Signs You Should Upgrade Your Camera Equipment

Every photographer starts somewhere with their gear, and that somewhere probably doesn’t include the best gear. As you become a better photographer and sharpen your skills, you’re going to need new gear to keep up with your progress. Additionally, if you’re using an older camera, it may be reaching the end of its lifespan, and finding someone to repair it is becoming impossible. Lastly, if you decided to start doing photography professionally, you’re going to need quality gear. These are some of the signs you should upgrade your camera equipment, so let’s get into them.

Your Gear Is Holding Back Your True Potential

As photographers, we’re always practicing to sharpen our skills and try new photography styles. However, since you’ve seen so much progress in yourself, your gear may not be suitable for the style you’re shooting for—hence why there’s an abundance of gear. For example, if you’ve always shot with a standard 50 mm lens, but you’re now getting into landscape or architecture photography, you should use a wide-angle lens.

You Have Outdated Gear That Doesn’t Hold Up

Another sign you should upgrade your camera equipment is if you’re constantly getting your gear repaired because it’s older. Outdated cameras and lenses not only take away from the quality of your shots, but repairs can add up to what you’d spend on new equipment. If you’re shooting with a vintage camera, it’s a completely different conversation, because vintage cameras have a way of capturing photos that no other camera can recreate. Those repairs are almost always worth it.

Working Photographers Invest In Their Tools

Of course, if you’ve reached the point where you can start earning a steady income as a photographer, you should probably upgrade your gear. Any photographer earning income for their work should be shooting with high-quality gear for a couple of reasons. First, it’ll make your job easier by capturing the best photo you can upfront, which will reduce the amount of work required in the editing process later. Second, if someone hires you for portraits or a wedding, it’s on you—and your gear—to capture the moments. In other words, having quality and reliable gear will show respect for your clients. While sharpening your skills is always important as a photographer, sometimes you can only go as far as your gear will allow you to go. Additionally, outdated gear is cool—if it’s vintage. Otherwise, you should probably upgrade if you take photography seriously. And if you’re a professional photographer, or you’re working your way toward one, you should have quality gear out of respect for your craft and your clients. One of the best ways to upgrade your gear is by selling your old gear and putting that income toward your new equipment. However, many online marketplaces take an absurd percentage of the sale, and that’s not fair to you. That’s why at Gear Focus, our standard seller fee is much lower than anyone else. So if you’re looking to sell used camera gear, Gear Focus is the online marketplace for you.