What kind of equipment does the photographer use and does it really make a difference?

I couldn't disagree more with the previous reply.

Yes, equipment matters, but only insofar as it is a) used in the right situation for which it is designed and b) being used by a skilled photographer.

For weddings, where a lot of action takes place very quickly (some of which is unrepeatable), the camera has to be able to focus and shoot quickly. For this, DSLRs (the digital equivalent of 35mm) are ideal, because they have fast autofocus and often work well in low light.

The larger formats, such as medium format cameras, *do* produce higher resolution images, but they are slower to use.

Many professional wedding photographers still shoot film. One reason for this is that with digital, it is hard to capture a full range of highlights and shadows. The reasons for this are quite technical, but in short, if you imagine taking a shot of a bride in a white dress and a groom in a grey suit, very often the whites of the dress will ''blow out'' to pure, detail-less white, and/or the groom's suit will look grey. Film is much better at capturing a wide dynamic range (range of highlights and shadows).

So in summary, professionals choose the tool which suits the job, as well as their own personal preferences and the needs of the client.

In other areas of photography the same applies. Terry Richardson, a famous fashion photographer, shoots a lot of his work with cheap point-and-shoot cameras. I have shot assignments with plastic toy cameras and also expensive Hasselblad medium format equipment. It just depends on what is required.

Finally, if you are thinking of learning photography, don't, whatever you do, be tempted to blow huge amounts of money on expensive gear in the beginning. The differences, for most people, between an entry level camera and a top-of-the-range model are minimal. Pro cameras tend to just be a little better designed, faster, and offer higher resolution. But you pay a heavy premium for this, which may not be worthwhile unless you are earning money from photography.

I hope this helps.

-Tom