Let me introduce you to the very first camera I ever bought for myself as a photographer.

Now, I’d had plenty of cameras before this one, remember those fun novelty cameras from childhood?

I had a Coca-Cola can-shaped film camera that I took on a primary school camp, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I might even have those photos buried somewhere!

But as an adult, this was my first intentional purchase, the one I made with the dream of taking beautiful photos and exploring photography as something more meaningful.

That camera?
The Canon 400D, also known as the Canon Rebel. A very entry-level DSLR, but at the time, I was beyond excited. It felt like the gateway into a whole new world, and it was!
But not quite in the way I expected…

The First Mistake (We All Make)

What prompted me to buy it? A friend came over for dinner one night with a very fancy-looking camera (I should really ask him what it was!).
My daughter was still quite little at the time, sitting up in the backyard, and he got down low, literally laying on the lawn – to take photos of her.

When he emailed them through a few days later, I was blown away.

Her eyes were sharp, the background was gorgeously blurry, and I instantly thought, “Wow. I need that kind of camera.”

Cue me marching straight to the shops to buy my fancy camera.

Now… you have full permission to roll your eyes here, because that is classic beginner thinking. We assume it’s the camera doing all the magic.

And don’t get me wrong, gear helps! But what I quickly discovered is that if you don’t know how to use it (and I did not), your results are going to be all over the place.

The Hit-and-Miss Phase

Shortly after buying my Canon 400D, we moved to Southern Maryland in the U.S. It was our first time living somewhere that actually snowed. Real, feet-deep, movie-scene snow!

My kids had their first snowsuits, bright pink and purple, and I was so excited to capture it all. I took heaps of photos, popped them onto the computer, and to my surprise… they were amazing! Blue skies, sparkly snow, sharp little faces. I was thrilled.

But then… other times? The photos were terrible.
If I was indoors, or the light wasn’t great, or I tried to take action shots… it just fell apart.

And I had no idea why.

That confusion is what finally led me to start learning manual mode. That was the game-changer. I dove deep into learning how to actually use the camera—and the results started making sense.

The Upgrade Bug

Now, here’s something else I learned…

Once I realised there were settings and lenses and upgrades and options, I fell into the trap of thinking:
“Maybe I just need a better camera.”

Cue a few more purchases:

The Canon 7D (my first upgrade)

The Canon 5D Mark II (my first full-frame—and I loved it!)

Then the Canon 5D Mark III, my beloved workhorse for years of professional photography

And now? I’m filming this on a Canon mirrorless R, definitely not the top of the range, but the tech is incredible compared to when I first started.

And yes, each upgrade helped. But here’s the kicker:
Once you understand your gear – its strengths, its limits – you can make a thoughtful upgrade that actually serves you.

When Should You Upgrade?

In my experience, the best time to upgrade is when you know enough about photography and your current gear to feel the limitations.

Maybe your ISO performance is holding you back. Maybe you shoot in low light often and need something that performs better there.

(For context, the ISO on my Canon 400D only went up to 1600—and even pushing it to 400 felt risky back then!)

So yes, modern cameras are amazing. But here’s what I want to emphasise:

If I still had that Canon 400D working today, I know I could take beautiful photos with it.
Why? Because I understand how to:

Find good light

Frame creatively

Use composition

Work around limitations

Don’t Let Comparison Steal Your Joy

As you learn more and start following other photographers, it’s easy to fall into comparison. Instead of being inspired, you might start thinking:

“I’ll never be that good unless I have that camera.”

But here’s what I want you to remember:
The magic is in your eye, not your equipment.

You can take gorgeous, professional-quality images with any camera once you learn the fundamentals—light, composition, colour, emotion. Those tools are available to you right now, regardless of your camera model.

So Tell Me…

What was your first “real” camera?
Did you also have a Rebel? Are we time twins?
Do you still have it?

I’d love to hear your story, drop it in the comments below!

And if you’re ready to dive deeper into learning how to take beautiful, consistent images, no matter what camera you have, I have a free photography class you’ll love.

I walk you through the three most important things to get right in order to create stunning photos. Check out the link below!

Have fun with your camera, and remember, it’s you who creates the magic. ✨