I shoot a 5DMII with a variety of pricy glass. I'm not very good yet, but good enough for people to offer to pay me and to incorporate into the work we do at Ve

I shoot a 5DMII with a variety of pricy glass. I'm not very good yet, but good enough for people to offer to pay me and to incorporate into the work we do at Venn. I've even been hired to do some video stuff by the CBC (web only, of course). I think most non-photographers can tell when a photo is "pro" but they have a harder time distinguishing how good things are at the top part of the photography spectrum. For fun, I'll sometimes go on "photo walks" around Toronto with my friend that owns a super pricey Leica and has been into photography for way longer than I have. The primary advantage he has beyond just being a better photographer than I am is that when he takes a street photo people don't notice he is there until he already has the shot, whereas I look like a paparazzi. I've lost so many shots because people see the militaristic look of my camera / lens combination. It also can sometimes lead to arguments on the street over the finer points of the legality of photography in public in Canada. Whereas Leica cameras never really illicit this response. Not that I'm ever going to shoot Leica, I find Canon's cameras much more usable and ergonomically designed.