Being a good photographer doesn't really have anything to do with what kit you've got, it's about training, experience, an eye for composition etc. All these attributes when brought together into a single package are valuable and (arguably) deserving of higher remuneration. If, because you take a 18mp shot, you believe that your image should command the highest premium, you (in my opinion) do a disservice to gifted, full-time photographers.
I think you may have misinterpreted, or I may have badly worded what I was trying to say. I'll put my hand up and admit that when it comes to the photography
business I lack experience. Photography wise, I'm fairly more solidly grounded, though I am constantly learning and developing my skills. My original statement though was based in my lack of the business experience. I simply don't know what to charge when approached...it was an eye opener looking at Getty's pricing schemes, and what people are willing to pay for images of low resolution. I had thought something at 1024x resolution would be pretty worthless. FYI, I have images on Getty, that meet their criteria for composition, artistic and technical. My portfolio includes National Geographic, Discovery channel, BSkyB (now), as well as other minor publications.
That experience in the actual business side of things is the only thing I'd say is missing in the "single package" you mention. When approached regarding the university commission, I brought to the table over a decade of photographic experience, I arranged meetings to discuss client requirements, I arranged for permission to photograph on the private property and laid out the terms and conditions of the commission, all in a professional manner. The package included several images and videos in several formats. Nothing was different from what a full time photographer would do, bar the price. My statement was a realisation that occurred during my learning processes of the business, that in all likelihoods I had undercharged. Do you believe that my lack of experience in handling my business would mean I should proportionally adjust my prices to account for this? Is this what you were meaning?
Additionally, regarding kit, yes, it's possible to take amazing pictures with cheap kit. However training and experience has taught me that some lenses are more sharp than others, and more suitable than others in certain situations. I used that training and experience to use a weather sealed lens and body that covered the requirements of the shoot in a dusty and contaminated environment.