Photographers: Gear Acquisition Syndrome IS A Good Thing!
Hands up who thinks a lot about their photography gear? Who puts a bit of thought into what body, lens, film or editing they should do for each shoot? I certainly do.
I’ve long asserted that the best camera to have is the one in your hand. I’m a big advocate for keeping my gear as simple as possible. My ‘go to’ digital set-up is a Fujifilm X-T1 with the 27mm f2.8 pancake lens. It’s simple — really simple. I can probably get about 90% of everything I want to do from that combination. I can shoot in .jpeg, transfer them wirelessly to my phone, do simple edits, and post or send them however I want. Similarly when I’m shooting film, I love to keep it as simple as possible. I pretty much shoot a mechanical rangefinder or SLR with a 50mm lens, and some cheap expired black and white film and I’m happy as a pig in mud.
Gear Acquisition Syndrome is often given a bad wrap, like it’s not a desirable thing to have lotsa camera gear. I’ll put a caveat here and say that getting more gear just because it’s new, or sharper, or quicker for the sake of having more may not be the best approach. Gear Acquisition Syndrome though isn’t the big bad monster some people make it out to be, but I’ll circle back to that later.
There are very few Youtubers I watch that review camera gear. If I’m looking at a new body, lens or film, I’ll check some reviewers out and get their take. It usually confirms what I already know — that I will be buying said gear, but it’s nice to have that positive reinforcement. One such Youtube channel I love is an Aussie who goes by the name of Shutter Slaps. He reviews different cameras, has chronic ADHD, and often introduces topics such as European art, cinema, and a stack of 80s references in his videos. His latest on the Holga 135Tim really caught my attention — not because of the camera, but a simple paragraph. His thesis, which is also the thesis of this article, is that your camera should inspire you.
Of the many gold nuggets of wisdom I’ve heard about photography, that certainly resonated. Your camera should inspire you to shoot, not hinder you.
Let that sink in for a minute. Your camera should inspire you to shoot, not hinder you.
We buy cameras to take photos. That sounds simple enough. Taking photos means so many different things to different photographers. Some photographers are exceptionally technical (I’m looking at you, landscape photographers!). They exposure blend, focus stack, have the tripod, the big cameras, and lenses. Some photographers (like myself) have a super simple set-up — I pick it up, get out of the house, pound the pavement and capture images. Portrait photographers are masters of light around the face and use amazing glass to capture stunning images. However it looks like to frame an image, push the shutter button, hear the click and see the result — we all buy cameras to take photos.
So what should a camera make you ‘feel’? How does a camera inspire you to get out and shoot? It will be different for everyone, depending on what you shoot. For me, the camera should enhance the process of capturing whatever you want to see. If that’s having a high-spec modern camera, all power to you. If it’s lugging around a large format film camera, well rock and roll. Perhaps it’s a little digicam that you can slip into your pocket and pull out to capture those episodic moments, that’s perfect. The camera should lend itself to making you want to shoot. It shouldn’t hinder you — whatever that looks like. A heavy camera can be a turn-off for hikers and bushwalkers. A clumsy DSLR with crappy glass will stop a parent from photographing those ‘in the moment’ shots of their kids. Your camera should work with you in your photography flow, not make you groan about the limitations of your gear.
I’ve said several times that for me, simple is best. It works for me. Being able to grab a simple camera with a prime lens and a few settings I can tinker with and I’m in heaven! Technical photographers may find simple controls limiting. Street photographers want unintrusive, lightweight set-ups to cart around easily.
So — does gear matter? Absolutely. It matters a lot. Generally speaking, you need the right tools for the job. You won’t get good Astro photography from a cheap point-and-shoot camera. Your gear should inspire you to create. It should be your best supporting hand in capturing the images you’re after. It should encourage you to get out, and encourage your creativity.
What’s the best ‘gear advice’ you’ve ever received? Let me know!
