Stop wasting your money on the wrong photo gear, do this instead

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You’ve probably heard of Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS), a serious condition affecting most Photographers, with seemingly little to no cure in sight. It is easy to contract, as not just brands but also fellow photographers – no doubt affected by GAS – try to convince you that if you just buy the latest camera or lens, your images will magically improve.

That said, there are times when a new purchase is somewhat justified, so if you are about to get some shiny new gear, there is a way to avoid dishing out more than you should. Seasoned landscape photohgrapher Gavin Hardcastle aka Fototripper, seems to have found a way to save us from the expensive delusion that expensive new gear equals better photos. Make sure you watch his full video below to find out how, but here’s a quick summary to whet your appetite.

Things to consider when buying new gear:

Non-native lenses are the way to go
Avoid Specialist lenses (unless you specialise in a genre)
L-brackets are actually worth it
Filter kits (you likely only need 1 or two filters from them)
Graduated ND filters (a waste of money)
UV Filters (better off with a circular polarising filter)
Camera bag (consider space for non-photography items)
Budget Tripods (will end up costing you more in the long run)
Resist camera upgrades, you don’t need the latest and greatest
Battery grips (pack a few extra batteries instead)
Cheap memory cards (data loss not worth it)
SSD storage (you get better value with larger capacity)
Filters for drone photography (pointless for stills)

Watch the full video below to see how these tips can help you save money, and let us know which one’s you were falling victim to? Or do you disagree with this list? Want more? Read our list of 30 photography myths – Why a lot of photography advice is wrong.