GAS gone? Maybe....

GAS. Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

A condition affecting many people in different ways depending on their hobby (or profession I suppose), but for photographers, it's the continuing search for the ideal piece of kit. A never ending circle of "the grass is greener" where camera kit is concerned. For some no doubt it's just the opportunity to buy more and more stuff.

In the last 10 years or so I've had the following cameras (at least). A Fuji compact (model escapes my memory), a Sony travel zoom, two Panasonic Lumix TZ travel zooms (one of which I still have), a Canon 100D SLR, two Canon 77D DSLRs, A Fuji X-S-10 mirrorless, a Panasonic FZ330 bridge and a Sony RX100vi travel zoom (both of which I still have). The Canon's and the Fuji X-S10 as  interchangeable lens cameras (ILC) also required me to have an assortment of lenses and I've probably had about 10-12 lenses for these cameras over that period.

Some of these cameras serve (or served) explicit purposes. The original Sony travel soon, both Lumix TZ's and the Sony RX100vi were/are small, pocketable travel zooms bought expressly for the purpose of taking photos on travels abroad. Good enough for excellent photos without the weight and hassle of bigger ILC's. The bigger SLR/DSLR/Mirrorless ILC's promised better quality shots with their bigger sensors and large lenses, but that didn't always translate in practice. Most cameras these days will take good enough shots for most people unless you're what's called a "pixel peeper" studiously and minutely analysing photographs for the minutest of defects, or blowing them up and printing poster size or beyond. Most crap photos frankly come down to user error, so learn how to use the camera and in most cases you'll be fine, whether using a phone camera, a cheap camera or the most expensive gear.

Anyway, the long and short of it, was that my bigger (and more expensive) ILC's like the Canon's and Fuji-X-S10 rarely got used because I could never be hassled to take the camera and an assortment of lenses with me. It was easier to take one of the travel zooms or my small Panasonic FZ330 bridge (all in one) superzoom. On the plus side, the travel zooms, were/are small and the RX100vi particularly takes an excellent photo with it's large one inch sensor, and the RX100 family is frequently considered amongst the best in class. I bought this ahead of our Mediterranean cruise this year and it doesn't disappoint. It's expensive though, with the newest Mkvii retailing at over £1,000. There's little wrong with earlier models which are still available, although do compare as the specs vary slightly from model to model . 

My FZ330 takes excellent photos, but it's Achilles heel if it has one, is that its sensor is small, classed as a 1: 2/3rds sensor. Good enough for most shooting but struggles in lower light or when you'll be wanting to enlarge or crop shots.

Having got fed up of buying and then not really using my ILC's, and after almost a year of procrastinating, I've bitten the bullet and traded my X-S10 and all it's lenses and bought a Panasonic FZ2000 bridge camera. It's an older camera with the first units shipping in 2016 (although this one is brand new). Despite its technological age, it's still an absolutely fantastic camera. There's a good, well balanced review here by one of my favourite camera reviewers, and another more recent review by another person who uses the camera regularly here.

The Panasonic FZ2000

The FZ2000 (or FZ 2500 in the USA - don't ask me why) is like my FZ330 on steroids. It's big - bigger than the X-S10. It's classed as a "compact" although I can guarantee you it isn't, weighing in a whisker over 2lbs or just under a kilogram. It has an excellent Leica fixed lens (no more buying and carting multiple lenses around), has a bigger one inch sensor (like the smaller Sony RX100vi), and a 24-480mm zoom which will cover most scenarios from landscapes to portraits to telephoto wildlife.

This means I now have good options depending on what I'm doing. Travelling abroad where weight and size is more troublesome, the Sony RX100vi serves admirably. For specific shots where I want more zoom, or have a specific project or target in mind and don't mind the weight and size, the FZ2000 will work. For anything in between or when specific circumstances dictate, the FZ330 will suit - for example, we're shortly going on our annual trip to west Wales. We'll be going on a boat trip where I need zoom, but don't want to take a non weathersealed £750+ camera for fear of dropping over the side, which discounts both the RX100vi (not weathersealed and not enough zoom) and the FZ2000 (too big, not weathersealed). The FZ330 is ideal. Weathersealed, longer zoom and smallish size. And of course not forgetting my iPhone 13 Pro which itself takes excellent shots giving me another option, and one that's with me all the time - after all the best camera is the one you have with you.

I really like the FZ2000 camera and I'm going to enjoy using it. I haven't had much chance yet, but here's a quick sample of what it's capable of. 

Dahlia from my garden

And I'm hoping, ultimately, that now that I have all bases covered, that my GAS is at least for the moment, sated.

Finally, a shout out to the Cardiff Camera Centre in Morgan Arcade Cardiff, where I traded my gear and got the FZ2000. Helpful, friendly staff. Recommended.

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