Have you got G.A.S!

GAS - photographers ailment

This post is definitely not about the cooking gas in the pipeline or the cylinders (if you are still stuck with that ugly, heavy to lift container), which threatens to become costlier as we speak. This ain't about the unflattering gases that involuntarily make way, when you would least expect to. 

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (sometimes Guitar Acquisition Syndrome, both abbreviated to GAS) is a term used to describe an urge to acquire and accumulate lots of gear, as defined in Wikipedia. 

While G.A.S has not yet caught the attention of medical community, rather sadly so. It is common ailment, much like the common cold or flue. Majority photographers seem to be suffering with GAS. And one doesn't even have a 'paracetamol - like' drug which could be popped every time he / she finds the tell tale symptoms. 

Its quiet easy to spot a GAS inflicted photographer. While we thought we could build a self diagnostic checklist, it would most likely create unnecessary panic. So here are some observation collected from acclaimed GAS inflicted photographers. There could have been no better source, is it not! GAS symptoms are bit different at different stages of photographers life stage. 

• The newbies : Whenever they see a great photograph on flickr, facebook or any other social network, they are overcome with this strong desire to find out what is the camera that has been used to shoot it. Often leading to stupid remarks like, "Nice Shot! By the way, what camera did you use to make that photograph". That such comments leave a photographer cringe, is something that they realize much later in their own journey of photography.
• The amateur: These folks believe that in their journey of photography excellence, they are constrained by their equipment. The dilemma if they should upgrade the camera and lens is the maximum for such people. They do not overtly talk about better equipment, having graduated from the newbie follies but covertly wonder if a better camera would push them into the big league.  
• The serious amateurs: They will often catch themselves, staring at new cameras, new lens - everywhere. They spend unusually high time scanning the cheapest sources of photo gear online, all over the world (whatever that means in online context). They would know which lens is cheapest on which online store. What was the price movement over last 6 months and when is the best time to but what - where. As a positive, such brethren are endowed with super intelligence when it comes to equipment. Not all of them, definitely now. But this is one of the side effects of this disease which is favorable. Well they are walking encyclopedias on the best lens every made, or why a specific model of that 'rangefinder' did not do well in the market and so on.

So GAS indeed does not differentiate. It afflicts all classes albeit the symptoms vary. I started with an entry level DSLR, and continue to suffer myself. Till now, I have resisted the temptation to proliferate. And continue to dissuade friends and family who are eager to jump the learning curve and believe buying a high end camera is the secret mantra. There are many examples from the fellow photographer community who continue to use basic DSLR and continue to churn our eye popping photographs. "Cameras don't make photographs, its the photographer behind the view finder who does". Period. 

The other aspects to keep in mind are, the camera technology is evolving everyday. The new cameras are better than old and so it would continue going forward. And the best of cameras today have limitations requiring corrections for color, contract etc  that need to be done either by in camera softwares or outside using tools. On the contrary it is always better to invest in glass (lens). A good lens stays that way for a much longer time and if prudently managed can be used with newer bodies as they come. 

Always ask yourself why you want to buy a new camera, unless you are getting into professional work requiring you to print life size posters, you do not need the super megapixel cams that are being marketed every day. I often hear an argument around better low light performance. For the size of photographs one would normally publish or print, the grains and noise is hardly visible. So why would you want to buy a new cam - well if you just got a fat bonus, you know not what to do - go and splurge. Or if your loved one wants to gift you a lovely gift.. well why not. 

And if you are one of those incorrigibles, well, you know what you are suffering from ! 

Disclosures: The gear I have Nikon D3000 (the cheapest DSLR in market today), 18-55 mm kit lens (the cheapest AFS lens in market), 55 - 200 mm (the cheapest telephoto lens in market). I spent a bit more on a camera bag, the reasons for which are explained here.