Does gear matter? A question I am sick of hearing, reading even seeing. This is mostly because the answer is never definite and it just opens up a forum for people who either have too much money or not enough sense/skill to bombard you with non sequiturs usually ending with them showing off their incredibly expensive camera. More often than not it’s a Leica also.

Let me preface this post with this fact. I have been around camera/cine equipment since I was 15. My first job was a runner for my uncles broadcast camera company lugging pelicases of Zeiss/Cooke primes up and down flights of stairs for £4.50 an hour. Then when I moved into working in camera shops I was allowed to borrow and use any camera I sought fit. Naturally I tried everything I possibly could. Leica M10’s, Hasselblad X1D’s, Fujifilm GFX’s and most importantly the Pentax 645Z. So it’s safe to say I have had the opportunity to try everything and also the opportunity to get a decent enough deal to buy nearly any camera on the market currently.

I loved my black FT2 till I dropped it and it broke

Given this experience I do feel I am somewhat qualified to throw my 2 cents into the conversation on if gear does matter and also offer a true industry insight into wether or not you might need that upgrade that some dipshit YouTuber has convinced you you definitely need. First thing to consider with gear is what is your desired outcome? What specifically do you want from this thing that you believe will improve your work. This could be more resolution, better low light, faster autofocus maybe even you want to be on a different mount that you see more longevity in. This last point was more valid when the mirrorless move over was in full swing. Lots of pro’s I worked with at the camera shop saw the move to Sony FE mount as a move for the future rather than the immediate. Luckily they were certainly proved right as Sony kinda dominates the industry now.

Honestly all of those reasons are perfectly valid. I would even say buying something just because you have tried it and like it is a perfectly fine reason but be honest with yourself and say that. What I don’t consider to be a valid reason is buying something just because everyone else is. Seeing a press run of a new lens and everyone’s results on a tiny little social media screen should not be a reason for you to go and drop £3k without even testing the item. I have seen this done more often than you would think. A returns period is only 14 days don’t forget. A really recent example of this is a new Hasselblad. They seem to have given both an X2D II, 907X and the 35-100mm lens to every instagram photographer in the western hemisphere. All whilst allowing actual sellable stock to run completely dry causing 2-3 month waits on orders. I think this is the DJI business model sadly.

Now I speak to a lot of customers and they often enquire about this set up and whilst I am happy to place orders for them my big piece of advice is always for them to try and get their hands on one to test first. These kits are around £10k give or take and this is a huge amount to drop based on the “work“ of some photographers who work only goes as far as metas algorithm. I personally have not seen how these cameras files print or blow up. Now it is 100MP so I’m sure it’s fine however buying based just off what is a very odd ad and marketing strategy to me is a terrible idea.

Now back to the question at hand. Yes gear does matter however this does not mean you have to go and drop cash to make your gear work for you. For example as a now more documentary/project focussed photographer I should really be looking at rangefinder cameras, even that German brand who definitely don’t spend more money on advert production than they do on sensor technology. Yet I find myself wanting nothing more than my beat up Nikon D600, Yashica B and my even more beat up £22 Nikkormat FT2. Why ? Simple, because I know it and I know I can make work on them. Would I like a Nikon FM? Sure. Do I need one to produce my best work? Absolutely fucking not.

I would rather have more money to pump into film and developer than buy a new camera body. I would rather take the money I could spend on an M6 and take a trip to document the place on the cameras I already have. This is not to say I only have 3 cameras as this would be very silly of me. I also have a cheap ranger finder, I think it’s a Yashica Lynx brought it mostly as the idea of a 45mm f/1.8 fixed lens filled me with joy. I have my N8008 if I need some autofocus film and then the usual Polaroid which sometimes comes out at parties.

All of my gear was brought with specific purposes and designed to work in tandem. Are they technically the best ? Probably not I should really go for a 6x7 camera, probably even consider a mirrorless digital as well. However I sit and add up the costs and try to work out what they will give my work that I don’t already have and every time I find myself realising I don’t really need the new things. Now I appreciate this comes off as incredibly pretentious and I do not mean to sound like I am some sort of genius who can shoot and make great work on anything. I genuinely admire people who buy Leicas and take them out in the field and beat on them and use them as the tools they are. What I wish more people would do is really think before they buy as otherwise you could have put that money and brought some time out in the field shooting. As always time is the most expensive thing in photography, it’s also the most important.

Maybe this post will make you stop and think before buying that next lens or camera bag. Maybe it’ll make you use your kit in a different way. Maybe you’ll adapt what you have to work in a new way for a new project. What I really hope is you realise you could buy a week doing nothing but shooting for the price of a new lens and make much better work than you would be stuck working with a new lens you can’t use till the work day is over.

Gear? The age old question.

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