{"id":33735,"date":"2017-03-05T12:29:07","date_gmt":"2017-03-05T20:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=33735"},"modified":"2017-01-21T18:21:56","modified_gmt":"2017-01-22T02:21:56","slug":"g-a-s-gear-allergy-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/05\/g-a-s-gear-allergy-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"G.A.S. (Gear Allergy Syndrome)"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_33753\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-33753\" style=\"width: 1545px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"33753\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/05\/25\/what-are-your-ideals\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?fit=1545%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1545,1024\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Kyoto, 2015&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?fit=1545%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-33753\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?resize=1545%2C1024\" alt=\"Kyoto, 2015\" width=\"1545\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?w=1545&amp;ssl=1 1545w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?resize=660%2C437&amp;ssl=1 660w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?resize=768%2C509&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-33753\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kyoto, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We talk about the evils of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153G.A.S.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (gear acquisition syndrome). But what if we embraced the opposite \u00e2\u20ac\u201d G.A.S. (Gear Allergy Syndrome)?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>Allergic to spending money<\/h2>\n<p>What if we become allergic to spending money on the superfluous?<\/p>\n<p>Not to become a miser or a scrooge, but to be more economical. To really spend money on what we <em>need<\/em>, not what we <em>want<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2>Why am I allergic to gear?<\/h2>\n<p>I still love looking at new gear. But I feel allergic to the idea of acquiring new gear.<\/p>\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n<p>When you acquire new gear, there is more stress and complication in life.<\/p>\n<p>More cameras means more cameras to charge. More cameras means more complication in your workflow, and how to post-process your photos (all cameras have different sensors).<\/p>\n<p>More lenses means more stress. More lenses means more options to shoot with. And whenever you want to go out and shoot, having to choose which lens to use and which lens <em>not<\/em> to use, is additional stress.<\/p>\n<p>Having film <em>and<\/em> digital cameras means that you have to always carry both cameras with you. Or if you only carry one of these cameras, you might with you had the other camera with you.<\/p>\n<h2>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t compare apples to apples<\/h2>\n<p>Another strategy that helps me is to think to myself: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Instead of spending my money on this gear, what could I spend this money on <em>instead<\/em>?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>For me, here are some better investments of money:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Traveling<\/li>\n<li>Buying photo books<\/li>\n<li>Attending workshops or classes<\/li>\n<li>Going to a coffee shop (and ordering my expensive single-origin espressos)<\/li>\n<li>Taking out a loved one or friend to a nice meal<\/li>\n<li>Having more cash in the bank, as a buffer for emergencies<\/li>\n<li>Paying off debt \u00e2\u20ac\u201d to feel less stressed by the burden of debt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, when you want to buy a $2000 camera \u00e2\u20ac\u201d how many plane tickets could that buy you? How many good (and cheap) meals could you have with that? How many photo books could you buy with that money? How many espressos could you buy with that?<\/p>\n<h2>More weight, more stress<\/h2>\n<p>I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m trying to embrace an \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcultralight\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 lifestyle\u00e2\u20ac\u201d physically, mentally, and spiritually.<\/p>\n<p>If I accrue more gear (cameras, tablets, laptops, gadgets, etc) \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I will add more physical weight to the stuff I need to carry around. And more gear requires more maintenance, updates, and stress.<\/p>\n<p>On a daily basis, I carry my backpack around. The more stuff I need to carry with me, the more physical pain in my shoulders. And the heavier my bag of stuff, the less I can walk before I get tired.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to add any weight via acquiring more stuff. Rather, I want to continue to <em>shed<\/em> my possessions, to become as ultralight as possible.<\/p>\n<p>This is why I prefer having a compact camera (Ricoh GR II). I use that as my new benchmark; I will only trade that camera for another camera (the same weight, but better performance), or for a camera <em>even<\/em> lighter.<\/p>\n<h2>It is all more similar than dissimilar<\/h2>\n<p>Another lesson I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve learned from reviewing tons of gear\u00e2\u20ac\u201d all the stuff out there is far more similar than dissimilar.<\/p>\n<p>iPhone vs Android? Much more similar than dissimilar.<\/p>\n<p>All the digital cameras out there? Far more similar than dissimilar.<\/p>\n<p>There are no more bad cameras. All the cameras out there (including smartphones) take incredible images. The only difference now with cameras is the design, styling, and ergonomics.<\/p>\n<p>You want to find a camera that suits your personality, fits comfortably in your hand, and is easy to operate for you. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t optimize for having the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153best\u00e2\u20ac\u009d image quality or whatever\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I recommend trying to have the least-cumbersome camera, with the least amount of complication. Choose the camera which is easiest to always have with you, and to always capture the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153decisive moment\u00e2\u20ac\u009d whenever possible.<\/p>\n<h2>It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not a big deal<\/h2>\n<p>For me, after using super-expensive cameras or gear, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve learned: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not really a big deal. I thought it was a lot better than I imagined.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>For others, it can go opposite. They can get hooked to the gear.<\/p>\n<p>But honestly, I recommend trying out super-expensive cameras. You will find out that they aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t that big of a deal. Sure the build quality might be a bit better, and the image quality might be a little bit better, but not enough to justify an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153upgrade\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or massive amounts of cash.<\/p>\n<p>I got over my obsession with cameras in the last year or so. But I still lusted after all these exotic sports cars. But recently, I sat in a few high-end luxury cars. And then I realized, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It is just another car at the end of the day\u00e2\u20ac\u201d a box with 4 wheels. Sure the interior is more luxurious, and it goes faster\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but does that really matter when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re stuck all-day in traffic anyways?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I then also realized I would prefer to uber everywhere instead of buying a new car (as I can take naps in an uber, and not have to stress about parking).<\/p>\n<h2>What will you gain by not acquiring that new gear?<\/h2>\n<p>Another way to think about it \u00e2\u20ac\u201d ask yourself: What do I gain by <em>not<\/em> acquiring this new gear?<\/p>\n<p>By not upgrading your camera, you learn how to have more gratitude for the gear you already have.<\/p>\n<p>By not upgrading, you figure out how to be <em>more creative<\/em> \u00e2\u20ac\u201d by figuring out how to use your limitations as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153creative constraint.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>By <em>not<\/em> acquiring more gear, you will <em>not<\/em> add more complexity and stress to your life. You will <em>gain<\/em> more peace, tranquility, and serenity.<\/p>\n<p>The less gadgets you own, the less stuff you need to charge.<\/p>\n<h2>Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t buy anything new for a year<\/h2>\n<p>We all live in a consumerist society, and are always pressured to buy more stuff, consume more, and to always be upgrading.<\/p>\n<p>As an experiment, try not to buy any new gear for a year. You will have less stress, more satisfaction for what you have, and fewer complications in your life.<\/p>\n<p>Make the best of what you have. And let your limited gear be a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153<a href=\"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/08\/06\/the-beauty-of-creative-constraints-in-photography\/\">creative constraint<\/a>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Always,<br \/>\nEric<\/p>\n<p><em>Learn <a href=\"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/gas\/\"><strong>how to cure yourself of gear acquisition syndrome &gt;<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We talk about the evils of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153G.A.S.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (gear acquisition syndrome). But what if we embraced the opposite \u00e2\u20ac\u201d G.A.S. (Gear Allergy Syndrome)?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33753,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-posts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-kodak-tri-x-1600-1601.jpg?fit=1545%2C1024&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33735","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33735\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}