What would a photography hobby be without the love for camera gear? I shamefully admit that I enjoy buying new/used camera equipment even more than actually going out and using said equipment. The fact that a lot of the gear shown in the above photo have not actually been used is evidence of that. I don’t even know why I bought it in the first place!

Prior to my D40, I’ve been wanting to own a digital SLR for years now. My Nikon Coolpix 5200 point & shoot was good enough for snapshots, but not very fun to use. So when the D40 deal on amazon showed up on Fatwallet, I finally took the plunge. The deal came with a D40 + 18-55mm kit lens and 55-200mm VR lens. At the time, I believed I was all set and nothing else would be needed. To say I was wrong about that would be an understatement.

First, I discovered the wonderful world of Nikon manual focus lenses and their even more wonderful price tag. After buying my 50mm f/2.0 Pre-Ai lens on ebay, I was hooked. They call it the Nikon Acquisition Syndrome (NAS), and to this day, there is no known cure. They should really put a warning on the box or something before selling this camera to people. I thought I was buying a camera, but what I got was an incurable addiction. Thanks Nikon.

But camera gear addiction is more than just lenses. You also need a bag(s) to carry your gear. And of course, everybody needs cleaning supplies. Every photographer should also have good support as well — a good tripod and head are a must. And if you’re fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to discover strobist and flash photography, then the amount of gear you need to get just goes through the roof (multiple flashes, light stands, pocket wizards, umbrellas, etc.) There is no end in sight.

It’s been 7 months since I got my dSLR. I didn’t realize I had accumulated so much gear in that amount of time, until I laid it all out. Here are my toys:

  • Nikon D40
  • 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor (kit lens)
  • 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED II AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor
  • 24mm f/2.8 Nikkor-N (Ai-converted)
  • 28mm f/2.8 Series E
  • 35mm f/2.0 Nikkor-O
  • 50mm f/2.0 Nikkor-H
  • 50mm f/1.8 Series E
  • 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor-S
  • 55mm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor-P.C
  • 75-150mm f/3.5 Series E
  • 80-200mm f/4.5 Zoom-Nikkor (Ai)
  • 100mm f/2.8 Series E
  • 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor-P
  • 135mm f/2.8 Series E
  • 200mm f/4.0 Nikkor-Q
  • 300mm f/4.5 Nikkor-H (Ai-converted)
  • TC-200 2x teleconverter
  • PK-3 extension tube
  • Lowepro Slingshot 200
  • Lowepro Topload Zoom Mini
  • Lowepro Transporter Camera strap
  • Bogen/Manfrotto 681B monopod
  • Bogen/Manfrotto 3229 head w/ RC2 quick release
  • Samsonite tripod (piece of junk)
  • Vivitar Close-up filters (No. 1, No. 2, No. 4)
  • Tiffen UV filter, Hoya UV filter, various Sky 1A warming filters
  • Vivitar 5200 flash
  • Sunpak 433AF flash (Nikon dedicated)
  • SB-24 flash
  • Stofen Omnibounce knock-off flash diffuser
  • Roscoe swatchbook (flash gels)
  • Giottos large rocket blower
  • Lenspen
  • Nikon microfiber cleaning cloth
  • Cokin 52mm adapter
  • Jianisi camera remote (ML-L3 knock-off)
  • Sandisk Extreme III 4GB SDHC memory cards (3x)
  • Mr. Bear

The truth is I’m just getting started. I already have a queue of items waiting to be purchased. It’s just a matter of time before I need my next fix and buy something else. Here are some possibilities of what’s coming up:

  • Cokin ND-Grad kit w/ filter holder — currently backordered
  • Tripod & ball head (undecided brand & model)
  • Circular polarizer (undecided brand)
  • Cactus V2 wireless flash transmitter & receivers
  • Lambency flash diffuser (Gary Fong knock-off)
  • Various strobist equipment
  • Backpack style bag for travel
  • DK-21M magnifying eyepiece
  • Katz-eye split prism focusing screen
  • extra battery (EN-EL9)

These are just some of items I currently came up with off the top of my head. Given more time, I’m sure that list will steadily grow. When will the addiction end???