Buy Your Gear While You're Young | Knowledge #497

It’s been 13 years since I bought my first camera. I still think of myself as young, but before I knew it, I found myself in my thirties.

I never imagined I’d be saying something like this. While I’d like to keep a bit of hesitation in my decisions, the theme this time is “Buy your gear while you’re young.”

I’m not trying to sound like a seasoned veteran, but as I’ve gotten older, started a family, and my lifestyle has changed, so too has the way I spend my time and money on photography.

Looking back, there’s a lot of gear I wish I had bought sooner.

Let me start with a personal story. After getting married and having children, the time I can dedicate to photography has changed significantly.

The biggest change is that I can no longer go out to shoot whenever I want.
Days off are now incredibly precious. Between running errands and doing chores on the weekends, it’s all I can do to carve out time with my family.

Given these circumstances, finding the right moment to go out shooting alone is out of the question. There are subjects I’d love to photograph at the perfect season or time of day, but chasing after them just isn’t feasible anymore.

Looking back, I strongly feel that I should have ventured out with all sorts of gear while I was still young and agile.

What I regret most is not getting a super-telephoto lens. There are only a few days a year you can photograph a kingfisher with cherry blossoms in the background. Or capture mountain landscapes that can only be reached by climbing steep trails. A super-telephoto lens opens the door to many adventures, but because of the price, I gave up on owning one as a student.

But now, I can’t help but feel that if I had stretched myself a bit and acquired it back then, I would have gained so many more experiences.

You often hear, “Spend your money on experiences while you’re young,” and I’ve come to realize that camera gear is, in fact, an experience in itself.

There are photographic experiences you can only have with certain gear.
There are worlds you wouldn’t have entered otherwise.

Looking back, it’s those new worlds I encountered through gear that brought truly meaningful experiences to my life.

That said, be financially mindful. This is another message I want to share with younger readers. Personally, I don’t recommend going into debt—it’s a slippery slope.

Plan out the gear you want and the trips you’d like to take, earn and save the money in advance, and then spend it. Developing this habit is the key to enjoying photography—a costly pursuit—for years to come.

Once you’ve saved up, don’t hesitate to spend on what matters.
Experiences that give meaning to your life are priceless, and camera gear, in particular, tends to retain its resale value—which is another advantage.