That whole “it’s March” post….well….I….yeah….turns out it might have been BS as my D300 is up for sale due to a recent purchase. I know right? When a good deal comes along I have a real hard time passing it up. That is why I currently have a D700 sitting on my coffee table and own some of the lenses I do. Now I don’t just buy anything because it’s a good deal. If I find what I’m semi-kinda looking for at a really good price then that’s when I buy. Most people call that shopping. The thing is, I always tell myself I’m not in the market for it even when I’m looking. It doesn’t make a lot of sense when I actually think about it, but..what ev. My wife knows what I’m doing and just rolls her eyes though because she knows that part of what I enjoy about photography is trying new gear. It doesn’t actually have to be brand new as long as it’s new to me. I honestly believe that all photographers enjoy gear hunting. I know some will say that the camera is a just a tool and it doesn’t matter what kind you have as long as it takes a picture and I can agree with that halfheartedly. But I have also been told that tools are what allow you to do your job and not having good ones really isn’t an option. Thereby, having good tools allows you to do a better job. Right?
If you don’t know how to use the tools you have, then what good are they. That’s common sense. If you know the exact tool you need and don’t own it then it’s common sense to rent, borrow, or buy it. The thing is, common sense isn’t what always drives a person to make a new purchase. What fun is being practical? We’re human; we want flashes that can evaporate small ant villages and lenses so sharp they can cut metal. Is that what we need? Maybe. Maybe not. If you don’t know what tools are available to you, how can you make an informed decision?
The photographers I read about have posts about the latest lenses, flashes, cameras, and software releases and how they plan on using them and that’s great. I have no problem with that, but some of the beginners who also read those blogs begin to think that newer is always better. While there is truth to that, I think they need to be aware of what’s actually available first. The professional photographers always buying the newest equipment didn’t start with the newest equipment. They honed their craft on whatever they had and worked their way up. They already know what is on or had been on the market and why they do or don’t need those tools, but they sometimes only post about how pretty a new lens is or how they want to use it. They don’t always post about how they used an older version of the same lens so much it broke and that is really the only reason why they’re upgrading. Know all your reasons before you buy and make an informed decision. You’ll be the one benefiting from it in the future. Am I saying all this to justify my new purchase… i don’t know..it’s a possibility, but just remember what this is titled.