Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Yes, but spending the money on equipment is not totally parting with the money...you still have the purchase and it retains a good deal of its value, or resale value in many cases.

If one goes to a NFL game you have the experience and memories but the monetary value is essentially used up after the event. Some spending is like this and some spending provides enjoyment over a much longer period of time with some ongoing value which can be reconverted to money if desired.

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

Mondolinni Loc: Long Island, New York

ABSOLUTELY...

:thumbup:

Mondolinni Loc: Long Island, New York

Great Advice.

:thumbup:

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

:thumbup:

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

True, but people like the collectors you describe are addicts and no different then someone addicted to drugs or cigarettes or gambling. Telling any of them to think about what they are doing is a waste of time. Not knowing the personal situation of anyone else here on the Hog, I feel I have no choice but to assume that they are capable of making their own decisions. Helping someone decide if they want to buy something, if they ask for that advice, is one thing, but there are a number of members who seem determined to dissuade anyone from buying anything. "Improve your abilities instead" is one of the standard lines. Improvement should always be a goal, but sometimes you just want a new toy.

Dalek Loc: Detroit, Miami, Goffstown

bdk you made a wise purchase. The FF 810 is a great camera and the files are large enough to crop without loosing too much.

forjava Loc: Half Moon Bay, CA

Some ways to save when provisioning your new D810:

1) Find mis-labeled used lenses esteemed by Nikon's lens designers. See my 'how-to' $45 case study, posted today at UHH: http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-368904-2.html

2) I have 3 D810 batteries. I find that two is enough for studio work.

3) Skip the CF card for now. One on-hand SD card is enough for starters.

4) Try to reuse the remote trigger you already own.

5) Forget about AC power, for starters.

katbandit Loc: new york city

i just ordered my d810 from b and h and am getting two 32g cards with it..and an external hard drive too ..all for the price of the body only of the d810 ..it comes with a battery and it will interchange with the batteries from my other cameras..always check the deals at b and h photo..

forjava Loc: Half Moon Bay, CA

Oh, and did I mention that my first test picture from the D810 with a 105mm G literally made my jaw drop? You just don't say such things on UHH, so I share that experience, knowing few here will agree.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Awesome!! The purchase has been justified. After all, photography is like golf. The whole round can pretty much suck but if you hit one decent shot, it'll be the one remembered and it will be an instant great day.

Eagle Eye Loc: Huntington, NY

It was a big leap when I finally gave in to the GAS and got my D810, but I love it and am very happy I made the purchase! Enjoy!!

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

When my wife tells me she saved a certain amount of money by buying something on sale I always ask to see it.

John_F Loc: Minneapolis, MN

The only health threatening GAS is that part which has not been relieved.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Some things work like that. Some things don't.

About 11-12 years ago I bought my first DSLR, a D200. I don't remember what it cost, but it was something like $1500 (plus lenses). At the time, I thought that spending that fortune would make it my last camera. Boy, was I off base there.

After I upgraded to a D3, I still used the D200 occasionally because it had a built-in flash so I could use off-camera flash with my one speedlight. Eventually I got another so I could use the D3 for "studio" work. The D200 has sat in the drawer for maybe 2-3 years now (maybe I used it once or twice in that time). A friend has a kid who is getting interested in photography so I looked around to see what a D200 was worth. It ranged from about $100 to $400 (roughly).

Camera bodies don't hold their value much since there are new and improved models coming out at regular intervals. The D5 is now coming out at around $6500. As I recall, the D3 was around $6000 when I got it (new). So the technology has advanced so the newest and best is probably cheaper if you factor in inflation.

Lenses, on the other hand, retain their value longer because they only get updated every few decades.

On the other hand, every tractor I ever bought used cost me more than it cost the original owner new. I have a 1976 tractor that cost me $18K (10 years ago), but was probably $6-8K new in 1976. The cost of owning a tractor is the maintenance, not the capital.

I don't think I can say that about my cameras. The return on investment for a camera is not what you sell it for. It's the pictures you get out of it.

lwerthe1mer Loc: Birmingham, Alabama

Perhaps this is the time for me to confess my most recent struggles with GAS. This is a "true confession."

A little background - I am an avid amateur. I photograph landscapes a fair amount and I photograph my grandchildren a lot.

Prior to May, 2015, my camera for 2-3 years was a Canon 70D. I read some reviews on the Sony RX10 and couldn't resist the GAS. I wanted to simplify. I purchased one, read a book on the camera from cover to cover and was very pleased with the camera over the next few weeks. Then I pixel-peeped and became concerned with IQ. I returned the camera within the 30-day return period.

My next case of GAS occurred in July, 2015. I was suffering with tendonitis of my right elbow and decided to swap my 70D for a lighter, mirrorless camera. After a lot of research, I purchased an Olympus EMD 5ii, along with an 18-40 Pro lens. I liked this camera as well, and loved the lens, except for the location of the shutter release. The Olympus grip seemed to solve the problem, and I was happy.

Lo and behold, I read some glowing reviews of the Sony a7ii and reasoned that a full frame sensor would be the best thing since sliced bread. GAS arose again. Since I was within the 30-day return period for the Olympus 5ii, I returned it and purchased an a7ii, with an acceptable 17-40 kit lens. I subsequently added a Zeiss 35mm 2.8 lens and have been able to resist swapping the kit lens for a 14-40 Zeiss.

In hindsight, any of these 3 cameras would have been fine for me. In fact my 70D would have been fine. Did I improve my enjoyment of photography by equipment purchases in 2015? Or did I just spin my wheels and spend $$$?