Because there is no such thing as a stupid question, right?

[fotomumma09]

My question is this: is it possible to get a professional looking shot using a non professional lens.

Where am I gong with this? I'm becoming consumed with everything to do with photography lately. I can't stop learning and I'm growing frustrated at my limitations. 1. Having the time to learn with 3 small kids (1 in particular who is insanely busy and loves the idea of giving me angina in the very near future) 2. I am not made of $ and am a very impatient person with a long list of wants.

Sooooooooo, I am wondering if I keep working with the lenses I have will I always be limited to what I can achieve?

 

[ann]

I think so, photography is more about lighting, than the lens.

Equipment has a place , and we have a wide variety of tools to problem solve with; but without the light, the most expensive lens in the world is not necessarily the answer. It may let in more light, but if the lighting sucks, it makes no difference to the lens.

Learn to work within the limitations with what you have, it can be done.

 

[GeorgieGirl]

I've seen people jaw about a 18-55 kit lens and have seen some amazing submissions here with one.

 

[Dao]

The answer is yes.

Like in this example from Canon site
http://www.usa.canon.com/app/images/cameras/powershot/PS_G12/sampleimg/sampleimg_2.JPG

The photo is taken with a Point and Shoot camera.


Sometimes, the key is lighting. How to light the subject is something that we (Including myself) all need to learn. Either natural light(s) (including use of reflector, subject position relative to the light source ... ) or artifical light(s). If you search the kit lens in flickr site, you will see some great photos there. (At least last time I did the search)

 

[rexbobcat]

Yes, you will always be limited, maybe not enough to really have a large impact on your photography, but you are limited by your equipment.

"It's not the camera; it's the photographer" is a vast (VAST) generalization.

 

[Dominantly]

Yes, 100% for sure.

Pro glass just makes it far easier.
There are some differences that your average person may not notice, and one of them is how OOF (out of focus) elements appear. For example with the cheap 50mm f/1.8D that has 7 straight blades your OOF objects aren't quite as smooth and creamy compared to say the f/1.4G with 7 rounded blades and the f/1.4G's 9 rounded blades.

 

[HughGuessWho]

The short answer is yes. You are always limited by the equipment that you have. But, look at it this way, if you had a $14,000.00 Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM, you would be limited to the capabilities of that lens. You would be able to take a better portrait, for example, with your lens than the Big Gun. I dont know you or anything about your work, but I am pretty sure you havent utilized all of the capabilities of your lens. Seldom do we ever.

 

[fotomumma09]

The short answer is yes. You are always limited by the equipment that you have. But, look at it this way, if you had a $14,000.00 Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM, you would be limited to the capabilities of that lens. You would be able to take a better portrait, for example, with your lens than the Big Gun. I don’t know you or anything about your work, but I am pretty sure you haven’t utilized all of the capabilities of your lens. Seldom do we ever.

I absolutely haven't utilized the capabilities of what I already have! I guess I expect more from myself and need to realize that it takes time to learn.

 

[bratkinson]

As already stated above, learn to use what you have. Whether you have only the lowly 'nifty fifty' or the latest and greatest Mark II "L" lens, there's things that can be done well with them, some, pretty good, and some, poorly. It's knowing what can you can do with what you have. Michaelanglo would have produced masterpieces whether he was using oils or fingerpaint.

While you may want super sharp, noise-free, blur-free images of a professional basketball game from the top row of seating. It's necessary to first learn what it takes to get that kind of results. Gear, yes. Tripod, yes. Knowing a lot of exposure technicalities beyond the exposure triangle, yes. The experience of 1000s of successful and not-so-successful shots, yes. One has to start from square one. There is no other way. As stated many times over in this and other forums, you must learn to walk before you can run.

One other thing...with three small kids in the house, it can be very painful to repair/replace top-of-the-line gear when it gets encrusted with peanut butter, or used as a bathtub toy by a young 'un that's too young to know the difference between kid toys and expensive adult toys. This from a friend of mine whose laptop computer recently found peanut butter smeared evenly throughout the keyboard...

 

[ph0enix]

Take a look here:
Nikon D3200 - a set on Flickr

Those shots were taken with Nikon's latest entry level DSLR, some with the kit 18-55 lens. They look pretty good to me.

 

[SCraig]

You may be limited by your equipment, that's true, however the reality is that many beginners believe that the limiting factor is their equipment when in fact it's a lack of knowledge and experience. When you learned to drive did you quickly feel like your car was what was limiting your ability to drive or did you give yourself time to learn before feeling the need for a better car? Why should photography be any different? Odds are very good that if you are just developing an interest in photography that you have not reached the point where your equipment is holding you back.

The bottom line is this: Pretty much any camera and lens combination that you have has more capabilities than ANY camera had 60 or so years ago. At that time there was not one single camera with a built-in light meter, much less one that was coupled to the aperture and could automatically set the exposure in any way. There was no such thing as autofocus or anything like that. There was no optical stabilization. What you got was a camera and a lens and, if you were lucky, an external light meter. You shot on film, had it processed (or did it yourself), and found out that everything you shot was junk. Think about that and take a look at some of the photographs from that era. They were all shot MANUALLY, they were all shot on FILM, and they were all shot with equipment that is considered inferior by today's standards. And some of them are absolutely magnificent.

Learn to use what you have. Odds are it is much more capable than you are giving it credit for. Once you truly reach the point where your equipment is holding you back you WILL know it and you will know how and why it is the limiting factor.

Stop blaming your equipment and learn to use it properly. I have seen some utterly fantastic photographs come from mediocre equipment.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

There is a reason people spend a lot more for better glass.

 

[enzodm]

Put an example of what you think is a professional look, and people here will dissect it to show what is giving it such professional look, so that you may try to expand your knowledge in the needed direction.
(I bet, like many in the thread, that will be lighting mainly -equipment is limiting, but usually who has pro lenses and obtains pro results has also pro lighting)

 

[nickzou]

There is a reason people spend a lot more for better glass.

Ahhh we have a challenger. I believe the appropriate thing is to state your case.

Here's where I ran into a roadblock that was actually my equipment. I had a 70-300mm VR, and for those who know the lens knows that it is a variable aperture lens and doesn't perform very well in lowlight. The bar I was in was dark and they asked us to not use flashes. So getting a proper exposure was pretty hard. I couldn't slow down the shutter because I was photographing a fight and anything slower than 1/250s the fighters' limbs would be blurry. I came here to ask for help. And the basic consensus was that I needed a 2.8 lens.

 

[Buckster]

There is a reason people spend a lot more for better glass.

Yes there is, and it's to deal with very specific situations. "Lesser" glass can get a LOT of mileage though and, in fact, most photography doesn't require "better" glass. OP just needs to learn how to work it.