>>2890393Come on now, you're being difficult. Hyperbole aside, there's a big grain of truth in the above.
Sure, you can get into the game and enjoy yourself with even a 70-200mm or a consumer-grade superzoom - but it's probably the one large genre (outside underwater) where gear really makes a difference.
If you shoot 35mm FOV, the most you can spend is maybe $3k on a lens if you go crazy and returns diminish very quickly after $1,000.
If you want to shoot BIF - the difference between a $2k consumer supertele and a decent 500mm prime is really noticeable - and also adds maybe +$8-10k. Even the camera body makes a big difference - if you're shooting in that golden light, you can benefit from a mix of rediculous AF, good low light capability and a high FPS.
No, nobody has to spend that kind of money - - this is one genre that can add up really fast as you get serious.
