lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I can understand the GAS thing, but for me it is not so much newer or better but more. I tend to keep buying lenses, not as replacements but to just have more of varying focal lengths, designs, features, and properties. My film cameras are nearly antiques and were all from a narrow vintage period. As you can see from my tag line, Pentax Spotmatic, K2 DMD, K1000. I had also owned others, Pentax KM, K1000 SE, ME Super, and MX. My digital cameras are far from new as well, Pentax K-100D, K-20D, K-5. I do plan and hope to soon be able to buy K-3 (CF) and K-1 (FF) bodies.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

You are officially a gear head! I have pro friends that are using 5 year old or more cameras and taking photos that sell, some even use cell phones. Sorry it's not the gear but the person pushing the shutter. Do you buy a new car, tv, or wife each year. :)

wolfd Loc: Vancouver, Canada

They say GAS is an incurable disease.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Actually mine does mind too much. She encouraged me to buy a used 4x5" film field camera and decades ago as my girlfriend bought me a $$$ Gitzo Tripod & Head! She even wanted a used film camera of her own. I have to prod her to use a digital camera. Oddly on occasion she has taken some pretty damn good digital images for a non-photographer.

MikeMck Loc: Southern Maryland on the Bay

Somehow, through the years, I have remained true to my self-imposed rule of not buying a new camera until I have sold one. I have two great Canon's. Once I got over the feeling that I had to have a full frame camera, I was better.

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

I just jumped into a FF from the start and avoided any inching up anxiety.

jojo Smith Loc: Northern Michigan

I do know what you are saying but upgrading all the time is a whole lot of$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ enjoy what you have for now and the magic word save save save.

sodapop Loc: Bel Air, MD

Nosaj Loc: Sarasota, Florida

It seems that many responders to this post have valid points: 1) frequent brand/model upgrades get annoying and even discouraging; 2) people can and will continue to use their current cameras with good results; 3) good photography is the result of user skill as much, if not more, than the equipment; 4) having the latest and greatest is very nice but budgets can bring us back to reality; 5) mass-market camera brands need to maintain sales when sales of current models start to slip; and 6) new models often are intended to increase sales in lenses and accessories, etc., etc. But, the big elephant in the room is the advances in the phone camera, which is fast becoming the photographic preference of the younger consumer. The traditional DSLR is the mass-market choice of the older generation; the phone camera is now the mass-market choice of the younger generation. The other day, I was out with relatives taking shots with my DSLR and a few lenses while everyone else (5 in all) were using their phone cameras (and getting pretty good results). New models are coming out with the capabilities of using specialty lenses (wide angle, macro, etc.). Perhaps, this younger generation using phone cameras will also, at some point, get frustrated and annoyed with the proliferation and frequency of upgrades.

Impressionist

Wall Street, Corporations,Marketing,pharmaceutical, Insurance companies and the Government Tools they own are for the most part pure evil. This however isn't the place for politics so will take the high road. New comes along as soon as you bring your new camera home. The question of why you bought your first camera should be asked. No right answer here. To your own self and perhaps family budget do you owe any answer. You already know new doesn't improve skill. A feature like image stabilization helps those who are getting a little older. Knowing what a technology can do to help can go a long way when going over expenses with spouse.

Never let anyone make you feel guilty for being you. The evil ones feed off it.

Edia Loc: Central New Jersey

This is the real dilemma. Is the object of photography to have the latest and greatest gear or taking the best photos you can. To me, it is taking the best photos that count. Todays cameras are like Swiss army knives, they can handle low light, fast action, landscapes and portraits well. However, they are not the best for each situation and have compromises and drawbacks for each type of shooting. Every year the camera companies come out with new gear. The problem is that most of us do not change from year to year and do not improve our photographic capabilities. Very few of us take advantage of all the capabilities that our present gear possess.

I believe that improving our photographic skill will have more impact on our photos than acquiring new gear. Join a club, read books, take courses and practice to improve your skills. It will pay off.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

It depends on what you use the camera for, My Sony RX 100 M2, does everything I ever needed it to do. It is my vacation camera, I do not shot sports with it there fore it's focusing system is just fine with me. I do a lot of flash photography, I aim my flash up and behind me for very nice, no flash look photo's. The Sony RX 100 M2 is the only Sony RX 100 camera that comes with a hot shoe so that I can mount my big Sony flash on it and get great looking flash photo's.
That said I tend to replace my Nikon DSLR's as soon as a new one comes out because I use them in low light and for photographing fast moving birds in flight, something the newer Nikon's do a great job on.

Lazy J Loc: Pacific Northwest

The thing that always stops me from upgrading is the realization that that "new and improved" camera also has it's weaknesses and flaws. Case in point, your Sony RX100s. Yes, they include a new feature or two to entice upgrades, but each iteration of that camera has diminishing battery life! Bottom line, if you have money to burn, go for it, life is too short. Otherwise, as others have stated, it is predominantly the photographer's knowledge and skills and not the new fangled features that will result in great pics! My two cents worth, keep the change.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

I have no need to keep up with the Jones. As long as my gear will do what I want.

HallowedHill Loc: Chattanooga, TN

I know the feeling but ... I have owned 3 cameras beginning in 1975... the original Olympus OM-1, a Nikon D50 which I am still using , and in the next few months I will purchase either a D750, D500 or Olympus OM D e M1 MarkII. My idea is to buy the newest and best for my needs at the time and then live with it until it either is not functional or new technology out paces it. Now, I look all the time, but some where in my 40s I figured out it's all the same: boats, cars, computers, cameras, ski equipment, all of it. The manufactures KNOW what they are going to sell you three years from now. When I bought that OM-1 the only people driving pickups were farmers and construction guys, and no self respecting woman would be caught dead driving one. Now every one has one of some kind or other: pickups, SUVs etc. Its the American way ( or Madison Avenue's way)