How to Finally Beat Camera Gear Acquisition Syndrome (3 steps)

Get rid of the gear you don't need to make room for the gear you actually use.

0:00 - gear acquisition syndrome (GAS)
1:04 - step one. the hard way.
2:50 - step two. dust collectors.
4:38 - step three. one in, one out.
7:18 - freedom

andre pel
andrepel
andre pel photography

#photography #cameras

[StoriesAroundUs]

I used to work in music and it was the same there - tons of people spending countless hours discussing microphones, preamps, compressors, etc, instead of just doing the actual work. Take it from me, it’s a waste of time. No piece of gear is a replacement for experience.

[Left_Hand_Path]

As someone who enjoys photography, guitar, pc gaming, and motorcycles, GAS is the bane of my existence 😂

[MrYoohootuber]

Best thing I find is to watch reviews and people using the gear you already have! People are usually looking to buy inspiration not the gear.

[JezdziecBezNicka]

5:25 – spot on. I own more than 10 lenses, but use just two primes for my commercial work. One for headshots, the other for everything else.

I treat photography as a hobby, but have a specific recurring commercial assignment. And it quickly became apparent, that the only lenses I need is the 20mm f/1.4 for social media and marketing materials, and 45/1.2 for headshots. Also, me being a m43 shooter was never an issue – the customer doesn't care about the system or sensor size, just the end result.

[Sven-R]

This video made me sell a cheap macro lens I haven’t used for 2 years. I bought another macro lens which I use all the time. When it comes to buying new gear I usually wait 1 or 2 moths and then think back: This lens I am interested in, when in the last month or 2 did I need it and couldn’t make the photos I wanted because I didn’t have it. That decides quite quickly, if a new lens is a "need" or a "want".

[RWAquariumPages]

such a great video! i'm going to have to book mark this to watch it every time I want to buy new gear

[henrygarcia]

Dude honestly I suffer from this and I believe you just cured me really opened my eyes!

[shaunmaddox]

Enjoyed your video! I’ve been downsizing to have a mobile and efficient kit. I must say, step one is a bit tricky. Tech companies purposely include new features that will increase chances of sales. So they’ll get you eventually. Then the cycle starts all over again lol.

[richardwalker]

Great little chat, enjoyed it! I work on the principle that if it can't fit in my storage case, something else has to go before something new comes in. More often the 'something new' is something old that is rising in value;-) This is of course a function of inflation in our currencies, which is a deterrent to leaving money lying around in banks. So yea, half my stuff is the core kit I use frequently and the other half 'collectables' that get occasional fair weather use, but hold their value in real terms. The control mechanism is the finite capacity of the storage box;-)

[Jparkss]

Yeah I felt this. This actually happened to me when I got my ZFC after I got the x100s. I loved the x100s during the time I got it but definitely fell into the hype, I spent countless hours trying to figure out the right film simulation and would always go back and change the colors every minute while shooting. It took away the joy of just going out and taking pictures without worrying so much of how the jpegs would come out. With the ZFC it brought me back to just taking pictures like I did before with my d200 and Pentax MX-1. The thing I love with the ZFC is how everyday shooting it is and the interchangeable lenses I use. I’ll definitely be selling my x100s and just sticking with my ZFC and d200 for awhile

[waynethorn]

Very true indeed. Focus on composition regardless of lens

[bigbarkingdog]

Well reasoned and pertinent to many of us. Thank you.

[tomfenn]

Great video! I never thought I'd succumb to GAS but now I have I'm really broke and I have a tonne of 'junk' that I almost never use. I could sell the lot and buy a Leica M. Or alternatively just carry on with what I consider the finest pocket camera ever made, a camera that comes with me everywhere, my Ricoh GRD IV. The money raised use for a trip abroad instead.

[JohnPatrickWeiss]

X-Pro3 owner with Fuji 35 f2. Used this kit all over U.K. A minimalist at heart, I considered the Leica q2 monochrome, but couldn’t justify the price. Less definitely is more.

[mortenthorpe]

Buying the Zeiss Touit 32 1.8 lens for Fuji X-Mount is a cure for wanting more 30-35 mm lenses… what a lens, and so small and light

[dolanfragrance]

GAS literally robbed the fun out of film photography for me. I did less shooting and more spending. I decided to just stop spening film cameras on "good deals" and simply just start taking photos .

[castironspudger]

I had acquired a lot of cameras when people were dumping their film cameras to go digital and they were practically giving them away. I was crippled by choice. Having to run a test roll of film for each camera was taking me away from my enjoyment of photography. I gave more than half to 2 high school programs sold the Canon FD system to replace a failed DSLR. Now I am down to 3 film systems, 2 DSLR systems and 1 mirrorless system. And several points & shoots. Still too many and am considering what else to let go of. My Pentax SLR & DSLR both use the same lenses and should be the obvious choice. But the Olympus SLR and Sony mirrorless still calls to me. I don't have a Nikon system and they look so sparkly and want I some!

[toorandomenvi]

Partly no because for example my om1 is a bit limiting with the 1/1000 speed being max. Good ND filter is the solution to this

[timrpbrown]

Gas isn't always about thinking it'll make me a better photographer, I get it. Gas can just be about enjoying cameras. The variety is fun. I agree you should off load the ones you don't use though when they are expensive. It broke my heart selling my Zeiss Contact IIa but I just didn't use it enough. The money I got from its sale mostly paid for a Leica T. Happy days.

[desoriordan]

I'm selling my XT3, a camera i loved to use, but also found myself not using it that much due to buying the XT5. I will feel a tinge of sadness handing it over though. I am also considering selling my X100V and array of accessories for it. But it's a very handy camera to take anywhere. I don't have too many lenses but would consider selling some for the Viltrox 27mm f1.2. Decluttering, whether in the house or with camera gear is a good thing to do.