Does it ever end???

[tink]

Why can I not stop buying photographic equipment? What does it take to make you satisfied you have enough?

I cant help myself. I see something else every week that I think I will need or could do with!! The problem is, it's all so expensive!

How do you guys refrain from spending? I'm just hopeless!

[Old Timer]

Why can I not stop buying photographic equipment? What does it take to make you satisfied you have enough?

I cant help myself. I see something else every week that I think I will need or could do with!! The problem is, it's all so expensive!

How do you guys refrain from spending? I'm just hopeless!

I've had the same problem for over 35 years. My answer is usually don't refrain. I find a wasy to get it somehow. Usually means going out and shoting something for pay that I don't want to do. Wedding....ugh. But they got me lots of equipment I wouldn't have had other wise.

[Liz]

I think we all have a bit of buying photography equipment addiction.
One "fix" is to join the 12 step program at Photography Review:

Here are the 12 steps to keep your sanity
Check out the new item thoroughly to be sure it's the right one for you.
Convince yourself that the specs just fit your needs
Stay a while in "this is what I've always wanted" mode
Rationalize where you're going to get the money
Be sure you "discern" the "great deal" with other addicts
Check to see if the dealer has overnight shipping
Obsess about reading all the reviews
Ignore all reviews that say anything negative
Write and post a great review before you buy the lens to see if others follow
Try to find another piece of equipment that will work well with this one
Order item as soon as it's shipped to the dealer to be sure you get the first copy
As soon as you try it out, take note if there is something you can get to go with it
Email a request to your favorite dealer to be alerted to any new equipment that arrives

;)

Liz

Why can I not stop buying photographic equipment? What does it take to make you satisfied you have enough?

I cant help myself. I see something else every week that I think I will need or could do with!! The problem is, it's all so expensive!

How do you guys refrain from spending? I'm just hopeless!

[another view]

Along the lines of the 12-step program, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

In the last year I really haven't bought much of anything. In fact, I've sold much more than I've bought. I realized that 90% of what I was doing was with a few pieces of equipment, and since I gave up shooting weddings I really didn't need it hanging around. I've sold my F5, F100, one Stroboframe and special shortened cord, electronic release, 20-35 f2.8 (not that wide for DSLR, need to get something to replace it), 80-400, a pile of film and a flash battery pack. Can't really think of anything I've bought in the last six months other than a 1GB card for the DSLR...

I think the biggest place I've wasted money is on cheap tripods (check the DSLR forum thread on this...). A few years ago I think I was much more of a gearhead than I am now. It's working for me this way, and since I do it for my own pleasure there's nothing I feel I need to have.

[Liz]

Oh yes, I forgot - this year I bought 3 lenses. I kept the 35mm/f2.0 - the least expensive and nice lens!

The 2nd one was the Tamron 24-75 (?) which I sold for $50 more than I paid for it. I got a great deal on it as CompUSA was getting rid of them, but I could see that my slight camera shake problem was an issue with this lens for some reason. It doesn't show up on the 50mm/f1.4 or the 85mm/f1.8. As mentioned in another post, I'm returning the 24-105 which I really wanted (IS L lens) - there is a recall from Canon.

Liz

Along the lines of the 12-step program, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

In the last year I really haven't bought much of anything. In fact, I've sold much more than I've bought. I realized that 90% of what I was doing was with a few pieces of equipment, and since I gave up shooting weddings I really didn't need it hanging around. I've sold my F5, F100, one Stroboframe and special shortened cord, electronic release, 20-35 f2.8 (not that wide for DSLR, need to get something to replace it), 80-400, a pile of film and a flash battery pack. Can't really think of anything I've bought in the last six months other than a 1GB card for the DSLR...

I think the biggest place I've wasted money is on cheap tripods (check the DSLR forum thread on this...). A few years ago I think I was much more of a gearhead than I am now. It's working for me this way, and since I do it for my own pleasure there's nothing I feel I need to have.

[Axle]

How do you guys refrain from spending? I'm just hopeless!

Simple, I stop going into photography stores. I bought my Dimage Z2, it'll be my last purchase in a long time.

[Lionheart]

Why can I not stop buying photographic equipment? What does it take to make you satisfied you have enough?

I cant help myself. I see something else every week that I think I will need or could do with!! The problem is, it's all so expensive!

How do you guys refrain from spending? I'm just hopeless!

Funny this post should get my attention. This is the first year I haven't purchased anything significant in equipment-except for the Panasonic FZ-5 in my attempt to downsize due to my ailing back. I have since gone back to my old gear (quality issues) despite my back pains.
If I'm constantly wanting to buy gear, it's usually because my current gear doesn't allow me the ease and freedom to get the images I'm looking for. I'm lucky to have pretty much what I need and then some (took a few years) , so lately I haven't been looking at what's new. But I remember when I made do with what was in my budget, and buying the next great piece of gear was constantly on the agenda.
Don't buy something if you really wanted something else-save and buy what you really wanted-saves you money in the long run. I finally learned that after I sucked it up and bought my first pro lens and camera body. There's always something I want, but I've learned to be patient these days.

[JSPhoto]

I buy once a year wether I need to or not....

All "other" things are atributed to my other obsession... the computer and it's an ongoing monthly expense. I even attribute CF cards to computer expense, not camera as it is more justified

JS

[Franglais]

Why can I not stop buying photographic equipment? What does it take to make you satisfied you have enough?

I cant help myself. I see something else every week that I think I will need or could do with!! The problem is, it's all so expensive!

How do you guys refrain from spending? I'm just hopeless!

I have lots of gear. All I have, I use. I'm - methodical.

Over the years I have built up a list of all the things I usually photograph and what I've found to be the best gear for the event. Before going out I look at my calendar (an Excel spreadsheet) I take what's indicated. On return I reviw how it went and perhaps make modifications. If I decide to buy more gear then it's based on real need rather than because I want it.

Charles

[Asylum Steve]

I love photo gear as much as the next guy, and every so often I stray into more of a studio manager mode than the photographer and image maker I really should be.

I'll catch myself thumbing frantically through all my photo catalogs, laughing nervously as I eye choice new toys to add to my collection, then painstakingly calculate how much room I have on my credit cards and ponder how much more I'm willing to pay to get a package to my door as soon as humanly possible...

Then I usually wake up in a cold sweat... ;)

Seriously, the key to maintaining a balance is to simply place the emphasis of your thinking back on the work and NOT the means to achieve it.

With that in mind (and of course, monetary restrictions aside), I almost always work backwards from the images I visualize and ask myself, "can you do this project or shoot with the gear you have now?"

And if not, why not?

I've spent quite a lot on equipment this year, as I've beefed up both my camera arsenal as well as lighting and studio gear, but I never buy stuff JUST for the sake of buying it. There has to be a serious and practical purpose in mind.

And whatever I get almost always has to have the potential to either help make me money or further my career or image-making abilities in some particular way.