Camera FOMO and the GAS

There, I said it! I’m guilty of both — and not in a small way.

Over the past few years (since 2018, to be exact), I’ve owned more cameras than there are years between then and now. Here’s the list:

And I swear I had a valid explanation for each one of those purchases.
Or did I?

The Beginning of the Rabbit Hole

I started in 2018 with photography and video as a way to promote my business — and for the occasional family trip. But before long, I found myself diving headfirst into videography, especially for YouTube.

Of course, I still wanted to do photography from time to time. So naturally, I began the hunt for the perfect hybrid camera — the one that could do everything.

And that’s when it all began.

Like every respectable wannabe YouTuber, I wanted the best possible quality to make… let’s be honest, pretty average videos. Every time I watched a gear reviewer on YouTube rave about a new camera and say, “This thing can do it all!” (not sponsored 😄), I fell straight into the trap.

So I kept upgrading — from camera to camera — chasing that mythical perfect setup. Until one day I realized I’d probably spent a bit too much money… and might need some of it back. So I sold almost everything. And then, of course, I started the cycle again.

Round Two: The Quest Continues

I went from a Canon 80D to a Sony A7III and finally to an A7SIII. The A7SIII was amazing — and expensive. I convinced myself it was a smart purchase, but after the honeymoon phase wore off, I realized I had nearly €5,000 tied up in one camera.

So, in true GAS fashion, I sold everything — camera, lenses, accessories — to switch systems again. Enter the Canon R. Affordable, versatile, capable of doing (almost) everything.

Problem solved, right? Not quite.

After a while I told myself, “I’ll just add a Canon R6 and keep the R for a second angle — makes sense for YouTube.”
Then Canon released the R3.
“The most beautiful camera ever made,” they said. “The best autofocus. The ultimate hybrid.”

So… I bought it.

€5,500 later — plus the 15–35mm f/2.8, 24–70mm f/2.8, and 70–200mm f/2.8 — I had the dream setup. About €11,000 worth of camera gear, to be exact.

But it was heavy. Like, really heavy. Eight kilos of “content creation power.” For YouTube, it was ridiculous overkill — but hey, 4K at 120fps!

Eventually, I sold it all. Again.

The Leica Phase (and Beyond)

After that, I thought, “I’ll focus on photography for a while.”
Enter the Leica Q2 — pure perfection, right?

Except… after a while, I missed the flexibility of a hybrid camera. And so began the next cycle.

Fast forward to today, and I’m the proud owner of a Panasonic Lumix S1II — arguably one of the best hybrid cameras on the market. It does everything: beautiful stills, incredible video.

So naturally, I now find myself eyeing the Fuji X-M5 because… I want something more portable. You know the story.

I Have GAS

Long story short: I have GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). And I have a feeling I’m not the only one.

Maybe I’m even writing this post to convince myself not to buy the Fuji — to just stick with my Lumix.

The things we can justify in the name of creativity are truly wild.
But there it is. I’ve confessed.

I’m guilty — and probably a little crazy — but at least I own it.

../

jp chinese monogram