With news of Nikon and Canon finally entering the full-frame mirrorless market, there have been endless discussions regarding stats and expectations. Don’t let yourself get lost in all the gear talk, and remember that you don’t need something new to make incredible photos.

I’ve been a “gearhead” for most of my life, and until the last few years, I struggled with putting too much emphasis on the gear in my bag rather than the photos in my portfolio. Anytime new cameras get released, people tend to get lost in spec sheets and pixel-peeping sample images. For years, I did this myself, especially when I was first starting out in photography. When I wasn’t taking bad photos or fumbling around in an editor, I was watching reviews on a lot of equipment I couldn’t afford. I did this to fill my time in-between shooting, filming, learning, or editing.

This is where I started to get too caught up in caring about things that really didn’t matter. Instead of going out and shooting more to practice, I would waste my time reading about why one camera was better than the other. It’s taken years for me to really learn that what I’m shooting with isn’t that important for my work. Here’s proof:

What Was It Shot With?

Can you guess what these two photos were taken with? I’ll give you a hint and tell you that one was shot on an iPhone 7 and the other was a Canon 5D Mark IV. I will even admit this is a slightly loaded test considering the conditions were not pushing the limits of either camera. The real question is: does it actually matter what camera took these photos? Asking this question is what ultimately changed my perspective on gear. When I look at someone’s portfolio, I don’t see Sony, Canon, or Nikon. I don’t see how expensive their tripod was or the lens they used to get the shot. I see a lot of hard work and years of experience to create incredibly beautiful images. 

The reality is that new gear can be fun, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying something you work hard to obtain. Just don’t let yourself get lost in feeling the need to upgrade or being distraught when a new camera isn’t what you were hoping. At the end of the day, what you’re shooting with doesn’t matter. You can find successful photographers that shoot with everything from an iPhone to a film camera.