes, I am happy I got it. Yes, I am able to take better hummingbird pictures with it. But I don’t think anyone else will be able to notice the difference. Meaning, showing a picture shot with the D5300 and another shot with the D500 asking which camera was used no one will ever be able to tell the difference.

Yes, gear is important. But far more important is what you can do with it. If anyone have any patronizing words on the gear you use, ask them to show you their pictures.

The thing is, if you want to sell prints (and we’d all love to in a fantasy world), the people buying your prints aren’t photographers. It’s regular Bill and Jane who have no idea what chromatic aberration or digital noise or pin cushioning is. If you can use the tool in your hands to take good images that aren’t hilariously awful, Bill and Jane won’t give 2 sh^*s about the camera gear you used. They just want something that looks good on their wall at home....

The easiest way to realize that it is true, you read the reviews of the new camera saying the shortcomings of the previous iteration. How could you produce any good picture with such a flawed tool ? The treadmill just gets faster. I am happy with my FM3A and Rolleiflex.

I’m on my second and third Nikon D700, a cheaper 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.8 lens on each. It is the perfect setup for my needs and I dread the day they have to be replaced through wear and tear.

In my personal opinion, anyone who wants to argue about the benefits of a particular technology is missing the whole point of being a photographer, professional or otherwise. I hope a few readers take the advice offered here and move on with mastering their craft and developing their artistic vision.

Craftsmen, artists and tradespeople don’t waste time discussing the relative merits of this chisel, that brush or the other hammer, Use the tools that are right for you and avoid the trap of believing the gear makes the photographer.

I will always be the weakest link in my photography

You’re only as strong as your weakest link :)

Great I think more amateur photographers ought to read this. Truth be told Gear Acquisition Syndrome is not just relegated to the photography community. I can tell you this mentality exists in other hobbies such as golf, cars, smartphones, coin collection, and labtop computers. I recently upgraded from a Nikon D750 to a Z6 and I can tell you firsthand the images that come out from the Z6 are no better than those from the D750, but the reason why I switched to a mirrorless body was solely because I wanted something smaller and lighter to carry around on my trips. Having an EVF and IBIS are nice bonuses but not necessarily critical features I need in a camera.

Yes, it permeates all walks of life, unfortunately. I’m in no hurry to switch from my 5D4 but if Canon releases something tangibly better, then I might think about it

Well, I'ts always the same kind of bullshit that's told about what's good for you or not. Wether it's in life or hobby. The most important thing in my POV is: Only you are the yardstick for what you need. In photography... it is the photographer who produced the catching shot regardless of the used gear. Look at the iconic shots on film from last century. Can you imagine what all those gear addicted people would produce if they photographed on film today.
As I said before: The only scale is you wether in photography or in life. If you're happy with it let the others chatter.

Unfortunately, such common sense views don't sit too well with the marketing departments of all the gear makers haha!

"The only person that needs to be happy is you." Words of wisdom.

I use three lens' to make my living and really don't care what anyone thinks. 17 , 24 and 45 ts lens for architecture.
I've found most photographers don't even know how to use them so I really don't care what others think.