Musing About "Endgame"

I went from APS-C to Full frame to 50mpx medium format to 100mpx medium format with $6k in lenses before I decided I'd overspent and cleared the decks, which was an overreaction I regret.

 

All the trouble to find yourself in a magical moment with only smartphone in the pocket.

 

Of course, it happens. And I'm glad to have the phone if it does. I don't carry a camera unless I plan to photograph.

But, apart from memos, I-am-here messages, etc, I do not like using a phone for photography. Ergonomics, to me, is all wrong. But I'm not sorry it's in the pocket.

 

Im too practical when it comes to my photography gear, im really not into the gear at all. I have friends that are always talking about fomo this body or that lens, etc. but I just have the lenses I need to get the pics I want and im done. Once I bought the 400 2.8 I was finished. I am much more interested in the pictures I am taking than the gear I am taking them with.


To try to stay on topic though, I think endgame probably differs for everyone. For some people the gear churn is the hobby. To me, I knew how I wanted my stereo to sound, spent a while trying a few things narrowed in on what I wanted and bought it, just been listening happily since. But I also agree that I like to say active in the hobby, reading the forums, seeing what friends have to say about new gear, etc.


I also agree with Erro completely, even though I feel like I'm at my speaker endgame, sometimes things catch my eye and I want to try them out, not necessarily thinking they'll replace what I have, but just being curious to what's out there. (That said, I am considering getting a house soon, which could potentially throw the whole rig out the window, since I may have more space for bigger speakers, we shall see!)

 

I have a friend who, when I show a picture, always wants to know what lens? Was it raw or camera jpeg? What does it matter who it's parents were!

 

Its a gear obsession that is super prevalent is so many hobbies, audio included, but maybe even worse in photography since its creation rather than recreation of "art". I have really nice camera gear, but I don't really care about it, other than that it lets me get the pictures I want.

EDIT: I think the thing with creation vs recreation, eg audio, is that a lot of people think if they just buy the right gear they can get pics they're happy with, but they don't realize the gear is only part of it. you don't need crazy gear to get good pics, a great photographer will get better pics with an iPhone than I will with my a7r5 lol

 

The creation piece is truly the bastard.

With audio, you get high highs and chasing those is what gets you, but with photography the low lows are my problem.

I'm always emotionally selling gear in response to a series of "bad" shoots. Suddenly, I can't remember why I bought different things, and all I can see is the money I've spent. Very much a hot cold relationship.

I also goal post move or shift priorities. Build something for one purpose then demand it do something outside that envelope.

My demented thought at the moment is to have two rigs. One a fast, comfortable camera for people and travel, and keep that separate from a heavier maximum image quality setup.

 

Photography is what I spent most money on before audio. Fortunately, I have actually reached the end of my game there: A full frame Nikon D610 plus two excellent Tamron zooms, f2.0 each, 28-70 mm and 70-210 mm. EDIT: No, they’re actually both f2.8, and the standard zoom is 24-70mm. See? That’s how content I am. I don’t even know the specs of my gear off the top of my head anymore.

This is more than enough to create really great shots for me, and I didn’t even have the AF repaired when it stopped working after a drop last year, because it’s fun to do it manually like in old times.

Yes, more is possible, of course, but in this case not required for me. I got an itch to buy again when mirrorless bodies stormed the market, but I resisted, stopped following new developments and am content now.

I have the feeling that I’m not that far from this situation in audio, too, as my current system is so great. But I don’t trust that feeling because I already had it multiple times. A change might be that, different from former occurrences, I now am quite confident that others would think so, too, and if there were local meets here, I’d happily present what I have.

But still, right now there is a desire for bettererer, though it has waned compared to earlier times. I guess I’m not at the end, but it might be not that far away. A DAC and an amp away, possibly? We’ll see. I can’t be sure, of course.

 

Actually, thinking about it, I've reached quite a number of end games. I guess I always have something I obsess over and spend money on, but I do reach an end, eventually. There seems to be some rational component that tells me when it's enough? Hopefully.

In the 90s (still a teen), it was computers. That ended when it didn't yield more than marginal improvements for my use case anymore to buy new gear every two years or so.

In the 2000s, it was PDAs and RVs. (Is that the usual English term? Motor homes? Motor caravans? Camper vans?) PDAs turned into smartphones in the late 2000s, and I found that after I married in 2006, I didn't use my RV much anymore, also I needed money, so I sold it.

In the 2010s, it was EVs, smartphones, and photography. The obsession with smartphones ended just like the one with computers before when new models didn't bring meaningful improvements anymore. For EVs, actually usable and affordable cars came by end of the last decade, and owning such an EV put an end to the desire. For photography, my gear just became good enough that I didn't lust for more anymore.

I hope the latter will happen for audio, too. The interesting question is: What will I obsess over then? I guess that by then, the kids will be out of the house, and it might be time for a new RV?

 

That is good approach. Essentially one can pick 2..3 areas to hone the edge and be able to sustain normal life.
For me it is 2ch audio, coffee and strength training. That's it. I don't have time for more. I wish I had.

For other areas the key is to accept contentment in simplicity and modesty - otherwise spiritual health, relationships and health suffers.

 

I'm much the same. I just want the gear that does what I want to do. I have, for instance, a very nice 85/1.8 lens. I'm aware that that those who do stuff like pics of tree branches against the sun will not like the chromatic aberration on my great-value lens. I don't use it for that, and I have no great desire for the expensive "GM" version just because 1.4 GM.

If I have something that is noticeably, not-that-great, eg the Samyang 35/1.8 I recently bought, then sure, it will go on the want-better wish list.

I felt the same about audio.

But hey, if the fairy godmother had ever sneezed into my bank account, sure I would have gone shopping just for fun. And I would now. But no, I still wouldn't have been able to quote the specs either, excepting the basic vitals. Audio or photography.

And I would never buy audio because of some better third-decimal-point spec. Thankfully, that has never been what SBAF is about. Although it seems to stray a little in that direction these days. Buying/changing things because it might make a difference.

But...

Sure, I'll pour scorn on someone using a CAT8 network cable just because, but I won't rain on the parade of people that just enjoy playing with gear, and or shopping for it. Or just listening for the experience.

Of course, Endgame isn't "this is cheap stuff but it's what I'm loving music on today because it's all I can afford." Nor is it "I spent a million quid/dollars and I'm still looking for that something better." The latter is probably just terminal dissatisfaction (or bad spending): File under "Don't be a Ken." (quote @purr1n, I think)*

*Doh! Whole thread

 

And after you got married, there was less call for the PDAs

(PDA being a TLA for something else besides personal digital assistant).

 

Had to look that up in urban dictionary. At least in German, PDA is also an abbreviation for Periduralanästhesie (peridural anaesthesia), but I guess it doesn’t make much sense to obsess over that.

 

Here's a Thoreau quote that encapsulates it all:

"Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which it was already but too easy to arrive at."

 

Well now you've done it. My mind can only dwell on the implications of that beautiful quote now. A moment ago I was just looking for an excuse to spend more money. Enough. Thank you