I’ve been asked a lot lately…”Will better equipment make my pictures better?” My answer is both yes and no. With so many camera options out there and so many people wanting to better their picture-taking skills, buying a new camera body or lens be a popular topic, and can be overwhelming. Photography is an art that needs practice and know-how, and it’s an investment (the stuff aint cheap!). So I think it’s important to be educated before buying…and not just assume that better, more expensive equipment will produce better results. 

Will better equipment make your pictures better? Let’s start with the “yes” side of my answer! And because I shoot Canon, I’ll be referring to Canon DSLR equipment throughout the post. But know that Nikon probably has an equivalent. 

If you paid $500 for a Canon Rebel camera that came with a kit lens, then yes, better, more expensive equipment will make your pictures better. (DO NOT STOP READING HERE! Immediately going out and buying something more expensive is not a good idea. Read everything to make sure you’re doing the right thing!) It’s just a natural part of product-price relationship, right? The $2 burrito at Taco Bell probably isn’t going to be as tasty or made with the same high-quality ingredients as the $7 burrito at Chipotle (my husband can attest to this!). The $30 pair of jeans from Old Navy are probably going to show wear and tear well before the $65 pair of jeans from The Limited (I know this from personal experience!). And the $500 camera isn’t going to produce the same detailed, quality images that the $3000 camera is going to produce. If you want better quality, you usually need better equipment, and end up paying more. 

When I compare images from one of my cameras, either the 5D Mark III or the Mark II 1Ds, to images from a Rebel or  a 70D, for example, there’s definitely a difference in quality…and I personally think the images from my cameras ($2800-$5000) are better than those from less-advanced cameras ($500-$1000). My images are more sharp and clear, with beautiful, natural colors. My cameras can also handle low-light better and show much less grain than would something like a Rebel. My cameras can do more than those costing much less, and it’s clear to me that the image product they produce is better. 

Will better equipment make your pictures better? Let’s consider the “no” side of my answer now…

If you’re shooting with a beginner DSLR camera, something like the Rebel, and you’re using the auto mode when doing so, NO. Better equipment will not make your pictures better. Of course better equipment would help, but knowing your camera and how to manipulate the settings will make your pictures better without having to buy something new. So if this is you, get off of auto mode, turn on manual mode and read your camera manual (or take a photography class!). Knowing how ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and focus points work together will drastically improve your pictures! Not to mention, you’ll actually be taking advantage of the real benefits to having a DSLR camera. 

One twist to both my yes and no answer is lenses. I use only L series lenses, the best of the best from Canon. They’re expensive lenses that help achieve a high-quality image, and when paired with an advanced camera, the result is top notch. If someone knows how to use their camera well and they’re looking to improve, I might first suggest a higher-end lens if they’re using a non-L series lens or a kit lens that came with a camera body. When I first started in photography, I had the advanced camera body, but not the advanced, better lenses. My images definitely improved when I started shooting with better lenses.

If you know how to use your camera and you have higher-end lenses, that’s when I might suggest getting a better , more expensive camera body.

Two resources to consider when buying new camera equipment:

Canon’s Online Digital Store – You can see an entire line-up of their DSLR cameras and lenses, AND you can see how Canon categorizes their cameras as “beginner”, “intermediate” and “advanced”.

Rent Before You Buy – A blog post I put together this past summer explaining the benefits of renting equipment before buying, which could be especially helpful if you’re considering spending a larger chunk of money, or if you’re considering more than one lens or camera.

So there you have it! If you’re not already confused on what camera equipment to buy next, hopefully my advice above didn’t confuse you more. 🙂 If you’d like to email me about your personal equipment situation, please do so: jessica@jessicafikephotography.com. I don’t know everything about all equipment and not all photographers might agree with me. But I have six years of experience and have a variety of equipment under my belt!

P.S. All the pictures in this post are a little preview of what’s to come for the JFP blog! So much loveliness happened this fall! 🙂