Order of importance

[DaveNQ]

Had a search and couldn't really find a thread to cover all of this question. In what order would you rate these things

Camera Body, Glass, light source, photographer. I guess the photographer would default at #1. I read in another forum something along the lines of

Beginners believe bodies to be the most important thing. Serious amateurs believe it is all about glass, and Pros know it is all about light.

I have seen some amazing photographs come from older bodies.

Thoughts anyone?

[kiwi]

Been done to death really in the past

I think most would agree on:

Photographer
Light
Glass
Body

[tomtom1]

Photographer > Light > Glass > Body

IMO

[DaveNQ]

So if this is correct. If I was looking to upgrade from a 50D to a 5DmkII am I better off putting the same money into better glass? My current lens line up

Cannon 10-22
Tamron 17-50
Cannon 50 1.4
Cannon 85 1.8
Cannon 70 - 200F4

I realise the first two lenses will not work on the 5D. I will keep the 50 anyway as a second body. Appreciate your thoughts.

[kwokask]

Well light > glass... do you have an external flash and/or off-camera lighting? Of course this would depend on what you primarily shoot.

[DaveNQ]

I have enough flash etc for what I do, Image quality is what I am chasing. It is a hobby however I do print off larger prints at times.

[ameerat42]

All of the above. Am.

[bigdazzler]

What kiwi said ^^^

If youre going to buy a FF camera, the only way to get it to perform to its capability is to buy top grade L glass. No point having your sensor outresolving cheap lenses. All thats gonna do is show up the deficiencies in the lenses.

I would definitely add a 16-35L and maybe a 100-400L to that list and youre pretty well set I reckon.

[Helen S]

What Darren said... and ditch the "Cannon" lenses for some Canon ones.

[dbax]

What Darren said... and ditch the "Cannon" lenses for some Canon ones.

He he made me laugh....sorry Dave. I agree with the Darren's as well

[Kym]

Light > Photographer > Glass > Body > PP

Why? If you don't have light you don't have an image!
Also I can look at a sunset/sunrise or reflections off water etc. and just enjoy it for what it is.

[DaveNQ]

What kiwi said ^^^

If youre going to buy a FF camera, the only way to get it to perform to its capability is to buy top grade L glass. No point having your sensor outresolving cheap lenses. All thats gonna do is show up the deficiencies in the lenses.

I would definitely add a 16-35L and maybe a 100-400L to that list and youre pretty well set I reckon.

So Darren, from what you have said you would get the glass first and then the body later? Thinking I would see a better result with the better glass on the existing body, as opposed to the cheaper glass on a better body.

Then down the track I can add the body and I will already have the glass. You may laugh but those cannon lenses are very hard to pick from a canon one. Made in the same factory and everything ;-).

[arthurking83]

1. Body
1. Experience
3. Glass
4. Photographer
all else is academic

[kiwi]

Nikon Glass
Nikon Bodies
Nikon Photographers
Light
Canon Glass
Canon Bodies
canon Photographers
Sony......

[Dylan & Marianne]

Excluding the photographer which is a constant through the rest of the variables.
(you can't buy light for landscapes either but you can certainly make the effort to get to a scene at the right time and provide light in other situations)

try substituting these into a sentence :

Good Image vs Awful Image
Good light vs Awful light
Expensive body vs Cheap body
Expensive Lens vs Cheap lens

I've seen people with expensive lenses and bodies present awful images that were taken in good light.
but on the other hand,
I've seen people with cheap lenses and cheap bodies present good images that were taken in awful light.
(mind you if the lens and body and light were better, I daresay the good image may have been a superb image)

They are all important but presentation hasn't got a mention here at all.

[bigdazzler]

So Darren, from what you have said you would get the glass first and then the body later? Thinking I would see a better result with the better glass on the existing body, as opposed to the cheaper glass on a better body.
Then down the track I can add the body and I will already have the glass.

Yep .. you will always get better results from high grade glass on a lesser body than you will vice versa. I say buy the lenses, GOOD lenses are for life. Bodies come and go. In syaing that, the PHOTOGRAPHER is always the key element. As Dylan says, Ive too seen plenty of great images produced with average camera gear.

You may laugh but those cannon lenses are very hard to pick from a canon one. Made in the same factory and everything ;-).

I didnt actually say that mate .. but it was kinda amusing. Helens very witty you know

[bigdazzler]

Sony......

ohh chuckle chuckle stop it .. my ribs are hurting

[Xenedis]

I think most would agree on:

Photographer
Light
Glass
Body

Don't forget the subject!

[DaveNQ]

Thanks Darren. Appreciate your thoughts. I am starting to think along the same lines too. Bodies seem to be like computers and golf clubs in that the next best biggest thing is always just around the corner. Even though when you purchased you were over the moon with what you had. Lenses don't seem to get upgraded that much.

I didn't mean to credit you with the 'cannon' reference sorry. It is funny I guess. Now that I gotten it out of the road everyone else can misspell canon without fear of ridicule.

Thanks everyone.