Does Gear Matter?

Yes

From my personal experience, I found that gear can have a tremendous effect on how you shoot and the quality of an image. For example, I own a Sony a7ii. This is an amazing camera that allows you to shoot in 60Fps and works amazing with low light. When it comes to night photography or concert photography, you want to have a camera body that has a dynamic ISO range, along with a lens with a very low aperture. Having a lens with a 2.8 or lower f-stop will allow more light into your camera. Utilizing this can keep your images from becoming to noise-y.

When I have a show, my gear will include my Sony a7ii, 28-75mm Tamron with a 2.8 aperture, 24mm Samyang 2.8 and a 50mm Sony E-mount 1.8. Because most of the work is done in low light conditions these are essential for these gigs.

No.

While having these high-quality cameras and lenses can make better, higher quality images. It’s not the end of the world if you do not have access to that. Photography is not about the gear you have as opposed to how you use that gear. I could have thousands of dollars worth of the best gear but if I don’t know how to frame an image or having the proper exposure, then my images won’t be good.

I spent years only shooting on my iPhone before I would actually purchase a camera. While I didn’t learn how to use ISO, shutter speed and all that; I learned the fundamentals of framing and basic coloring via VSCO Cam.

While there are certain scenarios that you will want the best gear, I believe its how you use what you already have.