There are some people who are obsessed (a strong word but accurate) with the buying the latest version of their camera or upgrade, while others seem content with the same one for years. I think the world of digital has a lot to answer for with this change in the way we think.
In the days of film, many photographers would buy new lenses or change their preferred film, but often stay with the same camera body for several years. Changes to the body were often linked to a change in requirements, such as a better built body to withstand heavy use or sadly after some fatal damage.
I have vivid memories from my younger years of looking at alluring camera adverts in the magazines. The camera did not even have to be really expensive, it was just made attractive. I distinctly remember the Practica B200 and Nikon EM adverts, and neither of those cameras were top of the range. I choose an American Leica advert from 1970 for this article, but this was before I would have started noticing such things.
In fact, as a teenager, various camera adverts and specifically the Lambs Navy Rum calendar are almost certainly what lured me into shooting models and the world of studio photography. To be fair, there was probably an element of teenage testosterone as well.
In the modern day, digital is an ever evolving world, and as such many of the manufacturers bring out upgraded or new models every year. This constant supply of new equipment can make some wonder if newer is better. In reality, I think they should ask themselves if newer is more suited to their needs. I do speak from experience, I was a new camera addict. There you are, I said it :-).
This ties in well with my experience of shooting film. This was what I cut my teeth on, but when digital was released I grabbed it with both ends and fully embraced it. The main reason for this was because at the time I was shooting web content almost entirely. Anything that cut out the need for scanning and produced the end result quicker was welcomed. This period instigated my own bout of camera envy as it was a rapidly developing world. It seemed that every few months something was improved, made quicker or brought down in price.
I think advances in technology are always going to be the big draw in digital photography, but pricing is as well as you get more for your money with each year. Talking about pricing, I will leave you with this little snippet. In or around 2002, I paid around £160-200 for 1GB IBM Microdrives. This was a good price at the time, but I think the present day price to capacity ratio is more attractive.
