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 Post subject: Gear whore
PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:49 am 
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Is it just me or does anyone else keep buying, trying, and selling lenses/gear to find the "right" one(s)? I'm almost done my "Goldilocks" journey, faced several questions from the wife asking why I need another ___ when I just sold a ___, and I'm getting close to narrowing down my kit. My conclusion was that I don't like bulky gear, so no battery grips or 70-200mm for me, and Strobist instead of strobes. I guess that also makes me a good candidate for m4/3 (I'm a Canon user) but that would throw another monkey wrench into the situation so I'm not willing to even try it for the sake of my sanity! Geez I'm a masochist hahaha


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:02 am 
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Trust me, you are not alone.

... we should all get together and start a support group.
Gearaholics Anonymous.

Hello, My name is Huy, and I'm addicted to gearahol.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:10 am 
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I started shooting professionally on the side to make up $$s spent on gear, lol. At one point, I had 11 Canon L lenses. I was even shooting Nikon and Canon systems at the same time, at one point, Ha ha. I don't like bulky gear either and prefer grip-less DSLRs. Hence, all the excitement about D3s and 1DIV are a big yawn-fest for me. I've now built a m4/3 system, which I use for fun. I think most of us here are gear whores for sure.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:12 am 
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LE37 wrote:
Hello, My name is Huy, and I'm addicted to gearahol.


Hi Huy.


Hello, my name is Barron, I'm addicted to gearahol.



lol, I think online forums make the addiction even worse, maybe I should stop reading about other gear and live in a photographic time capsule. Although I did read a good tip online somewhere about taping your kit lens at a certain focal length and use it like that for a week to see if you'd like to get that focal length as a prime. What a great idea!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:18 am 
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sabesh wrote:
At one point, I had 11 Canon L lenses. I was even shooting Nikon and Canon systems at the same time..<cut>. I've now built a m4/3 system, which I use for fun.


Haha, I think you've got me beat! So you sold all the Canon and Nikon and now just use m4/3??


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:20 am 
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You want to meet a gear whore...... his knickname here is "Hotwire" :)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:27 am 
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barronchung wrote:
Haha, I think you've got me beat! So you sold all the Canon and Nikon and now just use m4/3??

No no, I sold off my Nikon system and some of my Canon lenses. I now have a Canon system with a few lenses that I need for Pro shoots (took me 3 years to figure out that I only needed these particular lenses, lol). They collect dust in between shoots while I'm playing with my "precious": Olympus E-P2 :)

lxdesign wrote:
You want to meet a gear whore...... his knickname here is "Hotwire" :)

I dunno .. I think that lz7j is up there too ;)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:32 am 
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Every time I hear references to AA meetings, I get images of this floating through my head.

http://www.leasticoulddo.com/comic/20100321

But yeah, I should also stop reading reviews of gear. Now I have a 70-200 IS ii that I have to get used to carrying. I didn't realize how used to primes I've gotten.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:33 am 
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Guilty! :cry:


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:41 am 
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I'm a gearaholic as well.
But I'm a functioning gearaholic, I swear! :wink:


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:42 am 
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I'd say I am a functioning gear-o-holic too.... It hasn't disrupted my normal every day life ...... yet.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 11:59 am 
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Oh g*d I just realized something-- alcoholics keep a flask of vodka in their jackets for those "uncontrollable moments", apparently vodka because the smell is undetectable at work. A couple days ago I put my Fuji F10 in my jacket to take a video of something and it's been in my jacket ever since... undetected... ready for an uncontrollable moment. HA!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:11 pm 
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barronchung wrote:
Oh g*d I just realized something-- alcoholics keep a flask of vodka in their jackets for those "uncontrollable moments", apparently vodka because the smell is undetectable at work. A couple days ago I put my Fuji F10 in my jacket to take a video of something and it's been in my jacket ever since... undetected... ready for an uncontrollable moment. HA!

LOL, I hear ya. My wife keeps saying "stop embarrassing me" whenever I pull out my DSLR to take food pics in a restaurant. She's glad that I now use a m4/3 camera :)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:15 pm 
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I'm on TPMG way too much
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I've gone through 4 different camera bodies in a little over a year...and a whole lotta lenses have come and gone in that time...trying to satisfy my gear itch...only I'm still itchin' for more gear...

barronchung wrote:
A couple days ago I put my Fuji F10 in my jacket to take a video of something and it's been in my jacket ever since... undetected... ready for an uncontrollable moment. HA!


I picked up a Canon S90 to hide in my jacket as well.
I NEEDZ mah RAW files!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:38 pm 
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I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.



oooh I don't have that lens... BIN... click ...

I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.
I don't have a problem... I can quit anytime I want.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:42 pm 
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barronchung wrote:
Oh g*d I just realized something-- alcoholics keep a flask of vodka in their jackets for those "uncontrollable moments", apparently vodka because the smell is undetectable at work. A couple days ago I put my Fuji F10 in my jacket to take a video of something and it's been in my jacket ever since... undetected... ready for an uncontrollable moment. HA!


comment about the smell is not true, however depends on how much of it you drink :wink:


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:44 pm 
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By the way, mostly men than women! Or should I say boys looking for toys? :lol:


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:47 pm 
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what is the threshold that takes one over the line from being a photographer to being a gear whore??? ;P

ratio of cameras/lenses : prints made
ration between money spent on gear : money earned from gear

;P


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 1:00 pm 
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Ken wrote:
ratio of cameras/lenses : prints made
ration between money spent on gear : money earned from gear


I think those would work! How about:

ratio of amount of equipment owned : amount of equipment one can carry without injuring oneself
ratio of space taken up at home by equipment : space taken up by furniture
ratio of weight of equipment bag over one shoulder : weight of child and baby bag over the other shoulder (this is a wife's scale; a woman's intuition can tell which side you're leaning towards, and you'd better be leaning towards the kid's side!)


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 1:08 pm 
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PotatoEYE wrote:
comment about the smell is not true, however depends on how much of it you drink :wink:


It's true, I can definitely identify the smell of lens grease when I'm near a well maintained lens, but I wouldn't drink it---... oh wait, you meant the vodka didn't you? :wink:


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 2:47 pm 
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i use to keep buying and trying different lens and bodies.. (like last year lol), but now i'll just get whatever i need to get my job done.. therefore im not interested getting new lenses and bodies now, more like planning to invest on lighting gears...


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 2:49 pm 
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Lighting gear is still gear :)
The first step is addmitting you have a problem.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 2:51 pm 
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LE37 wrote:
Lighting gear is still gear :)
The first step is addmitting you have a problem.

damnit! i guess i gonna admit my problem now!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 2:53 pm 
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Ok, I'll admit I have a gear problem haha. But I haven't gone as far as trying different lenses and selling until I found the right one. My purchases are for a specific reason / purpose much like Ste.

If / when I get the TS-E, my kit is DONE :wink:

Having said that.. maybe I should get a softbox.. grrr.. who am I kidding, it never ends!


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:05 pm 
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LE37 wrote:
Lighting gear is still gear :)
The first step is addmitting you have a problem.


damn --- you caught me. I have a crap load of professional lighting gear which most of you guys haven't even seen.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:14 pm 
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Let's quantify this - in the past year:

1. Did you spend $100 to $500 a year on gear.
2. Did you spend $500 to $1000 a year on gear.
3. Did you spend $1000 to $2000 a year on gear.
4. Did you spend $2000 to $5000 a year on gear.
5. Did you spend $5000+ a year on gear.
6. Nevermind, let's just say I have a problem.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:15 pm 
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6.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:26 pm 
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1.
But only because I don't have the extra $


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:40 pm 
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Definitely have an addiction problem but I'm getting better now! :D


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:41 pm 
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Not sure if this should be a thread of its own but... I think we need to create our own 12 step program (http://www.step12.com/12-steps.html):

1) Admit that you have a problem with gearahol
2) ??
.
.
8 ) Make a list including your spouse, children, banker, or anyone whose financial needs were set aside in order to feed your addiction.
9) Make amends with said people in item #8.
.
.


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