Expensive Equipment = Good photo?

[Deadpoet]

"Expensive Equipment = Good photo?" is the same as "Cheap Equipment = Bad photo?"

One can use a cheap holga for that alternative effect he's looking for, or an expensive Hassy for the detailed rendition of the subject, both cases will yield equally impressive results, provided, the guy behind the camera knows what he's doing.

So there,...

I pity the fool who thinks he needs expensive equipment to take great pictures...

I pity the fool who thinks he's not good enough to own good equipment...

And most of all, I pity the fool who doesn't know what is needed to get the job done...

:thumbsup:

For pros who need to deliver, they will use whatever equipment needed to get the job done. Then they also look at what is the most economic way to get the equipment, or any alternate that is cheaper. Afterall, it's business.

For most of us amateurs and hobbists, well, photography is something we love to do, and the love of a specific equipment is frequently part of the equation. The love manifest itself more when the piece of equipmetn is rarer, suposing better, and meaning more expansive.

Now, how does that make a photo good?

For the pro, delivering the product as demanded by the customer = good, hence, good photo.

For the amateur/hobbist, it's a feeling thing, feel good = good photo, feel good = shoot with fav piece of equipment, and therefore, you can say, feel good = expensive equipment.

 

[Harry Potter]

That's Y I said buying new equipment, exploring 'em, bring 'em out to test and use is fun!! :lovegrin: .... tho' expensive, but it's the "feel good" feeling!!

 

[eyes]

How does one define an expensive equipment or for that matter a good photo?

We are human after all and all things we experienced are relative. To a man who earns 25k a month, a 14k camera body is a good investment for his hobby. To a press giant, a 40k camera is more like it. As for good photos, even by mentioning it, every individuals would have already set a standard in their mind before viewing it.

Maybe the motivation behind the thread comes about after some equipment wanker spilled on the thread starter to inflame him.

Photography like all arts require certain technical competencies and artistic vision. Let's not forget that the purpose of photography was meant to communicate. It's another form of writing or speech.

So choosing the correct equipment to do the job is somehow important. But many of us are just too 'kiasu' or being afraid of losing out that we get equipment that we deem is higher in specifications than what we perceived is required.


Then of course there are typical equipment wanker out there who spill on others, they enjoy seeing others feel inferior. This happens everyday not just in photography. There're semi-rich Singaporeans who purposely spurge almost all their savings on a Benz so that the 'image' is there.

Then there're some hormone driven people who use their big cameras thinking that it would improve their artistry or aplitude before the opposite gender only to find out that all the TFCDs done are so without much appreciation or strings attached (ie. he/she won't keep in contact with you, thanks for the photos anyway). It's the same to those driving; you are the free chauffeur who volunteered, user is not obliged to pay. They just don't get it that the alpha male or venus image they got were just a deceptive disillusionment tactic to sqeeze more freebies from them by their patronages or patronesses.

To keep things short, know what you want, ignore the sadists who wants to put you low, go out there and achieve the results- it'll definately speak louder for you. Nothing beats realistic self-confidence and cash in hand. :bsmilie:

一種米養百種人。 (One breed of rice breeds a hundered breeds of human)

 

[DeSwitch]

Give a monkey a top end camera, can he shoot better than me?? :bsmilie:

Maybe .. just maybe. :dunno: Its possible. But i would say the chance of shooting a better photo with a manual camera is much slimmer.

Sorry for the harshness of what I am going to say but this is hogwash.

Tetrode, i dont feel offended easily so I'll just take it as a discusssion but allow me to explain why I answered it this way. Harry porter asked if a monkey can shoot better than him if it is given a top end camera. The answer would probrably be a "NO" but with all the auto features, the monkey might have a chance to get a better shot than him, just a chance.. but with manual camera, the chances of the monkey getting a shot will be very slim. My statement does not says that a manual camera is lousy but the monkey will not have the inteligence to get a good shot.

Chill

 

[Tetrode]

Tetrode, i dont feel offended easily so I'll just take it as a discusssion but allow me to explain why I answered it this way. Harry porter asked if a monkey can shoot better than him if it is given a top end camera. The answer would probrably be a "NO" but with all the auto features, the monkey might have a chance to get a better shot than him, just a chance.. but with manual camera, the chances of the monkey getting a shot will be very slim. My statement does not says that a manual camera is lousy but the monkey will not have the inteligence to get a good shot.

Chill

Aaah...I see the context now. Sorry. The statement on it's own is hogwash though. I wasn't irritated.

 

[photobum]

u need this to have great photos

BBB!

I need 4 of these to play mahjong; one at each table corner. Huat Ah !!!!!

 

[DeSwitch]

Aaah...I see the context now. Sorry. The statement on it's own is hogwash though. I wasn't irritated.

Apology accepted with a smile. Yup, the statemant on its own is real hogwash.

 

[excelglsi]

TO All CSer... Huat Ah!!!! So can BBB... hehe:bsmilie:

 

[blue monster]

Expensive equipment = Jealously = Lots of sour grapes

Even if it's expensive equipment on a monkey.

I can't help it myself either... Everytime when a ferrarri / porsche driven by a young lad zooms past me, I will be thinking :

i) Must be a useless chap with a rich father
ii) Must be money from ill gotten gains
iii) A rich tai tai's pet


Sure. People who drives fast cars might not be good drivers. Most taxi drivers can ferry passengers to their destinations faster than drivers in fast cars anyway. BUT most people turn their heads to LOOK at fast cars rather than taxis.


:bsmilie:

 

[raincool2005]

Expensive equipment = Jealously = Lots of sour grapes

Even if it's expensive equipment on a monkey.

I can't help it myself either... Everytime when a ferrarri / porsche driven by a young lad zooms past me, I will be thinking :

i) Must be a useless chap with a rich father
ii) Must be money from ill gotten gains
iii) A rich tai tai's pet


Sure. People who drives fast cars might not be good drivers. Most taxi drivers can ferry passengers to their destinations faster than drivers in fast cars anyway. BUT most people turn their heads to LOOK at fast cars rather than taxis.


:bsmilie:

in other words.. better to be rich but stupid than to be smart but poor ? :bsmilie:

 

[blue monster]

in other words.. better to be rich but stupid than to be smart but poor ? :bsmilie:

You decide for youself. :bsmilie:

Back to TS:

The example I gave above simply illustrates this: Expensive equipment usually combines the best and latest in technology and this only the INCREASES CHANCES of getting a good photo. But if your fundamentals are not there, a picture taken by disposable cam will still beat that H3D blad.