Does bigger gear make you look more like a pro?

philwillmedia wrote in post #16010528
No they won't - unless they are sitting next to each other.
Once you put a lens on them, they've got no idea.
When I was with my ex, I could get a new camera and she wouldn't have a clue. Same with lenses.
All she saw was a black thing with a lens on it.
I had a 10D and then bought a 1D MkII and she never knew that I had the 1 Series until about 3 months later when she came into my office and saw the two bodies on the desk.

Yep...the girl who sent me the message about wanting a "big, professional looking camera" has her eyes set on a Nikon D3100 with a kit lens...

Saying that the average person knows the difference between a 5D and a Rebel is like saying the average person knows the difference between a Lamborghini Murcielago and a Gallardo...they both look like fast, expensive cars to them, and that's it.

philwillmedia wrote in post #16010507
Couldn't have said it better Ben.
By the way, have you stolen my camera?

Wait...just checked - mine's still here.
Would have sworn that was my 1D MkII.

Oh, and that popcorn pic is sweet.
Might just have to lock that idea away in my memory bank.

No, no that's my mk4 (and it's missing much more paint now) - and it's taken 2 years of use to get it looking like that !

Funny how just the act of picking up a camera and carrying it around wears the paint.

Usually people want to rob me and don't really care if im a pro or not

auto-clicker wrote in post #16010640
Usually people want to rob me and don't really care if im a pro or not

Haha yep...I'm actually trying to NOT look like a pro...I'm still keeping my 5D2 + Ls, but they'll likely be for shooting in places where there won't be anyone around (landscapes, night photography in the middle of nowhere in Canada)...for travelling I picked up a OM-D...the times I've had it out since I got it NOBODY has checked it out...before, with the 5D2 + 16-35L II, I constantly had people checking out my camera...it's nice to fly under the radar.

i like to shoot street,most of the time up close and personal of people,i find that the bigger gear makes people shy away from you,instead of blending in,any way i seem to get much nicer photos just using say my 7d and a 24-105 lens,and not the big 70-200mm all white lens! who knows,maybe people think your trying to black male them or some thing in this day and age its not that uncommon!

blanex1@netzero.com wrote in post #16010797
i like to shoot street,most of the time up close and personal of people,i find that the bigger gear makes people shy away from you,instead of blending in,any way i seem to get much nicer photos just using say my 7d and a 24-105 lens,and not the big 70-200mm all white lens! who knows,maybe people think your trying to black male them or some thing in this day and age its not that uncommon!

And this is why, as an English teacher, I tell my students that learning to spell and not relying on spell check is of utmost importance.

LowriderS10 wrote in post #16010540
Yep...the girl who sent me the message about wanting a "big, professional looking camera" has her eyes set on a Nikon D3100 with a kit lens...

Saying that the average person knows the difference between a 5D and a Rebel is like saying the average person knows the difference between a Lamborghini Murcielago and a Gallardo...they both look like fast, expensive cars to them, and that's it.

Yup.

namtot wrote in post #16002142
The average Joe isn't going to know the difference between a 40d and a 5d3 or 1dx, so really, the point is weak. They will be impressed either way as long as you don't show up with a powershot.

Pretty much this. Been at events taking pictures with my 70-210 on my old gripped XTi and was asked if I was a professional photographer. Lately if I walk around with my 50D and throw on my 28-105 people stop and ask if I'm pro photog I assume it may have something to do with the fancy gold ring identifying it as a USM lens whereas my 40mm 2.8 that is FAR sharper wide open and a nicer build overall has no markings that stand out and I almost never get asked that question. I have a feeling people are focusing more on what glass you have and how fancy it looks vs your body at this point.

People who profile this way are funny.
I can put a grip on and a white lens and people ask if I'm a pro. Or maybe its just the lens hood.
I wear a Harley t-shirt and people won't ask my squat, thinking I'm a biker because I have a goatee and big arms. They seem to avoid me or the only thing they can say is, "What kinda bike ya got?"
I put on a suit and tie, shave in the morning, and go to court to fight a ticket on my own and people in the stands ask if I'm a lawyer and if I could help them.
I put on baggie pants, oversized jacket and a helmet, I ride my snowboard fast, on the edge of control, and people yell at me to slow down till I remove the goggles and they see I'm an old fart.
All of these are true stories.
All of these are assumptions based on probability of impressions.
So to answer the OP's question...Yes

Fester wrote in post #16012037
People who profile this way are funny.
I can put a grip on and a white lens and people ask if I'm a pro. Or maybe its just the lens hood.
I wear a Harley t-shirt and people won't ask my squat, thinking I'm a biker because I have a goatee and big arms. They seem to avoid me or the only thing they can say is, "What kinda bike ya got?"
I put on a suit and tie, shave in the morning, and go to court to fight a ticket on my own and people in the stands ask if I'm a lawyer and if I could help them.
I put on baggie pants, oversized jacket and a helmet, I ride my snowboard fast, on the edge of control, and people yell at me to slow down till I remove the goggles and they see I'm an old fart.
All of these are true stories.
All of these are assumptions based on probability of impressions.
So to answer the OP's question...Yes

Hehehe!

But you didn't tell us what people would say if you walked naked down the street in Dallas!

(This could be important to this discussion!)

Does believing what the title says make you look more like a dork?

I'd prefer the bank teller think I'm a pro, because I am depositing checks. I don't care what anyone on the street thinks of my gear.

LowriderS10 wrote in post #16010961
And this is why, as an English teacher, I tell my students that learning to spell and not relying on spell check is of utmost importance.

Is it more difficult to teach English with Microsoft Word and the entire internet working against you?

Matt M. wrote in post #16013518

Is it more difficult to teach English with Microsoft Word and the entire internet working against you?

Well, I teach English in a middle school in Korea, so they're non-native speakers and I don't have to worry about the effects of Word and the Internet, but in Korea we have what's called "Konglish," which is a bastardized Korean version of English...it's overwhelmingly incorrect and they learn it before they learn real English. So,- and this is baffling, annoying and fascinating - they have bad English habits BEFORE they even know any English.

But yeah, back home (Canada) the whole "I don't need to learn how to spell, that's what spell check is for" attitude adds a whole new hurdle to clear.