When does it all stop?

Mani Gill

Mani Gill

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Hi guys,

Since I was given a simple 550d as a gift in 2010 and started using it, I have developed the longing for something more.

I purchased a 24-105 and now it has gone onto full frame and a few other accessories which I have simply not used.

I have the notion that I need the best when I clearly don't. I am not a professional, simply a hobbyist.

I have bought items which I have never used and still long for more.

Has anyone else developed a similar urge?

When does it stop?
 
I'd say it would be the case for any hobby to be honest. I've got tons of computer equipment in boxes!

Nothing wrong wit it really, plus you can always sell it. When will it stop? Probably never!
 
Its called G.A.S - Gear Acquisition Syndrome, no matter what the hobby or interest most suffer from it at some point.

Its very unhealthy, mainly affecting the bank & credit card balances but has been known to become a chronic condition that can affect her indoors as well.

It usually ceases once funds are exhausted and/or her indoors has gone back to her mothers.
 
posiview said:
It stops when the wife beats the living crap out of you, or withholds conjugals :D

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Lol...
 
It usually ceases once funds are exhausted and/or her indoors has gone back to her mothers.[/QUOTE]

I'll have to stop soon then, just a couple more purchases. ;)
 
It stops when you realise that the end product is more down to you than the equipment as even a a basic DSLR with a half decent lens gives you IQ that is plenty good enough and the rest is up to you.

The difficult thing is that buying things gives that consumer gratification and the chance to try something new (which only lasts a day or two before wanting the experience again).

The more gear based hobbies you have the more challenging it becomes. I am also into guitars (6 string and bass) and bicycles so and always trying to resist, and failing, to buy something.
 
Sadly it doesn't stop, you'll reach a point where you'll consider selling your partner into slavery for the next new must have camera/lens/flash/etc.... but thats the fun of photography. ;)
 
I also keep marine fish which is a double whammy on the wallet with ongoing costs for equipment.

Thanks the lord my wife rarely kicks up a fuss at purchases :clap:
 
For me GAS stopped when I realised I had all the good kit that I needed to be able to do the type of photography I wanted to do, and that I could also cover most other things as well, even if the kit to do the other stuff is at the cheaper end of the market.

The first thing I do when drooling over a new bit of kit is ask myself what I'm really going to use it for. If I can't think of an answer to that question, or the answers I come up with are pretty lame, then it stays in the shop.

I learnt that lesson when I realised I had a brand new SB900 that had sat around for 6 months without ever having come out of the box, and still to this day hasn't come out of the box, which means it's now 18 months old.
 
Mani Gill said:
I have to agree with that, have to advise her stuff costs less than what it has. ;)
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ALL my friends have an agreement. £12. If asked by anyone's other half, that's the cost of anything purchased, whether camera or gadget-related. SD card? £12! 70-200 f/2.8? £12! End of. :D
 
haha, you think you have a problem? I had gone similar route: D3100 kit, 5D mark 2 with 24-105mm and then followed by 5 more lenses in the space of 3 months.

My new year's resolution was not to buy any more lenses. So I didn't. :D But have bought many accessories in the last few months, latest addition is a £150 Billingham bag bought on Friday.

But I'm going to stop! This GAS really isn't healthy on my saving's account. Used to have no problem saving up enough money for the £5000 odd yearly ISA limit, that's including PUS (PC Upgrade Syndrome), but I hadn't upgraded PC this year, and I am still struggling to put enough money into ISA this year.


Best way to stop: set a budget each month, want more expensive item? don't spend the budget for a few months to save up.
 
I suffer from GAS too.

I don't want to think too much about how much money I've spent over the last couple of years on kit. Fortunately for me the missus doesn't give me too much earache.

When I accidentally came home from Focus the other week with a new bag she was interrogating I mean asking me how much I'd spent and she breathed a sigh of relief when I told her said bag was only £150. She said she was expecting me to have spent thousands. Dammit! If I'd have known I'm sure I could have bought a new lens or two!
 
I agree with the above comment. I may not need the things I want, but somehow manage to find a reason or mainly think that I will use them
at some point.

CF tripod bought, never used
Gorilla Pod - never used
16-35 lens - never used
B+W - filters - never used

I could go on

No more upgrades for a whilst now though.
 
I've been quite fortunate to largely avoid GAS both as a musician and as a photographer! Since buying my dream bass around 10 years ago I haven't even considered getting anything else and I've only really had a couple of serious upgrades/updates to my camera gear in the 8 years I've been shooting. I was still mostly using my old 350D bought new in February 2006 and 30D bought in December 2006 until a couple of years ago when I bought a 7D, I managed to stretch to a 5Dmk2 last year as well with the addition of a couple of new L series lenses and I reckon that should keep me going for a while (with the exception of possibly another 1 or 2 more specialist lenses like a nice macro and fast prime).

I can never really get my hear round people who change their main bodies/systems regularly to be honest. I'm a massive fan of learning the gear you have inside out and gradually learning to get the best out of it which you can never really do if you're always changing what you use. I like the kind of 'at one with your gear' feeling you get when you know it well. That said I can also very easily understand why people acquire loads of gear! At the end of the day I do see my cameras as toys; they keep me occupied, I like playing with them and generally fiddling so it's perfectly understandable for me that if someone thinks similar then it's nice having more toys to play with. Photography's just a bit of an expensive hobby to keep buying toys for! :lol:
 
I suppose if you can afford it and get pleasure from it... why should it ever stop?

When I was younger and earning literally more money than I could spend I thought I'd buy myself a little man toy (camera, hi fi, watch etc) every month but I very soon ran out of stuff to buy. I went thought a photography GAS phase when I decided that my compact was limiting me and then again when my SLR+f4 lens was limiting me and yet again when I went digital but more recently it's sort of ended for me and apart from buying some cheap legacy lenses (the most expensive was £78) I've spent very little recently.

These days I actually get pleasure from using cheap kit. It's still GAS of a sort but it costs a few quid instead of oodles.
 
Totally understand the urge. Seriously though after your first great photo, in your eyes at least, and when you become really familiar with using your camera, I found that the urge dissipates. The bad news is that it's like giving up smoking you still get "The Want" occasionally.
The worst is wildlife photography where bigger lenses deliver better photos at astronomic cost so it's a never ending battle. Keep clear of that one.
 
PMN said:
I'm a massive fan of learning the gear you have inside out and gradually learning to get the best out of it which you can never really do if you're always changing what you use. I like the kind of 'at one with your gear' feeling you get when you know it well.
Click to expand...

Right on. Couldn't agree more and it's a great feeling when you're using sophisticated equipment and you're in the zone.
 
PMN said:
I'm a massive fan of learning the gear you have inside out and gradually learning to get the best out of it which you can never really do if you're always changing what you use. I like the kind of 'at one with your gear' feeling you get when you know it well.
Click to expand...

Right on. Couldn't agree more and it's a great feeling when you're using sophisticated equipment and you're in the zone.

Apologies hit the wrong button and now I can't get rid of this
 
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crofter said:
I selflessly buy things I can't afford and don't need in order to keep the world economy going, I should get a bleedin medal.
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You are a true hero , its a priviledge to know you ... you should move to cyprus, they need men of your calibre out there :lol:
 
Glad I read this thread

I now understand how but not why I have 43 camera bodies..... I know its an unstoppable ilness .... I will not buy another body.............

Lenses I need lenses...... Lenses I say
 
I'm as guilty as everyone else!!

Where I tend to go wrong is making compromises on the things I buy, and suffer buyers remorse shortly after!!

I really wanted a D800e with a 24mm f1.4 but ended up with a D600 (for which I'm really happy with really!) and a used 14-24 f2.8. The lens is huge and heavy (I knew it would be so have only myself to blame!!) I guess I'll sell it on and get that 24 prime just as soon as I can afford to...but then I really need that 27inch imac...and!!!!!!

I guess it's only ever justifiable if it all makes you a better photographer!!

Matt
 
I went to the Doctor about this photography addiction I've lived with for many years. He was very interested and sympathetic about my complaint then asked me If I wanted to buy his camera gear.
 
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Mani Gill said:
Hi guys,

Since I was given a simple 550d as a gift in 2010 and started using it, I have developed the longing for something more.

I purchased a 24-105 and now it has gone onto full frame and a few other accessories which I have simply not used.

I have the notion that I need the best when I clearly don't. I am not a professional, simply a hobbyist.

I have bought items which I have never used and still long for more.

Has anyone else developed a similar urge?

When does it stop?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the wonderful world of photography and GAS!

Not many here don't have at least some form of GAS.

It stops when you either run out of money or have all you want.

iancandler said:
Its called G.A.S - Gear Acquisition Syndrome, no matter what the hobby or interest most suffer from it at some point.

Its very unhealthy, mainly affecting the bank & credit card balances but has been known to become a chronic condition that can affect her indoors as well.

It usually ceases once funds are exhausted and/or her indoors has gone back to her mothers.
Click to expand...

All too true!

swanseamale47 said:
Sadly it doesn't stop, you'll reach a point where you'll consider selling your partner into slavery for the next new must have camera/lens/flash/etc.... but thats the fun of photography. ;)
Click to expand...

As is this, although I'll never sell my (far) better half into slavery.

woof woof said:
I suppose if you can afford it and get pleasure from it... why should it ever stop?

---<SNIP>---

These days I actually get pleasure from using cheap kit. It's still GAS of a sort but it costs a few quid instead of oodles.
Click to expand...

Indeed. As long as all your other expenses can be met and any left over is truly disposable income, why not treat yourself? If you need to put purchases on a credit card, then you have a severe problem!

Cheap kit is a blast, as is downgrading/downsizing. Far easier to carry a decent compact around than the full SLR kit bag - maybe even a couple of compacts and possibly a bridge! As has been shown many times, it's as much the 12" or so behind the camera as the kit - better kit may make a photo easier or more possible but the photographer still needs to be able to see and/or make the photograph.
 
It only stops when you have everything.
 
Hugh Jarse said:
Glad I read this thread

I now understand how but not why I have 43 camera bodies..... I know its an unstoppable ilness .... I will not buy another body.............

Lenses I need lenses...... Lenses I say
Click to expand...

43 bodies!!! That is some serious GAS.
 
Norfolkbloke said:
I'm as guilty as everyone else!!

Where I tend to go wrong is making compromises on the things I buy, and suffer buyers remorse shortly after!!

I really wanted a D800e with a 24mm f1.4 but ended up with a D600 (for which I'm really happy with really!) and a used 14-24 f2.8. The lens is huge and heavy (I knew it would be so have only myself to blame!!) I guess I'll sell it on and get that 24 prime.

Matt
Click to expand...

I've made this mistake, it's always best to wait until you can afford what you really want, it may reduce the symptoms of acquiring more gear.
 
I have a problem to
I brought a load of stuff then kept buying
Then sold loads and then brought loads
I got the 70-200 f4 then wanted better then got the 2.8 is mki but now want the 2.8 mkii
Have the 7d then the 5d mkii now want a 5d mkiii or 1dx
Had a camera bag that was not good enough for what I wanted so got a bigger more expensive one
 
There's your problem Martin - a new bag will be that bit bigger so there will be a bit of space for a new lens/filter/doowhitchet. Then that space will be filled so a new bag will be needed and so the vicious cycle continues!
 
It's a great thread to let it all out. A photographers version of AA! :)
 
I went from spending £500 sold for £275 to spending £2000, im dreading what is next and so it my bank account. Its just all so shiny and nice haha, we are like human Magpies.
 
But I have less and the new bag is bigger but struggles to hold all I want
Refuse to by bigger though
 
I've got GAS and GRS (Gear Re-aquisition Syndrome) at the moment. I want my 7D back but it's at out at the minute awaiting repair. Just when I need my insurance company to be 'on the ball' and we get an Easter break. The only GAS I have at the moment is a wide angle lens as my 5D3 and 24mm just isn't quite wide enough for a project I have waiting. I need/want a 17-40 to complete my setup. When the 70D is released I'll have a good look at it and if it suits me more than the 7D then I'll swap bodies and then that'll be it. Unless I win the lottery of course, then I'll have an acute attack of GAS.
 
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