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How to overcome camera gear addiction

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From curated Instagram accounts to the digital aisles of online stores, the temptation of shiny new tech is everpresent. There’s always something new and improved that I ‘need’ to be a better photographer. A filter for this, an adapter for that, an extra few megapixels here, a pinch of dynamic range there… and don’t get me started on lenses, tripods, and backpacks.

Truth be told, practice — not purchase — makes perfect. Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, said it best: The more you know, the less you need.

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Stop constantly upgrading your gear, it’s making you miserable

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There are times when your gear absolutely needs an upgrade. But there are those other times when you think upgrading will make you a better photographer or a happier person – but it won’t. In this video, Rafael Ludwig discusses why we should “get off the hedonic treadmill” and stop upgrading our gear all the time, and how new gear won’t make us any happier or any better at photography.

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Stop buying stuff! Having the latest gear won’t make you a better photographer

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We can argue forever if gear matters or not, and we won’t get anywhere. Sure, in some cases it does, but you don’t need the latest gear to take some epic photos. If you’re feeling frustrated because you can’t afford to upgrade, this video from Taylor Jackson could boost your confidence and inspire you to go out and shoot regardless of the gear that you have.

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Photographer regrets buying this gear; what are your regrets?

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Even if you don’t suffer from the so-called Gear Acquisition Syndrome, I’m sure that you’ve bought some gear that turned out to be a bad investment. Evan Ranft sure has. In this fun video, he lists all the gear that was a totally bad choice and that he now regrets buying. Are any of these items on your list as well?

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Three reasons why minimalistic approach to camera gear is good for your photography

Some people see minimal gear as a limitation, while others rather see it as a challenge and possibility. Buying less gear will save you lots of cash, that’s for sure. But Joris Hermans believes that a minimalistic approach to gear is also good for your photography and creativity. Let’s see how it improves them.

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You may own too many lenses: when is it time to start selling them?

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Is there even such thing as too many lenses? Well, I’m afraid so. If you suffer from the so-called Gear Acquisition Syndrome, at some point some of your many lenses will serve for nothing but collecting dust. But how do you know the time to sell them has definitely come? How can you be sure you’re never gonna use them? Let Michael The Maven help you to answer these questions. In this video, he discusses how many lenses is too many to bring to a photo shoot, but also how many is too many to own and when you should definitely start getting rid of them.

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Why you shouldn’t buy new camera gear

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The truth is never easy to swallow. Take for example to answer for the oh-so-popular question, what camera should I buy? Most will suffix this questions with something like “I heard that the new Canon 5dmk4 is awesome” or “I am considering starting with the Sony A7III” to add some background.  This is a weird thing to ask, considering that gear does not make your photography better. Sure, some gear makes some types of photography possible, but it rarely makes it better. The right answer to this question will probably save you quite a lot of money, but also force you to take responsibility for your final photos.

In this short video, Pye Jirsa of SLR Lounge explains why the best investment in gear is never buying new gear. (ok, there is a point when that latest model does make sense, but it is usually far, far down the road).

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On gratitude: your camera already has the most important feature

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There is something all-newcomer photographers tend to do, they either dream of camera gear or buy a lot of it. When I started in photography I went through the same thing. I thought that I needed all the lenses that my idols used, I believed I needed the biggest megapixel camera, with all the film features just in case a potential client wanted video. But over time with age came wisdom.

The amateur compensates with the many, where the master relies on the few. One camera, one lens, one light, focusing on the moment. Capturing what matters instead of focusing on the gear, giving attention to the photograph being framed.

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It doesn’t matter why this photographer switched from the Fuji X100 to the X-T20

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We often hear stories from both sides of the fence on how much gear really matters. And there are many arguments both for and against Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS). We all go through the feelings of it at some point. I know I have. Whether or not we act on it is another matter entirely.

Photographer Sean Tucker decided that he was going to switch out his Fuji X100, a camera which he loves and often raves about, for an X-T20. So, he did exactly that. He picked up an X-T20 along with used 23mm and 35mm lenses. When he posted a photo of it to Instagram, he was hit with wildly varying comments, and lots of them. In this video, he talks about them, offers his response.

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