For one reason and another my photography seemed to lapse over the summer and I did very little. I’ve sold all my film gear having decided that I would struggle to deal with the processing side if, as we plan, we go to live on our narrowboat for a few years and I just couldn’t seem to find the enthusiasm for taking photos. However this year saw us stranded at home for various reasons and to fill the hours I joined a local camera group. Not really a camera club but just a collection of peope who want to improve their photography and this rather retriggered my interest in taking pictures again. But of course with that came the desire to buy new equipment. But what? What did I need? Really nothing. What did I want? Loads!
I started off my new found enthusiasm by taking some macro shots with my micro 4/3 camera and a set of extension tubes but very quickly decided I needed (no wanted!) a dedicated macro lens. Which one? Extensive searching and I decided on the Olympus 60mm f2.8 But before committing myself I came to the conclusion that really I needed a better tripod to enable me to get lower and into different angles. So back to the research and I decided the one for me was a Benro Goplus Travel but then I thought, hang on, I’ve already got 2 tripods, one of which is a light weight travel tripod where I can attach the camera to the bottom of the centre column to get closer to the ground so do I really need a new one? No, not really; so, shelve that idea. Ok so got to buy something! How about a focusing rail? Make it so much easier for my macro shots. But hey, hang on. I’ve managed quite well without one so why bother?
OK, so how about another lens? Yes definitely need one. The only one I have for the M4/3 is the 14-42mm kit lens so whats available? Well there was the 60mm Macro lens I was keen on before my thoughts on other acquisitions. But no, no point, I’m coping perfectly well with the extension tubes. Ok. So a telephoto lens then? Yes, I could then do super wildlife photographs and win Wildlife Photographer of the year! So what length telephoto lens? 45 -150 to extend the range of my existing lens or 150-300 to really get up close? They have the equivilent range of 90-300 and 300-600 on full frame so at the long end would need a tripod. So am I going to be willing to tote my bag and tripod whenever I go for a walk or do I need to keep things simple?
It was at this point that I thought I ought to go back to using my iphone and see what results I could get from that so I splashed out a couple of quid on a new app -“Pureshot” – which gave me as much manual control, as the phone could offer with a very simple interface and off I went trying it out. I posted a few examples on an earlier blog and was fast becoming addicted to using it instead of my camera. Ah, so I can still spend money, I can buy additional lens, wide angle, fisheye and macro to fit on the front. But hey hang on. The lens on the iphone is pretty wide angle anyway (something like a 32mm equivilent I believe), I’ve never particularly liked fisheye photographs and I have a panarama facility on the camera/ software anyway for really wide angle and I have the extension tubes on my camera for macro, so no dont need those.
So here I am still desperate to buy something but unable to really justify anything. I know a prime lens of some description would give me better image quality than my kit lens but who would notice it except for me? I know a telephoto lens would enable me to take more scenes but do I want to carry all the gear? I know a new tripod would be more convenient but what do I do with the other two? etc etc
So, I think I’ve talked myslef out of my GAS. Until I next start to surf the net and find someone talking about a must have piece of kit.
How have you all dealt with this obsession?
