No.

Ok, let’s try for more then a one word answer on this one. I was at a workshop today with Shawn Lee. If you are a regular reader of this blog you’ve read some of my other posts about his workshops and you’ll know I find him both really talented and very inspiring – but that’s not what this post is about.

So there’s was maybe 15 people there, some new photographers and some with established business – a good mix, and I kept hearing one topic come up over and over and that was talking about camera brands. We as photographers love to talk about gear, GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is very much in our blood, but what often gets lost in that is how much of that is playful teasing and how much is serious. (It’s all pretty much playful teasing, but it’s tough to understand that when you are first starting out). I know that I’m personally very guilty of the “If I could only afford a Hasselbad” thoughts…

So if any new photographers are reading this post – No. The brand of camera does not matter. How old it is does not matter (I still shoot film on cameras from 50 years ago and I love it). APS-C, DSLR, Mirrorless, Full Frame can matter, but not nearly as much as people like to think. What matters is the basics – lighting, composition, and just having fun shooting.

When I got back into photography after college I started with an Olympus micro four thirds camera because it was weatherproof and very portable. Two things that were important when traveling. But I remember thinking “Boy if only I had a full frame.” Then I got a Sony I’ve realized how little that matters. Yeah it’s technically more capable, and yeah I can get good glass for it (good glass matters more then camera bodies btw). But the best camera will always be the one you have with you to capture the moment, the one that lets you enjoy shooting, the one that lets you explore this amazing world of ours.

So don’t get caught up in the camera brand arms race. Just go out and practice and have fun with it. Worry about the gear later (or never).