who is done? and how do you know?

[clarence]

Interesting answers all around. Like some of the younger members here, it might be a little early for me to declare that I have acquired all the gear I need. It might even be rather presumptuous to suggest so.

I believe that gear acquisition is a perfectly normal, albeit non-essential part of photography. Some other amateur photographers I know are not perfectly happy with the limitations of their old EOS's or Nikons, and I point out to them some other gear they might want to consider. They are reluctant to make the necessary financial sacrifices though, and simply continue shooting with whatever they have, and get a lot better at doing the same things, which is not a bad thing at all.

Like Stephanie, some time ago I decided to plan out my gear acquisition, because I knew it could get me into a fiscal mire if I wasn't careful. These are the targets I set and the cameras I acquired:

1 x small 35mm interchangeable lens rangefinder - Leica CL
1 x 6x6 Medium format interchangeable lens rangefinder - Mamiya 6
1 x cheap digital SLR - Canon 300D

I could have gone through a dozen M's and a couple of Bessas, but I knew there wasn't a point. I committed myself to getting the smallest possible interchangeable lens rangefinder known to Man and nothing must distract me from it. I started photography with a Zorki-4K and currently have a CL. I thank God that inbetween there was only a FED-2 and nothing more.

This will be my complete kit for some time, until I start craving for a low light outfit or some other esoteric set of equipment. Lenses do not interest me, however, and I think that is the critical difference. If you are a lens gourmand or gourmet (and the two are very different things), then you can forget about ever ceasing GAS.

Clarence

 

[Rich Silfver]

I believe that gear acquisition is a perfectly normal, albeit non-essential part of photography.

I tend to disagree on this point. Unless your style of photography is static the need to change/upgrade your tools IS an essential part of photography. It can even at times help a photographer out of a creative rut (to go from 35mm to MF, from MF to LF or from LF to 35mm, etc). I know it has helped me once.

I could have gone through a dozen M's and a couple of Bessas, but I knew there wasn't a point. I committed myself to getting the smallest possible interchangeable lens rangefinder known to Man and nothing must distract me from it. I started photography with a Zorki-4K and currently have a CL. I thank God that inbetween there was only a FED-2 and nothing more.

The 'problem' here is that size and having the ability to change lenses are just to criterias to take into consideration. Sometimes going through a number of cameras is essential for you to find out what is the 'near perfect' camera for you. And if nothing is fun and less harmful than crack.

Going through a number of cameras is not necessarily something that needs to be avoided (or even that has to be very expensive if you sell them as soon a you've 'discarded' them) - sometimes it can ever be desired.

 

[clarence]

I tend to disagree on this point. Unless your style of photography is static the need to change/upgrade your tools IS an essential part of photography. It can even at times help a photographer out of a creative rut (to go from 35mm to MF, from MF to LF or from LF to 35mm, etc). I know it has helped me once.

Sometimes going through a number of cameras is essential for you to find out what is the 'near perfect' camera for you. And if nothing is fun and less harmful than crack.

I agree with you, Rich, but to be honest, I think that when we get stuck in a creative rut, gear acquisition is just one of many ways out of the pit. Sometimes when other amateur photographers see the candid shots I'm capable of taking with a rangefinder, they get a little envious, but they stick with their SLRs in the end and keep practising with their AF and zoom lenses and they certainly do get better at what they do. It may be the same landscapes and portraits, but they keep pushing their own boundaries within the limitations of their equipment.

Not all of us can truly say that we've exhausted the potential of our equipment. One of the posts mentioned being able to use a camera in one's sleep, and I think that's the sort of barrier I want to hit before deciding on getting new equipment.

And yes, it is safer than crack.

Clarence

 

[FrankS]

I've reworded a piece of wisdom that a grandfather imparted to his grandson in the fabulous movie, Little Miss Sunshine to make it relevant to this discussion: "Try a lot of cameras kid, not just one. Try as many as you can. I have no reason to mislead you on this. Don't make the mistake I made. Try all the cameras you can!"

 

[back alley]

I've reworded a piece of wisdom that a grandfather imparted to his grandson in the fabulous movie, Little Miss Sunshine to make it relevant to this discussion: "Try a lot of cameras kid, not just one. Try as many as you can. I have no reason to mislead you on this. Don't make the mistake I made. Try all the cameras you can!"

brings a tear to my eye, sorta...🙂

 

[FrankS]

See the movie, it'll make you laugh!

 

[vha]

Think I´m done for the moment . . . . . as long as it lasts 😉
Have lately sold some gear, even felt nice too, so now its just time to lean back and wait for the mail, hopefully i´ll have the 35mm nocton on Tuesday.
Not sure if I can see something that I really need at the moment, or afford for that sake, nope I´m done.

vha

 

[greggebhardt]

Heck, I am just starting!

Not done till death!

M7 TI, 50 lux, 35 lux and other to follow. Oh, and deposit is down on the the M8!

 

[Jungle Jim]

I'm pretty sure I'm done. No more room in my camera bag LOL!

 

[back alley]

you only have one camera bag?