For most applications, you probably don’t need to invest a tonne of money/storage space/camera bag space (& weight) on photographic gear. You probably own enough photography gear already. If you disagree, you may have… Gear Acquisition Syndrome (or GAS, for short). GAS has been afflicting the photography community since its inception, and today, with the dominance of digital photography, it’s only getting worse. So I’m bringing to you some readings from around the interconnected series of tubes, that is the internet, to help alleviate symptoms of GAS.
Computational photography keeps getting better and better. A new camera (Light’s L16) weighs 435 g and is capable of 81-Megapixel resolutions through its 16-lens array. It's capably of producing images with low-noise, good low-light performance and depth of field. The L16 takes computation photography to the extreme and could be the harbinger of a revolutionary new lightweight/high-quality, DSLR replacement. My guess is that within a few years, this technology will make its way onto our smartphones in a ubiquitous way. After-all, there are already several (LG, HTC, Apple, Huawei - just to name a few) smartphones with two lenses. Once the technology spreads, I think the rationale for bulky systems becomes even more shaky. With a little patience - your GAS may go away...
But for those of you with GAS right now: a caution. If your case worsens, you could end up in the poor house. Check out this $35,000 eBay listing.
But the best way to avoid all this is to avoid contracting GAS in the first place. Contracting the syndrome at all can be an expensive proposition. If left untreated, you could end up crippled by debt. The only way out is to to hope that someone else with GAS bails you out of your debt with a desperate sale. Seriously, who has $1,000,000 worth of lenses?
Again, all this gear won’t really improve your photography and there is no end to the camera gear available. In addition to that - you’ll really be testing the patience of your significant other.
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Feature Photograph of the Week - Backroad Sunset
Lost in the Province of Foggia in Italy at the end of a long day.