Comments on: 8 Effective Ways to Avoid Gear Acquisition Syndrome

By: baseballBill

baseballBill — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 12:49:57 +0000

An additional way to shake things up is to do a temporary gear swap with a trusted Photographer friend. I have swapped my DSLR body and lens for my friends mirror less body and lens for a two week period. I have also temporarily swapped my wide angle for a super Tele for a brief period. It really changes how you view the world.

By: parkylondon

parkylondon — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 09:47:52 +0000

I’m by no means cured of G.A.S. but a defining moment was given to me by someone older and much wiser. He explained that there is a difference between “needing” and “wanting” gear.

If you have your eyes on, say, a new lens you have to explain why you NEED that new lens. If that explanation doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, then you just WANT the new lens and it’s G.A.S.

Also, another one… with the same “new lens” scenario

Let’s say the new lens is £2,000 – what could you / would you do with £2,000 if someone walked up to you and GAVE you the money? How could you spend it? Again, if there is no better way to spend that money, go for it – if there is, it’s G.A.S.

By: Jim the Photographer

Jim the Photographer — Sat, 29 Sep 2018 17:15:00 +0000

Great advice! Great article! I want to get a new camera, but I’m not out everyday using the ones I have! We’ve had a string of bad weather here recently, but that’s no excuse.

By: Zaffi61

Zaffi61 — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 17:43:00 +0000

I have a simple self imposed rule. I am only allowed to own 3 lenses at a time. If I desire a new lens then I have to give up a currently owned one.
Works great for me.
Especially since I would never trade in my 1st and fave lens a 24-240.
Inventory: a 15-35; a 24-70 (cuz it’s lighweight) ; a 24-240. What more could I possibly need than those.

By: pete guaron

pete guaron — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 06:58:00 +0000

In reply to Simon Geard.

Another one, Simon, is security.

I travel a bit, and you see articles regularly telling you about the risks of Leica’s red spot – or telling you to get rid of that camera strap that shouts “Canon” or “Nikon” across the street – or to get some black masking tape and stick it over all the brand names on your cam.

Or suggesting you can take perfectly good photos with a Fuji X110T, which practically fits into your pocket. Again, with the objective of warding off thieves.

By: pete guaron

pete guaron — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 06:49:00 +0000

Hmm – I think I must have had a cathartic moment before my last gear acquisition phase. I had been an analogue photographer for half a century or more. Then because of other pressures, I fooled around for a while with a smaller digital – but it simply wasn’t producing the image quality I wanted. So I decided that if I WAS going digital, I should take it more seriously and do it properly.

At that point, I sat down and mapped out what I would “need”, as distinct from what I would “like”.

My road map took careful account of all the gear I’d had in the past, and what I had done with it. For example, I’d had a 135mm tele on my SLR, but for the number of shots I’d ever taken with it, I seriously didn’t think I could justify getting another one for my digital set up. So I kitted myself with an FF DSLR, a w/angle, a standard (50mm) and the usual run of cards, batteries, filters, etc.

And for less serious stuff – kids, pets, whatever – a half frame DSLR with the kit zoom that came with the camera.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, to have a 500mm tele, so I could take astonishing shots of the next harvest moon (not that I’m likely to live that long 🙂 ) – or birds? – I’ve always loved photographing birds, and they tell me that’s the sort of lens you need to be a good bird photographer. Nope – pass – Yes I’d like to be able to take such shots, but no, I would NEVER in what’s left of my time on this planet take anywhere NEAR enough photos like that, to be able to justify buying such a toy.

By: walwit

walwit — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 16:29:00 +0000

Thank you Laura, I liked your article. I couldn’t avoid an offering from an unexpected vendor so I bought the camera of my dreams: Fujifilm X-T1 with my dream lens: XF 18-135mm.
But the gear I had was an old Canon 40D from 2008, so I think It wasn’t the GAS in operation.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 15:00:00 +0000

In reply to Paul Moertl. I'll never forget the day when I realized I didn't need those hundreds of presets...

By: Lawrence Jones

Lawrence Jones — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 13:35:00 +0000

KEH in the US is a good place to pick up used equipment or sell what you have to pare down. I used them on my purge. Getting rid of a ton of stuff was a turning point in GAS for me.

By: Jerfareza

Jerfareza — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 05:13:00 +0000

I’m afraid no 8 doesn’t help me at all 🙂 Exactly because used gears are cheap I can afford to buy what I want.

Though joining a challenge sounds fun!