The more gear I get, the less I like photography.

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I have come to the realization that the more gear I get and the heavier my gear bag gets, the less I enjoy photography. I started with a nice little Fuji bridge cam that was very portable. Next I went to an entry level SLR and 2 kit lenses. Seen that gave way to multiple fast lenses and a speedlite. Soon I had upgraded to a semi-pro body and even bigger lenses. Before long I even succumbed to the call of the home studio. Countless forum posts, lens and camera comparison charts, lens swaps and tests, and now I barely enjoy using the gear I spent 3 years and a family vacation's worth of money on. I can't stand doing photoshoots for family and friends and I hate being the annoying guy at the park chasing his kid down with a giant SLR. I want to go back to the days where I was happy with my little bridge camera, but now I am addicted to portraits with subject isolation and clean ISO 1600.

What's a guy to do? I hate being anchored down with all this gear, but I feel like I need it to get the pictures that I like, but don't enjoy taking. Anyone on a similar path of frustration?
 
Sell it all and get a Leica M9 and a 35mm summilux, or if that is too rich, wait for the fuji X100 and free yourself.
--

'Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed.' ~ Winogrand
 
My advice for you is this. Think about what you want in life a make a go for it. Once this concept kicks in and makes sense to you, your path will follow. Wait to be called and when you hear it, take the path, take the leap.

Good luck and remember to be ready when called.
 
Go the other way. Like making things more challenging. I got a G12 after over five years with my old S1 IS, which I basically used in Auto mode. Lots more capability, better pictures, great. But I insist upon using it in full manual mode; if I'm going to learn, I want to learn the hard way. That wasn't enough: I recently bought an old Soviet Leica copy rangefinder film camera (FED-2) that is completely manual in operation. Now I've gone back to shooting film with it alongside the G12 (which makes a nifty light meter, BTW). Pretty soon I figure I'll be building my own pinhole camera.
 
I have come to the realization that the more gear I get and the heavier my gear bag gets, the less I enjoy photography. I started with a nice little Fuji bridge cam that was very portable. Next I went to an entry level SLR and 2 kit lenses. Seen that gave way to multiple fast lenses and a speedlite. Soon I had upgraded to a semi-pro body and even bigger lenses. Before long I even succumbed to the call of the home studio. Countless forum posts, lens and camera comparison charts, lens swaps and tests, and now I barely enjoy using the gear I spent 3 years and a family vacation's worth of money on. I can't stand doing photoshoots for family and friends and I hate being the annoying guy at the park chasing his kid down with a giant SLR. I want to go back to the days where I was happy with my little bridge camera, but now I am addicted to portraits with subject isolation and clean ISO 1600.

What's a guy to do? I hate being anchored down with all this gear, but I feel like I need it to get the pictures that I like, but don't enjoy taking. Anyone on a similar path of frustration?
Either that, or one of the new mirrorless systems. Another option is a 5D with a few small primes (choose any or all of 15 / 2.8 FE, 28 / 1.8, 35 / 2, 50 / 1.4, 85 / 1.8, 100 / 2).

Whatever you choose, there will be a compromise somewhere. Choose what gives you the most enjoyment.
 
I have come to the realization that the more gear I get and the heavier my gear bag gets, the less I enjoy photography. I started with a nice little Fuji bridge cam that was very portable. Next I went to an entry level SLR and 2 kit lenses. Seen that gave way to multiple fast lenses and a speedlite. Soon I had upgraded to a semi-pro body and even bigger lenses. Before long I even succumbed to the call of the home studio. Countless forum posts, lens and camera comparison charts, lens swaps and tests, and now I barely enjoy using the gear I spent 3 years and a family vacation's worth of money on. I can't stand doing photoshoots for family and friends and I hate being the annoying guy at the park chasing his kid down with a giant SLR. I want to go back to the days where I was happy with my little bridge camera, but now I am addicted to portraits with subject isolation and clean ISO 1600.

What's a guy to do? I hate being anchored down with all this gear, but I feel like I need it to get the pictures that I like, but don't enjoy taking. Anyone on a similar path of frustration?
The best thing for me is to use my equipment for what it does best for given shooting situations. I have learned to trim down and not take everything, every time. I have a Canon 7D, grip, and many lenses some of which are quite bulky. I resist the urge to take all the extra stuff for times when I just really want the body and a small, simple prime (ie 50mm). Most times, I have my 15-85 attached, and my 70-200 OR 100-400 in the bag, a bit bulkier, but open to many shooting options.
 
I got a G10 after carting DSLRs around and messing with super zooms and trawling through spec sheets and pining after this gear and getting a great bargain on that gear and watching my interest go down the tubes.

I set the rule to myself that the G10 stay with me wherever I go and only to bring out the big guns if I absolutely had to for just a year to see how I went.

My god I found that I was actually getting into the images and subjects again. Turned out to be a great tonic for what ailed me.

There ought to be an organization called Gear anon. Wrong place to suggest it I know. Sorta like going into a pub an telling the guy at the corner of the bar that he would enjoy drinking more if he would just stop doing it but there ya go.

Now if I could just do the same with cholesterol.....

--

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without necessarily accepting it. -Aristotle

The one serious conviction one should hold is that nothing should be taken too seriously.
...oh, and I see by the lack of responses that I am right yet again.
 
Pretty soon I figure I'll be building my own pinhole camera.
Do it and keep using it until you master it (slightly harder than you first think). You will never look back.

--

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without necessarily accepting it. -Aristotle

The one serious conviction one should hold is that nothing should be taken too seriously.
...oh, and I see by the lack of responses that I am right yet again.
 
I can't stand doing photoshoots for family and friends
So don't.
and I hate being the annoying guy at the park chasing his kid down with a giant SLR.
Why?
Because these days there are more risks in this than just embarrassment.
--
Lee Jay
(see profile for equipment)
--

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain an idea without necessarily accepting it. -Aristotle

The one serious conviction one should hold is that nothing should be taken too seriously.
...oh, and I see by the lack of responses that I am right yet again.
 
Why don't you do some relaxing portraits (family+) on your terms ....impromptu or snag the person or couple, have them occupied with something....drinking tea, wine, etc. If you prep appropriately, it will look great without being formal....and everyone will be happy, no ? I can't comment on equipment, since we all have our styles/pov, but you could hold onto the equipment you think you could use for various functions (landscape, wildlife, sports, etc)....sell the remainer....and get the portrait lenses you need and desire, I mean even exotics like 200/2. Perhaps that would help to correct things.

Leswick
 
Sounds like you need to do just three things:

1. Learn what your gear is capable. I mean, really learn. Understand the lenses, settings and so on.

2. Learn what you like to shoot and where.

3. Understand what you plan to shoot when you're going out to shoot and take along the minimum gear to accomplish the task. You could even deliberately limit what you carry so as to challenge yourself to improve your technique/composition.

I started digital photography with a Coolpix 900; went to a 990 and eventually returned to my SLR preferences with a Canon EOS 20D. I now have two 1D bodies and a number of lenses...and several good tripods, accessories and all sorts of bits. These are all tools.

But my most important tool is my experience. With that, I look at where I'm going to shoot, get an idea ("vision") of what I want to shoot, and then bring along no more than 1 body, 2-3 lenses (often 1-2 lenses), a tripod, and a flash if needed.

Sometimes I'll challenge myself by carrying only one lens—a fast macro or a comfortable zoom—and work on composition and getting better shots than I thought I could.

It's not about how much gear you have, although sometimes that can help. And it's not about the quality of gear you have, although that can help, too. It's about your creativity and understanding the capabilities of the gear you have.

I use a slide in my photo classes. It's a simple sign I made that says "Think Before You Shoot."

Just a couple of maybe-useful thoughts.
Abbott
 
Your frustration and struggle is caused by a combination of a number of natural human tendencies and subconcious beliefs.

There is a trait inside us all, without which man would never have 'advanced', that craves better.

As well as better equipment and better photographs, there is an undeniable need to display better to your 'rivals'. How much of this need we each have, and how much we succumb to it, varies enormously between individuals.

Next, there is a belief that there is a solution for everything. When it comes to photography, we can barely ever believe that there are circumstances that prevent good photographs, so we don't ever accept the inevitable compromises and reject the reults as poor, even if they were the very best possible.

On this basis, we buy the equipment which we believe will improve our results, never accepting for one moment that you can't take pictures of black cats in coal cellars, while they chase mice at full speed, just using natural light...

Finally (and possibly the worst of all), there is an insidious niggle that is telling you that no moment should be missed; that you have it in your power to capture perfectly every single split second that appeals or is important or any number of reasons. So, when you take your cameras out and come back with nothing that satisfies your craving for photography perfection, you feel that all those moments have been lost forever.

Again, you try to answer this frustration by getting more gear which will allow you to take advantage of more opportunities. Never realising that all this kit creates barriers of its own..."damn, I missed that shot while trying to find the perfect lens..."

Whether you can defeat your own demons is something only you can answer, but to start you just need to remind yourself that you can't ever record evey single moment, that every shot you do take can't be perfect and that no equipment provides a solution to more than just a few perceived problems.

The fact that it is a personal struggle is almost certainly easily demonstrated by the plaudit you will get from friends and family who beat a path to your door every time they want a portrait. I bet they never notice any of the problems that haunt you, in terms of noise and pin-sharp focus!

Don't beat yourself up over it, perhaps take a rest and enjoy time without a camera, and the passion will return. Just remember that every picture has flaws, it is only important whether the other man notices!

Anyway, I'm off to buy that 135/1.8 that I absolutely have to have... :)

--
2011 : My new year's resolution -
To be positive, not negative.
To help, not to hinder.
To praise, not to criticise.
 
I know what you mean.

I have three DSLR's and a boatload of lenses . . . my digital camera bag weighed in at 45 pounds last time I checked.

Now, I'm used to carrying around a big camera bag as I was a fulltime photojournalist for the better part of 20 years, but am now retired from all of that (my film camera bag weighs 65 pounds!).

So, I ask myself every day why I still carry all of that stuff around when I really don't really need it to have fun taking pictures (since I no longer do it for a living).

I always carry my cameras just about every time I walk out that front door (the old newspaper photog blood still flows through my viens)

I have to say that I had/have more fun taking pictures with my Panasonic Lumix FZ10 and FZ50 cameras (which I still have and use, but not nearly as much as I did before DSLRdom).

I don't find using DSLR's to be 'fun' . . . it reminds me of work!

Me . . . I'm not a pixel peeper and am more of a 'image content over image quality' shooter.

I think that far too many posters here at DPR are more interested in how small of a piece of the overall image that they can blow up to 20x30 or larger than they are about the overall content of the actual image (ie.- the actual scene of the picture).

Many shots from my FZ50, when placed side by side with an image from a larger sensored DSLR (4/3 or APS-C) and printed in normal sizes (basically in the 16x20 or smaller range), can only be distinguished with a loupe or magnifying glass!

Or by overly critical pixel peepers, of course.

I resisted getting DSLR's purposely when I got into digital from film, but I did find a few things I couldn't do with the FZ's (mainly they wouldn't trigger my studio strobes-still haven't figured out why), so now have fallen into the bottomless money pit of the DSLR realm!

My FZ50 is in my huge camera bag (LowePro Commercial AW) along with all of the DSLR stuff, and I have been thinking about creating a separate bag with the two FZ's and leaving the DSLR gear behind more and more often.

I might just set that up today since it's my day off . . .
.



--
J. D.
Colorado
 
I have recently upgraded from a D200/17-55 combo to a D700 body then the dilemma of lens choice, I looked at the obvious 24-70, much to large and heavy for a walk round outfit.

I started working through some of my old manual focus and 1st generation af prime lens, I examined the exif data of a significant number of my images frm the D200 and found that many were taken at the 35mm equivalent of between 30 and 60 FL. I spent two weeks shooting with a 35 f2 ( an old af one where the focus ring always spins when af is activated ), the challenge of working with one lens was very satisfying, look, think, move my feet, shoot !

As the result I went mad, part ex'd my 17-35 against a 35 1.4G, really happy with both the performance of the lens and the extra effort I am now putting into getting the shot. To complete my outfit I can stuff my old mf 20 2.8 in a trouser pocket without embarrassment and my pre D 60 macro in a jacket pocket, works for me but not for everyone I appreciate, it was just a case of analysing my most commonly taken images and then tailoring my lens choice to match.
--

A selection of my images can be found at http://www.photo-genesis.net follow the galleries link then select the Jacks gallery
 
... but now I am addicted to portraits with subject isolation and clean ISO 1600.
So do that and leave the rest.
What's a guy to do? I hate being anchored down with all this gear, but I feel like I need it to get the pictures that I like, but don't enjoy taking. Anyone on a similar path of frustration?
No, just sell most of the gear. Keep a portrait prime lens, optionally add an universal prime lens (for me it is a 30ish on APSc, you might prefer something else) and live with that. Your photo experience will be much more rewarding.

I'm with Art Jacks on this; I have only used one prime lens for my normal day-to-day shooting in the last 2 months and I have gotten all the photos that I wanted. What does one want more?

--
WimS
 
I sold my D70s and got a good second hand D200, which is obviously a much better camera. Problem is, it crossed some personal threshold in size and weight. (As well as being quite a bit more complicated!) It's like a brick wrapped in rubber, and I'm uncomfortably aware that I'm lugging the thing around with me on a day out.

It's great for a dedicated photo shoot, but a real drag to carry with me on an afternoon out on the 'off chance' that there may be some good photo opportunities.

I realised I needed two cameras - one for each of the above purposes.

I regretted not buying a Nikon D40 as the last stocks sold in the UK went for a bargain £220 - with kit lens! That was a simple, well respected (some would say beloved!), small and light gem of a DSLR.

Currently, in the UK they're selling off the last of the Olympus E450's with kit lens stock, and I got one in Argos for £260 (including a £20 discount voucher I had). It really has rekindled my enjoyment of photography: Full SLR functionality (including optical viewfinder) and image quality, but the smallest and lightest DSLR ever made. So light that I hardly notice I'm carrying it.

Side by side, my E450 and D200 seem like a sleek sports car and an armoured Humvee in comparison.

I'm even considering splashing out on the 25mm (50mm equivalent) pancake lens for the E450, which would make it small enough to fit in a jacket pocket, for the ultimate in DSLR portability. Hmmm...

I also have a compact camera, the Fujifilm F31, which is perfect for parties, social events etc. It can also give good landscape shots...but as well as the IQ compromises, I find (as with most compacts) fiddling around in menus and using the LCD screen to compose on is awkward. So it is basically a great point and shoot, not a creative photographers camera.

The micro 4/3 and mirrorless APS-C cameras may be a good solution, but I believe they will improve over coming releases (auto focus speed, viewfinders etc) and anyway, I am on a budget. That Argos deal on the Olympus E450 is hard to beat.
 
Sounds like you need to do just three things:

1. Learn what your gear is capable. I mean, really learn. Understand the lenses, settings and so on.

2. Learn what you like to shoot and where.

3. Understand what you plan to shoot when you're going out to shoot and take along the minimum gear to accomplish the task. You could even deliberately limit what you carry so as to challenge yourself to improve your technique/composition.
Some, such as Ken Rockwell, have suggested just taking one lens. For even more fun, make it a prime. Such a restraint can be a creative liberation -- and it's a lot lighter!
 

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