How expensive gear (doesn’t) matter
Look at the following two side by side images taken with two different cameras, two different classes of lenses. The settings are similar, and the tripod never moved
Which image is better?
These are both straight out of the Camera. I took the RAWs from both cameras, ran them through Lightroom Classic, and exported. No changes on my part, just a combination of what the camera did, and Lightroom changed.
How much better? Maybe a closer look would help?
Now we are basically 100% on both images. These are near the corners, not on the primary plane of focus, but close as this is an F/8 shot at roughly the equivalent of 24mm on full frame.
Is one night and day different? Is one night and day better? How much better?
I will release a short series of these sort of anti-GAS blog entries over the next week or two. Part of me wants to leave any one reading this hanging, figure out which is better. How much better, and to sleuth the content and see what bias might emerge.
But I won’t .
The first two images are a Nikon D3500 and the kit 18-55 dx lens (right) compared to a Nikon D850 and the wonderful Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 G2 lens on the left.
On the bottom images the order is the same: Left is the D850 and a pretty “great” lens. On the right is a budget kit by every stretch.
I will post more examples, but please if you are starting out or on a budget: Know that for many people and uses these two cameras “equal”. Follow my series for proof, and eventually details on why the more expensive gear could be worth it. And why many pros do pay much more for better gear. It isn’t what you think most likely.