Why are some studios using such shitty rigs when a good rig is not even expensive?

Given standard day rates for models, they're spending all that cash on the talent and then completely wasting it on shitty production values. I don't get it. You can get an awesome VR camera for what - $3k? Another $2K on lights, audio and grip gear. It's fucking chickenfeed compared to talent and production costs. I understand $1500 ish is usual day rate for a girl doing b/g scenes. So on a small indie production maybe $3k total costs per scene, minimum, after staff, location, post production? And most of them can't outlay $5k one time to invest in kick-ass hardware to support their business?

What am I missing here? Are indie porn studios that broke they can't even spend 1/4 of what a regular videographer shells out for gear? Or are they not remotely competent on a technical level?