But then I think to myself, would all of this stuff improve my pictures? Would my enjoyment of photography be any greater? Or would all the extra stuff burden me down and force me to leave things behind due to weight?
Then I think about how lucky I am to have what I do have, over $5K of stuff when most have only a P&S. How I have a family to take pictures of and a nice home to live in with lots of kids and a job to support it all. Do I need any more than I have or is it just being greedy?
I am in the same boat, I have a D300, D200 & a ton of glass. Yet I want more. I have been able to control NAS so far. but it's been hard. I have to do a reality check once in awhile
Andre, you are a fortunate man indeed. Me too. All this stuff means NOTHING without the family first. Sure it's nice to have the gear to capture things the way you "see" them in your minds' eye, but it's not as if you can't do things within the constraints of what you already have (which is exceptional, to say the least).
With the gear I've collected in just a few years, I've had to make some hard decisions on what gear to drag along with me, because I simply can't carry it all. But those decisions you get to make AFTER you have the gear.
I have a ton of bodies and lenses. I have little interest in selling old stuff for some reason, but I do enjoy using my "exotic" seldom used lenses once in a while. But, being retired with no kids, I don't have to worry about a lot of the stuff that you do. I still like to take assignments once in a while, but mostly I just shoot for fun or for friends. I really don't need any of this stuff, but I think it's better spent than hanging out in bars and pouring money down the drain.
I'm trying to think of what Nikon makes that I don't want!
I don't think you get to a point where you don't want anything more if you are susceptible to "NAS" in the first place. I look at what I have and think:
"You know, a second D300 and D700 would sure help in certain situations.
I have a hole between 300mm and 600mm - maybe I should think about a 400 f/2.8 VR or 500 f/4 VR.
I don't have any PC-E lenses - I might be able to use one of those0.
The 14-24 would help me go wider on my FX body (or bodies if the first item was met.)
The D3 would allow me to shoot faster.
The D3X would give me more resolution.
The D90 would be a good camera to get my wife into digital.
I'd really like that 200mm micro lens.
I'd really like the 200 f/2.
I'd really like that 300 f/2.8 for those times when an f/4 lens isn't enough.
A 600 f/4 with VR would really help my long lens shots when I'm not quite steady enough for my non-VR version. That newer glass would really shine.
Maybe that SB-900 would be a nice addition to the flash department. My SB-800 is getting a little long in the tooth..."
Dang, I'm glad I'm not greedy or this list would be really long...
Then I think about how much I really do have and how many people would be ecstatic to have my kit, and the brakes get put on. (Actually, finances and my wife have more to do with that, but I was trying to make myself sound a little bit less materialistic!) Add in that photography isn't my only expensive hobby, and this gets pushed even further back. I probably have more gear than many here on this forum, though obviously not as much as some.
Not one piece of gear that I have made me a better photographer, but I think you already know that. Practice and learning from my mistakes, as well as heeding advice offered at places like here, has done more than any of the gear ever did. Some items do allow obtaining shots I otherwise couldn't, but if I was a lousy (or great) photographer before buying something, I will be after the purchase as well.
I will say that the more gear I have, the more that gets left behind when I go shooting. You can only carry so much, or are only willing to. Besides, the more you have, the more you will want. I remember being satisfied with a Kodak cartidge camera years ago, and I had a blast using it. I didn't know what a 600mm f/whatever was and didn't care. Now I want it all. The more I buy pro-level gear the more I want it. That's the curse of capitalism, if you let it overtake you (wherever you might be along the line.)
Be happy with your kit, add things you can afford as you can. In the long run, you will likely be much happier. Life is certainly about more than the things we have, or at least it should be.
Andre Labonte wrote:
But then I think to myself, would all of this stuff improve my pictures? Would my enjoyment of photography be any greater? Or would all the extra stuff burden me down and force me to leave things behind due to weight?
Probably yes and no. Leaving things behind for the moment isn't necessarily a bad thing.
You really have to think of what you want to reach (outside just collecting equipment).
Maybe you could improve your skills with your current gear. If you feel limitations, you are the best person to determine what you need. You really have an excellent kit.
I own much too much equipment, and I see that I almost always use the same things when I am on assignment: D3/D2x, 24-70 35%, 70-200VR 35%, 200-400% 15%, 105VR 10%, others 5% (14-24, fisheye, primes: 35, 50, 85).
Your D300 17-55 70-200VR combo is a dream for many photographers and covers most of the useful classical range...
Chris Noyes wrote:
Andre, you are a fortunate man indeed. Me too. All this stuff means NOTHING without the family first. Sure it's nice to have the gear to capture things the way you "see" them in your minds' eye, but it's not as if you can't do things within the constraints of what you already have (which is exceptional, to say the least).
With the gear I've collected in just a few years, I've had to make some hard decisions on what gear to drag along with me, because I simply can't carry it all. But those decisions you get to make AFTER you have the gear....Show more →
I guess that's just it, with the family I can't afford what I want but without the family, 90% of what I photograph would be missing! In fact the only reason a 300mm f/2.8 is on my list is for the kids sports. Such is life.
I have a ton of bodies and lenses. I have little interest in selling old stuff for some reason, but I do enjoy using my "exotic" seldom used lenses once in a while. But, being retired with no kids, I don't have to worry about a lot of the stuff that you do. I still like to take assignments once in a while, but mostly I just shoot for fun or for friends. I really don't need any of this stuff, but I think it's better spent than hanging out in bars and pouring money down the drain.
eaglewolf wrote:
I'm trying to think of what Nikon makes that I don't want!
I don't think you get to a point where you don't want anything more if you are susceptible to "NAS" in the first place. I look at what I have and think:
"You know, a second D300 and D700 would sure help in certain situations.
I have a hole between 300mm and 600mm - maybe I should think about a 400 f/2.8 VR or 500 f/4 VR.
I don't have any PC-E lenses - I might be able to use one of those0.
The 14-24 would help me go wider on my FX body (or bodies if the first item was met.)
The D3 would allow me to shoot faster.
The D3X would give me more resolution.
The D90 would be a good camera to get my wife into digital.
I'd really like that 200mm micro lens.
I'd really like the 200 f/2.
I'd really like that 300 f/2.8 for those times when an f/4 lens isn't enough.
A 600 f/4 with VR would really help my long lens shots when I'm not quite steady enough for my non-VR version. That newer glass would really shine.
Maybe that SB-900 would be a nice addition to the flash department. My SB-800 is getting a little long in the tooth..."
Dang, I'm glad I'm not greedy or this list would be really long...
Then I think about how much I really do have and how many people would be ecstatic to have my kit, and the brakes get put on. (Actually, finances and my wife have more to do with that, but I was trying to make myself sound a little bit less materialistic!) Add in that photography isn't my only expensive hobby, and this gets pushed even further back. I probably have more gear than many here on this forum, though obviously not as much as some.
Not one piece of gear that I have made me a better photographer, but I think you already know that. Practice and learning from my mistakes, as well as heeding advice offered at places like here, has done more than any of the gear ever did. Some items do allow obtaining shots I otherwise couldn't, but if I was a lousy (or great) photographer before buying something, I will be after the purchase as well.
I will say that the more gear I have, the more that gets left behind when I go shooting. You can only carry so much, or are only willing to. Besides, the more you have, the more you will want. I remember being satisfied with a Kodak cartidge camera years ago, and I had a blast using it. I didn't know what a 600mm f/whatever was and didn't care. Now I want it all. The more I buy pro-level gear the more I want it. That's the curse of capitalism, if you let it overtake you (wherever you might be along the line.)
Be happy with your kit, add things you can afford as you can. In the long run, you will likely be much happier. Life is certainly about more than the things we have, or at least it should be.
Thanks David ... well in that case I can say the first 4 things on the list are the 10-24, the SB900, a heavier tripod and the light stand. All adds up to about $2200 ... not too bad over the next few years.
gugs wrote:
You really have to think of what you want to reach (outside just collecting equipment).
Maybe you could improve your skills with your current gear. If you feel limitations, you are the best person to determine what you need. You really have an excellent kit.
I own much too much equipment, and I see that I almost always use the same things when I am on assignment: D3/D2x, 24-70 35%, 70-200VR 35%, 200-400% 15%, 105VR 10%, others 5% (14-24, fisheye, primes: 35, 50, 85).
Your D300 17-55 70-200VR combo is a dream for many photographers and covers most of the useful classical range...
What I want to reach is being a damb good photo with what I need for 95% of most situations. I guess my current kit does that ... the flash w/ stands and the WA are what I feel pain for not having, the rest is frosting.
Now you have one sweet setup! Of course you end up using your equipment for a lot of your work, which makes spending the money on it all that much easier. I think part of my fussing is I have a bad case of NAS right now and no money to quell it with. Just one lens, that's all I need to quell it ... for now!
Join the po' folks club Andre.. I'm glad I got what I got, when I had the spare cash, everything's on hold now till I see what's going to happen in the next year or so, but I won't be selling anything, that's for sure. I have bought a couple things this year, a couple of SC-19 cords, the Tokina 17mm (MF), a couple bags, but I haven't spent more than $200 on gear this year. Funny thing today I was asked just how many cameras did I have, anyhow..
Andre Labonte wrote:
I think part of my fussing is I have a bad case of NAS right now and no money to quell it with. Just one lens, that's all I need to quell it ... for now!
After selling off all of my Canon gear last Oct, I realized I had too much stuff. I'm pretty happy where I sit know with my Nikon gear, other than another body, there are no lenses that I feel I must get. With Canon I felt I needed the "L" primes, don't feel that way with Nikon, I love the zooms. Though I won't mind getting a PC-E and maybe a 200mm macro. But it's not killing me to do so.
Andre Labonte wrote:
I guess that's just it, with the family I can't afford what I want but without the family, 90% of what I photograph would be missing! In fact the only reason a 300mm f/2.8 is on my list is for the kids sports. Such is life.
Kids sports -> the only reason why I am purchasing the 70-200/2.8 VR.
I'm feeling woe is me lately, mainly because my D300 is dead and in Nikon's hands right now, and I don't expect to get it back until the end of July. My 17-55 sits unused, just a couple months after buying it.
