I recently met a guy at an event who told me gear doesn't matter.... while holding an A7RIII (w/ cage, tripod, G master....) I was like "bro trade me for my plain 77D then"

David Gilmore (Pink Floyd guitarist) was asked during an interview if the band was simply all about their gear. His reply; "using that logic I could give anyone a Fender Stratocaster and they would sound like Eric Clapton". He went on to further elaborate that having the right gear helped broaden the creative process, but only if you have the skill to take proper advantage.

Just get closer to the animals....Sure, I'll pop my 14mm prime on and get right up to that Wild Lion 😋

"your gear doesn't matter" *has the best gear available* ok

If gear really didn't matter, all professional photographers would use cheap entry level cameras to save money, because they could get the same results.

I want my gear to be good enough that I know it’s my fault if the photo stinks. When I was starting out, I would sometimes blame my lower-end gear for not getting a shot. It was even sometimes true, if the reason was I couldn’t make an adjustment as quickly or as accurately as I needed. Getting rid of that excuse improved my photography, both by giving me that extra flexibility, and by making sure I know that almost any problem is mine, not the gear.

I think the idea that 'your gear doesn't matter' is rooted in the understanding that success of your art is more dependent on you than the equipment you are using. I'm sure everyone realizes that purchasing more expensive lenses or camera bodies can incrementally increase the quality of their photos and video, but without experience, knowledge, passion and commitment your gear is useless.

"Your gear doesnt matter" depending on your situation. Sure let me get close to this lion with my 27mm . Im sure he wants his portrait taken and wont eat me.

My wallet figures out my gear needs.

That “Madelyn can’t read now” comment was hilarious! 😂

Usually these arguments happen when a photographer assumes that everyone shoots only the scenarios he does, should only shoot the way he does, and that the only valid workflow is his chosen workflow.

"Forget HDR, just bump up the contrast to 82" - Jared Polin

Gear is only as important as our needs say it is. That's basically it. We can say that everyone needs this camera or that lens, but your gear just has to meet your needs. And to be honest, most of us don't need much.

Damn Tony. You must be 60 pounds lighter. That's some baggage you just unloaded!

Gear totally matters. Try taking a photo with a YO-YO!

I believe a better statement would be "Gear doesn't make you a good photographer." But in order to push your skill higher and higher, you eventually need better and better gear... and commitment.

if you want to get paid, gear matters. if you want redundancy, gear matters. if you want to shoot in a storm, gear matters. photography in general doesn't care about your gear, but how you shoot with your gear matters. i love shooting photos with my phone, its quick and easy and i get some great results. but when i have a project, i pull out a "real" camera. i use light modifiers, why, as great as available light is, its limiting. im just a hobbyist with a few paid gigs under my belt, but for me, gear matters.

If every need was based on how something was in the past, then people probably don't need - Fast internet - Reliable power - Easy access to clean drinking water - Smart phones - Access to health care People don't need those things because people were okay before without them!

''cars didn't have seat belts and some people didn't die'' this cracked me up ahah

Oh it’s not the gear. It’s not the photographer. It’s the DOG that matters! (I love it when Pixel makes an appearance💕)

Gear doesn't matter until you realise that your camera is stupidly slow to autofocus (my main reason to upgrade from my first camera) Also, did anyone else hear Kai W twitch when the point about bokeh was introduced?

...it depends on what you are trying to shoot. NOT knowing how to use the gear you have, is the most common fault, that I come across with most everyone i have taught.

The video is a bit of a straw man argument. I don't think anyone believes gear doesn't matter at all. The real argument is that gear doesn't matter as much as talent, practice, and vision, which Tony and Chelsea frequently point out so I know they aren't trying to say gear matters more than anything. Still, everything is relative and a lot of the arguments here are so case specific they don't really apply to most photographers including, I'm guessing, most followers of this channel. It's just my opinion but my guess is that most people saying gear doesn't matter are simply resisting the fairly recent shift in photography as a hobby from learning actual photography skills, history, composition, etc. toward it being taken over by gear heads into it because they like gear more than they actually like photography. This causes shifts in the photo industry where you have less affordable equipment that would satisfy the needs of most photographers. The argument that anyone should buy gear based on the maximum need rather than the average need is a spurious one. This is exactly why less and less people buy cameras and lenses in lieu of using a smartphone to take pictures, it satisfies most of most people's needs and the added cost of camera equipment for most people is too much money for not enough improvement. Most people don't print their pictures at all anymore, let alone print 8x10s or larger.

If gear does matter or not, depends on the price of said gear. The difference in capabilities between a 100$ point and shoot and a 1000$ interchangeable camera system is usually much larger than between said 1000$ camera and a 2000$ camera.

Gear absolutely matters, to a point. If you're using a potato to take pictures versus someone with a multi-thousand dollar set-up. The point of the phrase "gear doesn't matter" means that having good gear doesn't guarantee your pictures won't be crap. You can take a great picture on a cheaper set-up or on an expensive set-up. All things being equal, skillwise, having the better gear will create a better result.

I, for one, am glad that videos like this are pushing people to focus on their gear and buy new and better stuff. It means a more robust and cost-efficient used marketplace for people like me who are happy buying used gear for cheap because people with more money than sense are always trading-up. Thanks Tony and Chelsea!

The "you don't need gear" photographer must think themselves to be the modern Diogenes who threw away his cup after he saw a child drinking water by cupping her hands.

Back in the film days. We all used the same film. And we pretty much used the same lenses. If you bought a professional camera. It was built a little tougher. It had 100% viewfinder. And it had less shutter lag. But it was just basically a box. That's when we said the camera doesn't matter. But back then. We used to all talk about film. Hey what film did you use. Hey what film did that guy use. Hey did you hear about this new film. Today that's the sensors. And because the sensors come in the bodies. Well. Now. The camera matters.

I think the argument is valid when said to counteract gear lust, to talk down yourself or friends from buying expensive gear they want but don't need.

Currently have a Canon 6D, was planning to upgrade to EOS RP. Found a KZfaq channel of a photographer with 6D that has 1 million shots. Still running like a champ. Changed my mind, spent the money on glass. Glad I did... Glass is King.....

I recently got an a7iii and some proper lenses after years of shooting with cheaper gear. The biggest advantages are autofocus performance, the ability to shoot faster shutter speeds with good image quality, and of course those blurry backgrounds. My non-photographer friends and family immediately noticed the difference in my photos (without being told that I got a new camera).

Sometimes you just need the right gear for the job. For instance a good telephoto lens is a must for things like wildlife photography or successful stalking of ex-girlfriends :-)

Thanks for the great video. I will use this as evidence to prove to my wife that I need a new camera (or lens, or tripod, or lens, or camera, or .....). If she is still not convinced can we call you?

Gear to a certain extent does matter. Hard to take wildlife photos with a 24mm F2.8

Great Video. My shots just got so much better, when I switched back from beeing a full time photographer to part time and full time software developer. Finally had the money to buy a D810 and Holy Trinity of Leses. Gear can't stubstitute talent, but support it a lot. Sorry for my lousy English, I'm German / Swiss - so double handicapped...

Gear matters to me to a degree. A lot of my gear facilitated me to get a lot better. Certain situations got easier or at all possible, it was more fun, I learned more... Of course getting new stuff often is a lot of fun in itself and this is part of the whole experience. A mixture of modern consumption and acquiring new skills. I like it a lot, especially when you can create something that you can be proud of with great that you have fun with.

Gear matters to a certain amount, but it's no guarantee for good pictures. And esp. for photography you don't need to have the newest and best/hippest equipment. Invest in good hardware and you can normally use it for a long time. I still use my old Canon 5D Mark II and the images are still amazing and I cannot really see the difference to my Mark IV. Glass is a different story. Good glass is not cheap ... but when you take care of it - you can use it almost forever :)

Looks and gear matters. No matter what they tell you.

I shot the 2019 Westminster Dog Show and using the Canon 5D4 I was able to nail more keepers with the better dynamic range and focus tracking. Coupled with skill one photo out of a few hundred made the cover of a magazine. So hey to me my gear backed me up. Totally satisfied with whatever cost I laid out.

Understanding you gear is what really matters. When entering any photo opportunity, it is knowing your gear strengths and weaknesses is what matters to capturing a particular image. I will never own a Nikon 600mm F 4, or 500 f 4 or any other lens in the 10K range. What I do own and could afford was a 200-500mm f 5.6. I know what it can and cannot capture. In addition to gear, is surroundings. Long ago, I was fortunate to visit the Slot canyons in Arizona. A unique area of the world and a specific time of the year. This time was in April when the sun enters the canyons to produce the rays of light you have seen captured by many photographers throughout time. I paid for a guide where myself and one other photographer was on this tour. The guide was a Cherokee native who had conducted hundreds of tours over many years. The other photographer was a French native, working for a European magazine. He had a 35K Hasselblad body and probably another 10k in lenses. I had a Nikon D100, 18-55mm f 3.5-5.6, tripcord and a tripod. He split off from our guide and I stayed Cherokee's hip. He came away with virtually nothing, because he got tangled in the other tours and I came away with shots of a lifetime. Photos that are 40x30 inch metal prints that will last the next 50 years. If we all hit the lottery tomorrow and could afford any gear, would we be better? That is the question.

Your gear doesn't matter...unless its Micro Four Thirds in which case Tony and Chelsea can use it - just not you! 🤣

In 1959 my dad gave me a camera, Argus C3. He said this camera will take better pictures then you ever will, meaning gear does not matter.

Forget two card slots, I lost an entire concert, from right up front, when one tiny screw jammed the ONE shutter in the camera. One shutter, one memory card, one lens, all the same, one of anything is why we carry two cameras.

Just caught your podcast on the way to work this morning. I bought my first full-frame mirrorless camera. I'm a photographer on a budget (what a concept) and have held off purchasing a full frame camera, I thought, for way too long. FINALLY! With prices dropping on earlier models, I purchase a Sony A7ii. Now I can smugly answer other photographers' questions, "That's a full frame right?" "Yeah." Well let me tell you something. I ran comparisons with my kit lens Sony A7ii with a 24 megapixel sensor with my kit lens Nikon D5500 with a 24 megapixel sensor at 100 ISO, and, even with full frame, the resultant Sony images had the same resolution detail as my Nikon crop sensor. I ran several tests. Always the same result. There are other benefits I'm weighing although, at higher ISO's the full-frame camera had much less noise and I enjoy the narrower depth of field. But being primarily a landscape photographer, I was doing just as well with the crop-sensor Nikon. So now, I am realizing superior results with multiple frames stitched together for my landscapes. So my message to you is appreciate the technology of crop-sensors these days. They are actually performing or perhaps even out performing the earlier full frame models. Cheers!

Great episode, Northrups! Usually, (most) photography vloggers are too artsy to make any logical sense of what they are preaching from their imaginary "high horses". But you guys are so far above all that childish "gear-doesn't-matter" tragicomedy. I really enjoy watching every second of your podcasts. Never stop making them, please :). Very informative, very funny, all makes perfect sense. And it's nice to know that I'm not the only "crazy" person who refuses to blend into this cult of ignorance and artsy preachers, who apparently are taking over photography by spreading silly ideas, lies and misusing science.

Glass ? Yeah it matters, have fun focusing on a bird with a 35mm or getting a headshot of a Lion with a 24mm (well, you can do the last one, but you are not the one who's gonna publish the picture) Light modifier etc? Yes it matters, Body ? You will always want the best one, but is it needed ? I don't think so, bodies will "only" allows you to have more keeper, but aside from that ... video is another subject though. My main complain is people who thinks they just CAN'T do anything without [insert brand]'s new $4k camera, no, you can, it's more difficult, yes, you have to adapt, yes, but I am pretty sure that as long as you have the glass, the rest is basically only a question of simplicity efficiency, not need. The gear elitism is somewhat tiresome too. From my point of view, you only need the body you can afford with a budget you are willing to use as long as you already have the rest.

Saying “just get closer to the animal” made me think “how do I get closer to the moon?”. The almost unbelievable truth is that an exceptional artist seeks the correct tool yet the next great image requires a different truth. Something I think you were trying to say with your “right place at the right time” example Chelsea. Than you guys for being so real. I love your passion and humility. It is refreshing ;)

Chuck Norris takes Pulitzer prize shots using only his bare hands and a blink of an eye. He could do with one hand only, but he prefers them in 3D.

This whole "you only need one shot" thing is really not about moving subjects. Honestly, I think that the actual point that's valid, is that taking a lot of poorly thought out and composed photos is not an alternative to thinking about the photo you want and taking less photos with more thought.

Agreed. The moment you miss 1 of 100 pictures taken by bad focussing instead of 20/100, you realize, that Eye-AF is what you needed.

Love listening to the both of you discuss photography. Way cool and the fact you have been at this so long and yet rock it.

Gear almost always matters. Realistically speaking, a high resolution sensor is needed for even smaller prints. When printing, supersampling is really good to achieve as perception of details can be improved. A large aperture is also important, especially in low light where you may need to increase the ISO. Even the current best DSLRs, lose some fine detail at as little as 800 ISO.

Gear only matters to the point where any additional investment or features don't have any significant improvement for the types of photography you do, beyond that you would already have a specialty and need an very specific gear, like photographing particles colliding.

'Because they are misusing science!' -falls out of chair laughing. Is Tony my spirit animal?

I’m still rocking my Nikon d700, I paid £200 for a mint body with 8k use on the shutter. For 90% of shooters, it’s all you actually need.

Man, I know I'm 2 weeks late to the party, but this video is just *golden*. I'm relatively new to photography but I am really glad to have found Tony and Chelsea's channel . The first video I saw was a tutorial and I'll be honest, I thought it was kinda dry and I didn't subscribe at first, but I'm Soooooo glad I stuck around. I love these guys. Thanks for the knowledge and the inspiration. :)

Gear matters when you've learned enough to know why that particular piece of gear matters. OK gear with good glass will be enough for most people. Learning why something matters is worth more than the gear itself.

Thanks for the vid. 10 years ago, I'm fine with my kit lens until I got my hands on my first 85mm f1.4 and got hooked by the bokeh quality.

"Eye autofocus is doooope" -Avedon

Bahaha. Great video. “Tony, look at my cats whiskers”. Classic.

The sort of people who make these comments aren't interested in what you think they are only interested in provoking a reaction. By indulging them you are giving them the attention they crave. Just refuse to engage and they will go elsewhere.

My Wallet wishes gear doesn’t matter. As a casual hobbyist it’s hard to justify the cost of glass. In the old days, we didn’t have the choices like today and it really came down to mostly talent, regardless of your social economic position . But today, It’s become a professional or rich persons art.

Do you have the info how much times your coupon codes was used? I’m very curious about Chelsea/Tony ratio, I think it’s probably like 100 to 1

On a 3 week trip to South Georgia Island and Antarctica I pulled out a Canon 500mm f/4 IS II (love that lens) with a 1.4x III on a monopod (I think it was a 5D III) because the whales were quite far that day. A fellow Canon shooter went out of his way to come over to tell me "it's the photographer's skill that gets the best shots, gear doesn't matter". I didn't know how to respond so I just gave a weak "yup". At the end of the trip he shared ZERO shots with the rest of us. If you are going to try to insult others skills then maybe you should come up with the goods.

From the complete amateur, hobby photographer end of the scale: Gear absolutely matters! Even when I'm just trying to get nice digital shots of grandchildren at family gatherings, the quicker focusing time and frame rate of my new Canon gives me lots more good images than I was catching with my previous camera. I was better than my equipment before; now my equipment is better than me, and I feel challenged to make the best use of what I've got. Thanks Tony and Chelsea for stoking my new enthusiasm.

Yeah, sure... Remind us, what gear do you use to record videos?

You guys are awesome. I’ve leaned so much from you too. Thank you for all that you do.

Just listened to this 4 times while I was editing, love you guys. Great as usual.

"real photographers only need one shot..." ahahahahaha.... I'd love to see a "real" photographer travel to a far-off location for a breathtaking landscape, arrive, compose a shot, set everything up, click the shutter once, then pack up and walk away. No fing way. That's the biggest load of bs I have ever heard. I'm with Tony-- you "one-shot" photogs-- let's see those portfolios-- let's see those lightroom catalogs with sequential file names.

Gear is important to some degree. I'm a good photographer, but there's some photos I just can't take because I don't have the gear needed to do it. Hopefully one day I can update from my old Canon 60D

I make pictures with my old sony slt a58 and love it and still can use your tips. A couple of good lenses help 😉. Enjoyed it again 👍

watching this after a rough day at work makes me feel so happy - great topic!

Simple truth is that you need the right tools for the job. If you don't have them, you can bodge it to a degree, but how much you are able to do that, will depend on how close the gear you have is, to the right gear for the job.

What matters is knowing how to use the gear and knowing which gear to use, and when. Just buying expensive stuff and expecting it to be amazing. Know your craft, fill your tool box, and know how to use the tools like an expert.

Gear matters to a degree. A landscape photographer producing average work through poor understanding of composition and light, upgrading to a high end camera, will be the same average photographer. Meanwhile a sports/wildlife photographer already coming up with the goods with mid range gear can upgrade and reap the rewards.

The skills of the photographer, not the most expensive gear, have and will always be the most important piece of ""gear"" in the kit.

It's about constancy, good gear ups your keeper rate, and if you shoot professional events like weddings that you only one chance to get an in focus, sharp picture, gear makes a huge difference. If you shoot for fun, gear wont make you a better photographer.

At my age, 65, I find that gear matters in the sense that to get a particular shot I need the help that gear affords me. A tri pod. I'm a little shaky sometimes. Long lens. I can't climb up or down or over things like I used to. Camera with good auto focus with a reasonable FPS. My eye site isn't what it once was. Just my $.02 worth from an age demographic that after 50+ years still likes to get out there and take some photos. Loved the pic of the MF-2. Remember seeing something like that with a long lens at Canaveral for some launches. Your content is the best!

I love watching you guys! I don't always agree with you but you're always entertaining. Cheers!

Actually the gear doesn't matter thing is mostly for beginners. It's to teach them how to make use of what is available to them and so they don't spend too much on a camera and lens and pressure themselves to take better photos to justify their purchase. But once that beginner has stepped out of the beginner phase and actually starts to take on clients and do actual work, then that is the scenario where gear will help a lot. Having a nice selection of lenses and bodies to work with really boost what one can do in tight deadlines set by ever so demanding clients.

"Is that a direct quote... from your imagination?" BBWWWHAHAHAHAHA!

Gear matters when it comes to capturing images a photographer can imagine even before pulling out their camera out of the bag IMO. Thanks for another great video!

Great topic. Find out what you need first, and if it's too $$, then rent it! I still rock a Canon t1i for fun. Would I use it for product photography? Probably not, because the industry expects a higher quality result that it simply can't deliver.

Love this talk! Thanks for making it as neutral and unbiased as possible and avoid dividing the house. I believe your podcast helped thousands who need to know where theyre at where they should be heading when choosing gear that sync with their skill sets. Cheers!

Did you guys fight and was Chelsea incharge of the thumbnail for the video :D

Lolol saying “gear doesn’t matter” is like saying you can catch a marlin with the cheapest fishing rod.

I'm new to photography. I just bought a Fujifilm X-T20 and i love it, but in no way can i get the best performance out of this camera because im still learning how to use it and the process of photography. love your content and picking up your beginner book and looking forward to taking some awesome shots.

Hi Guys, Just keep doing what you are doing. You are my go-to photography gurus. I have a science degree and so love Tony's approach to subjects. Also love the interplay between you guys (I've been married for 47 years so enjoy watching you relate to each other. Love you both. I mostly take macros of insects in my garden here in Sydney and have Sony gear and also a bellows with a microscope objective on it for insects' eyes with focus stacking.

Of course gear matter but you deal with what you have and take out the best of your gear! I'm "stuck" in time with my 550d (t2i) and still have fun with it and it all matter....no?

On Safari, in some countries, you are not allowed to "Get closer to the animals".

My old Art Director used to say "phuck your equipment" can you do this job.... here's the catch "HERE ARE THE SPECS" lol

Another great video Northrup's. Whoever said just get closer to the animals, I'd love to see them get close to a tiger or lion with a wide angle lens. As for what gear you need i only use a Fujifilm X-T10 + XF 35mm f2 lens, and i use it for my stock photos. It's the only camera & lens i need for the type of stock photography i do. I mostly do photos of people, street, nature, architecture and food. sometimes the odd landscape photo

This topic mirrors the conversations about cell phone cameras killing the point-n-shoot market and hurting the DSLR/Mirrorless market. People are viewing photos on a tiny screen where they don't see the faults in the images and they are pleased with them. the vast majority of photos don't make it past viewing on a cell phone or tablet. For those people the gear doesn't matter. I use a decent camera and lenses because sharp is important to me. So is ergonomics, I'm uncomfortable just holding my phone much less taking photos with it. I do care about image quality. For some photos my phone is fine. But I shoot portraits and I do need better gear than a phone camera.

Gear does matter, but in order of importance it's photographer > lens > camera

You brought up some points that I agree with for sure. Gear absolutely does matter in my mind, but ultimately, you're the one taking the shots, so you know what you want/need. On the note of eye AF, no it's not necessary, but will I use it if I got it? Absolutely!

I'll give you just one example where gear was not only important, but vital. An ex prime minister (of Australia) gave a speech in my home town. How did I get him to look at me for the photograph? I did it by having the best gear in the room, and he assumed I was a professional and therefore posed for me in particular. Not really the sort of reason you would expect, but it was a case where gear absolutely mattered. Politicians are like that. These days I don't have the best gear, because I'm retired and have a skiing addiction that costs around $20 000 per year. I can either ski, or have great camera gear, but not both.

I couldn't make it through this one. As someone who has shot for over 40 years, while in principle some of your stuff you complained about is sort of right.... it still just lends itself to the current "if I only had better gear, I'ld be a better photographer". For example on the old photographers and their work not being as good as today - and these photographers would love to have today's advancements. Sure... I get that. Ultra sharp focus would be cool to have on every shot. But take the picture of the girl running from a bombing naked in Vietnam - an iconic image from my era. That picture is still great today - regardless of not being today sharp. It tells a story. So I guess it depends on why you photograph. Are you trying to prove you can get the perfect header shot - or are you trying to tell a story that is compelling. I've seen plenty of tac sharp photos of nothing..... no story .... no human interest. Ive also seen many many images that aren't technically perfect, but convey a story, and emotion, or take you to another place. Nothing wrong with today's technology - but the pretense that unless you have the ultimate gear, your going to come up sharp is a false narrative. It is a crutch. A good photographer can create an image that is compelling without perfect gear. This obsession over gear is absurd. Now that said, as a sports photographer I tell people that ask me if they can get shots like I do, I am honest with them. Unless they have a 400 f2.8 or 600 f4 - your not getting that shot. But that doesn't mean you can't get compelling sports photos. Just not that one. So work on the others.

Chelsea CC: "She can't read now!" Hahahaha!

I am relatively new to photography, and within the past 8 years have realized that gear does matter lenses matter, and as one becomes more serious about the level they want to be at this becomes obvious. Ans as Chelsea said it sticks that gear is expensive but it is what it is. I have taken really nice shots with my iPhone, and with my "cheaper" camera, and then I upgraded and the difference is huge. The bottom line, however, and other commenters have mentioned this, it is a personal thing and each photographer has to decide what works for them and what they are happy with and what their goals are that lead to that being happy with what they are utilizing. Great discussion !!!

“Compensating for their insecurities”. Agreed lol 👍