Darn you all, you have infected me with GAS

[Magnus W]

Not that I wasn't suffering from it already, but I refuse to carry the blame all by myself.
Some weeks ago I was fiddling around with my trusty old 28/2.0 (Pentax-m) and saw that it was beginning to look a bit worn around the edges. Optically it is still in excellent condition, but 24 years in the camera bag takes its toll. So I started to ponder a replacement. As reviews on teh interweb claimed that the older 28/3.5 is vastly superior, it was only a matter of a few mouse-clicks before such a lens had wormed its way into my bulging camera bag, and boy was it a nice pice of glass. No signs of use whatsoever. Even the little golden oval sticker was pristine.

Having this brand new lens led to taking pictures, and taking pictures led to asking oneself; is 28 wide enough ...?

Im not sure exactly how, but yesterday a mighty fine (heavens people, don't you even use the stuff before selling it off!!?) 18/3.5 arrived, and several hundred $:s is magically missing from my account.

APUG, It's all your fault!


Do you think one gets immune after prolonged exposure?

off to snap some pictures -- MW

 

[PhotoJim]

Actually, you had the genetic defect that causes GAS in utero. The latent condition was merely released by APUG. It was inevitable and unavoidable, and APUG, its members, subscribers, participants, heirs and successors and their equipment, hereby absolve themselves of any liability, either direct or indirect, for damages, harm or any other effects, positive or negative, which may occur, threaten to occur or become more likely to occur. Thank you for your attention.

 

[gnashings]

No immunity, its a downward spiral I am afraid. Gotta love it.

 

[Dan Fromm]

What you do, Magnus, is ask yourself how having the attainable object of desire will improve your life or your photgraphy. This works fairly well for me. If, say, a lens won't extend what I can do or do significantly better what a lens I already have can do, then I don't buy it. Usually, that is.

What gets me into trouble is the desire to find out what an obscure little-known lens is or how well it shoots. Curiousity is dangerous.

 

[agGNOME]

That 28/3.5 is a great performer, congratulations. Reminds me that I should put it back into use.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Well, I think now you'll realize that the resolution of 35mm is just not enough for all the information that a wide lens can take in, so now you'll need wide lenses for your larger format cameras.

But then isn't there always too much sky and too much foreground? So you'll need something panoramic.

But 6x17 is too hard to enlarge, and it's not big enough for a decent contact print, so why not 8x20"? An 8x20" camera is so much cheaper than a Linhof Technorama or the new Horseman 6x17, so you'll be saving a lot of money this way.

 

[Papa Tango]

Actually, you had the genetic defect that causes GAS in utero. The latent condition was merely released by APUG. It was inevitable and unavoidable, and APUG, its members, subscribers, participants, heirs and successors and their equipment, hereby absolve themselves of any liability, either direct or indirect, for damages, harm or any other effects, positive or negative, which may occur, threaten to occur or become more likely to occur. Thank you for your attention.

Somewhat like alcoholism, the debate rages whether the addiction is genetic, learned behavior, or a mix of the two. It is apparent that without treatment, the disease is primary, progressive, and inevitably expensive. Shock therapy (usually delivered by a significant other) has been shown to alleviate the symptoms temporarily. Ignore PhotoJim's legalese, and admit responsibility, and acknowledge the enablers in our lives and this forum.

Like alcohol or other drugs, one filter is too many, and a half-dozen cameras is not enough. A program of recovery is called for. Here are the steps, which are suggested as a program of recovery:

"We admitted that we were powerless over camera equipment, that our lives had become unmanagable."

"We came to believe that a film and developer greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."

"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to Ilford and the Zone System as we understood them."

"Made a searching and fearless inventory of our equipment."

"Admitted to our spouses, to ourselves, and to another photographer the exact nature of our excesses."

"Were entirely ready to have eBay remove all these fixations."

"Humbly set a low opening bid or reserve and asked a bidder to remove them."

"Made a list of all places we had bought from, and made a promise to avoid them all."

"Made direct deposits to personal accounts whenever possible, except when to do so would cut the spouse out of something nice."

"Continued to take personal inventory, and when we felt the need to buy promptly admitted it."

"Sought though study and meditation how to use less for more, and the power to carry that out."

"Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to GAS sufferers, and to practice these principles in all our affairs."


Having attended this GASaholics Anonymous meeting I feel much better.

Keep coming back. It works if you work it!!!

 

[Soeren]

I think we need a warning sign on the frontpage.
Maybe something like
Warning.
Entering this site may cause infection with G.A.S

Cheers,Søren

 

[Carol]

Quote Magnus
"Do you think one gets immune after prolonged exposure?"

No it gets worse.

I never thought I would become infected. I was quite happy with my little Ricoh. But then I needed one for B&W and one for colour, so I bought another (made sense to me :rolleyes: ). Then a Nikkormat with a Micro lens wormed it's way into my gear and heaven help me I just bought an OM-1 with a No. 8 screen because it is so light and will go on the telescope I have ordered.

I've now barred myself from all s/hand ads of any kind. Unless of course I see a cheap Varimagnifyer somewhere. I understand they are very useful. Uh oh!

 

[tony lockerbie]

It's some kind of evil I'm sure- the cameras keep coming and I don't remember buying some of them. I've tried exorcism with candles, incense and an old digital camera but to no avail! A friend suggested taking a 256mb memory card once a day with water may lead to a cure. Don't be tempted to take the stronger 1gig cards though as it can lead to digital output and we all know how bad that is!

 

[gnashings]

It's some kind of evil I'm sure- the cameras keep coming and I don't remember buying some of them. I've tried exorcism with candles, incense and an old digital camera but to no avail! A friend suggested taking a 256mb memory card once a day with water may lead to a cure. Don't be tempted to take the stronger 1gig cards though as it can lead to digital output and we all know how bad that is!

That sounds to me like a deal with the devil... you can not exchange one evil for another... May Rodinal have mercy on your soul...