10 reasons why you do not need a new camera

I do not support the photography industry very much, because I consume far too little and rather advocate moderation. I am convinced that limiting myself is only positive. As a consequence, I have become really good at NOT buying stuff and I would be glad to help you discover and develop this skill as well. If you need arguments to prevent you from unnecessary purchases or to help preventing compulsive camera buying syndrome (CCBS), please either use the contact form or fill out the the questionary that I have prepared. 

10 reasons why you do not need to buy a new camera:

1. Picasso used cheap paint (original reference here) for his paintings - why would you need an expensive new camera? 
2. Contemplating new equipment is just a compensation for not photographing often enough. The only successful strategy to improve your skills as a photographer is to photograph more - not to buy or review cameras. 
3. No photographer has ever taken great photographs with different cameras and lenses at the same time. All you need is one camera with one lens that you really know how to use.
4. Cameras do not compose and take great photographs all by themselves. YOU have to photograph; the camera - any camera - is just recording photographs for you.*
5. If you own a reasonably new camera with a lens (probably bought sometimes during the last five years) you have everything that is necessary to take great photographs.
6. If you suffer from a pixel inferiority complex and therefore intend to buy a higher resolution camera, remember that you would likely also need a new computer, more hard drives for backups and more time for editing.
7. Some of the money spent on a new camera could be invested much more wisely: buy an accessory that really fosters your creativity and which allows you to do new things.
8. With a new camera, your photographs will not become better - rather the opposite. You can take the best photographs with the camera that you know best - this is unlikely to be a new camera.
9. Comparing camera and lens specifications and purchasing new equipment takes a lot of time and energy, which you cannot invest in taking better photographs. 
10. You actually own already too many cameras and most of the purchases are for similar things that you already own - before buying another one sell all of the ones that you did not use within the last year.

All these arguments burn down to one simple conclusion: Most likely you do NOT NEED a new camera. I am also tempted by new cameras regularly and sometimes I do of course buy new equipment. However, self-sufficiency, functionality and quality, as opposed to quantity, make me much more happy and content. Therefore, and despite the fact that I am interested in the technological side of photography, I buy only little and often rather small things that help me use what I already have, because I know that:

The less things I own, the higher the value of each item.

The less tools I own the better I will know how to use them.

The less I own the less I will have to carry around.

The two towers of the Hotel NH Fiera in Rho/Milan, Italy. The buildings are not straight and they are rather close to each other. I particularly like how the sunlight facade on the right building disappears in the white sky. Only the black windos are visible and seem to float in between the two buildings. 

*I know that there are some cameras that automatically and non-randomly take photographs. However, I would deny these machines the capability to compose.