I was around cameras all my life, but I only when I bought my first dslr, I started to actually think about how each setting would influence the photo, and I eventually had lots of fun playing around with different settings, motives and eventually photography became an hobby of mine.

What I am trying to say: hobbyists may not need “good” gear, but they still need the “right” gear, i.e. gear that makes the hobby enjoyable.