I'll be going more in depth with my TAP series over on Instagram (follow along here) as well as my free educational newsletter for photographers (subscribe here). 

Before we dive in, I want to share a quick update about my Master the Light & Airy Style course. I recently added a bonus section specifically for editing with TAP profiles after getting so many requests from course students who wanted to see how what I teach applies specifically to TAP since these are quite different from traditional presets.

While the editing portion of the course can be applied to any preset or profile, this bonus shows exactly how I would use TAP profiles in my own workflow. At its core, this course is about learning to recognize what’s off in an image and then knowing how to fix it based on your desired outcome and personal photography style.

When you understand why you’re making certain adjustments, you can confidently edit any image, whether you’re using TAP profiles, another preset, or starting completely from scratch. Think of it this way, there’s a saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” That’s the exact philosophy I’ve built this course (and every course) on.

I don’t just want to hand you one way of doing things or settings to copy that only work for one specific scenario. I want to equip you with the knowledge and skills to make intentional choices every time you pick up your camera or open Lightroom, because once you truly understand the foundations, you’ll stop feeling stuck or unsure of how to fix a photo. You’ll have the confidence to create consistent, beautiful, light-filled work that feels like you! Okay, let's get started....

This is part three of my TAP Profiles Series, and we’re diving into one of the most talked-about topics among photographers right now: Do you need to switch to Sony to get the best results with TAP profiles?

If you’ve hung around photography Facebook groups lately, you’ve probably seen the comments: “TAP doesn’t look right on Canon files,” or “Sony just works better with TAP profiles.” Is that actually true....?

I personally shoot with the Canon R6 Mark II; however, I also shoot Sony here and there, so I can show examples for both users inside my courses.

To really put this topic to the test, I did a side-by-side RAW comparison of Sony and Canon (specifically the Canon R6 Mark II and the Sony A7 IV).

 My thoughts: It’s not so much about the gear

Personally, it truly doesn’t matter whether I’m shooting Canon or Sony. When I apply TAP profiles, I still edit the same way - making hand edits to refine each image based on my personal photography style and what that specific image needs.

The key that I talk about all the time is that your editing is only half the equation. The way you shoot matters just as much as the way you edit. These two pieces work hand-in-hand to create your final image. If your lighting, exposure, and in-camera tones aren’t aligned with your desired end result, no preset or profile will ever get you there.

The end result I’m going for doesn’t change based on which brand of camera I used. When you have a well-defined shooting and editing style and a solid understanding of Lightroom adjustments those minor brand differences become almost irrelevant. Yes, Canon and Sony RAW files have variations in color and tone, but they’re minimal once you know how to shoot intentionally and control your tones, contrast, and color balance in editing.

 My Sony vs. Canon TAP Comparison Results

With all that being said, let's look at the same images above with TAP applied (no other edits).....

After applying TAP profiles to both Canon and Sony RAW files... First thing you likely notice is the greens and the skin tones. With the Sony file, greens are cooler, skin tones are punchier and the image overall feels like it just has more depth to it. There clearly is a noticeable difference between the two.

However, once I make my usual Lightroom adjustments, like fine-tuning the white balance, adjusting exposure, and refining skin tones, the final images will be nearly identical in tone and style. That’s the beauty of knowing your editing process and defining your style: you can make any camera work for you.

So… Should You Switch to Sony?

If you genuinely love the Sony system - its colors, menus, ergonomics, etc., then by all means, switch! Shoot with what you enjoy most and what you feel gets you to your desired end result easier and faster.

But if you’re a Canon user who’s feeling pressure to switch just because people say TAP looks better on Sony, my honest advice is: you don’t need to.

Switching systems is expensive, time-consuming, and rarely the magic fix we imagine it to be.

Instead, invest your energy into mastering your current gear, understanding light, and refining your editing process with TAP. That’s what will transform your work the most rather than a hefty investment in a completely new camera set up. 

If you are wanting to try out Sony or Canon or any other gear before committing to an investment, Lens Rentals is my go-to every time I rent gear! If you use my affiliate link HERE, you will save $25 off your rental.

 Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, TAP profiles are just a tool - a beautifully designed one that (ideally) helps you get to your signature style faster, but it’s still up to you to use that tool with intention and skill.

Generally speaking, when you define your style and know how to get there in Lightroom, you can make Canon, Sony, or any other camera system produce the same cohesive results.

So whether you’re Team Canon or Team Sony, remember: It’s not the camera that creates the magic, it's YOU! 

PS: Everything I’ve shared in this post is written from the perspective of an outdoor, natural light photographer. If you’re a wedding photographer, sports photographer, or someone who regularly shoots in extreme or unpredictable lighting conditions, the technical specs of your camera will likely matter more to you. Those differences (like autofocus performance, ISO capabilities, or dynamic range) can make a bigger impact when you’re working in challenging environments.

For example, I personally create session videos alongside most of my photo sessions, so the video specs of my camera are an important part of my own gear decisions.

So while for natural light photographers the differences between Canon and Sony are minimal, photographers working in more demanding conditions will naturally need to weigh those specs more carefully.

If you are wanting to try out Sony or Canon or any other gear before committing to an investment, Lens Rentals is my go-to every time I rent gear! If you use my affiliate link HERE, you will save $25 off your rental.