Do you agree that "crazily acquiring gears" is part of growing up?


HelloNiHao

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May 3, 2010
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I feel that there are certainly some newbies who are quite into acquiring new equipments. But as time passes, some will be able to concentrate on the skills, and not the equipments.

Newbies would find it hard to understand when some really senior people talk about big theories.

I guess they need more time... If consuming aka acquiring equipments is their main source of joy, then too bad for them. It wouldn't be long term. On the other hand, if they are given time to actually fully utilize the equipments they acquired, and got more and more interested in photography, then good for them.

I don't think it's wrong because it could possibly be part of "growing up" in photography.

Do you agree? :)
 

I feel that there are certainly some newbies who are quite into acquiring new equipments. But as time passes, some will be able to concentrate on the skills, and not the equipments.

Newbies would find it hard to understand when some really senior people talk about big theories.

I guess they need more time... If consuming aka acquiring equipments is their main source of joy, then too bad for them. It wouldn't be long term. On the other hand, if they are given time to actually fully utilize the equipments they acquired, and got more and more interested in photography, then good for them.

I don't think it's wrong because it could possibly be part of "growing up" in photography.

Do you agree? :)


This definitely feels like an exam question.:bsmilie:
No right or wrong I feel....some ppl just don't know what their current equipment can do before they throw their money into the abyss and then find out they still can't get what they want..so in conclusion, I agree your point to a certain extent but a user will definitely need to understand what they are getting into before committing.:)
 

Not necessarily. I bought my 500D in Apr 09 and until now, still only have the kit lens + 55-250 and a Nisson622 flash. That's it. No 50/1.8, no 70-200, no 24-105, no 17-55. So no, "crazily acquiring gear" isn't necessarily part of "growing up".

Perhaps to you, it was ;)
 

Hmm.. Depends on what you mean by "crazily." How crazy is "crazily?"

I think for most beginners, they see lots of types of photos they want to achieve (macro, UWA landscapes, etc) So they tend to think without the dedicated the lens, they will not be able to achieve such photos. So they become eager to buy new equipment.
 

Ya i agreed that its part of growing up...
 

ive gone through lots of stuff to find what really fits me :)
 

It could be a sign of insecurity for some.
 

no, crazily acquiring gear is a step back, no matter what stage you are at... not a step forward.
 

and saying that it is part of growing up is like saying that taking drugs is part of growing into adulthood.

it's just an excuse to try the things that you shouldn't. that doesn't mean that you should, anyways.
 

Hmmm I am newbie and sometimes I fall into the BBB virus to sort of complete the set of lens I need. The problem with me is that many things I like to take picture so it might involve more than 1 lens. Currently using 18-200 for general, and some cheap vintage primes like super takumar to play with primes, learn manual focus at a cheap price (ard S$100 for 50 f1.4 say).

But recently I have grown interest to take wildlife pictures and events which my 200mm cannot reach so I was considering 300mm prime with tele converter.

So I guess it might not be good to buy many but sometimes that equipment rarely appear in 2nd hand market (like 300 f4 non is) and i think if i miss it i might not get it again soon. So once I know I will definitely use it and learn it, I make use of the chance to get the uncommon equipment first and I can spend time to learn.

Ok don't flame me.
 

Not necessarily. I bought my 500D in Apr 09 and until now, still only have the kit lens + 55-250 and a Nisson622 flash. That's it. No 50/1.8, no 70-200, no 24-105, no 17-55. So no, "crazily acquiring gear" isn't necessarily part of "growing up".

Perhaps to you, it was ;)

Agree fully with you Sivakis. You've got more gear than me haaa.. while Im still happily shooting with my kit 18-55 with some filters and understanding how my body and lens can work together to achieve nicer shots.

I still believe its the right use of camera at the right time/place and composition plays a vital role.
 

not entirely true but true to some extent.

for me i dun think i am crazily acquiring gears but rather, exploring and then settling down with what i have.

my first cam body is 450D that comes with a kit 2 18-200, i knew some day i will upgrade to FF hence after using this lens, i did not hesitate to sell away after 1 month since i am not really a "zoom" person but why i bought this kit 2 in the first place? (Do some maths here then u will realise i will save up more on my cam body then if i buy kit 1).

then i used the money i got from selling my kit lens + some top up i got my first L lens 17-40 (since i am going to upgrade to FF someday, might as well start acquiring EF lens now then to waste money and spent time to sell away those EFS lens later). Was happily using it till i realise i need a lens that allows me to shoot better in lowlight, hence i bought a cheap canon 50mm f1.8. But after using it awhile, i dun like the orange tint it gave on my photos shot in indoors. Hence i bought a Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 MF lens since i begin some interest in MF lenses and sold my canon 50mm f1.8 after that shortly.

Later, i decided to sell my CZ lens cos i read that it had some mirror issues apparently with 5DMKII (which i haven bought then), so i sold it to get Canon 50mm f1.4 (after that i regretted selling my CZ cos its by far the best lens i ever got!) and at the same time i decided to buy a Canon 85mm f1.8 to explore protrait photography.

After using Canon 50mm f1.4, i decided that i dun like to use MF on this lens (when i feel like shooting in MF mode), the focusing ring is looser then my 85mm f1.8, so i sell it to get my current OM Zuiko 50mm f1.4.

Just a few months back, with the big price drop for 5DMKII i was thinking, heck, why wait (actually plan to get in 2-3 years time)? Just get it lah! Hence bought the cam and sold my 450D (no regrets!). After using a few variation of 50mm lenses, i find that i am not very happy with 50mm focal length, after doing some research i decided to splurge on another L lens, my current 35mm (simply love it to bits!) to give me more space then a 50mm can offers me and then just recently sold my 85mm f1.8 cos i realise the focal length on my FF is too "short" and hence bought my third L lens, 135mm f2.

So bottom line is, I know what i want and so i just go for it. But not just buying it for the sake of buying.
 

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Not necessarily. I bought my 500D in Apr 09 and until now, still only have the kit lens + 55-250 and a Nisson622 flash. That's it. No 50/1.8, no 70-200, no 24-105, no 17-55. So no, "crazily acquiring gear" isn't necessarily part of "growing up".

Perhaps to you, it was ;)


no lah. I am still using my entry level camera + 18-55 + 55-200 with a 50 f1.8. That's all. lol.
 

and saying that it is part of growing up is like saying that taking drugs is part of growing into adulthood.

it's just an excuse to try the things that you shouldn't. that doesn't mean that you should, anyways.

Hmm. I don't feel that this is quite a good analogy. drugs isn't good for health yes and it has lots of harmful effects. BBB could be bad to the "photography health" of a person, it could make a beginner become more reliant on the equipment, but that does not mean it becomes a matter of "should" or "should not". imo.
 

Ok I guess my title was quite misleading. I meant that there could be a time when beginners stop buying equipments. and that buying equipments does not contribute to growing up, but rather, it could be inevitable to modern consumers. Hope that this is *a lil bit* clearer.
not entirely true but true to some extent.

for me i dun think i am crazily acquiring gears but rather, exploring and then settling down with what i have.

my first cam body is 450D that comes with a kit 2 18-200, i knew some day i will upgrade to FF hence after using this lens, i did not hesitate to sell away after 1 month since i am not really a "zoom" person but why i bought this kit 2 in the first place? (Do some maths here then u will realise i will save up more on my cam body then if i buy kit 1).

then i used the money i got from selling my kit lens + some top up i got my first L lens 17-40 (since i am going to upgrade to FF someday, might as well start acquiring EF lens now then to waste money and spent time to sell away those EFS lens later). Was happily using it till i realise i need a lens that allows me to shoot better in lowlight, hence i bought a cheap canon 50mm f1.8. But after using it awhile, i dun like the orange tint it gave on my photos shot in indoors. Hence i bought a Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 MF lens since i begin some interest in MF lenses and sold my canon 50mm f1.8 after that shortly.

Later, i decided to sell my CZ lens cos i read that it had some mirror issues apparently with 5DMKII (which i haven bought then), so i sold it to get Canon 50mm f1.4 (after that i regretted selling my CZ cos its by far the best lens i ever got!) and at the same time i decided to buy a Canon 85mm f1.8 to explore protrait photography.

After using Canon 50mm f1.4, i decided that i dun like to use MF on this lens (when i feel like shooting in MF mode), the focusing ring is looser then my 85mm f1.8, so i sell it to get my current OM Zuiko 50mm f1.4.

Just a few months back, with the big price drop for 5DMKII i was thinking, heck, why wait (actually plan to get in 2-3 years time)? Just get it lah! Hence bought the cam and sold my 450D (no regrets!). After using a few variation of 50mm lenses, i find that i am not very happy with 50mm focal length, after doing some research i decided to splurge on another L lens, my current 35mm (simply love it to bits!) to give me more space then a 50mm can offers me and then just recently sold my 85mm f1.8 cos i realise the focal length on my FF is too "short" and hence bought my third L lens, 135mm f2.

So bottom line is, I know what i want and so i just go for it. But not just buying it for the sake of buying.
 

Hmm. I don't feel that this is quite a good analogy. drugs isn't good for health yes and it has lots of harmful effects. BBB could be bad to the "photography health" of a person, it could make a beginner become more reliant on the equipment, but that does not mean it becomes a matter of "should" or "should not". imo.

well, if your bbb is a result of careful research, and slightly careful consideration, then fair enough.. if you discovered that the gear doesn't meet your needs, then you two must part, that's fine.

what i am referring to is a rampage of buying gear to try to solve user problems. it's common here, and involves the mentality that buying a 50mm f/1.4 will solve one's problems when one doesn't even understand the problems with his/her pictures. and it doesn't help that when people post up questions that reflect a poor understanding of photography, loads of people helpfully suggest that buying gear will help.

will it? yes. but one has to BUY GEAR and LEARN to solve their problems, and often a time, the second will resolve their problems more than the first.

"crazy acquisition of gears" brings to mind reckless purchases without any thought. i'd say that that is akin to drug addiction, which is why i used that analogy. cheers.
 

it is how deep yr pocket is...

if not deep then just like the 50 1.4 vs 50L thread..

people putting down the 50L just becos it is 4x more expensive than the 50 1.4 and out of their reach..

if it is closer, i am sure everyone will rave abt the 50L..

camera equipment is no longer that expensive..

just count yourself lucky you are not into watch collecting..:sweat:
 

not entirely true but true to some extent.

for me i dun think i am crazily acquiring gears but rather, exploring and then settling down with what i have.

my first cam body is 450D that comes with a kit 2 18-200, i knew some day i will upgrade to FF hence after using this lens, i did not hesitate to sell away after 1 month since i am not really a "zoom" person but why i bought this kit 2 in the first place? (Do some maths here then u will realise i will save up more on my cam body then if i buy kit 1).

then i used the money i got from selling my kit lens + some top up i got my first L lens 17-40 (since i am going to upgrade to FF someday, might as well start acquiring EF lens now then to waste money and spent time to sell away those EFS lens later). Was happily using it till i realise i need a lens that allows me to shoot better in lowlight, hence i bought a cheap canon 50mm f1.8. But after using it awhile, i dun like the orange tint it gave on my photos shot in indoors. Hence i bought a Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 MF lens since i begin some interest in MF lenses and sold my canon 50mm f1.8 after that shortly.

Later, i decided to sell my CZ lens cos i read that it had some mirror issues apparently with 5DMKII (which i haven bought then), so i sold it to get Canon 50mm f1.4 (after that i regretted selling my CZ cos its by far the best lens i ever got!) and at the same time i decided to buy a Canon 85mm f1.8 to explore protrait photography.

After using Canon 50mm f1.4, i decided that i dun like to use MF on this lens (when i feel like shooting in MF mode), the focusing ring is looser then my 85mm f1.8, so i sell it to get my current OM Zuiko 50mm f1.4.

Just a few months back, with the big price drop for 5DMKII i was thinking, heck, why wait (actually plan to get in 2-3 years time)? Just get it lah! Hence bought the cam and sold my 450D (no regrets!). After using a few variation of 50mm lenses, i find that i am not very happy with 50mm focal length, after doing some research i decided to splurge on another L lens, my current 35mm (simply love it to bits!) to give me more space then a 50mm can offers me and then just recently sold my 85mm f1.8 cos i realise the focal length on my FF is too "short" and hence bought my third L lens, 135mm f2.

So bottom line is, I know what i want and so i just go for it. But not just buying it for the sake of buying.

just curious....are you now more satisfied with your photos compared to when you had the 450d/18-200 setup?

now that you have pretty much the top-of-the-range L setup for canon dslr, any plans to upgrade to MF or FF in the near future? or perhaps leica rangefinders?

:)
 

I don't think it's wrong because it could possibly be part of "growing up" in photography.

Do you agree? :)

It's not wrong, but that certainly is not the only way to "grow up" in photography.

Additionally, more gear does not guarantee a person "grow up" in photography.
 

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just curious....are you now more satisfied with your photos compared to when you had the 450d/18-200 setup?

now that you have pretty much the top-of-the-range L setup for canon dslr, any plans to upgrade to MF or FF in the near future? or perhaps leica rangefinders?

:)

yes more then satisfied now.

i enjoy the 1:1 focal length that 5DMKII gave me, no need to worry about the 1.6 crop factor (doing mental calculation that my 35mm is actually 50mm)

but i need to get a flash now though :sweatsm:

RF i did thought of it but it is still way out of my reach lol.... but i will sell all my setup and go for it some day in the future but definitely not so soon unless the price crashes 50% haha

MF is not for me.

Equipments (cams + lens) is like wine tasting. Different wines gives different flavours.

After using vintage n modern lenses, i notice the different colors n feel produce by the lens.

I can say i am more inclined towards vintage lenses cos i like old school, vintage kinda of colors. But modern lens are too vibrant in this case unless i do some PP to reduce the vibrant colors (i dun have that kind of PP skills). So i am a very much straight from cam person.

That justify why in the near future i will switch to a digital RF system (not film cos i am too trigger happy to own it!)
 

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