Ah, gear.
The part of photography we like to pretend we’re above but secretly obsess over. At least that’s been my experience.
I’ve never had a hobby so gear-centered before. Growing up as a guitarist, I lusted over new guitars and amps and even worried if the strings I used were giving me the best result, but I never felt the need to have the absolute best. I don’t now, either.
But with photography, it’s been different. When I got my little Sony A6000 in July of 2017, my very first camera, I was horrified at the money spent for the little thing. It was the biggest purchase made in years, other than my rent each month, and I very nearly decided against buying it because of the cost. But I did, and I fell in love with taking pictures.
Then I bought the kit zoom, a telephoto that would give me more range for when I’m hiking in the mountains. Now I’d spent more, so I told myself I wouldn’t spend any more money until I got some work shooting portraits and my profits from that matched my expenses. That, of course, never happened.
I started reading gear-obsessed forums, watching YouTube lens reviews and pixel peeping the smallest details. The little A6000, which had been taking excellent pictures and was limited only by my lack of skill, suddenly seemed inadequate. APS-C sensor? Kit lens glass? No good anymore.
A friend let me try out the Canon 6D and kit 24-105 he was selling, and I balked at the idea of spending what he asked on a camera. I said no, but filled that gear lust with a new lens that was still half the price of the camera and lens he offered me. But shooting with the 6D started the full frame itch.
Black Friday deals rolled around and suddenly I’d sold everything and jumped on the Sony A7ii and kit lens. Then the kit lens was gone, inadequate for my piss-poor photographs, and new Sony Zeiss glass took over. Then I needed a telezoom. Then that telezoom was inadequate, and I sold it for another. The process repeated itself, rinse and repeat.
A drone looks cool, I should get that. A drone is dumb, I need to sell this. Vintage glass seems like the answer, only to be followed with a return request on ebay.
My experience might be unique to me, but I doubt that.
On forums I’ll see people considering getting into debt for the newest camera or lens. People jumping to the new Nikon or Canon mirrorless systems simply because they’re now an option. Fantastic gear that suddenly becomes inadequate once another piece of slightly more-fantastic gear is released.
It’s easy to lust after these things.
But now I think of the money wasted on chasing that purchase high with new camera gear. That money could’ve funded a lot of different things, including trips and workshops that would’ve improved my photography far more than a new piece of glass. It could have gone toward debt, either student loan or credit card, both of which existed before GAS began but neither of which GAS helped.
I now feel like my skills are catching up with the gear I have, and my head has cooled off of the gear lust – for now. It still flares up, there was a crazy good deal on a Zeiss lens last week that tempted me, but I keep reminding myself of absurdity of the whole thing. The camera and lenses I have now are wonderful by any measure, though some troll online would certainly disagree, and I’ve never actually taken an image that was clearly limited by the gear I use.
Even yesterday I tuned into a Sony launch event, in which a new A6400 camera was launched. I saw all the firmware upgrades the A7xxx cameras would get that mine wouldn’t be receiving. I wondered if an APS-C setup is better. Should I upgrade right now to take advantage of these features I didn’t know I wanted until yesterday?
This year will be one void of gear purchases (OK, maybe a polarizing filter will find its way in my bag). Instead 2019 will be the year of gratitude for my camera gear. I’m happy to admit my past mistakes with photography, and certainly not looking down on anyone else who loves to shop gear and switch systems, especially when they have the means to, which I don’t.
I’m going to bet on myself that I can take great images with what I’ve got this year.