Original post on mstdn.social

I'm considering buying a Chroma Console from Hologram. I really like what it does in all the videos I've seen. But to use it effectively, I'll also need the Sends module for my After Later Audio eurorack mixer and an effect inserts module. I guess I'll have to wait until I've saved up a little […]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome There’s a particular sort of madness that sets in when I’ve convinced myself I need new gear. I’ve owned enough 35mm cameras to know better. Minolta XD-11, a couple of Pentaxes, a Nikon N2020 that feels like driving a boat. I’ve shot with them, loved some of them, sold most of them. The Minolta XD-11 with that MD Rokkor-X 45mm f/2 got the most use. The Pentax P3 with the SMC 50mm f/2 made my favourite photos. Now I’m down to just the Nikon N2020 and Minolta XD-11, and honestly, that should be enough. But then Jim Grey wrote about the pitfalls of point-and-shoot film cameras, and instead of being satisfied with what I have, my brain immediately went sideways. Not towards a point-and-shoot — I’ve never owned one — but towards something that sits uncomfortably between categories: the Rollei 35AF. I know what this is. It’s not really a Rollei. It’s made by MiNT Camera, a Hong Kong outfit that bought the rights to slap that German name on a modern design1. It’s not a point-and-shoot either, despite having autofocus and auto-exposure. It’s a compact rangefinder-style camera with a 35mm f/2.8 lens, metal body, manual overrides when you want them, automation when you don’t. That combination is what keeps pulling at me. The Nikon N2020 can do automation and manual control, but using it feels like operating one of those massive American cars from the 1970s — technically capable, just absurdly heavy and bulky for what I actually need. The 35AF promises something else: pocketable, well-built, good lens, autofocus for when my eyes are tired, aperture control for when they’re not. It sits exactly where I want a camera to sit. Compact enough for travel and street work. Serious enough that I’m not fighting plastic switches and vague zone focusing. A proper lens that’ll actually render something worth looking at. One body that does everything without requiring me to haul a bag. Then I look at the price. Brand new, modern electronics, decent optics — it’s not cheap. Compared to classic manual compacts or late-90s zoom point-and-shoots, it is definitely expensive. Compared to what I’d get for selling off my remaining 35mm kit, it’s _almost_ justifiable. Which is why I think this might just be G.A.S. — Gear Acquisition Syndrome, that uniquely photographic affliction where you’re certain the next camera will be the one that finally makes sense. I’ve been here before. I’ve bought cameras, used them, loved them, moved on. The rational part of my brain says I don’t need another body. The irrational part says this one’s different. Maybe it is. Or maybe I’m just sick of the Nikon’s weight and looking for permission to buy something new. Either way, I can’t stop thinking about the Rollei 35AF. That middle ground between automation and control, between compact and capable, keeps nagging at me. I might sell everything and pull the trigger. Or I might wake up tomorrow and realise I’m being ridiculous. For now, I’m stuck in that uncomfortable place where want and need blur together, and a camera I’ve never held feels like exactly what’s missing. * * * 1. The Rollei 35 AF isn’t made by Rollei at all. It’s produced by Hong Kong–based MiNT Camera. MiNT acquired the rights to use the German Rollei name. ↩ ### Like this: Like Loading...

#rollei35af #gearacquisitionsyndrome

https://islandinthenet.com/gear-acquisition-syndrome/

Gear Acquisition Syndrome Stuck between want and need, eyeing a Rollei 35AF.

#rollei35af #gearacquisitionsyndrome

and then I think to myself, "if only I had an 800mm prime...".

#GearAcquisitionSyndrome

Gear Fever – Musicians, Take Your Temperature ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * Are you a shopaholic? Do you think that “one cool thing” will make everything better? ## Gear Grief Almost every musician I’ve known has had it: Gear Fever. Symptoms include: * drooling over every item in the Sweetwater catalog (printed or online, doesn’t matter) * racing pulse (or thoughts) whenever you don’t have the “perfect” ________ [fill in the blank] * cold sweats every time you hit a creative block, but then trying to fix it by buying more gear Well, maybe it’s not quite that dramatic, but you get the point. Most musicians suffer from #gear fever at some point. #MusicianTips Click To Tweet ## Gear Belief Let me see if I can explain my crackpot theory about gear fever. First, the story I make up when I want new gear is that I _need_ it. The funny thing is that my sense of craving is very similar to when I’ve skipped a meal and get really hungry. So, next, I begin to imagine what I need to _fill_ this need. Those imaginings lead to a shopping spree or at least some “research” to determine what will be the correct thing to fill this emptiness. Oh, check out that phrase: “fill this emptiness”. That sounds very much like something I might say or hear in a therapy session. Yeah, I think this gear fever is mostly about me: I don’t think I’m enough. That leads me to try to fill myself up by _buying stuff_. ## Reality Check Don’t get me wrong: I know that we need the right tools for the job. If I’m a guitarist and don’t have a guitar to play, I won’t get very far. On the other hand, if I have 100 guitars, I may be more of a collector than a player. The point is, we don’t need “stuff” to make music. We need our own musical nature, inspiration, and chops. And by “chops”, I don’t mean you have to be the best. You only need to be able to get your idea across to someone who is willing to listen. To end your gear fever, all you need is a reality check. #MusicianTips Click To Tweet ## What I’ve Learned From Gear Lust The interesting thing is that the more time I spend practicing, the fewer tools I’ll need. In other words, if I am more skilled at my craft, I don’t need more stuff to sound better. All that time researching, buying, learning, and caring for the latest purchase is time I don’t have for learning the core skills of being a musician. What’s your experience with gear fever (whether you’re a musician or have some other craft)? Send me a note on Twitter or leave a comment here to share your story. You and I don’t need so much stuff. Take your temperature and remember that you are enough. * * * Phil Porter is one of my mentors. He is the first person I heard use the phrase “crackpot theory”. The photos of synthesizers and audio modules are by Adi Goldstein via Unsplash. ### Please share! * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * More * * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * * Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X * ### Like this: Like Loading... ### _More for you_ * * * ### Discover more from Stan Stewart - @muz4now Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe

Gear Fever - Musicians, Take Your Temperature
#MusicianTips #GAS #GearAcquisitionSyndrome
muz4now.com/2021/gear-fever-musician...

Gear Fever - Musicians, Take Your Temperature Stan Stewart - @muz4now

Gear Fever - Musicians, Take Your Temperature
#MusicianTips #GAS #GearAcquisitionSyndrome
muz4now.com/2021/gear-fe...

A purple folding bicycle (PEDALS) parked outside a red storefront in Antananarivo, Madagascar. It’s towing a trailer carrying a green cooking gas (GAS) cylinder.

For my fellow musicians who obsess about pedals and GAS. I understand.

#guitarpedals #Bike #GearAcquisitionSyndrome #Music #Africa #Madagascar #Antananarivo #HomeRecording #Songcrafters #Brompton #Cycling #CyclingLife #CommuteByBike #NotJustBikes #Photography #OriginalPhoto #HalfHeartedFanatic

Selling my PRS today for $750. Just listed my V for $550. Trying to be responsible and pay off bills, but I really could use a 2nd electric drum kit and a smaller, lighter bass amp as I have 3 different bands to juggle.
Decisions, Decisions...

#gearacquisitionsyndrome

#musician

The funny thing about reviewing your 40-year archive of recordings is how you somehow managed to make great music despite not having either enough gear or the right gear. It's almost like that longtime obsession with gear was for naught.

#electronicmusician #gearacquisitionsyndrome #acquisitiveness

2/2 p.s. there's a thing in music industry called the #GearAcquisitionSyndrome. It's when musicians are piling up all the tools, bells, whistles, instruments, synths, pedals, whatnot; and then waste all the creative time in gluing all of these to work together - instead of making music.

Everyone needs a gear shot, right? This is my current gear minus the Laowa 9mm Zero-D lens cause I forgot to put it on the table. - I need help, does anyone know a 12 step program I can join? #fujifilm #fujifan #camera #photography #gear #gearAcquisitionSyndrome

#music #gearacquisitionsyndrome

2nd midlife crisis. Electric Guitars or Modular Synths?

#SunoAI #AIMusic #LeicaLust #OneMoreLeica #CameraObsession #LeicaLoveSong #GearAcquisitionSyndrome #InLoveWithMyLeicas #RedDotRomance #PhotographersAnthem
A song about the lust for Leica ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaMg...

An unintended side hustle has resulted from collecting gear for my new/old hobby, and that’s selling camera equipment on eBay. I use the proceeds to make money to buy film and more gear. It’s a vicious cycle! I’ve got GAS!
#GearAcquisitionSyndrome
#eBay
#sidehustle
#photography
#cameras

Cameras and Economics: Spending too much?

#cameragear #gearacquisitionsyndrome #gas

Full video at YouTube:
youtube.com/shorts/b-IhE...

Ah, there it is – I finally get a decent acoustic drum kit, only to immediately want to buy new cymbals.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome knows only monetary bounds.

#drums #GAS #GearAcquisitionSyndrome

I saw an ad for an Ibanez Strat style guitar. I think it was Gio GRX70QA. The GAS is real. #gearacquisitionsyndrome #guitars #neverenoughgear

Weapons of choice. Nikon, rollei, and a chamonix (and a few others)

#filmphotographyuk #filmcameras #vintagecamera #gearacquisitionsyndrome #nikon #rollei

Just ordered my first range finder, tell me the best tips you have for using one and whether you prefer that or SLRs!

#photography #analog #film #35mm #gearacquisitionsyndrome

Me: I have too many lenses and don't need to buy any more.

Also me: Wait... Is that a Super Takumar 50mm f1.4?!?

#photography #lust #GAS #GearAcquisitionSyndrome #vintagelens #vintageglass

A Zorki 2C (1957), a FED-5 and FED-5C (both 1970s models, but from the black front plate I am guessing they are later-produced 1980s units).

Whoops. I accidentally more soviet cameras.
#FilmPhotography #BelieveInFilm #GearAcquisitionSyndrome #OhNoItHappenedAgain

I've seen some... more.. gear... that.. I must... acquire.
I quite fancy a hardware looper to free me a bit from the DAW for initial experiments. I cba with getting another iPad, having left iOS a while back. Tactile control ftw. #GearAcquisitionSyndrome

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuWF...