# I have all the gear I need now... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever



## DaveMiko (Jan 14, 2014)

I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jan 14, 2014)

There is a difference between Need and Want. I have all I need, if I didn't I'd get what I need. There is a ton of stuff I want.


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## DaveMiko (Jan 14, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> There is a difference between Need and Want.



Exactly.


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## filipmakowski (Jan 14, 2014)

Agreed, huge difference between need and want. I also have all the cameras and lenses I need.

I've committed to not buying anything in 2014, at least no material goods. So no new camera gear, no new gadgets, no new clothing. I'm sticking with what I've got. It's helping me focus on what's important to me: my photography, friends and family, sports and travel.

http://www.filipmakowski.com
http://buynothing2014.com/


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## cayenne (Jan 14, 2014)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> There is a difference between Need and Want. I have all I need, if I didn't I'd get what I need. There is a ton of stuff I want.


I have this **magical** ability....I have a want, and with only a handful of mental manipulations, it almost instantly becomes a _NEED_.


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## Harv (Jan 14, 2014)

I have this terrible need to want stuff.


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## surapon (Jan 14, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.



Dear DaveMiko
" I have all the gear I need now."---That many hours ago when you write this post----BUT Now, Many Hours Later, If Canon make decision for $ 10,000 US Dollars Rebate for 12,500 Us Dollars EF 800 mm= You pay only $ 2500 US Dollars for Brand new Lens----Will you Need this Monster Babe ?
Ha, Ha, Ha, I will buy 4 Of them, and Sell 3 of them Later in Ebay, to make a lot of money.
Just want to have FUN talk with you.
Have a great day, Sir.
Surapon


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## mrsfotografie (Jan 14, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.



I think we recently discussed this in detail already: 

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=17864.0


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## Dylan777 (Jan 14, 2014)

@ OP - looking at signature, I don't see any fast primes, macro, and UWA lenses yet. You are far away from done


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## Mr_Canuck (Jan 14, 2014)

As long as there is Physics, there will be a new lens to get.


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## mkabi (Jan 14, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need *now*. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.



Judging that you posted this @ 1:24:51...
"Now" is long gone, besides I know you'll be buying something sometime in the future to contribute to your gear list, especially if new and better gear show up.


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## cellomaster27 (Jan 14, 2014)

Haha! Great example comes from Nikon. The DF is a want, not a need. ;D


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## Sanaraken (Jan 14, 2014)

I'm no Pro and does not make money on my shoots. I have all the gear I want, but not need.


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## Boyer U. Klum-Cey (Jan 14, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.



Need/want dunno? However, I do have more than I can carry!


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## ME (Jan 15, 2014)

mkabi said:


> DaveMiko said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Just what I was thinking. I have what I need NOW, but what about tomorrow, and the day after that, and etc. We have to think about the future, right? Constantly changing, improving technology, right? You have just convinced me that I NEED to buy more gear. Thanks, I just needed a second opinion. ;D. And more money.


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## Aglet (Jan 15, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.


I suspect you are correct in that assertion.


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## Ellen Schmidtee (Jan 15, 2014)

surapon said:


> Dear DaveMiko
> " I have all the gear I need now."---That many hours ago when you write this post----BUT Now, Many Hours Later, If Canon make decision for $ 10,000 US Dollars Rebate for 12,500 Us Dollars EF 800 mm= You pay only $ 2500 US Dollars for Brand new Lens----Will you Need this Monster Babe ?
> Ha, Ha, Ha, I will buy 4 Of them, and Sell 3 of them Later in Ebay, to make a lot of money.
> Just want to have FUN talk with you.
> ...



In Israel, the 800mm costs 60,000+ NIS. A local shop listed the lens, and apparently whomever typed the price dropped a digit, listing it for 6,000+ NIS. Now, by law, shops in Israel are obligated to sell products for whatever price they listed, even if it's clear they've made a mistake.

Yes, I could ordered the EF 800mm f/5.6 at 10% it's price, and the courts would have forced them to deliver the lens at that price, just because an employee missed a digit.

[I know from experience - that law saved me a lot of money as a student. I've abused a local pharmacy so often, one time an employee noticed I was looking at their deals booklet and said "oh, that Dior deal should say 50% off *except perfumes*". The shift manager's facepalm widened my smile another inch.]

I was nice, and sent them an email to point the typo before someone screws them up. You'd think they'd send a 10 words email to say "thank you for pointing out the typo", but no - they fixed the price w/o any reply.

And that was the last of me they've ever seen.


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## DaveMiko (Jan 15, 2014)

NOW was yesterday, as others pointed out.  : ... I think I'll start saving up for the 200-400. 8)


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## adhocphotographer (Jan 15, 2014)

To be honest... I think I have... I have all the gear I need. I am not, at the moment limited by my equipment, but by my own imagination!

I do not, however, have all the gear I want, nor the finances required to get it!


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## mackguyver (Jan 15, 2014)

mrsfotografie said:


> DaveMiko said:
> 
> 
> > I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.
> ...


Yes, I did post about this and in terms of lenses, now that I have my 50L back, I stand by my statement. You'll notice that my post was just about lenses, not other gear, though. Now that the new firmware update is out for the 1DX, I would really like to get one. Alas, it's a want, not a need as is being discussed here.

Now that I've built up a pretty serious collection, I want to spend future funds on travel, which is made easier by all of the AMEX points I've racked up buying all the gear of course!


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## ewg963 (Jan 15, 2014)

adhocphotographer said:


> To be honest... I think I have... I have all the gear I need. I am not, at the moment limited by my equipment, but by my own imagination!
> 
> I do not, however, have all the gear I want, nor the finances required to get it!


+ 100000000000000


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## NancyP (Jan 15, 2014)

There's always another tool to be crafted for cheap : DIY reflectors, flags, macro flash diffusers, beanbags, tripod straps, frying pan "Skimmer", etc.


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## Aglet (Jan 17, 2014)

yup... ordered another cheap workhorse with GPS and WiFi.
Will come in handy for some geographic cataloging work
It's a d5300 kit if anyone's wondering.


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Jan 17, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.



finally a post that everyone will agree with


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## LetTheRightLensIn (Jan 17, 2014)

OK, well I see that the very first responder disagreed with you hah, so guess I was wrong.


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## Zv (Jan 17, 2014)

I remember saying to myself about 3 years ago that I had all the gear I need when all I had was the T2i + kit lens! ;D

Trying to not buy anything this year but I feel that Sigma has other plans for me!!


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## Quasimodo (Jan 17, 2014)

cayenne said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > There is a difference between Need and Want. I have all I need, if I didn't I'd get what I need. There is a ton of stuff I want.
> ...



LOL, right you are. I also have this ability to work up a mental state convincing me that I cannot live without this and that. I lie awake at night and think about how great and how I would use it. This goes for camera gear as well as other stuff  A couple of months ago I convinced myself that I cannot live without a Sous Vide, and in Norway this costs approx. 1000 USD. Luckily a friend of mine has the top model, and I borrowed it and his vacuum machine for a weekend. My wife and I tried to cook vacuumed steaks for x hours. It was very tender, but the taste was actually cooked, and not fried like a good steak should be with the great taste of blood... I did buy a vacuum machine though, and it has proved quite handy.


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## mrsfotografie (Jan 17, 2014)

Quasimodo said:


> ...like a good steak should be with the great taste of blood...



I hope you don't subsist by feeding on the blood of the living ;D


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## Quasimodo (Jan 17, 2014)

mrsfotografie said:


> Quasimodo said:
> 
> 
> > ...like a good steak should be with the great taste of blood...
> ...



 While I intellectually can understand why we should not eat beef (cruelty, emission of gasses by cattlestocks...), I cannot help it. I am a natural born carnivarous.


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## mrsfotografie (Jan 17, 2014)

Quasimodo said:


> mrsfotografie said:
> 
> 
> > Quasimodo said:
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Same here, was just wondering if you're afraid of garlic/silver bullets/wooden stakes ;D


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## CarlTN (Jan 18, 2014)

SAID THIS PHOTOGRAPHER!! I certainly have all the gear I "need", which compared to most members here, is puny!! It's not all the gear I WANT...but it's definitely all I need. Recently I owned 8 lenses (hey that's a lot for me!), but I'm cutting that to 4. I have one full frame body and one compact camera. Always looking for a better compact camera, but then I would sell this one...Might "want" a flash for my DSLR, but don't "need" one.

I've sold two lenses just this week, two to go. Also sold my Spider Holster Pro...


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## Eldar (Jan 18, 2014)

My current gear list clearly outperforms my qualifications, but I have a very weak character when it comes to my hobbies. I have actually just been through a clear out. I have sold a 7D, accompanied by a 10-22 and 18-200 (my wife´s preferred combo) and a dust collecting 17-85, another dust collecting 16-35 f2.8L II, the battery grip for the 5DIII (never used it, because I primarily use the 5DIII due to its smaller size and lower weight than the 1DX) and gave the 5DII backup camera to my son. So I can now justify that I have the right for some expansion again :

I have already promised my wife the 7DII and she would want a wide range zoom for that. In the mean time she´ll use the 5DIII (which could be the longer term solution, depending on what Canon actually brings to market this year). The 7DII will be a tempting alternative for me also, as an add-on to the 1DX for birds/wildlife. And if so, a 300 f2.8L IS II would be an even nicer add-on. On longer hikes a 7DII/300 w. extenders would be a very attractive size/weight alternative to a 1DX/600 combo.

On the wide angle side I already have the Zeiss 15/2.8 and 17 TS-E. But if the 14-24 is released and fulfills our quality expectations ... very tempting. And what about a 24-70 f2.8L IS ...

My greatest joy with the newer bodies (1DX/5DIII) is their low ISO performance. I have hardly used my flash since I got them. And the truth is that I am a very primitive flash user. But having worked along side a friend with very high flash/lighting qualifications, I can clearly see the NEED for significant investments in lighting systems.

And ....

This is a never-ending story ... But fun never the less


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## Quasimodo (Jan 18, 2014)

mrsfotografie said:


> Quasimodo said:
> 
> 
> > mrsfotografie said:
> ...



Apart from the occasiional howling at the moon, disguised as a photographer


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## Sella174 (Jan 18, 2014)

I have all the Canon gear I sufficiently need, as Canon doesn't make the gear I truly need.


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## jrista (Jan 18, 2014)

DaveMiko said:


> I have all the gear I need now. ... Said no photographer (or keen enthusiast) ever.



So long as manufacturers keep manufacturing better cameras, I'll always need. If only they would just stop...I might live in contentment and peace...  ;D


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## P_R (Jan 18, 2014)

And one day when you have all the lenses, you *want* and associated bags, tripods, software, light meters, memory cards, filters, flashes, charges, wifi attachement, facebook attachment thingy, youtube direct module and finally something only found on Thunderbird 2, what more could you then want?

Well, TWO of everything of course.

And photography being a harmless sport, lets hope we all reach that goal.


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## Roo (Jan 18, 2014)

I had all the gear I needed and was reasonably content....until today 

I was out shooting a local cricket match and newspaper photog turned up with a 1Div and 600 f4 with 1.4 tele. It put my Sigma 150-500 to shame lol. And then he let me shoot with it on my 5d3 while he checked some player names I want that lens!!!!! Damn it!! Now I'll have to sell a kidney to get one!!


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## alexanderferdinand (Jan 18, 2014)

Speaking for "now": if I would have the money, yes.
For the future: nobody knows.
And I am sure, interesting things will come I need. :


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## Zv (Jan 18, 2014)

Maybe it's just an inherent flaw that we all have as photographers that we are never content with our gear?? We always want what we don't have (that's a normal human trait). 

Can anyone really say they have everything they always wanted? Maybe not for long as technology keeps advancing eventually your gear will become outdated. 

The best we can hope for is a "for now" satisfaction level. As in I have all the gear I need for now. 

Nah, actually that's rubbish I want it all!


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## surapon (Jan 18, 2014)

Dear Friends
After I read this Post , which start by Mr. DaveMiko, The More I read, The More I understand my self----NO, I am not and will not BE THE PRO. As My Understand that " THE PRO buy their equipment as need to serve their Duty/ Functions as they make their living from the products by that equipment. And the equipments that they buy must in their budget and made profits for them too.

For me( and Some minority of CR. Members ? ) always buy the new equipment after the company improve their new products/ equipment, just 10 cents of It's better Quality, and WE HAVE A HEART TO SPEND $ 1000 US DOLLARS MORE , for the equipment that ALMOST THE SAME QUALITY OF OUR OLD EQUIPMENT AND HOPE TO GET BETTER AND SHARPER PHOTOS---YES, We have 90% Pure Heart but only 10% BRAIN, to create our happiness but less money in our pocket.
Just want to have FUN to talk with you.
Have a great weekend.
Surapon


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## Zv (Jan 18, 2014)

surapon said:


> Dear Friends
> After I read this Post , which start by Mr. DaveMiko, The More I read, The More I understand my self----NO, I am not and will not BE THE PRO. As My Understand that " THE PRO buy their equipment as need to serve their Duty/ Functions as they make their living from the products by that equipment. And the equipments that they buy must in their budget and made profits for them too.
> 
> For me( and Some minority of CR. Members ? ) always buy the new equipment after the company improve their new products/ equipment, just 10 cents of It's better Quality, and WE HAVE A HEART TO SPEND $ 1000 US DOLLARS MORE , for the equipment that ALMOST THE SAME QUALITY OF OUR OLD EQUIPMENT AND HOPE TO GET BETTER AND SHARPER PHOTOS---YES, We have 90% Pure Heart but only 10% BRAIN, to create our happiness but less money in our pocket.
> ...



Well said. But I don't mind spending my money on what I want, I know it won't improve my photography. 

Let's face it for some of us it's just the new toys that make us happy! And it's our humdrum 9-5 office jobs that pay for them!! Haha!


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## Eldar (Jan 18, 2014)

Zv said:


> Maybe it's just an inherent flaw that we all have as photographers that we are never content with our gear?? We always want what we don't have (that's a normal human trait).
> 
> Can anyone really say they have everything they always wanted? Maybe not for long as technology keeps advancing eventually your gear will become outdated.
> 
> ...


I am very happy with my current equipment. If No further development for 35mm cameras and lenses happened, I could live happily with what I have. But when new gear comes along, I become a kid in a candy store :


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## Don Haines (Jan 18, 2014)

Sella174 said:


> I have all the Canon gear I sufficiently need, as Canon doesn't make the gear I truly need.


This is my #1 and #2 kit for photography, neither made by Canon 

(My inspiration and my means to get to the places where I enjoy photography the most)


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## P_R (Jan 18, 2014)

For me( and Some minority of CR. Members ? ) always buy the new equipment after the company improve their new products/ equipment, just 10 cents of It's better Quality, and WE HAVE A HEART TO SPEND $ 1000 US DOLLARS MORE , for the equipment that ALMOST THE SAME QUALITY OF OUR OLD EQUIPMENT AND HOPE TO GET BETTER AND SHARPER PHOTOS---YES, We have 90% Pure Heart but only 10% BRAIN, to create our happiness but less money in our pocket.
Just want to have FUN to talk with you.
Have a great weekend.
Surapon
[/quote]

Mr Surapon,
Yes indeed. But we buy because the purchase inspires us to take new images and try the new (or old) gear and see what we can do with it. Maybe we can take a special image that only that bit of gear allows? Maybe. Tilt and shift? Macro? White lens at max aperture? It is the trying that makes the difference. If a new bit of hardware inspires you to go out there and try something new, then get it. Old or new does not matter either. My T90 can take a brilliant image but only if I go our there and us it!

A 60's phrase was 'any is sufficient, enough is too much'. For photography this translates as 'kit is sufficient, but more is better' 

Which reminds me, I better get the T90 out and take some shots...


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