I own and use daily my Canon 500d with kit lenses, I've won lot's of competitions, and I'm still learning, my 500d has taught me so much and owes me nothing, I haven't got or could afford all the gear, but my 500d makes my idea's come to life, most of all it's real fun, my wife says, when the 500d and I go out , I always come back with a beaming smile.
Excellent comment! - I can afford to upgrade - but with the exception of demanding low light work.. do I really believe I need it - not really. Love your wife's observation..!
That's awesome Paul! And though prior to digital I had worked with some very nice cameras, but now with even less expensive digital cameras the learning curve so much better. Ironically. My daughter Emily has taken after me and developed a good and fresh eye and has already started her own catalogue of ideas, locations, angles and such, that she wants to shoot. Needless to say, I'm sending this video to her for studying material. Thanks
Nice story. I think people like you are actually quite rare! Someone who is content with what they use, not immersed in the technology and hype that 'pixel peepers' are so famous for. Someone who uses the camera for its true purpose, taking meaningful photos! let's face it, no modern DSLR is bad, whatever the make or model. I have a Canon 7D, a 5D Mk III and an M6 Mk II, and when all of the camera's pictures are put in to a Lightroom Collection, my photos are not really distinguishable from one camera to the next. What stands out to me when browsing my catalogues are good and bad photos, not good or bad quality ones! :-)
This is a must watch for all new to photography. We've all been there, thinking that better gear will make us better photographers.... Not Ture! Great Video and well done Emily. 👍
Thanks for this video! Very important message, because it seems to me that so many are hunting for new, better and more expensive gear etc. Not the camera takes pictures, it is the one behind! Your videos are very awesome!
It's certainly easy to let the ego get in the way, "I need to have the best... to up my game, etc." There's certainly a time and a place for more expensive gear. I've had my fair share of work in factories and construction. As a parallel, more expensive tools can make your life easier, but they are not essential. There's always multiple ways to get the same effect, you just need to stretch those creative muscles. As a side note! +1. You've got excellent energy! It sounded like you were genuinely happy to be teaching people and it felt like talking/listening to a friend explain something that they were genuinely interested in. Plus, there was no ego! It's a shame that there are so many people in the creative field (usually creative + professional) with such inflated egos. It's always a breath of fresh air to find people who are super down to Earth!
Knowledge is all important, no matter the gear. I am a newbie at this game and totally in the learning process with my gear and Nikon D 7200. Time heals all wounds. Thanks so much for being there for us. I am in Ohio USA.
Absolutely spot on! I have taken photos with a 5mp compact and printed them to A3 and framed them. Friends have seen them and blagged copies for their homes. I have other cameras too - all second hand and have no intention of getting on the GAS merry- go-round.
Great video, as usual. I have been adding to my gear and feel like I've been able to advance the growth of my skills because of some of those purchases, but I'm a strong believer in going back to basics to heighten the drama in my pictures. You always inspire me.
I really appreciated this video. I'm new and don't have the best or much gear, but I think it forces me to really concentrate on composition, lighting, background, etc. I'm trying to get the most out of this camera before I move on and still really enjoying using it. I feel that amazing gear would be a waste for where I'm at right now. But, I still find the entire process of learning and applying new techniques and tricks very rewarding. Thank you for yet another informative video!
I spent years taking photos with whatever I had, it started off with ancient crappy phones. You remember the cameras on phones from the 2000's. Then I got a Canon Power shot A550. My photo game really got better. Then I went back to the camera on my phone because they got pretty good. Now as of about a week ago I purchased a Canon EOS R8, it is my first real camera, I freaking love it and have already captured over one thousand one hundred images with it so far. I love it. Like seriously, I think I have a problem.
The only part of my photography that does, at times, require some specific gear is wildlife photography. Catching a flying bird or a deer running across a distant field often requires long(and often expensive) lenses, as well as more advanced auto-focus systems. That said, there were people getting these shots decades ago, so it CAN be done. My next goal is to try to get wildlife shots with an old manual focus lens I recently picked up. Wish me luck!
I agree as i myself don't have that type of equipment. I struggle with that type of photography so I just have to concentrate on what I can do with my limited equipment.
Thats one of your best vid tutorials !!!! Love watching a pro using bog standard gear and producing tip top results. It answered your original question 100%. As for me, I only own second hand gear, cameras and lenses - I only buy new filters and use magnetic screw on ones. My results are just fine for me - because I have watched your work for a long long time and knowledge is indeed everything. Good one ya for putting this one up, as I sometimes used to lapse in enthusiasm when I see 4 figure cameras and lenses with a suitcase full of associated gear at mortgage level costs. Thanks for taking the time out to remind us poorer folk that we can indeed take images that grace any wall.
I'm a hobbyist photographer and use a Nikon d3400 primarily with kit lenses and I still turn out decent photographs. Your knowledge is the best piece of equipment you can have. You don't need the latest and greatest gear to shoot good photos.
I think you are so right! I still shoot with my older fujifilm xt100 and still take great photos. The only thing i did invest in a lot are lenses and now i have got all of the lenses i wanted. I always shoot using my liveview which makes it pretty easy to shoot but this video is a real eye opener. Maybe i should work without the liveview and do it like you do. Just to get better. Thanks man❤
when I started photographing ( in the good old days of roll film ) the standard lens was a 50 mm , you could learn a lot with that lens before you moved on to either a 28 mm lens , as I did , or as others did , a 35-70 zoom .As said a few times previously , the kit lens , be it an 18-55 , or 18-140 ( APS-C format), is for many, the only lens they are likely to need , if they use it creatively
Hi Marc ! I have taken your basic courses, and I am still using your web site for learning. This is a good video to let me know I am still not there yet. I suppose I have fallen for camera sales tactics, but I believe I have a good Kit. I am with a 90D at the moment using some full frame lens with the 32.5 sensor. It is what it is, and I own it. I do like having good equipment because I am serious about getting good quality shots. I have no intentions of quitting. I appreciate what you have help me achieve so far, and I plan to keep going. The pressure to go mirrorless is high, but I am still shopping the 5D MK iv. I see you use it, and I have the lens for it. I can buy one for around $1800 used.
Wonderful video, as usual, and such an important lesson. As someone who spends far too much time online coveting fancy gear I can’t afford, I found this a very timely reminder of what really matters. Time now to close the laptop, throw on that kit lens, and go take some photos! Thanks, as ever, for the inspiration!
All these years of film and digital across many different brands and cameras, the three most important things I've found for great shots: Location, Location, Location... ;)
Hi Marc Great video, the Canon 1200D might be considered a basic entry level DSLR but I still a lot more technical than the kit being used some of the great photographers decades ago. You’re totally correct, knowledge is power and experience comes with learning your camera and understanding how it works. I have a few different cameras I shoot with (all secondhand) I love taking pictures and have done for the last 35 years Keep up the good work. Best wishes Tim
Great video, as i may have said before my 1dmkiin, which i bought second hand 5 years ago was my first DSLR, it taught me so much, once id learnt how to use the dials, and with no auto mode it stood me in good stead, i used a 50mm prime for 2 years, but wanted to get more into wildlife, now i need to push on and learn more, this video bought me back to basics, and ill carry that forward with me, thank you very much
This is a brilliant video i have a nikon d5300 with a kit lens and often think i need a better lens for quality photos but cant afford one. This video has really inspired me to get out and practice more. Hope you do a lot more kit lens photography. Thankyou
Marc, an excellent video as usual so keep them coming. I agree spending a lot of money on gear will not make you a better photographer and I am surprised at the photos I can get just using my Samsung S9+. However, as you are aware there are some advantages in a more expensive camera body. They are more robust, weather and dust protected, can be customised many ways to suit your own use. Add to that an amazing programmable focus system such as on the 5D Mk.IV, which allows more hits on capturing erratic fast moving objects such as birds in flight. I also found it invaluable in capturing the Red Arrows display in the summer. Yes, it won't make you a better photographer but it certainly helps in many awkward situations.
Very good approach, I use my small, lite basic dslr with the kit lenses for about 80% of my photos. There are times when it is about the gear, when I shoot airshows I need to rent the “right” gear, a camera with at least 7-10 frames/sec and a fast 200-400 mm f4 lens.
Point very well made, knowledge is all. A few years ago a swapped my Canon EOS 450D for a Canon EOS 7D and wish I had spent the money instead on obtaining more knowledge as of course my photography didn't improve one bit. Knowledge is power and to take better photographs you need as must knowledge as you can get, you never stop learning. Excellent video.
Marc, this was highly inspiring - thank you a lot. I shoot with my old trusted RICOH GR II (having only one fixed 28 mm lens (fullframe equivalent) - and I am happy with it. Reducing and simplifying gear means more inspiration and better images. Well, I am interested in photography - not in gear. Thanks once again!
Wow thanks, ive been shooting for awhile mostly do sports and or events and weddings. and don't mind what gear i have but learned some amazing tips in one video great job!
Great video. You can take a photo of the most mundane things just by picking out an element of it. I like to experiment and have managed to get some quite good photos (in my opinion anyway) All I use is the NIKON D3300 and the kit lens 18-55. as I don't have any other camera or lens. I struggle with wildlife and birds because of the limited zoom. But I have still got some quite good sharp images of insects and plants etc. I just look around me and try to see something interesting and focus on the detail, patterns, shape, colours, lighting, angles and so on. I prefer to use manual most of the time to see what results I can get even liking some of the shots that may not have turned out as expected. I even purposely use totally the wrong settings for the subject to see what results I get. I am only an amateur hobby photographer as I can't afford to buy expensive equipment anyway. As they say it is what you eye and mind sees that you try to interpret through the camera rather than the camera itself. I tend to use Auto when I am not sure of the settings to use or on the rare occasion I get to go somewhere I may not get to again to be more sure of getting a decent image or the lighting is bad or it is a dull overcast day. Photography takes your mind to a different world of calm and peace. You need to also be very patient to get some shots and to just wait till things like the lighting is just right for what you may have in mind. such a a small beam of light highlighting say a flower or fungi in the undergrowth.
Not sure about that. If you want to learn photography properly check out our courses at www.theschoolofphotography.com You'll have no excuses after that. Thanks for the engagement
As an ameteur who fell in love with photography many years ago, I am still consider myself clueless about photography. There is nothing more beautiful than the philosophical production of a photo. The thinking, the how, the when, the who. What I have learnt is that the only real difference between expensive and cheap gear is efficiency. A photographer with more knowledge and a cheaper setup will produce better than the person with more expensive gear and no knowledge.
What perfect timing Marc, as I am doing a photo shoot for a friend next week and I will be using my dads old Nikon D80 with a 50mm f1.8 lens for a change. Plus I'm now going out to look for some different locations to shoot at next week. Thanks Marc.
I'm using a Canon 90D with a Tamron 18-200mm lens. I want to take outdoor family portraits, however when I've been using AV mode, I've been getting camera shake. Would using TV mode work better for me ?
Belter of a video Marc. I'm trying things with my 2000D with a kit lens as well as with my iPhone with varying results. The settings to use are still something I need to do by trial and error, but as they say "onwards and upwards". Keep up with your good work and keep them videos coming.
All you say is absolutely right. I am just a keen amateur, I have some top quality gear 5d mk4 70 200 is l lens all lenses are l lenses. I don't need great gear but I find it much easier to use. I save up and get the best gear I can afford.but there are millions of people with basic gear taking just as good photos as me.
Awesome video! I have always said that it's not necessarily the " two thousand dollars worth of equipment that makes the photograph, but the amount of knowledge and technique that you have learned over the course of time". This video has just reassured my argument on this subject, makes me want to take my four hundred dollar setup out and take some awesome photos! Thanks again. Paul M.
I agree that ideas and knowledge/experience come close first and second . Third, i would say lenses . What makes those basic or used Canon dslr great value are the cheap but excellent 24mm ef-s f2.8 stm and 50mm f1.8 stm as a killer 2 lens kit for most situations . For the body, just go in the used market as low ,but not older than a 450D, more likely a T2i (550D) up to an SL2 (200d) . Then add a modest swivel TTL flash with diffuser and a reflector . Low budget, small, light and really most of the quality from pricier gear. The focal lenghts seem limited at first but it help concentrate on subjects suited for that. Both lenses, while not macro, have also close-up abilities.
Great video! I sometimes go back to my Nikon D60.. my first entry-DSLR that I bought in 2008. There's something about the old CCD sensor in it; really interesting color rendition. It is still a powerful tool to use, all my lenses fit on it just as they fit on my D750. It just feels more rewarding when you squeeze good pictures out of a piece of tech that's almost 12 years old. You would not want to use it in low light though lol
I have also been using my D60 since around 2009 right up until it died almost a year ago. Shutter issue. Aside from the few dead pixels, the color really is great. I've kept it around though, gonna get it fixed when I get some spare cash.
Great video! I think knowledge is more important than gear, only if you are taking photos of something very specific, I dont think most people need the newest, best or most expensive gear.
I have a Nikon D5500 and I was impressed by the quality of images compared to the old D3100. But now I have unlocked it's tremendous capability. I overexposed a shot by +1 2/3 stops using flat profile and contrast dialled down. When I brought down the exposure slider, the photo became normal and almost noise free. Imagine how much clean image we can get by using ISO 100 and EETR method, almost ISO 40 equivalent.
I was at an event a few days ago and I got to test the EOS R and 5D Mark IV after getting home and editing the images I was like honestly, I could have done better with my old Canon 6D~ At least I won't be rushing out to get any camera bodies I'll rather invest in lenses.
Mmm, I don't really understand what you mean by 'could have done better'. Considering the 5D Mk IV is inherently a more advanced camera in so many ways I would have thought your statement would be better stated as 'I can take equally good pictures with my Canon 6D'. :-)
Really inspiring video and it's true that good shots don't need lots of gear. I've been shooting for years with a similar Canon camera. You can have great results if you know your camera features and push them to the limits!
Hi Marc, love the video I think spending a bit of extra money on upgrading the lense helps a bit but I will not make anyone a better photographer, but a cool video for the beginningers out there. Good work.
All the gear, no idea...good description of some of the people at my local regional park. Any time I try to politely say hi, they literally will look at my camera and pretty much ignore me...not even so much as a friendly smile or hi back. Yet I see them later with their 7D Mk.ii or 1D(insert model) and a 100-400L lens standing straight as a stick shooting down at the birds...come on really? I've got a Rebel SL2 and the 55-250mm kit lens, but I love how much I've learned from using it for the past 2.5 years.
It is your constraints in gear that inspire creativity. At the same time though, better gear does make it easier to take photos - which is why professional photographers invest in the gear they need. Gear is good, Vision is Better...
great stuff thanks for sharing loved it! I have a canon 700d and use the kits lens, cheapy 50mm lens and a 75-300mm zoom and have been doing ok with portrait and headshot work - however always on my mind is whether having say the latest canon 90D and a more pro/better lens will actually give me higher quality better noise free and much sharper and better dynamic range images? what does everyone think? In some ways I do wonder if the slightly softer look using cheaper kit has some advantage in not showing super clear razor sharp skin texture in models - but maybe im looking for excuses NOT to upgrade to get a more "pro" setup?
Great video, and people don't need the crazy expensive camera to get a good shot.... but, I and many other people just want the best. It's like having the best graphics on a game won't make you a better player, but if you want it, you'll cough up for it (not the best example I know)
Knowledge yes and also important is practice. I do think new gear can help, though obviously you should be mastering the gear you have rather than hoping the gear will do it for you. I just rented a body and lenses for a couple of events and the increased range they had over what I own made for much better shots. In the end, as you have said, composition is key.
I agree with your point that owning expensive equipment doesn't make you a good photographer. Once you have knowledge better equipment can be very helpful. Even little things like electronic levels are a great help when shooting handheld.
I bought a Panasonic fz82 for zoom shots but also bought a canon t3i for macro love both cameras learnt a lot just using auto mode but now I only use manual knowledge does come first
The knowledge is everything. Great video. I believe telling the settings is confusing to beginners, those numbers are irrelevant in a sense that they should serve the composition and lighting conditions, not vice versa.
It’s funny about these settings numbers. We are somehow drawn to look at them as if there’s a magical combination that makes that exact photo we are looking at.
I believe there is a balance between gear and knowledge. Technically, you are using gear as you are using a camera, lens, and a reflector. My challenge would be for you to take the best picture you can with the worst possible camera you can find, followed by the exact same photo taken the best you can with the best possible camera you can find. Then compare the two photos. If you can show that there isn't any improvements provided by the better gear, then you can claim gear doesn't matter. Gear doesn't do everything though and all the gear in the world isn't going to help someone that doesn't know how to use it. It is a combination of knowledge and tools working together that will get the best results.
I have made all these pics on my insta @picturevelvet with my current and old phone.(galaxy s7 and Mate20). Some of them I edited in Lightroom. Not bad for phone cameras I think.
Well the progress of technology has taught me one thing, never say never, but I think there would need to be some serious technological breakthroughs to get DSLR technology (or that of the modern mirrorless camera and lens) inside a phone! It's not really about the technology, it's more about the optics and sensor.
He might, but cameras will always be around for serious jobs Cellphones are fine for snapshots and have killed point-and-shoot cameras, but for the forseeable future no-one is going to be happy eg for a wedding photographer paid $1000s to turn up with a cellphone. OK, there are a few nutters who might be happy.
The problem is that there is quite a probability that a smartphone would make cleaner pictures. I was very underwhelmed with a Canon T6, for exemple, it has a really bad image quality, being it's main advantage the ability to use all Canon lenses. But people that buy it will probably stick with the kit lens. Flash can solve those issues, but many pictures do require we get some of the background illumination. For images with everything in focus it was hard to be convinced I was better off using the Canon T6 than my Galaxy S9+.
I have invested my money in the best Photo Courses by the best Photographs of the magazine: National Geographic ... Still, I have the best gear... Nikon D7200 with the Tamron 18-400mm, and the Nikon d3400 with the Tokina 12-24mm ... Because you need to make fast the pictures when you are travelling, changing lenses is B. S...
like it, especially the "If you cant make good photos with this...". I dont know why people poopoo low-end cameras, they're easily good enough. It's the lens that's the thing and kit lenses aren't really terrible. I sometime use a zenit b for fun and that makes any camera feel like science fiction 😄
Are these all native images, or been corrected? I love the last scene absolutely amazing!! Now, not to dig your model, we've all been there with the teens, and it does go, and she has amazing features, but I used to use a cream that contained a bleach to reduce acne, need to go easy on the stuff else it burnt ya face, but I can't recommend the stuff enough, and honesty she has it lightly!! Again don't mean to sound harsh just passing on info I know, as your videos has done too me. peace and harmony and please positive feedback to help others which from which I have suffered from in the past.
When you discuss camera shake at the 7 minute mark, you didn't say if you had the IS turned on or not, and the benefits/drawbacks of it. I assume it was on?
If gear truly didn't matter, nobody would buy expensive and superior lenses/bodies etc. Although I understand the principal that you need to outgrow an entry level kit camera before moving up the chain. Make sure the message is clear though. Gear is VERY important as you progress, for sure.
Great vlog,love your down to earth,none patronising approach,wish I’d followed you before I went from a 600d to a 6d to a 5dmkiii to now a Sony A7iii 😂
I completely agree with this video. I am using a Cannon EOS Rebel T3 (1100D) and I am getting great results and I believe it’s because I have spent the time to read a few books and watch videos to increase my knowledge and that makes up for only having 12 megapixels compared to the new ones with 26 or more. None of my lenses are L series but I do have a range of zoom lenses that cover from about 18-300MM to compensate for whatever distance I might be from the subject and my favorite lens by far is my 100MM Macro lens. Learn what the functions of your camera do and how it effects the final picture, and you can do some amazing things. JB_Reining.Photography
No, it’s not the same. The 50 crop lens will look like a 80mm on his canon 1200D. The 1200D sensor will crop 50 mm to 80 mm. A 50 mm crop lens will still be a 50 on a full frame, but it will probably made some vignetting/dark corners due to it’s construction.
Perhaps a step too far but I really enjoy my FZ1000 bridge camera though low light requires a steady hand and patience stabilization notwithstanding. $360 lightly used (about £290 ) complete as there is nothing to add or subtract and every setting imaginable to keep me learning.
from this i feel like the key to a good photo is a little bit your gear, a little bit your location, but mostly just the subject being smoking hot. :-)
I own and use daily my Canon 500d with kit lenses, I've won lot's of competitions, and I'm still learning, my 500d has taught me so much and owes me nothing, I haven't got or could afford all the gear, but my 500d makes my idea's come to life, most of all it's real fun, my wife says, when the 500d and I go out , I always come back with a beaming smile.
Great story Paul, thanks for sharing 👍😊
Excellent comment! - I can afford to upgrade - but with the exception of demanding low light work.. do I really believe I need it - not really. Love your wife's observation..!
That's awesome Paul! And though prior to digital I had worked with some very nice cameras, but now with even less expensive digital cameras the learning curve so much better. Ironically. My daughter Emily has taken after me and developed a good and fresh eye and has already started her own catalogue of ideas, locations, angles and such, that she wants to shoot. Needless to say, I'm sending this video to her for studying material. Thanks
Positive vibes 💜
Nice story. I think people like you are actually quite rare! Someone who is content with what they use, not immersed in the technology and hype that 'pixel peepers' are so famous for. Someone who uses the camera for its true purpose, taking meaningful photos! let's face it, no modern DSLR is bad, whatever the make or model. I have a Canon 7D, a 5D Mk III and an M6 Mk II, and when all of the camera's pictures are put in to a Lightroom Collection, my photos are not really distinguishable from one camera to the next. What stands out to me when browsing my catalogues are good and bad photos, not good or bad quality ones! :-)
This is a must watch for all new to photography. We've all been there, thinking that better gear will make us better photographers.... Not Ture!
Great Video and well done Emily. 👍
Thank you, glad you like it👍
Thanks for this video! Very important message, because it seems to me that so many are hunting for new, better and more expensive gear etc. Not the camera takes pictures, it is the one behind! Your videos are very awesome!
Thank you for the comments 😊
It's certainly easy to let the ego get in the way, "I need to have the best... to up my game, etc." There's certainly a time and a place for more expensive gear. I've had my fair share of work in factories and construction. As a parallel, more expensive tools can make your life easier, but they are not essential. There's always multiple ways to get the same effect, you just need to stretch those creative muscles.
As a side note! +1. You've got excellent energy! It sounded like you were genuinely happy to be teaching people and it felt like talking/listening to a friend explain something that they were genuinely interested in. Plus, there was no ego! It's a shame that there are so many people in the creative field (usually creative + professional) with such inflated egos. It's always a breath of fresh air to find people who are super down to Earth!
Thanks Micheal, appreciate the comments 👍
Knowledge is all important, no matter the gear. I am a newbie at this game and totally in the learning process with my gear and Nikon D 7200. Time heals all wounds. Thanks so much for being there for us. I am in Ohio USA.
Absolutely spot on! I have taken photos with a 5mp compact and printed them to A3 and framed them. Friends have seen them and blagged copies for their homes. I have other cameras too - all second hand and have no intention of getting on the GAS merry- go-round.
Thanks Peter
Well done Marc, being on a zero budget myself its cool to see you do this kind of work,thanks Del
Thanks Del, appreciate the comments 👍
Great video, as usual. I have been adding to my gear and feel like I've been able to advance the growth of my skills because of some of those purchases, but I'm a strong believer in going back to basics to heighten the drama in my pictures. You always inspire me.
Thanks
I really appreciated this video. I'm new and don't have the best or much gear, but I think it forces me to really concentrate on composition, lighting, background, etc. I'm trying to get the most out of this camera before I move on and still really enjoying using it. I feel that amazing gear would be a waste for where I'm at right now. But, I still find the entire process of learning and applying new techniques and tricks very rewarding.
Thank you for yet another informative video!
I spent years taking photos with whatever I had, it started off with ancient crappy phones. You remember the cameras on phones from the 2000's. Then I got a Canon Power shot A550. My photo game really got better. Then I went back to the camera on my phone because they got pretty good. Now as of about a week ago I purchased a Canon EOS R8, it is my first real camera, I freaking love it and have already captured over one thousand one hundred images with it so far. I love it. Like seriously, I think I have a problem.
The only part of my photography that does, at times, require some specific gear is wildlife photography. Catching a flying bird or a deer running across a distant field often requires long(and often expensive) lenses, as well as more advanced auto-focus systems.
That said, there were people getting these shots decades ago, so it CAN be done. My next goal is to try to get wildlife shots with an old manual focus lens I recently picked up. Wish me luck!
Cheers Brent and agree with the lens for wildlife stuff, simply can't get those close ups without one. Thanks for the comments 👍
I agree as i myself don't have that type of equipment. I struggle with that type of photography so I just have to concentrate on what I can do with my limited equipment.
Thats one of your best vid tutorials !!!! Love watching a pro using bog standard gear and producing tip top results. It answered your original question 100%. As for me, I only own second hand gear, cameras and lenses - I only buy new filters and use magnetic screw on ones. My results are just fine for me - because I have watched your work for a long long time and knowledge is indeed everything. Good one ya for putting this one up, as I sometimes used to lapse in enthusiasm when I see 4 figure cameras and lenses with a suitcase full of associated gear at mortgage level costs. Thanks for taking the time out to remind us poorer folk that we can indeed take images that grace any wall.
Your welcome, always glad to help 😊
I'm a hobbyist photographer and use a Nikon d3400 primarily with kit lenses and I still turn out decent photographs. Your knowledge is the best piece of equipment you can have. You don't need the latest and greatest gear to shoot good photos.
Very true Tommy👍
Actual photography...refreshing.
Thank you😊
I think you are so right! I still shoot with my older fujifilm xt100 and still take great photos. The only thing i did invest in a lot are lenses and now i have got all of the lenses i wanted. I always shoot using my liveview which makes it pretty easy to shoot but this video is a real eye opener. Maybe i should work without the liveview and do it like you do. Just to get better. Thanks man❤
Being a truck driver I'm at a lot of industrial places. I want to take picks but didn't know how to make anything look good. This video helps. Thanks.
Good luck! Glad to help.
when I started photographing ( in the good old days of roll film ) the standard lens was a 50 mm , you could learn a lot with that lens before you moved on to either a 28 mm lens , as I did , or as others did , a 35-70 zoom .As said a few times previously , the kit lens , be it an 18-55 , or 18-140 ( APS-C format), is for many, the only lens they are likely to need , if they use it creatively
Agreed David, thanks for sharing 👍
Hi Marc ! I have taken your basic courses, and I am still using your web site for learning. This is a good video to let me know I am still not there yet. I suppose I have fallen for camera sales tactics, but I believe I have a good Kit. I am with a 90D at the moment using some full frame lens with the 32.5 sensor. It is what it is, and I own it. I do like having good equipment because I am serious about getting good quality shots. I have no intentions of quitting. I appreciate what you have help me achieve so far, and I plan to keep going. The pressure to go mirrorless is high, but I am still shopping the 5D MK iv. I see you use it, and I have the lens for it. I can buy one for around $1800 used.
Wonderful video, as usual, and such an important lesson. As someone who spends far too much time online coveting fancy gear I can’t afford, I found this a very timely reminder of what really matters. Time now to close the laptop, throw on that kit lens, and go take some photos! Thanks, as ever, for the inspiration!
Your Welcome Chris, Have fun😀
All these years of film and digital across many different brands and cameras, the three most important things I've found for great shots: Location, Location, Location... ;)
Doesn't hurt to have pretty model either...
@@jasono9358 Part of the "location"... ;)
Hi Marc
Great video, the Canon 1200D might be considered a basic entry level DSLR but I still a lot more technical than the kit being used some of the great photographers decades ago. You’re totally correct, knowledge is power and experience comes with learning your camera and understanding how it works.
I have a few different cameras I shoot with (all secondhand) I love taking pictures and have done for the last 35 years
Keep up the good work.
Best wishes
Tim
Thanks Tim, appreciate the comments 👍
Great video, as i may have said before my 1dmkiin, which i bought second hand 5 years ago was my first DSLR, it taught me so much, once id learnt how to use the dials, and with no auto mode it stood me in good stead, i used a 50mm prime for 2 years, but wanted to get more into wildlife, now i need to push on and learn more, this video bought me back to basics, and ill carry that forward with me, thank you very much
Thanks for the comments Paul 👍
This is a brilliant video i have a nikon d5300 with a kit lens and often think i need a better lens for quality photos but cant afford one. This video has really inspired me to get out and practice more. Hope you do a lot more kit lens photography. Thankyou
You're welcome, glad to help 😊
Marc, an excellent video as usual so keep them coming. I agree spending a lot of money on gear will not make you a better photographer and I am surprised at the photos I can get just using my Samsung S9+. However, as you are aware there are some advantages in a more expensive camera body. They are more robust, weather and dust protected, can be customised many ways to suit your own use. Add to that an amazing programmable focus system such as on the 5D Mk.IV, which allows more hits on capturing erratic fast moving objects such as birds in flight. I also found it invaluable in capturing the Red Arrows display in the summer. Yes, it won't make you a better photographer but it certainly helps in many awkward situations.
Thanks Ken, appreciate the support and comments 👍
Very nice shows that composition lighting and today's glass is good. Thanks for sharing. Using a flash can give good results in low light.
Thanks Steven
Great to see this video just shows we all don’t need expensive cameras and can get some great shots with entry level cameras.
Thanks Mark, Glad you like it 😊
Hey Marc, a great message with the help of this video. thanks for this
Your Welcome Abhay 👍🏼
You are definitely a great photographer!
Thank you Ray😊
Very good approach, I use my small, lite basic dslr with the kit lenses for about 80% of my photos. There are times when it is about the gear, when I shoot airshows I need to rent the “right” gear, a camera with at least 7-10 frames/sec and a fast 200-400 mm f4 lens.
Thanks 😊
Thanks Marc! This video was so helpful. I have needed help with the camera settings when changing scenes and lighting.
No problem, glad to help 😊
Point very well made, knowledge is all. A few years ago a swapped my Canon EOS 450D for a Canon EOS 7D and wish I had spent the money instead on obtaining more knowledge as of course my photography didn't improve one bit. Knowledge is power and to take better photographs you need as must knowledge as you can get, you never stop learning. Excellent video.
Thanks Paul, appreciate your thoughts here 👍😊
Marc, this was highly inspiring - thank you a lot. I shoot with my old trusted RICOH GR II (having only one fixed 28 mm lens (fullframe equivalent) - and I am happy with it. Reducing and simplifying gear means more inspiration and better images. Well, I am interested in photography - not in gear. Thanks once again!
You're welcome
That is a very high quality camera and it isn't very old.
Wow thanks, ive been shooting for awhile mostly do sports and or events and weddings. and don't mind what gear i have but learned some amazing tips in one video great job!
Thanks Andrew 👍
Awesome tutorial with nice detail. I love the b-roll!!!
Cheers 👍
Great video. You can take a photo of the most mundane things just by picking out an element of it. I like to experiment and have managed to get some quite good photos (in my opinion anyway) All I use is the NIKON D3300 and the kit lens 18-55. as I don't have any other camera or lens. I struggle with wildlife and birds because of the limited zoom. But I have still got some quite good sharp images of insects and plants etc. I just look around me and try to see something interesting and focus on the detail, patterns, shape, colours, lighting, angles and so on. I prefer to use manual most of the time to see what results I can get even liking some of the shots that may not have turned out as expected. I even purposely use totally the wrong settings for the subject to see what results I get. I am only an amateur hobby photographer as I can't afford to buy expensive equipment anyway. As they say it is what you eye and mind sees that you try to interpret through the camera rather than the camera itself. I tend to use Auto when I am not sure of the settings to use or on the rare occasion I get to go somewhere I may not get to again to be more sure of getting a decent image or the lighting is bad or it is a dull overcast day. Photography takes your mind to a different world of calm and peace. You need to also be very patient to get some shots and to just wait till things like the lighting is just right for what you may have in mind. such a a small beam of light highlighting say a flower or fungi in the undergrowth.
Thanks Kiln 👍
Thanks for that you sale knowledge, not fancy not necessery equipment 😊
“No gear” - *has beautiful model that would look good no matter what*
ok
Not sure about that. If you want to learn photography properly check out our courses at www.theschoolofphotography.com
You'll have no excuses after that. Thanks for the engagement
Did you just dehumanize a woman???
What an ignorant comment
As an ameteur who fell in love with photography many years ago, I am still consider myself clueless about photography.
There is nothing more beautiful than the philosophical production of a photo. The thinking, the how, the when, the who.
What I have learnt is that the only real difference between expensive and cheap gear is efficiency.
A photographer with more knowledge and a cheaper setup will produce better than the person with more expensive gear and no knowledge.
Hi Marc, this is a fabulous video for people new to photography. The first image of Emily is amazing.I'll be looking into your education courses .
Thanks, look forward to seeing you over at TSOP 👍
What perfect timing Marc, as I am doing a photo shoot for a friend next week and I will be using my dads old Nikon D80 with a 50mm f1.8 lens for a change. Plus I'm now going out to look for some different locations to shoot at next week. Thanks Marc.
Your welcome Nicole, Have fun😊
The D80 and 50 will serve you well I have the D80 and a D7000 but there is something about the D80 that just feels right. Have a good shoot.
Loved the abstract stuff! If your really stuck for a camera, you can always use your phone!
👍👍
I'm using a Canon 90D with a Tamron 18-200mm lens. I want to take outdoor family portraits, however when I've been using AV mode, I've been getting camera shake. Would using TV mode work better for me ?
Belter of a video Marc. I'm trying things with my 2000D with a kit lens as well as with my iPhone with varying results. The settings to use are still something I need to do by trial and error, but as they say "onwards and upwards". Keep up with your good work and keep them videos coming.
Thanks Krzysztof, appreciate the comments 👍
All you say is absolutely right. I am just a keen amateur, I have some top quality gear 5d mk4 70 200 is l lens all lenses are l lenses. I don't need great gear but I find it much easier to use. I save up and get the best gear I can afford.but there are millions of people with basic gear taking just as good photos as me.
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Awesome video! I have always said that it's not necessarily the " two thousand dollars worth of equipment that makes the photograph, but the amount of knowledge and technique that you have learned over the course of time". This video has just reassured my argument on this subject, makes me want to take my four hundred dollar setup out and take some awesome photos! Thanks again. Paul M.
Your welcome, glad you like it👍
I agree that ideas and knowledge/experience come close first and second . Third, i would say lenses . What makes those basic or used Canon dslr great value are the cheap but excellent 24mm ef-s f2.8 stm and 50mm f1.8 stm as a killer 2 lens kit for most situations .
For the body, just go in the used market as low ,but not older than a 450D, more likely a T2i (550D) up to an SL2 (200d) . Then add a modest swivel TTL flash with diffuser and a reflector . Low budget, small, light and really most of the quality from pricier gear. The focal lenghts seem limited at first but it help concentrate on subjects suited for that. Both lenses, while not macro, have also close-up abilities.
Great accessible video. Understanding the relationship between aperture, speed, zoom and ISO really comes across. Many thanks.
Thanks, appreciate the comments 👍
Agree once you get you head round that it makes all the difference to getting off Auto which also still has it's uses depending on the situation.
Excellent.
👍
Great video! I sometimes go back to my Nikon D60.. my first entry-DSLR that I bought in 2008. There's something about the old CCD sensor in it; really interesting color rendition. It is still a powerful tool to use, all my lenses fit on it just as they fit on my D750. It just feels more rewarding when you squeeze good pictures out of a piece of tech that's almost 12 years old. You would not want to use it in low light though lol
I have also been using my D60 since around 2009 right up until it died almost a year ago. Shutter issue. Aside from the few dead pixels, the color really is great. I've kept it around though, gonna get it fixed when I get some spare cash.
Great video! I think knowledge is more important than gear, only if you are taking photos of something very specific, I dont think most people need the newest, best or most expensive gear.
Thanks Aleks, agreed 👍
I have a Nikon D5500 and I was impressed by the quality of images compared to the old D3100. But now I have unlocked it's tremendous capability. I overexposed a shot by +1 2/3 stops using flat profile and contrast dialled down.
When I brought down the exposure slider, the photo became normal and almost noise free. Imagine how much clean image we can get by using ISO 100 and EETR method, almost ISO 40 equivalent.
👍Thanks for sharing.
I was at an event a few days ago and I got to test the EOS R and 5D Mark IV after getting home and editing the images I was like honestly, I could have done better with my old Canon 6D~ At least I won't be rushing out to get any camera bodies I'll rather invest in lenses.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Mmm, I don't really understand what you mean by 'could have done better'. Considering the 5D Mk IV is inherently a more advanced camera in so many ways I would have thought your statement would be better stated as 'I can take equally good pictures with my Canon 6D'. :-)
Hi Mark , love your vids, have followed a lot of your tutorials, one question what is the sound track off All the idea ,no gear please👍
Hi Andrew. Can't remember the specific name but we use music from Epidemic sound. You can try it for free here share.epidemicsound.com/wBdh6
Thank you Mark, Found it Sjangeli Luwaks👍will be joining your online courses shortly😁👍👍👍👍👍👍
Really inspiring video and it's true that good shots don't need lots of gear. I've been shooting for years with a similar Canon camera.
You can have great results if you know your camera features and push them to the limits!
Thank you. glad you like it😊
Hi Marc, love the video I think spending a bit of extra money on upgrading the lense helps a bit but I will not make anyone a better photographer, but a cool video for the beginningers out there. Good work.
Agreed Chris, thanks for the comments 👍
All the gear, no idea...good description of some of the people at my local regional park. Any time I try to politely say hi, they literally will look at my camera and pretty much ignore me...not even so much as a friendly smile or hi back. Yet I see them later with their 7D Mk.ii or 1D(insert model) and a 100-400L lens standing straight as a stick shooting down at the birds...come on really? I've got a Rebel SL2 and the 55-250mm kit lens, but I love how much I've learned from using it for the past 2.5 years.
Thanks for the comments 👍
Excellent idea that of making a video like this ... and very nice portrait photos.....
Thanks, glad you liked it 😊
It is your constraints in gear that inspire creativity. At the same time though, better gear does make it easier to take photos - which is why professional photographers invest in the gear they need. Gear is good, Vision is Better...
Certainly is Dean, thanks
great stuff thanks for sharing loved it! I have a canon 700d and use the kits lens, cheapy 50mm lens and a 75-300mm zoom and have been doing ok with portrait and headshot work - however always on my mind is whether having say the latest canon 90D and a more pro/better lens will actually give me higher quality better noise free and much sharper and better dynamic range images? what does everyone think?
In some ways I do wonder if the slightly softer look using cheaper kit has some advantage in not showing super clear razor sharp skin texture in models - but maybe im looking for excuses NOT to upgrade to get a more "pro" setup?
Great video, and people don't need the crazy expensive camera to get a good shot.... but, I and many other people just want the best. It's like having the best graphics on a game won't make you a better player, but if you want it, you'll cough up for it (not the best example I know)
Knowledge yes and also important is practice.
I do think new gear can help, though obviously you should be mastering the gear you have rather than hoping the gear will do it for you.
I just rented a body and lenses for a couple of events and the increased range they had over what I own made for much better shots.
In the end, as you have said, composition is key.
I agree with your point that owning expensive equipment doesn't make you a good photographer. Once you have knowledge better equipment can be very helpful. Even little things like electronic levels are a great help when shooting handheld.
Thank you 👍
I bought a Panasonic fz82 for zoom shots but also bought a canon t3i for macro love both cameras learnt a lot just using auto mode but now I only use manual knowledge does come first
Good choice!
Love my 1200D recently got myself a 70-200mm f2.8 is for it.
Definitely knowledge! Plus lots of practice.
Yeap 👍😊
Apt topic and well articulated. Skill takes precedence over equipment always. Thanks.
Thanks for the comments 👍
Wow man - this was awesome. ❤️❤️
Thank you Tom😊
The knowledge is everything. Great video. I believe telling the settings is confusing to beginners, those numbers are irrelevant in a sense that they should serve the composition and lighting conditions, not vice versa.
Thank you😊
It’s funny about these settings numbers.
We are somehow drawn to look at them as if there’s a magical combination that makes that exact photo we are looking at.
@@othomsen1 Exactly. I often see people asking for settings like there is some magical number that gives beautiful photos.
Bojan Bojovic 😊👍
Bojan Bojovic I do it myself sometimes and the second after, I think, why the hell did I do that 😳. It must be some kind of hypnosis 😜
Well done you help me thanks
More than welcome 👍😊
I believe there is a balance between gear and knowledge. Technically, you are using gear as you are using a camera, lens, and a reflector. My challenge would be for you to take the best picture you can with the worst possible camera you can find, followed by the exact same photo taken the best you can with the best possible camera you can find. Then compare the two photos. If you can show that there isn't any improvements provided by the better gear, then you can claim gear doesn't matter. Gear doesn't do everything though and all the gear in the world isn't going to help someone that doesn't know how to use it. It is a combination of knowledge and tools working together that will get the best results.
In a matter of time, you’ll be doing photography tutorials using a cellphone with DSLR capability.
Phones will never have that caperbilty technology wise
I have made all these pics on my insta @picturevelvet with my current and old phone.(galaxy s7 and Mate20). Some of them I edited in Lightroom. Not bad for phone cameras I think.
Well the progress of technology has taught me one thing, never say never, but I think there would need to be some serious technological breakthroughs to get DSLR technology (or that of the modern mirrorless camera and lens) inside a phone! It's not really about the technology, it's more about the optics and sensor.
As sensor technology improves DSLRs are going to be above phones. Eventually phones will be as good as older DSLRs
He might, but cameras will always be around for serious jobs Cellphones are fine for snapshots and have killed point-and-shoot cameras, but for the forseeable future no-one is going to be happy eg for a wedding photographer paid $1000s to turn up with a cellphone. OK, there are a few nutters who might be happy.
nice and very inspiring video!
Thank you, glad you like it 😊
Love the philosophy, and the shots! subbed.
Welcome aboard Nick 👍
Yes, ok I get it. Could you show the picture before you've tuned in LR?
The problem is that there is quite a probability that a smartphone would make cleaner pictures. I was very underwhelmed with a Canon T6, for exemple, it has a really bad image quality, being it's main advantage the ability to use all Canon lenses. But people that buy it will probably stick with the kit lens. Flash can solve those issues, but many pictures do require we get some of the background illumination. For images with everything in focus it was hard to be convinced I was better off using the Canon T6 than my Galaxy S9+.
I have invested my money in the best Photo Courses by the best Photographs of the magazine: National Geographic ... Still, I have the best gear... Nikon D7200 with the Tamron 18-400mm, and the Nikon d3400 with the Tokina 12-24mm ... Because you need to make fast the pictures when you are travelling, changing lenses is B. S...
I enjoyed your video it was very informing did you use jpeg or raw and did you use image stabilising lens. thank you well done and easy to understand
I agree knowledge is more important.
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Knowledge is very important but gear is a tool. And different tool can allow you to do different things.
like it, especially the "If you cant make good photos with this...".
I dont know why people poopoo low-end cameras, they're easily good enough. It's the lens that's the thing and kit lenses aren't really terrible.
I sometime use a zenit b for fun and that makes any camera feel like science fiction 😄
Thanks Roger 👍
Wow a Zenit B. My first camera back in the 70’s.
Are these all native images, or been corrected? I love the last scene absolutely amazing!! Now, not to dig your model, we've all been there with the teens, and it does go, and she has amazing features, but I used to use a cream that contained a bleach to reduce acne, need to go easy on the stuff else it burnt ya face, but I can't recommend the stuff enough, and honesty she has it lightly!! Again don't mean to sound harsh just passing on info I know, as your videos has done too me. peace and harmony and please positive feedback to help others which from which I have suffered from in the past.
When you discuss camera shake at the 7 minute mark, you didn't say if you had the IS turned on or not, and the benefits/drawbacks of it. I assume it was on?
Hi Graham, it was on but don't rely on IS saving the day!
@@theschoolofphotography indeed, it's not much help at 1/2 second exposures ;)
you should do this but for sports/wildlife photography
I have a Sony NEX-3N and I really want something new because I feel the quality that comes out of that camera is not what I want.
Great !
Love it 👍
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Learned some great ideas!
Glad to help👍
Obsolutly right
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Thanks for the video, Marc! What’s up with the gloves?
You're welcome. It was cold.
If gear truly didn't matter, nobody would buy expensive and superior lenses/bodies etc. Although I understand the principal that you need to outgrow an entry level kit camera before moving up the chain. Make sure the message is clear though. Gear is VERY important as you progress, for sure.
Great vlog,love your down to earth,none patronising approach,wish I’d followed you before I went from a 600d to a 6d to a 5dmkiii to now a Sony A7iii 😂
Thank you Gary, glad you like it 😊
I think photography enthusiasts and camera enthusiasts are two very different groups of people
H B well put
I completely agree with this video. I am using a Cannon EOS Rebel T3 (1100D) and I am getting great results and I believe it’s because I have spent the time to read a few books and watch videos to increase my knowledge and that makes up for only having 12 megapixels compared to the new ones with 26 or more. None of my lenses are L series but I do have a range of zoom lenses that cover from about 18-300MM to compensate for whatever distance I might be from the subject and my favorite lens by far is my 100MM Macro lens. Learn what the functions of your camera do and how it effects the final picture, and you can do some amazing things.
JB_Reining.Photography
Can’t decide whether to upgrade from Cannon 500 D...!
That’s my camera, i’ll try to shoot some great images 🙂. Fantastic video, thank you.
You're welcome 👍😊
What was the gloves you were wearing ?
They are golfing gloves, it was chilly out there! 😊
This is crop lens, so 50mm on crop lens and crop camera, is the same as 50mm FF lens on FF camera?
Hi, it's the same in number but the visual effect is different. Please watch this video to find out more th-cam.com/video/4A4DVUF9HFg/w-d-xo.html
No, it’s not the same.
The 50 crop lens will look like a 80mm on his canon 1200D.
The 1200D sensor will crop 50 mm to 80 mm.
A 50 mm crop lens will still be a 50 on a full frame, but it will probably made some vignetting/dark corners due to it’s construction.
Perhaps a step too far but I really enjoy my FZ1000 bridge camera though low light requires a steady hand and patience stabilization notwithstanding. $360 lightly used (about £290 ) complete as there is nothing to add or subtract and every setting imaginable to keep me learning.
You may get better results with a tripod.
I like the message
Thanks, appreciate the comments 👍
from this i feel like the key to a good photo is a little bit your gear, a little bit your location, but mostly just the subject being smoking hot. :-)