Why do Pros/People have to defend their equipment? Why?

Listen, I state it bold and loud: I'm not that talented. I know it. But I try. This is my hobby. I love it. I love taking pics. I love buying and using gear. I am very fortunate that I can afford to spend a lot of money on my hobby. (I'm waiting on UPS to deliver my DJI Phantom 2+ )

But I never, ever say, nah, nah, mine is better than yours. I know full well that, for the most part, it's the person behind the viewfinder that matters. Now yes, there are many situations where the gear matters. I just acquired the Canon 600mm II, a dream lens for me. I decided if I'm ever going to own it, I'd buy it before I'm old and feeble and unable to use it and enjoy it. You only live once. And it has truly made a huge difference in my photography. The way it blurs the background when shooting birds, etc., is amazing. If you haven't shot with a super tele, you don't know what you're missing. And I never had before.

So, I'll give two brief examples that just happened. Not sure why I find them a bit annoying, and only a bit, but I do.

1. I'm at Birds of Prey Day in Brewster NY a few weekends ago. I'm using my 600 only because it's brand new and I want to play with it. Mind you, the birds are very close so I actually had to stand back. A photographer comes up to me with a small 4/3 camera and strikes up a conversation. I'm only too happy to talk photography, what little I know. Turned out, he was a vendor there, selling his pics, which I later saw and were nice. He immediately starts saying how great 4/3 is (and I have no idea if it is or isn't), how it's better than any other format, and on and on. I mean, really? I'm standing there with a 1Dx and 600mm II, and he's feeling the need to brag and brag and brag about his gear. I said nothing except to nod my head.

2. Yesterday I go to a friend's house to take pics at a pre-prom party. I've done it for one of his kids before. He's my friend and I obviously don't charge him, nor would I take his money. He called me a day or so before to tell me he hired a photographer because there's going to be many more people than he anticipated and the guy would be there to help me.

Turns out, the guy was very nice, and helpful too. He had a Nikon D7000 with 18-135 kit lens (his words, "kit lens," not mine), SB900 on a bracket, with a Gary Fong tupperware thing on top of the flash. I used to have one too. So? He says, what are you shooting? I said Canon. I hadn't taken my gear out yet. I had my 1Dx and 5DIII, 70-200 and 24-70 II. I also had a light stand, large ProFoto Umbrella and a ProFoto B1. I know/knew that lighting wasn't necessary (we were under a tent), but I just got it, I love gear, and I wanted to try it out/use it.

Immediately he starts telling me how great his Nikon 7000 is, how great the color is, the sharpness, how he's had dinner with Gary Fong and I should get one, and on and on, defending his equipment against what I ask? I didn't say a word. I truly try to be very humble. I tell him I'm sure he gets great shots. After all, he stated he does 140 events a year, both his own business and second shooting.

Turned out, over 250 people were there in my friend's huge backyard. I watched him work, getting the kids to come pose, posing them, getting parents out of the way, etc. I quickly put my gear away and enjoyed the party. I asked and he told me he was doing it for a photo company that called him last minute and was paying him $225. (My friend tipped him another hundred.)

Believe me, it was blood money. This guy, alone, moved in and out of 250 people or more. He arrived at 3 and didn't leave until 8. Blood money for sure.

But back OT. Why do people feel the need to immediately defend, against no attack whatsoever, their gear?

Oh, almost forgot. I did say one thing. It was very humid and we were both initially waiting for condensation to clear off our lens(es). He then stated, "I lost a Nikon D7000 once to humidity, it got inside and ruined the board."

I said, "Well, maybe if you had a camera that was weather sealed, that wouldn't have happened." He acknowledged that fact.

man, it is Sat morning. Aren't you suppose to be relaxing with your coffee in this early morning instead of typing that long ranting feeling?

It is human nature for people to act like that.

Maybe they aren't defending their equipment but, rather, recommending it. They found something they like, and they think you'd like it, too. It's the same kind of talk as "This is a great book, you should read it" and "You've got to see this movie."

OhLook wrote in post #16971241
Maybe they aren't defending their equipment but, rather, recommending it. They found something they like, and they think you'd like it, too. It's the same kind of talk as "This is a great book, you should read it" and "You've got to see this movie."

But you wouldn't recommend to drive a mustang to a Ferrari owner would you?

Dannydoo wrote in post #16971282
But you wouldn't recommend to drive a mustang to a Ferrari owner would you?

Oh yes.

PS, what is a mustang?

I never get that fan boy thing of talking bad about other brands/items. Childish IMO.

I have canon for one reason, my father in law has Canon gear, has more money than me and spends it on lenses and other things I can borrow

If he'd had Nikon, I'd have Nikon gear. And I'd be just as happy.

Once you make a brand choice, unless you don't buy lenses, you stay with the brand. If I had bought a Nikon, then I'd be using that.

Some do go over the top, and I have met a few in my time. For me, my choice is the right one for me.

Alfred Adler said it first: inferiority complex. Also rationalization (sweet lemons) ego-defense mechanism (Freud). After spending all that money on gear, one is compelled to judge it as the best.

Humans are 98% predictable. (rough figure).

Kiwimochi wrote in post #16971206
man, it is Sat morning. Aren't you suppose to be relaxing with your coffee in this early morning instead of typing that long ranting feeling?

It is human nature for people to act like that.

Heck no. I'm busy playing with this:

It's gear talk. You see this kind of thing all the time with (as was mentioned) car owners, motorcycle owners, Plasma screen owners, Mac owners, PC owners, iPhone owners, Droid owners, etc... It's just tech talk. Now if the guy said something derogatory about your equipment or something like that then I could see how that might be a big deal. It's a social interaction thing.

Personally I love when people come to me and ask what I'm using and then tell me what they're using. Usually we can get a discussion going along the lines of why did you end up going with what you have? Or something like that. It's socially normal to talk geek speak about camera equipment with others.

Right, but I have a 1D....

http://youtu.be/paJqHP​HLExo

I usually find that if you find fault with your own stuff, people will open up & be a little less defensive.

Example: "I like the pictures I get from this 2.8 IS, but it can be a PITA to lug around."

Awesome, isn't it

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/np7N​qp

Radders wrote in post #16971709
Awesome, isn't it

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/np7N​qp PhantomCamera_3 by Totallyrad.co.uk, on Flickr

Ah! A pellet-gun target!

It's funny, but this brought to mind a couple amusing incidents!

Once, back in the Summer of '08, I was on the Scott Kelby Photoshop Users' Walkabout here in Portland, OR. It was a nice day, and in fact I "teamed up" with a father/son combination of Canon shooters, we had a good time.

We wrapped up the walkabout by going into a downtown beer/food joint, where we filled up a room, hanging out and socializing and having a good time!

We three Canon shooters were sharing a table, when a guy sauntered up to us, and he was happy as a clam with his Nikon gear, how great it was! He was being friendly and sociable, so no problem! I smiled, and showed him my 5D "Classic" walk-around camera, said a bit about the nice high ISO low/light capability and took a shot in the dim room and showed him. He got all misty eyed and quiet, and walked away...

And then, I was involved with a water sports event as one of the "recognized" photographers, and showed up with both my 5DC and also my 1DMk3, which at that time was pretty much the industry leader in digital sports photography. I was rubbing shoulders with a good number of other photogs, so sure, Nikons and other Canons were out in force, but we were all having fun, no Canon/Nikon rivalry that I noticed, a good time was being had by all!

At the end of the afternoon, I headed to my car and started the long process of downloading my shots, "wide"/scenic shots from the 5DC and then nice close shots of the action from my 1D3, hundreds of Raw shots from my CF card, and then because for this event I had set the camera to Raw+Jpeg, several hundred matching jpegs, it took a while, so I got out and relaxed...nearby was a Nikon shooter doing his thing, so we socialized, friends, and at one point he also began to talk about his cool Nikon gear!

Again, we were being friendly and sociable, I didn't have a problem with his enthusiasm, and then again with a smile on my face I mentioned what I was shooting with, and again he grew quiet and got the "misty" look, and said something kind of like "If only I could..."!

Those were two fun experiences! And they weren't spoiled by a "my camera is better than your camera" load of BS. I have no need for that type of thing, and hey, that includes when it's coming from Canon fan-boys, Mercedes Benz fan-boys, Corvette Stingray fan-boys, hey, the list goes on!

I will say, though, that it's fun when I've been out shooting and I run into another Canon shooter -- we'll just glance down at each other's gear, then look up and smile, hey, we're in the same "Club"!