So it has been some time since we last talked...
And honestly, I haven’t had any pressing topics, to talk about. I don’t want to force ideas down on this page. They’ll come organically, which just means it may take some time to put together.
The topic for today is GEAR! Mostly questioning the thought of, "does it matter?". It is a very broad question and obviously, the answer is yes gear does matter. But the next question we should be asking ourselves is “why?”
I get these two questions constantly over emails and direct messages, “what lens do you use?”, “what camera do you use?”. Before replying I always ask myself why do they want to know what gear I use? I could easily make a blog post just talking about all the gear I have, but it would be short and rather pointless. Don’t get me wrong I love talking about gear and I would totally give you my honest opinion but at the end of the day, I don't think that is very helpful. Mainly because it is coming from my perspective and style of taking photos. If you’re trying to get better at photography, knowing the gear I use is not going to help. ***Disclaimer: gear won’t necessarily make you much better either
In understanding where I am coming from, I am going to take you through my thought process before I purchase any gear. We’ll start off with the steps before we even start looking for gear in-store or online.
WHY DO I NEED THIS NEW PIECE OF GEAR? (Make a list of what your current set up can’t do so you can justify purchasing this new piece)
What purpose will this new piece of gear serve?
Do I see myself using this piece of gear every time I go out to take photos
These are three steps I take, before even considering a new lens or camera body. The most important step in my mind is step 3. If you don’t see yourself using that lens or body every time you go out, then you should probably just rent the item. Renting gear is relatively cheap for a short-term solution and is usually under $100/day. Renting equipment is a great way to test equipment to ensure it is right for you. I also like renting a lens before deciding to purchase it as a final test to ensure that I actually want it.
Alright so let’s say we’ve decided that we do want this new piece of gear. Do we go to the camera store and purchase it, right then and there. I mean there is no wrong answer, and you could totally do this. But for me, I always check online forum especially when it comes down to a lens. A lot of times you will find great deals on a lens that have been barely used. If the lens is a minimum of 25% cheaper then retail price, I generally rather purchase it used. That essentially my thought process on how I purchase new gear.
This pretty much wraps up today’s topic. I hope this gives you a little insight into my thoughts on the topic. If you have any further questions, feel free to email me at michael.a.sugianto@gmail.com or drop a comment below.
Thanks for listening…
Currently my favourite body + lens combination at the moment. Canon 1DX and the Canon 24mm 1.4L