GAS -- harmless compulsion or touch of mental instability?

[Gerald Koch]

Unless you or your family are in want because of your habit I wouldn't worry. I look on the present availability of camera equipment as an opportunity to buy those things that I have always wanted and couldn't afford. I have replaced several cameras that I was forced to sell during my college years in order to eat. There are far worse compulsions.

[jimgalli]

Think about the $$$$$ spent in the USA and other places for the sole purpose of endorphin release. What could be more fun than getting home from work and seeing the UPS man has left yet another box!! At least at the end of the day, whether we're crazy or not, we ended up with something of value that can be re-sold by our survivors, and we used what we bought to undertake some of the most healthy brainwork possible to humans. It beats the hell out of beer and a bigger TV set.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thankfully, I don't need an automobile.

[reellis67]

I am sorry to say there is no cure for GAS, only occassional periods of remission followed by spectacular relapses. I get around the issue by steadfastly refusing to accept that GAS is a bad thing. How can preserving items of our photographic heritage be anything other than a selfless act worthy or praise?

Tom

My Hero!

- R

[Pragmatist]

I am sorry to say there is no cure for GAS, only occassional periods of remission followed by spectacular relapses. I get around the issue by steadfastly refusing to accept that GAS is a bad thing. How can preserving items of our photographic heritage be anything other than a selfless act worthy or praise?

Tom

Agreed. In the field of addiction counseling, your "how I get around it" is known as denial. Denial is a solid clinical indication of an active addiction process, as the root causes of the addiction are ingnored, and then rationalized. This rationalization is evidenced by your last sentence. Admit you are powerless over photo equipment, and seek help...

But wait! One must want help. First there is the "gateway" 35mm addiction, that leads to heavier cameras. Next it is MF, or straight to the heavy stuff, LF. Some go all the way to the heaviest form of the addiction, ULF. Each one needs its own unique paraphernalia to give us the photo buzz. We are doomed....

[Ole]

I have finally learned to check what I already have.
I was ready to click the button to buy an extra set of rollers for my JOBO CPE2, when I remembered the big box of JOBO spares. Right. Six rollers, four "legs" and a carrier. And a complete lift, or is that one-and-a-half lifts?

Then there was the 16cm f:9 WA Aristostigmat I bid on but didn't win. I admit I was irritated - until I remembered I had used one only last week. It's still on the 13x18cm plate camera...

[snegron]

Sadly, my UPS guy knows me on a first name basis. I have come to terms with my addiction. I just purchased the last camera for my collection, a brand new F100. I will not buy any more camera related stuff again. Oh oh. I just noticed that my new F100 did not come with a strap.

Ok. I will have to order a new strap for my F100. I don't need the strap, IT needs the strap. Will it balance well with the strap, or will I have to get the battery pack for it just to have a perfect balance?

Ok. I will have to order the camera strap and the battery pack. Nothing else. Just a small order. Speaking of small, my F100 does not seem to fit quite right in any of my 7 camera bags. I don't need the new bag, IT needs the bag.

Ok. I will have to order a new strap, battery pack, and medium sized camera bag. Nothing else. This is a prime example of how I spend way too much money on cameras and camera related stuff. Speaking of prime, I wonder if KEH has any 24mm AF primes in stock?

[Dan Fromm]

Rosey, and for that matter, Ole and others, there's nothing much wrong with you but you ARE confused about what your hobby is. It isn't photography, it is accumulating photographic equipment. Actually using the stuff is incidental.

Thinking of which, how can you go a-shootin' with 35 mm cameras in more than one mount system? Back-breaking, isn't it?

Cheers,

Dan

[Terence]

Thankfully, I don't need an automobile.

Amen to that. And if I needed to, I could probably mount some wheels on the 8x20 . . .

As for the original question:

[A] You need an FM. Maybe two.

[B] 35mm is what we call Stage 1 GAS. Medium Format is Stage 2. Large Format, Stage 3. ULF is Terminal or End Stage. Cirkut cameras are usually enjoyed and employed while moving towards the bright, bright light . . .

[C] You could save yourself now, or, like the rest of us, let the cold waters just take you down.

As the Irish say, "AA is for quitters." The same applies to GASA. Save yourself the other eleven steps, admit you have a problem and just hit the "Buy It Now" button.

[David Brown]

Denial is a solid clinical indication of an active addiction process, as the root causes of the addiction are ignored, and then rationalized.

I'm not addicted! I can quit anytime ...