User ID

That is true in a way. But buying more can also offer less to carry.

Example is my recently buying a 35. It “plugs into” a lens set that was already quite complete for its purpose: 24, 45, 85, and 150.

I never carry that whole set. I consider which 2 or maybe 3 may be needed. Too often it would be 3 rather than 2, the frequent trio being 24, 45, and either 85 or 150. But again, 3 when clearly 2 would be lighter :-(

Adding the 35 has been great. It pairs with usually the 85 but sometimes the 150. Either pair works great ... especially the 35+85, a really classic pairing. Since both have OIS and both are fast, shots are steady and accurately focused so it’s rather painless to crop to get various other fields of view.

So adding to the collection actually reduced the load to be carried.

I’ve noticed over some time that many Hogsters lighten their load (and save $$) by adding a 50/1.8. Having one small fast lens they avoid lugging (and paying for) f/2.8 speed on their typical pair of zooms.zooms. A pair of 2.8 zooms is a serious load. Another instance of buying more to carry less.

Acoarst for those who can’t bear to leave anything out, at some point buying more becomes more than you can carry :-(

R.G. Loc: Scotland

...not to mention improved image quality. But as the OP said, "A lot of us want to create the best photographs possible. For that reason we can become overly consumed with our camera, lenses and all of the accompanying stuff". I believe that what he describes as being "overly consumed" I would describe as a skewing of priorities. Perhaps this thread is the OP's attempt to remind us to assess our priorities from time to time.

Urnst Loc: Brownsville, Texas

Urnst Loc: Brownsville, Texas

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

I'm with Quikdraw; the cellphone has its place while traveling:but not as a camera replacement.The fun/challenge/attraction of photography is integrally tied into the gear.
Mark

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Not really. It can be just as true, sometimes even more so, if you are seeking that rare discontinued model...

User ID

Yup. Couldn’t find a few nonvintage but discontinued lenses that I wanted. Rare not due to the collector scene cuz they’re not that class of gear. Just rare cuz they were not popular so the pickings are slim.
:-(

anotherview Loc: California

The field of photography can accommodate us all.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

We here gave a sort of distorted view of obsolescence, I think. I got a different take on things a few weeks ago when I received an email from my cellular carrier letting me know that they would be shutting their 3G network down next February. When they do, my phone, a Galaxy S4, will no longer work. It's a 4G phone, but they are moving directly to 5G. That really is the meaning of obsolete.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

--Bob

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Cell phone cameras have come a long way. But for action shots, they are not there yet.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

This is why I went to 4/3rds. My wife has gone to smartphone for most of her pictures since she does not usually blow them up larger than 8X10 or just uses them on the internet. I have pictures as large as 20X24 on my walls and want the ability to print 30X40. We travel a lot and even something as big as APS-Cs are big. Buying an all-in-one camera ties one to buying a new camera each time if one wants a different range. And no options for truly fast telephotos. My camera bag is two sharp zooms, one macro, body, one big flash, filters, and batteries in an 11"X12"X6" bag. After going on more than 25 cruises and God only knows how many land trips plus well over a dozen FAM trips, there is no way that I could or would take anything bigger than my 4/3rds system without a specific reason. A lot of times, even as small as my system is, I will leave it locked up in the hotel and just use my smartphone. Sometimes too much emphasis on getting the photo can make one miss where they are at and what they can learn from the experience. I hate to say it, but I would rather miss the photo of a lifetime and not miss the experience of lifetime. It is exciting when one can do both.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

I shoot FF, APS-C and MFT, depending on the situation. I’ll have to refute you assertion that there are not fast long zooms on bridge cameras. My “kayak” camera is a Sony RX10MIV and it gives me f/4 at 600mm effective focal length.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Is it weatherproof? All my equipment, including my flash, is weather proof. My camera has been hit with dust in the sand dunes, pouring rain, and ocean splashes and salt spray. My shooting and shooting for my wife cannot wait for the weather to change. And my camera is up for the job. I think you have the right idea of the right tool for the right job. But I cannot afford to own all four options so I settled for one that covers my needs the best. Again I recognize the Sony RX10 mIV as a great camera, but to change out the lens I would have to buy a new camera.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

How would one know they're not a successful photographer without having tried the best equipment?