Reply To: you're not a real photographer because your camera is too small/ not full frame

[fstopper89]

Here’s my take on it.

Most full-frame/high-end/professional bodies will offer you more potential in more types of lighting/situations than crop bodies or beginner bodies/lenses. While a good photographer who knows what they’re doing will 9 times out of 10 be able to get a GREAT photo using a Canon Rebel, there are always those situations they will just simply be limited due to the equipment. This is the reason I upgraded from a T2i to the 40D (that was more of a lateral move/had both at once) then to the 5D Mark II and then last year upgraded that to the 5D Mark III. I did this in an educated manner- I outgrew the previous and needed the features of the better camera for what I was shooting. Yes the 5D Mark III blows the others out of the water in most respects. I still kept the T2i as I have found great uses for it- it’s good for when I want to hand it off to a friend who isn’t really a photographer who wants to shoot some pictures and wants to learn and also is more my “knock around” camera that I’m willing to take hiking or on a canoe etc. since if it does break I’m not really out any money. Reasons I went to the 5D Mark III were: exceptional autofocus system/ more AF points with 41 being cross-type points, dual card slots (I save to two cards simultaneously for peace of mind against card corruption which several friends have experienced), the weather sealing/strong build quality, and the phenomenal sensor where I can often shoot over 2000 ISO still relatively noise-free. All of these were important to me and my previous cameras did not offer them. Yes, when I started I did shoot some paid sessions with the T2i and 40D. I even shot three paid sessions using the kit lenses with the T2i… gasp… but I knew what I was doing and the photos still turned out good. By my standards now they were more mediocre, but I wouldn’t have even called myself a fauxtographer at that point. I was shooting in manual and knew a lot about how to use the camera though I know plenty more now. But I quickly outgrew that after getting my feet wet trying out a full-frame camera. I 2nd shot a wedding and got to use the primary’s 5D Mark II and had to get one for myself shortly after, after I realized how much better images were turning out. I wouldn’t call someone not a real photographer just by their equipment alone. If they are producing awesome work with a Rebel, they’re still a real photographer. Everyone knows those people who have the best and most expensive equipment out there and are still producing boring and mediocre photos.

Point is a good photographer will produce good photos regardless of the equipment but will potentially be limited in what they can do with entry-level equipment. A bad photographer is still a bad photographer even with the best equipment. A good photographer will recognize why they need better equipment.