Haves and Wants

Being content with what you have. Nowadays, we forget far too quickly that the things we currently possess are the very things we wanted before we actually had them. Capitalism. The desire to "always have the latest thing." I noticed this phenomenon quite strongly with my Leica Q2 Monochrom. No sooner had I acquired it than I was already thinking about the next system—specifically, the Leica M system. And that is not productive. We need to relearn what it truly means to appreciate what we have right now. Making a sound investment is one thing; immediately wanting to jump to the next tier is quite another. In photography circles, this is often referred to as "GAS"—Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Take the Q2M as an example here. It is not a rangefinder camera. It features only a single, fixed lens. But—and this is a big "but"—it sports an M-style body and is actually even slimmer than a standard M camera. Yes, the lens is large, but it is a Leica Summilux lens. And for my style of photography, the Q2M is perfect. It is an absolute "tank" in urban environments, capable of withstanding whatever weather conditions come its way. The Q2M is more than sufficient. Sure, if I were truly wealthy, I would undoubtedly buy the M11 Monochrom—along with a whole array of lenses. But one simply has to remind oneself that one isn't rich. You aren't a superstar, an actor, or anything of the sort. The Q2M was something I could afford. And this particular Leica is perfectly adequate. Of course, you can still mentally compile wish lists and watch YouTube videos reviewing various M-lenses, among others. As long as it remains fun, that is. After all, it is a hobby.

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