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GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)


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<p>GAS -- wha'cha goina buy?<br />Okay, so you won the Lottery. The BIG one, not one of the piddling little scratch-off ones.<br />The first thing was obviously to pay off the mortgage on your 12-wide, and for your Momma's 10-wide on the half-lot next door.<br />Sometime today you'll need to move the Olds Vista-Cruiser out of the carport (if you can get it to start) so there will be a place to park the Bentley when they deliver it tomorrow. A hit man will have a "conversation" with that dope-smoking 33 years old tattood ex-con who has moved in with your 19 year-old twice-divorced daughter and your two grandkids. And of course post bail for any of the sons who happen to need it right now.<br />Now that all the necessary, but unimportant, stuff is out of the way, the big, truly significant question comes up: "What'cha gonna buy" to sooth your soul? A Leica Luxus, perhaps; a Master Technika with a full set of coupled Zeiss lenses, (multi-coated, of course); maybe even something digital and vulgar from Japan or China?<br />I knows where I'd start: a Paubel Makina 670 and a freezer full of Tri-X.</p>
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<p>Having a closer look at the Zeiss Otusses ... then probably moving right up to a Leica S instead.<br /> Adding a Leica SL with the 24-90 and the 90-280 when it's time to travel "light".</p>

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<p>Zeiss optics. But, I'd check them, making sure they don't have too much micro-contrast :>).</p>

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<p>That'll be on my list too - and for good measure, I'll hunt down some of the legendary Leica Apo lenses to do a proper comparison (on a 5DS R, since that's the megapickles ultimate at the moment - but throw in a A7RII and a D810 to confirm that MP count does matter).</p>

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<p>Places, to photograph and enjoy, not tools to photograph with. <br>

I knew a very wealthy old fellow through my parents. He owned several small, luxurious (inside only) unobtrusive flats in wonderful places. He could pick up the phone, advise that he would be spending a week -- or whatever. By the time his private plane or charter touched down, the place had been cleaned, aired, and stocked with food, beverages, and fresh flowers. His "local" car would be waiting in short term parking, or hired limo with driver would be standing by.<br>

I doubt I would buy much camera gear -- an upgrade body and a lens or two. <br>

One can dream -- more of why you buy the tickets than the minute chance of winning! That is why I buy (when I do) several days in advance of the drawing.</p>

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<p>Last year, I ran into a very well-to-do 60 year old English gentleman walking around Lake Bled in Slovenia with his modern Leica film camera.</p>

<p>He said, "I used to have a lot of cameras. Now, I only care to shoot my Leicas and Rolleis."</p>

<p>Due to some rather incredible luck, I now have the following stable of cameras, and I think I've temporarily conquered the GAS attacks:</p>

<p>1) Leica M3, Summicron 50 2.0, Summarit 50 1.5. For 35mm B&W work.<br>

2) Rolleiflex 3.5E Xenotar. For MF Fuji color.<br>

3) Nikon FE, 50mm 1.8, 105 2.5, 24 2.8. For 35mm Fuji color work.<br>

4) Nikon F3HP, for night shots (that light meter is amazing...)<br>

5) Rolleiflex Automat K4A?, MF B&W.<br>

6) Mamiya 7ii, 43mm, 80mm. Color Fuji travel.</p>

<p>I need to start selling off all the rest of my Nikon and Pentax bodies that seemed so important along the way. :-)</p>

<p>As to what to do with the Lotto? I'd buy plane tickets so I can use my babies.</p>

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Of I won big, I doubt I would buy a museums worth of

gear. Instead I would just get the best light weight kit

available.. say a Sony a7r2 with Zeiss lenses. Then

spend the rest of my days traveling with the digital kit an

my 4x5 kit.

 

Also, would really like to buy the parents for Polaroid

film and release them to public domain.

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<p>If it were at all possible, I would like to buy "TIME", as in 60 seconds, 60minutes, 24 hours, etc. "TIME" to be able to use my photo gear, to take photographs at my leisure and pleasure. To enjoy the visual scene and record it as it occurs. To relax without interference from others. To meditate so as to seek a more knowledgeable and intimate understanding of the subject in question. "TIME" to enjoy peace, tranquility and serenity.<br>

If only this were possible.</p>

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<p>Like the rest of you, I have way too many cameras. For a few years I kept to a rule of shooting one roll of film in each camera every year, but I eventually gave up. I had too many rolls of boring B&W test negs of the paddocks, hills, cactus, sheep and cows in the Australian countryside. </p>

<p>Like Brad, after many years of careful buying I too have the camera kits I intend to keep. The problem is I have too many of them, as well as other cameras and photo gear I no longer used or haven't looked at for ages. I have to start selling the surplus gear I now keep imprisoned in cartons, and take out, dust off, and check once a year. Please let's not talk about the films in one freezer, and the ageing paper (mostly FB, so good forever and a day) in the other freezer. My spouse often think about divorce, but says I'm too good a cook to be let go, that is when I'm home and not somewhere on the road, out shooting. </p>

<p>Nowadays I most a Nikon D700 and three lenses for color work and an old D90 with a 28 f/2 lens for street shooting and esoterica, the fun stuff. The rest just sits. </p>

<p>In my heart of hearts there is a camera I have always wanted, lusted after, in my life - a Hasselblad SWC. Many years ago I briefly used one on loan with an A16 back, and it changed my life. The best film shots I have ever taken were donewith this SWC. It quite ruined my life. I have never been the same since. </p>

<p>I suppose I could offload all my cameras except a fave few, and clean out my savings, and maybe buy an SWC. The last affordable one I saw was eight years ago in a used shop in Melbourne, a consignment sale, for A$990. I was even offered 10% off for cash. I stupidly, yes, stupidly, passed it up. I've kicked myself since. That was one beautiful babe of a camera. My dream camera. </p>

<p>I have a 500CM kit with four lenses and lots of bits and pieces. It mostly sits on a shelf at home. Do I use it? No. My MF bug is catered for by my two Rolleiflex Ts, a Voigtlander Perkeo 1 (the best folder I've ever owned, and I've had them all), or my GA645. </p>

<p>With (Australian) Ebay prices at rock bottom now, if I sell, I will be giving my cameras away to resellers who will just keep them for a year and then sell at a profit. I want that profit, darn it! So that option is unlikely. </p>

<p>With an SWC, an A12 and an A16 back, my Gossen LunaPro meter, and a good supply of Ilford HP5+ and Kodak Ektar film, I would be as happy as a pig in mud for the rest of my life.</p>

<p>So why don't I...? Indeed, why don't I! It would be GDS (Gear Deacquisition Syndrome) and going the opposite way from everyone else, which would suit me. Wo hoo to that!</p>

<p>The original question was, if I won the lottery, what would I buy? An SWC for film, a Leica for digital, and a trip around the world with unlimited stops. I would then go away for a year or 18 months and shoot, shoot, shoot, promiscuously! On my return, I would happily spend the rest of my life (70 next year) post processing and setting up online folders for people to enjoy. </p>

<p>I have no debts, but I would also buy a restored 1960s Morgan four seat roadster, a Rolex Oyster from the 1950s,all the old fountain pens I see and want, lots of color inks to fill up the pens, and drink good wine in quantities I've always wanted to, but resisted due to not having the dosh. </p>

<p>There is much to be said for excess in moderation.</p>

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<p>Thanks a lot for the intro to the question Bill, it was probably the funniest bit of prose I read so far this year!<br>

I must confess: winning the lottery would kind of derail me or my GAS a lot, first. - Here I perceive even European compact cars like a Rabbit or Polo as "full sized family <em>monsters</em>" that I don't enjoy driving at all. - I did <em>move</em> gear around on solo motorbikes but it didn't feel really right. - That being said my shopping list will be: Passport, i-phone, Macbook, Newswear / Ortlieb packaging, wild dream of a rather portable carbon fiber tripod, 2 modern hotshoe flashes and stuff to trigger them, IR & IR/UV blocking filters for my M lenses & the M8, a 2nd serious body [i'm torn between Monochrom (246) & whatever replaces the M (240) soon.] + a heck of an insurance for that gear and a ticket to far away, near a scooter rental or such.<br>

So yes, I'd love to get away with 2.5 Leica M and my unspectacular lenses to find out how that stuff feels and when it will annoy me enough to ponder system switching or broadening. I want to make those decisions with a fresh impact from "hitting the wall", maybe after wearing out one tourist visum with just Leica Ms. - The Tri-Elmar might be on my shopping list as is either an aspherical 35mm 'cron or maybe Mandler's 35mm 'lux. - Keeping the 35mm out of my frameline would be nice but living with my Hexanon is an option. <br>

Next steps (which feel too expensive & complicated to predict my final choice off hand right now): I should make up my mind upon a complementary system. Loitering NYC and maybe dealing with Lensrentals, to try the various options, might be a plan. - My current Fujis are a nice pair of big P&Ss but not fast enough to make me entirely happy. - Maybe a Pen F and a wildest OM-D will work for me or it could boil down to Leica SL or Sony A7 R iii or Canikon DSLRs. <br>

My big issue: I 'd want to embrace a nomadic lifestyle on 2 wheels, so an ability to dismount and keep all gear on me all day long would be great. <br>

To get into film photography I should get my Linhof bellows replaced, and find a roll on / roll off solution for my cargo bicycle. - I hadn't heard of Zeiss LF glass but the thought sounds like a plan, once I Ill have hit the wall with my current set of old post war Schneider lenses. But I should burn a few boxes of film first... <br>

Bottom line: For me there is no big need to win the lottery I'm not playing, as long as I'm content with staying around home. <br>

I don't really have an unacquired dream film camera that I'd be lusting after. - The great chance I missed once was buying a baby-Speedgrafic kit. <br>

I guess the biggest advantage of sudden wealth would really be the knowledge about being able to just mail order anything I might desire. </p>

 

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<p>I'm really doing pretty well already. A Contarex Special would be on the list, and a Master Technika, just because I've always wanted one, a Prominent and Nokton (as I suppose I'd be able to afford a Nokton), and an early rangefinder coupled 180mm f/2.8 Sonnar for my Contax. Round that off with a tidy black F and plain prism and I'd happily spend the rest of my life trying to make my images do some justice to their quality.</p>
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  • 4 weeks later...

<p>I really don't know anything about cameras. I have a half dozen Pentax classic film bodies and a bunch of lenses that kept me happy until the early 2000s when I finally went digital, also Pentax because of the lens compatibility of course. Got a high end Canon non-SLR. Don't know anything about other cameras. Would do some research and buy a really nice, small and handy rangefinder because before I got into SLRs I learned photography on a rangefinder, and I consider those real cameras. No focus, no internal meter--you make pictures with your brain. But maybe those <em>don't exist anymore?</em> They are all digital too, and of course have built-in meters...?</p>

<p>I guess I'd like someone to build an SLR with the simplicity of a manual, match-needle camera like the Pentax K1000 except digital. No menus, no automatic nothing. Only shoots RAW images. That would use up my lottery winnings.....</p>

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  • 2 weeks later...
<p>I am currently in remission I think. My last EXA purchase has sated my appetite. It was pricey and I knew how much I wanted to spend but I wanted it anyway so I put in a ridiculous max bid. Sure enough with 20 seconds to go it went $20 over my max and I can live with that. If it went for $1 over what I wanted to spend I would never have forgiven myself. </p>
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  • 1 month later...

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