Hi from across the pond here in the UK, just watched this again excellent video; and my conclusions from it were: 1. Gear does and doesn't matter. 2. Knowledge, Practice and Experience are more important than the gear used. 3. The gear we purchase should be guided by what level of photographer we are: total beginner (only use the camera on smartphone); amateur (hobbiest - holiday/family occasion); advanced amateur (keen hobbiest - in a camera club/following an online photography courses); semi-pro (accept paid work, but not full-time); professional (this is your job). Also what level we wish to get to. 4. Any camera gear manufactured in say the last 8 years, will produce excellent quality photographs (check reviews for equipment to avoid); especially with post-production (Lr). 5. Don't chase after the latest gear, and don't get sucked into the "Gear Specifications List Trap" (45/60/100 MP sensor, 30/50/120 FPS, Global shutter... etc); it's all just hype, but it doesn't improve your photography (knowledge of light/lighting, composition, story-telling). Again thank you for this and all your excellent videos; keep up the fantastic work.
Fair amount of truth in there-that being said one of the reasons you use 'name brand gear' is so that if you have to rent something special purpose the rental houses are more likely to have it. Additionally I am always searching for VALUE first.
I just retired so I thought I would give photography a try. I just bought the Sony A7RV, Sony 85mm GM 2 f/1.4 and the Sony 35mm GM f/1.4 Whenever I start a new hobby I hate upgrading later
Opened my first studio in 1989. In 1993 or so, I bought some Paul C. Buff monolights. Ultra lights: Ultra 600s up to 3200. I just sold them two years ago and upgraded, again to Paul C. Buff mono strobes. Stuck with White Lightning and Alien Bees for the studio. I bought Godox lighting AD100, 200, 300 and 400 for my outdoor sessions. I've never had a problem with the lighting or kelvin issues. I shoot gr. seniors, portraits, models, etc., both in studio and on location. In all that time I've only had one Buff light that gave me problems, and Buff's great service department took care of it quickly and at very little cost. I know that commercial photogs claim they need the consistent color temp from the Profoto lights. I'm not sure it's worth the price they pay. Those lights, and even umbrellas from profoto require a second mortgage on your home in order to buy them. In my honest and humble opinion, I don't think the lights are worth anywhere near what Profoto charges for them--I shot thousands of photo sessions with my Ultra strobes and when I sold them, they worked as well as when I bought them, and I'd used them for all my studio and location work for 27 years. The only reason I sold them is that Buff no longer repairs the Ultra lights. They're simply too old--(like me). Gear matters, but the most expensive gear is not always the best for the work you do, nor is it the most durable, with the excellent customer service I've experienced from, in my instance, Paul C. Buff in Nashville. And so far, since I've started using Godox, in 2019, I've had good luck with all the lights, batteries and triggers. I had one battery for the AD200 pro that was DOA and I returned it for a new one. I'm ok with that. Keep up the good work, it's refreshing to see a working photographer on RUclips instead of some of these RUclips certified pros.
I am a self confessed gearhead, I love buying new stuff, for years I used the Canon EOS 7D, then decided I wanted something lighter so I bought an EOS M5 and most of the EF-M lenses, I then decided it was a bit small for my big clumsy hands so I bought and EOS R, after a while I craved more FPS and IBIS so I took the Bull by the horns and bought an EOS R3 and a few RF L lenses, what an amazing bit of kit, however despite owning what could arguably be said is the best camera on the market at the moment I have not shot anything that has outdone my favourite shots that were taken using the old 7D and M5, you could argue that I've wasted thousands of pounds but I love the experience of using the R3 and the RF lenses so for me it's still money well spent.
@@CoffeeandPhotographyTalk I guess the big difference is you are running a business, I'm just blowing cash on a hobby, before this is was Motorcycles 😃
@@CoffeeandPhotographyTalk I used to work for Winsor & Newton so I know just how expensive the top range paints can be, it's amazing how much effort goes into producing a small tube of paint, there was a device that extracted the colour from Rose petals for Rose Madder paint, it was so old that the London science museum wanted it when we had finished with it, we researched a lot of alternate methods of extracting the colour from the petals but the in house scientists would not approve them because the pigment might get "bruised" in the process and a portrait of the Queen might have turned a funny colour in a hundred years time 🤣
Let’s say you were new to both systems (yours a profoto), could you get setup as quickly with the cheaper one? Or are there quirks and hassles you have to work through? I got burned with flashpoint in the past.
Two things. The flashes I use are the ones that are flashpoint - Godox, not pure flashpoint. There’s a difference. So you could buy from Godox or flashpoint. Second, that makes it a comparison between Godox and ProFoto in terms of usability. The ProFotos are better made flashes, no question, but they’re no easier to use than comparable Godox systems in my opinion. That makes sense?
At this point with the 75-300 vs the 70-300. Sure I know the 70-300 is better but for a simple beginner hobbyist I’ll stay where I’m at with the 75-300 for awhile.
Buying something new doesn't always give the result you expect!
Thanks for watching!
Hi from across the pond here in the UK, just watched this again excellent video; and my conclusions from it were:
1. Gear does and doesn't matter.
2. Knowledge, Practice and Experience are more important than the gear used.
3. The gear we purchase should be guided by what level of photographer we are: total beginner (only use the camera on smartphone); amateur (hobbiest - holiday/family occasion); advanced amateur (keen hobbiest - in a camera club/following an online photography courses); semi-pro (accept paid work, but not full-time); professional (this is your job). Also what level we wish to get to.
4. Any camera gear manufactured in say the last 8 years, will produce excellent quality photographs (check reviews for equipment to avoid); especially with post-production (Lr).
5. Don't chase after the latest gear, and don't get sucked into the "Gear Specifications List Trap" (45/60/100 MP sensor, 30/50/120 FPS, Global shutter... etc); it's all just hype, but it doesn't improve your photography (knowledge of light/lighting, composition, story-telling).
Again thank you for this and all your excellent videos; keep up the fantastic work.
Great insight - thank you so much!
Fair amount of truth in there-that being said one of the reasons you use 'name brand gear' is so that if you have to rent something special purpose the rental houses are more likely to have it. Additionally I am always searching for VALUE first.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent and very informative content.
I think it's called "law of diminishing returns".
Very honest.
I just retired so I thought I would give photography a try. I just bought the Sony A7RV, Sony 85mm GM 2 f/1.4 and the Sony 35mm GM f/1.4
Whenever I start a new hobby I hate upgrading later
Opened my first studio in 1989. In 1993 or so, I bought some Paul C. Buff monolights. Ultra lights: Ultra 600s up to 3200. I just sold them two years ago and upgraded, again to Paul C. Buff mono strobes. Stuck with White Lightning and Alien Bees for the studio. I bought Godox lighting AD100, 200, 300 and 400 for my outdoor sessions. I've never had a problem with the lighting or kelvin issues. I shoot gr. seniors, portraits, models, etc., both in studio and on location. In all that time I've only had one Buff light that gave me problems, and Buff's great service department took care of it quickly and at very little cost. I know that commercial photogs claim they need the consistent color temp from the Profoto lights. I'm not sure it's worth the price they pay. Those lights, and even umbrellas from profoto require a second mortgage on your home in order to buy them. In my honest and humble opinion, I don't think the lights are worth anywhere near what Profoto charges for them--I shot thousands of photo sessions with my Ultra strobes and when I sold them, they worked as well as when I bought them, and I'd used them for all my studio and location work for 27 years. The only reason I sold them is that Buff no longer repairs the Ultra lights. They're simply too old--(like me). Gear matters, but the most expensive gear is not always the best for the work you do, nor is it the most durable, with the excellent customer service I've experienced from, in my instance, Paul C. Buff in Nashville. And so far, since I've started using Godox, in 2019, I've had good luck with all the lights, batteries and triggers. I had one battery for the AD200 pro that was DOA and I returned it for a new one. I'm ok with that. Keep up the good work, it's refreshing to see a working photographer on RUclips instead of some of these RUclips certified pros.
Thanks for sharing your story!
I am a self confessed gearhead, I love buying new stuff, for years I used the Canon EOS 7D, then decided I wanted something lighter so I bought an EOS M5 and most of the EF-M lenses, I then decided it was a bit small for my big clumsy hands so I bought and EOS R, after a while I craved more FPS and IBIS so I took the Bull by the horns and bought an EOS R3 and a few RF L lenses, what an amazing bit of kit, however despite owning what could arguably be said is the best camera on the market at the moment I have not shot anything that has outdone my favourite shots that were taken using the old 7D and M5, you could argue that I've wasted thousands of pounds but I love the experience of using the R3 and the RF lenses so for me it's still money well spent.
I agree, there’s nothing like new gear! It’s just a seldom indulged event for me - thanks for watching!
@@CoffeeandPhotographyTalk I guess the big difference is you are running a business, I'm just blowing cash on a hobby, before this is was Motorcycles 😃
@nigelwest3430 hey, I have a couple “hobbies” that take care of my excess money; ever buy top line professional oil paint? 😳😱🤣
@@CoffeeandPhotographyTalk I used to work for Winsor & Newton so I know just how expensive the top range paints can be, it's amazing how much effort goes into producing a small tube of paint, there was a device that extracted the colour from Rose petals for Rose Madder paint, it was so old that the London science museum wanted it when we had finished with it, we researched a lot of alternate methods of extracting the colour from the petals but the in house scientists would not approve them because the pigment might get "bruised" in the process and a portrait of the Queen might have turned a funny colour in a hundred years time 🤣
Let’s say you were new to both systems (yours a profoto), could you get setup as quickly with the cheaper one? Or are there quirks and hassles you have to work through?
I got burned with flashpoint in the past.
Two things. The flashes I use are the ones that are flashpoint - Godox, not pure flashpoint. There’s a difference. So you could buy from Godox or flashpoint. Second, that makes it a comparison between Godox and ProFoto in terms of usability. The ProFotos are better made flashes, no question, but they’re no easier to use than comparable Godox systems in my opinion. That makes sense?
At this point with the 75-300 vs the 70-300. Sure I know the 70-300 is better but for a simple beginner hobbyist I’ll stay where I’m at with the 75-300 for awhile.
It’s like anything else, if you can see the difference, is the difference worth the cost right? Thanks for watching!