When did camera’s with 35mm equivalent size sensors become the only PRO Camera?

First a confession, and it is guaranteed to make some think I am an idiot. I use Olympus Camera’s. There I said it, and yes I feel better. Perhaps I should let you know why I have chosen Olympus, (no they do not pay me or give me free product, I wish) my choice of Olympus really is kind of a selfish one. My passion is underwater photography and they are the only camera company that makes their own housings and strobes under their name, thus keeping divers in the water taking pictures and shooting video. Might not be a lot but it is my reason for voting with my dollars to buy their product, thus saying as best I can good for you guys for doing this.

Some history first. Prior to digital I have used and owned the following a Nikon FE, and a Nikon F3HP, as well as lots of Nikon Glass. I also owned a Bronica for portraits and weddings as well as a Sinar 5X7 for product photography. So in the past I considered myself a professional, both as I got paid for the images that I took as well as the fact that I shot both medium format and large format, true signs of being a professional back in the day.

Now in the digital age I have heard on more than one occasion “If you want to be taken serious you can only use camera XYZ as it has a full frame sensor, and is therefor professional.” When did a little tiny 1.4 inch by .7 inch sensor become pro, and the only pro size and a 5 inch by 7 inch chrome of something become not professional?

I really do not understand when people go on about how because their camera has a full frame sensor, they are instantly better and more professional than someone with I don’t know let us say an Olympus 4/3 rds camera with a sensor yes only half as big as their. I do agree that in some cases bigger is better, but I must say back in the day we never dismissed someone based on the gear they shot with, we waited until we saw the images that they produced. Is it not the image and not the tool (no pun intended) that took the image the important thing. We are becoming fixated on the tool and not the product, would you only let someone work on your house with a Stanley hammer because they are the only pro hammer? We have people in the world who are really convinced that unless you use the newest Canon or Nikon the images will be really really bad.

Are there other choices than Olympus, sure there are, and some you can get good housings for others just an Ikelite housing, not my personal choice ever, I might have to do a post about that some day. But the point with this was to just mention that if you are here and do not have a full frame camera, to me I could care less, the images are the only thing that matter.

From a 5X7 Fujichrome Happy 4th of July.

Good old Kodak Kodachrome 64 out of the Nikon F3HP

From an old Olympus EPL1 taken in Bonaire on the Hilma Hooker at almost 100 feet.

What you use to take the image is way less important than the image, and the memories that it carries for you.