Buyers remorse after purchasing camera equipment.

ian-83

ian-83

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Not sure if this should be here or the general chat section.

But just wondering if anyone else on here suffers buyers remorse after a large purchase?

Recently purchased a new camera and lens and spent more than I had planned due to buying used and that's all the store had in stock as didn't really want to go home empty handed. As I had been there for about an hour and half deliberating over what to buy.

Once home I feel I have overspent and now have buyers remorse over it. The joys of currently suffering mental health issues. I thought a change of camera might help me get enthusiastic about going out with the camera again.

Just wondering if anyone has faced the same and what they did to cope with this feeling?

Do I need to weigh up the pros and cons over what I was looking at?

To give context I was considering a used dSLR Nikon D7200 with a 16-85mm lens, around £600 but spent double that on an E-M1.3 with the 12-40 pro lens.
Had traded in a Lumix G80 with the 12-60 kit lens.
 
Nope, Never, but I don't spend what I don't feel I can afford and hopefully you haven't either.
I tend to want something then spend the next day or two trying to talk myself out of it before buying it anyway.

All I can suggest is to get out and enjoy it.
 
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Rather than let it sit on the table making you feel guilty, get outside and start taking photos with it and remind yourself why you changed. If that doesn’t work maybe the shop has a 7 day return policy or something similar ?
 
No, as I plan carefully and research what I buy and always buy new; no surprises so always been satisfied with what I have purchased.

Dave
 
Can't say I have ever had buyers remorse.

I do find I spent way to much time when making a decision on buying gear purely for hobbyist use, were as when buying gear for work I don't really think about it all and just get what I need.
 
ian-83 said:
The joys of currently suffering mental health issues. I thought a change of camera might help me get enthusiastic about going out with the camera again.
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I have strong feelings that buying equipment is the worst possible way to ignite the fire of photography in ones self. You get a dopamine hit before buying and then it soon wears off :)
 
Nope. I tend to research/save for ages. However I made a snap decision to buy my X-H2S earlier in the year, as I heard it would be going up in price £500 the next day, it is the most expensive camera I have bought, but it gets plenty of use, so I don't mind.
 
Sometimes.

If I know I shouldn't buy it because; a) I can't really afford it, or b) I should be spending the money on something more important, then the answer is yes. :facepalm:

If I'm feeling a bit flush and I have no outstanding bills or money worries, then definitely no. I revel in it and thoroughly enjoy spoiling myself, thinking 'I can't take it with me, what the hell?' :banana:
 
Well I appreciate all the replies so far. It's nice in a way I am possibly not alone in feeling like this.

I think my issue stems from a previous relationship where I was made to feel guilty for treating myself to something nice as I earned more so had more spare cash. Wasn't ever anything too big just nice stuff. Never been able to let that go and it constantly affects me.

Raincloud said:
Yes, always! No matter what i buy!

Just accept you made the purchase and try your best to enjoy it as much as possible.
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I am trying but I feel I am fighting myself in my head mostly with have I brought a camera that's more than I actually need for my amateur use.

ecoleman said:
Nope, Never, but I don't spend what I don't feel I can afford and hopefully you haven't either.
I tend to want something then spend the next day or two trying to talk myself out of it before buying it anyway.

All I can suggest is to get out and enjoy it.
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I can afford it. I am the opposite I see something then actually try to talk myself out of it before sometimes committing to it or just forget it completely.
My current partner says I should just get out and enjoy it.

eoSimon said:
Rather than let it sit on the table making you feel guilty, get outside and start taking photos with it and remind yourself why you changed. If that doesn’t work maybe the shop has a 7 day return policy or something similar ?
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The shop has a good returns policy. My partner suggests the same get out and use it.

Dave Canon said:
No, as I plan carefully and research what I buy and always buy new; no surprises so always been satisfied with what I have purchased.

Dave
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I do the research but get bewildered with the choice. I tried to go back to basics with this and pick something that felt nice in the hand to start with. I tend to aim for used as I feel for amateur use it's better value for money.

f/2.8 said:
Can't say I have ever had buyers remorse.

I do find I spent way to much time when making a decision on buying gear purely for hobbyist use, were as when buying gear for work I don't really think about it all and just get what I need.
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I'm the same, the internet is great for research but also a pain as there is so much conflicting information out there.

benc98 said:
I have strong feelings that buying equipment is the worst possible way to ignite the fire of photography in ones self. You get a dopamine hit before buying and then it soon wears off :)
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Yup, the dopamine hit has fizzled out the following day.

Dale. said:
No, never. I always save up if I need or want something, which gives me time to research and sleep on it too. The saving time give me plenty of time to ensure it's never an impulse buy.
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I do the same but always questioning myself after. I think it's the amount of choice there is these days and conflicting internet reviews.

Craikeybaby said:
Nope. I tend to research/save for ages. However I made a snap decision to buy my X-H2S earlier in the year, as I heard it would be going up in price £500 the next day, it is the most expensive camera I have bought, but it gets plenty of use, so I don't mind.
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Sounds like you got a bargain. I research but then I find the choice and amount of conflicting reviews confusing.

Sky said:
Sometimes.

If I know I shouldn't buy it because; a) I can't really afford it, or b) I should be spending the money on something more important, then the answer is yes. :facepalm:

If I'm feeling a bit flush and I have no outstanding bills or money worries, then definitely no. I revel in it and thoroughly enjoy spoiling myself, thinking 'I can't take it with me, what the hell?' :banana:
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I don't have any money issues, bills etc are all taken care of. I think my main issue is it value for money for my level of use as an amateur. I feel the amount of photography I do over the last few years has decreased with doing other stuff.
Therefore I try to justify is the spend a good investment or money wasted that could be spend elsewhere.
 
It's nice kit and more uptodate than the Nikon outfit you were looking at; also cheaper to add lenses to in future. You have therefore invested wisely rather than overspent.
As to the mental health issues, unless you are spending wildly on lots of things, you are not having a manic episode, so you are looking at something to pull you out of a depression - walking and photography are well known self-therapies for this. Take your partner's and others here advice, just get out shooting with it, irresperctive of the results, just enjoying the fresh air and the process.
 
ian-83 said:
I feel the amount of photography I do over the last few years has decreased with doing other stuff.
Therefore I try to justify is the spend a good investment or money wasted that could be spend elsewhere.
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Don't beat yourself up over this. I've had this a couple of times and actually going through it right now. The last time I went out with my main camera on a proper photography outing was October. While I have been out for some small hikes and taken smaller setup and taken snapshots, I just don't feel inspired to go out and shoot.

I know it's partly because I've been busy doing work in the house and garden but I don't think this weather is helping much either. It's just constantly drab and grey here.

I just enjoy the break from it as forcing myself out when I just don't feel it is going to make it more of a chore than something I enjoy.
 
Well, you know what they say about riding a bike... Just get back on and you'll be flying in no time.
 
I would suggest that the vast majority of amateurs in a whole host of hobbies spend more on equipment than is objectively justified by performance. It doesn't matter one jot if you get enjoyment out of it and it doesn't cause you a financial difficulty

Cyclists (I am one) spend a fortune on bikes that are a tad lighter than their current one, or have a slightly nicer click when you change gears, even though the difference in weight is often equivalent to a few swigs from a water bottle. And the 'click' makes no difference. But they enjoy the beauty of the machine. They enjoy the unspoken dream inside their head that they are playing with the toys the elite do

Amateur footballers pay a fortune for the latest boots which won't make them strike the ball like a pro when the real issue is their technical ability. But they like to feel like they are a pro when they play

Similarly, I suspect the limiting factor on photography from most amateur photographers (and I exclude the semi pro or pros on here from this) won't be the camera, lens etc but will be skill in composition, imagination, possibly post processing. But they will get enjoyment from owning and using a wonderful bit of kit. Objectively a 10 year old DSLR would probably suffice for most in terms of getting good images. But there's nothing wrong with having something nice

Don't worry about whether it's value for money. Just look at it and think how nice it is. And then use it
 
I have always carefully considered my purchases......

Latterly, I sold off two Olympus bodies but bought the OM1 at that time. Now, I have bought an OM1 mk2 to compliment the original.....going back to 2 bodies means for the likes of a safari trip I can have two lens setups without the need to swap lenses in (potentially?) less than ideal conditions???

Everyone has their own buying experience and to feel angst or 'buyers remorse' is not, I surmise uncommon. Having said that I make a decision and stick with it, whatever purchases I have made.

PS I think the only camera I regretted buying was the Canon 7D. This was an AF performance upgrade from my 40D, I knew from my research that the sensor was not as good as on the 40D but persevered.........but not for long as I them went full frame to the 5D MK3, I could not have been happier with my decision:)

Edit ~ the E-M1 mk3 paired with the 12-40 f2.8 is a superb combination. That lens is so sharp you could cut your finger on it and as for swift & snappy AF ~ what's not to like :)

I am sure you will enjoy using it, just try to make time to 'get out there ' even if just in your garden and enjoy the quietness of time to yourself photographing what attracts your eye :)
 
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Plain Nev said:
Well, you know what they say about riding a bike... Just get back on and you'll be flying in no time.
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...provided you can get the wings to stay in place.

I haven't yet found a glue strong enough to keep them on the cross bar... :naughty:
 
lindsay said:
It's nice kit and more uptodate than the Nikon outfit you were looking at; also cheaper to add lenses to in future. You have therefore invested wisely rather than overspent.
As to the mental health issues, unless you are spending wildly on lots of things, you are not having a manic episode, so you are looking at something to pull you out of a depression - walking and photography are well known self-therapies for this. Take your partner's and others here advice, just get out shooting with it, irresperctive of the results, just enjoying the fresh air and the process.
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Thank you for taking the time to reply. From the responses I have seen it helping me feel a bit better about it all. I think once I am home from work today I'll pop out with the camera and see how I get on. As you have mentioned it's definitely better than what I was looking at originally.

ecoleman said:
Don't beat yourself up over this. I've had this a couple of times and actually going through it right now. The last time I went out with my main camera on a proper photography outing was October. While I have been out for some small hikes and taken smaller setup and taken snapshots, I just don't feel inspired to go out and shoot.

I know it's partly because I've been busy doing work in the house and garden but I don't think this weather is helping much either. It's just constantly drab and grey here.

I just enjoy the break from it as forcing myself out when I just don't feel it is going to make it more of a chore than something I enjoy.
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I'm in a similar position with house and garden, it the process of decorating three rooms and also a bit of an overhaul of the garden. I tend to want to do one project at a time but the other half likes to get more on the go!

Plain Nev said:
Well, you know what they say about riding a bike... Just get back on and you'll be flying in no time.
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I think that's my problem. Not made time for myself.

Bodian said:
Get out and use it as much as possible. Every photo you take reduces the unit cost of each and every image!

That's how I justify spends to myself anyway....
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Sounds good to me.

mushy said:
I would suggest that the vast majority of amateurs in a whole host of hobbies spend more on equipment than is objectively justified by performance. It doesn't matter one jot if you get enjoyment out of it and it doesn't cause you a financial difficulty

Cyclists (I am one) spend a fortune on bikes that are a tad lighter than their current one, or have a slightly nicer click when you change gears, even though the difference in weight is often equivalent to a few swigs from a water bottle. And the 'click' makes no difference. But they enjoy the beauty of the machine. They enjoy the unspoken dream inside their head that they are playing with the toys the elite do

Amateur footballers pay a fortune for the latest boots which won't make them strike the ball like a pro when the real issue is their technical ability. But they like to feel like they are a pro when they play

Similarly, I suspect the limiting factor on photography from most amateur photographers (and I exclude the semi pro or pros on here from this) won't be the camera, lens etc but will be skill in composition, imagination, possibly post processing. But they will get enjoyment from owning and using a wonderful bit of kit. Objectively a 10 year old DSLR would probably suffice for most in terms of getting good images. But there's nothing wrong with having something nice

Don't worry about whether it's value for money. Just look at it and think how nice it is. And then use it
Click to expand...

True. I guess a hobby is a cheap or expensive as you decide to make it. And photography is my only real hobby.

Box Brownie said:
I have always carefully considered my purchases......

Latterly, I sold off two Olympus bodies but bought the OM1 at that time. Now, I have bought an OM1 mk2 to compliment the original.....going back to 2 bodies means for the likes of a safari trip I can have two lens setups without the need to swap lenses in (potentially?) less than ideal conditions???

Everyone has their own buying experience and to feel angst or 'buyers remorse' is not, I surmise uncommon. Having said that I make a decision and stick with it, whatever purchases I have made.

PS I think the only camera I regretted buying was the Canon 7D. This was an AF performance upgrade from my 40D, I knew from my research that the sensor was not as good as on the 40D but persevered.........but not for long as I them went full frame to the 5D MK3, I could not have been happier with my decision:)

Edit ~ the E-M1 mk3 paired with the 12-40 f2.8 is a superb combination. That lens is so sharp you could cut your finger on it and as for swift & snappy AF ~ what's not to like :)

I am sure you will enjoy using it, just try to make time to 'get out there ' even if just in your garden and enjoy the quietness of time to yourself photographing what attracts your eye :)
Click to expand...

I did pop in the garden last night and took a couple of snaps of the flowers. It did make me realise that having the fold out screen etc is good to have. Just need to work out Olympus menu's
 
ian-83 said:
Not sure if this should be here or the general chat section.

But just wondering if anyone else on here suffers buyers remorse after a large purchase?

Recently purchased a new camera and lens and spent more than I had planned due to buying used and that's all the store had in stock as didn't really want to go home empty handed. As I had been there for about an hour and half deliberating over what to buy.

Once home I feel I have overspent and now have buyers remorse over it. The joys of currently suffering mental health issues. I thought a change of camera might help me get enthusiastic about going out with the camera again.

Just wondering if anyone has faced the same and what they did to cope with this feeling?

Do I need to weigh up the pros and cons over what I was looking at?

To give context I was considering a used dSLR Nikon D7200 with a 16-85mm lens, around £600 but spent double that on an E-M1.3 with the 12-40 pro lens.
Had traded in a Lumix G80 with the 12-60 kit lens.
Click to expand...
I suspect, you would have probably felt the need to upgrade the D7200 sooner than you will feel the need to upgrade the EM1.3 +12-40. So, longer term, the Oly might not be as expensive as it feels at the moment.. The Oly choice should be good for a long time,

The Oly 12-40 is an excellent pro-grade lens and the EM1.3 even with a smaller sensor, still has capabilities beyond the D7200: if you want/need to make use of them. Although I am a died in the wool Nikon user (for 50 years), I've owned both the EM1.3 and the 12 -40 and this a fantastic combination, not only capable of high quality results, but also light, small and fun to use.

Unless, you have "overspent: because you can't afford it, rather than just spent more than you intended, the only way to guarantee buyers remorse is if you don't get out and enjoy using it..

In that regard, can I suggest you work out some projects around subjects that interest you, and you want to photograph, rather than relying on the excitement of a new camera to get you out there. Maybe also look at some of the smarter tricks that the Oly has, that the D7200 doesn't, e.g. procapture, to help justify buying the Oly over the D7200.
 
myotis said:
In that regard, can I suggest you work out some projects around subjects that interest you, and you want to photograph...
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I second that advice.

Pick a subject, get out and capture it. If you can, find similar subjects that others have recorded and compare what you've done with their approach. DON'T just look at what you think they've done better - look at what you've done that you prefer to their results.

Remember, digital cameras get cheaper the more images you record with them!
 
Photography is perfect when combining with your other current interests, e.g: hiking, walking, city breaks, sports, science, animals, cars/motosport, history, local issues etc... imo this is where photography becomes most interesting and sustainable. When photography becomes just about photography, that's how you get into a situation where all that matters is the camera, lenses, bags, etc.. and you're forever testing various 'setups'
 
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I recently bought a mint but used Canon 300mm f2.8 IS ii for a lot of money plus drop-in filters and polarisers and soft case for transporting it around. Once or twice I have 'kinda though to myself 'what have I done!' . . . but every time I have used it I have been chuffed with the results. Great fun walking a long way back to get the subject in frame and now I am getting people come up to me asking if I had a good photograph of their car I could give them!!! Wouldn't be without it now. Like you I don't go out much really but when I do I always have a good time! Great fun, and I can always re-sell it and my other stuff if I have to, after all it is cheaper than renting anything. I also just bought a 15mm 'diagonal' fisheye lens . . . gotta get super close with this one. People think I am mad being alllll the way over there one moment then nose to glass the next!
 
ian-83 said:
I did pop in the garden last night and took a couple of snaps of the flowers. It did make me realise that having the fold out screen etc is good to have. Just need to work out Olympus menu's
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I do have a copy (official one printed by a UK company on behalf of Olympus) of the Full E-M1 mk3 User manual that I am happy to send you.

@Lindsey I hope it is OK to ask if he is interested @ian-83 in the thread about this to then go PM as appropriate?

I am not sure about the P& P costs but if you make a donation of your choice to the TP running funds I will cover the postage i.e. free to you for the price of a donation to TP ( @lindsay please advise can that be to the 'coffee fund' or other via TP route?)

@ian-83 please PM as appropriate

PS I would anticipate putting it in a Jiffy envelope and that would make it over the 1 inch thick i.e. "Large Letter" or "Small Parcel" so possibly around the £5 mark to send it 2nd Class Post :thinking: :thinking:
 
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@Box Brownie I appreciate the generous and helpful gesture, so I'm happy to leave your offer in-thread and not go all jobsworth with the rules! Well done.
 
lindsay said:
@Box Brownie I appreciate the generous and helpful gesture, so I'm happy to leave your offer in-thread and not go all jobsworth with the rules! Well done.
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(y) not :police: :LOL:

Can you please clarify (perhaps with a linky?) which method of donation is most appropriate?
 
I sold my old D7200, lenses and 3 compact cameras to WEX to fund the purchase of my Sony A6700 18-135 lens kit as I needed to reduce my kit weight. I didn’t need to lay out any cash but my regret lies in losing some old favourite cameras. I’ll get over it and life is easier now I don’t have a multitude of options, I have fewer batteries to charge and plenty of spare straps and cases.
 
ian-83 said:
Not sure if this should be here or the general chat section.

But just wondering if anyone else on here suffers buyers remorse after a large purchase?

Recently purchased a new camera and lens and spent more than I had planned due to buying used and that's all the store had in stock as didn't really want to go home empty handed. As I had been there for about an hour and half deliberating over what to buy.

Once home I feel I have overspent and now have buyers remorse over it. The joys of currently suffering mental health issues. I thought a change of camera might help me get enthusiastic about going out with the camera again.

Just wondering if anyone has faced the same and what they did to cope with this feeling?

Do I need to weigh up the pros and cons over what I was looking at?

To give context I was considering a used dSLR Nikon D7200 with a 16-85mm lens, around £600 but spent double that on an E-M1.3 with the 12-40 pro lens.
Had traded in a Lumix G80 with the 12-60 kit lens.
Click to expand...
I could have written this post myself.
Every time I buy camera equipment I instantly regret it.
Sorry I can't be more positive but that's how I feel every time.

I am a hobbyist so I cannot justify the purchase of new toys, but I do it anyway.
The feeling does pass after a few weeks in my case.

Good luck
 
Box Brownie said:
(y) not :police: :LOL:

Can you please clarify (perhaps with a linky?) which method of donation is most appropriate?
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Either direct Paypal or BuyMeA Coffee are ok, much the same. We only generally accept bank transfer donations for amounts in excess of £10 or so - a PM to me will elicit details if that is preferred. The "BuyUs a Cuppa" link is right at the bottom of every page, Paypal is here
 
In your shoes, I think it would be more about did I buy the 'right' item rather than the actual expenditure.

But you never know, the EM1-3 might suit you better than the original D7200 you had in mind :)

A few years ago I was happily using the Voigtlander 40/1.2 on Sony - I decided I wanted a 35mm'ish AF lens with a big aperture..... Sony 35/1.8? Batis 40mm? Sigma had an f/2? The tiny f/2.8 lenses.... My other half just told me to buy the 35GM because I'd regret whatever else I bought and would always have that 'I should have' niggle playing over & over..... So I did. No remorse whatsoever, that lens is on the A7Riii virtually every time I go out......

I'm not really well off money wise, but I know it's best to get what you really want & need and get 100% use out of it.

I've just spent £150 on a 35mm film lens.... No remorse, I've been looking for one for years & they just don't come up for sale.
 
in most instances, it's easier to buy than to sell

I have boxes full of stuff, but I have been "at it" since the early 1960's
 
Only when I've had a few glasses of red before purchasing and wake up in the morning and say: "You bought what?" And then: "How much?!!!"

On the other hand, occasionally I'll procrastinate about a lens or camera and my sensible side gets the better of me. I'll then wait until Saturday evening, have a couple of drinks, and that allows the not so sensible (but a lot more fun) side of me to emerge victorious.
 
My remorse (as Lee alluded to) is more "did I get the right thing?" which is made worse when I discover I didn't.

A long time ago I bought a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L lens. Hardly ever used the thing, and used to get remorse every time I looked at it on the shelf. Same for the Fuji equivalent when I switched to Fuji. Too big, too heavy, and I didn't really need it for the photography I do - all of which is hindsight information.

I'm looking for a small, pocketable 35mm camera at the moment. I've had about a dozen (fortunately not too expensive) cameras, and none of them have worked for me. Now that the Rollei 35AF has been announced I'm going to give that a go with a healthy amount of "pre-purchase remorse" that it might not be the one I'm looking for.

Ideally, you would buy exactly the right gear for what you want to do, but if you don't know what that is, you've got to accept that you might buy something you don't need along the way. I see it as all part of the learning curve. If it's not money you need elsewhere, it'll be ok. You can always sell it on in search of the right one. Maybe it'll make a loss, but you (hopefully) learned something from the experience.
 
I've bought the wrong thing quite a few times. Also some stuff I didn't think I'd like but end up finding brilliant. Key is not to worry too much and just look after kit and sell what you don't like. If you buy used you lose less money in mistakes than buying new.
 
I think this is something I have to get over.

My parents had nothing when they married and although things improved I was always brought up to save and only buy what was needed when I could afford it and to look after what I had and make it last. Later when on decent money I decided to buy myself something every month but once I'd bought a watch, various hifi and cameras what was left? I couldn't think so I stopped but I've always bought cars.

These days I'm getting older and me and Mrs WW have no one to leave anything too so we really should spend whatever we want whenever we want.

So, my advice is that if you can afford something... why not indulge yourself...and try not to feel guilty.
 
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