Somewhere out there is a version of every photographer who has a fully funded retirement account, a paid-off car, and maybe even a vacation home. That version does not exist. That version’s money went to glass.
Let’s do the math nobody wants to do. That “must-have” 50mm f/1.2? Two months of car payments. The third camera body, purchased “just in case,” bought during a very convincing 2am scroll through B&H? A decent chunk of a down payment. The tripod so sturdy it could survive a small earthquake, used four times a year? A very nice long weekend somewhere with an ocean.
Photographers don’t buy gear. Photographers acquire gear, the way raccoons acquire shiny objects, with zero regard for whether they already have three of the exact same shiny object at home. “But this one has slightly better autofocus in low light” is not a financial plan. It is, however, a very effective way to ensure the emergency fund remains a beautiful, theoretical concept.
Ask any photographer what they’d do with the money they’ve spent on gear over the years, and watch the color drain from their face. Somewhere in a drawer sits a lens that’s been used exactly once. It was on sale. It felt important at the time. It will likely stay in that drawer, gently judging its owner, forever.
Financial advisors love clients who invest wisely and diversify their portfolios. Photographers invest in glass, diversify their camera bags, and call it “professional development.” The retirement fund can wait. The new mirrorless body cannot.
