I've said this before: it is and it isn't about the gear. There are some kinds of shots which cannot be achieved unless one has a lens of a particular focal length or type, for instance. I cannot shoot closeups of a GBH or a Cormorant or any other wild creature with my iPhone or with a 35mm or 50mm lens......but I often can with a lens that has a significantly longer reach.
Yes, skilled photographers can indeed get amazing results with whatever camera they've got in their hands, both because of their well-honed knowledge of some of the basics of photography in the first place and because they have the ability to utilize the tools, regardless of whether the camera is the newest, fanciest one coming out of the marketplace or a treasured older gem which still allows them to shoot interesting, intriguing images. However, those newer, fancier models can and do offer some benefits which the older camera bodies just did not, and that can be helpful to anyone who uses one of them. Again, sometimes it depends upon the subject matter as well.
Personally, I always find it interesting to see what lens, focal length, etc., a photographer has used to get a particular image, and many photographers feel the same way, which is why on many photography-related discussion forums and websites there is some sort of add-on/plug-in software which allows the EXIF info to show each time a member shares an image. This can serve as a subtle learning tool or guide. Participants on the POTD thread are requested to provide that info, but I've noticed that many of us don't -- I know I'm guilty of that omission, out of forgetfulness and laziness more than for any other reason.
I also find it interesting to learn about various systems and how they differ from one another, as well as the different types: m4/3, APS-C, FF, etc., etc. Each has its own unique qualities that it brings to the table and when someone uses a particular system or lens and talks about it, the advantages and disadvantages of it, that can be useful to others, whether or not they are in the market to purchase and use a new system, body or lens.
Some people are more technically oriented than they are artistic. Creativity and imagination are a whole issue aside from and apart from gear, and, actually, no, not everyone who picks up and uses any camera or lens is creative and imaginative..... Also, one person's perception of "creativity" may be quite different from another's, not to mention that different people have different goals when setting out to shoot. Some photographers are more interested in shooting the nitty-gritty of (the sometimes harsh) reality of life as it is today and documenting it, while others want to capture action and people doing things, whether they're just having fun or being paid to do it. Others are more interested in finding, admiring, and with their camera and lens recording the beauty in life and particular subjects.
Some are intensely interested in shooting other people while others prefer to spend their time photographing birds, animals or something not alive at all. Some find beauty in the world around us and want to capture that, while their peers are more intrigued with exploring the beauty in just pieces of reality, fracturing it into abstract shapes and forms. Some have the urge to use their camera and lens to create beauty where on first sight, there doesn't appear to be any or it is easily overlooked. The upshot here is that photographers seem to eventually gravitate towards one or more particular types of subjects, one or more preferred genres, and that, too, can influence their choice of gear.
Aside from the gear, there is also the very real component of what is done with the images when they come out of the camera, too. Again, some people are going to be quite content with the basic image that they shot in the first place, not feeling the need to do a lot in post-processing and editing, while for others the raw image is just the starting point for using the editing software to move further into expressing their creativity and artistry.
