I started buying cameras because I was just a gearfag but now I have turned it into a bit of a business where I flip cameras (mostly film cameras) and make a profit while also getting to play around with tons of expensive shit before selling it. I really have essentially been cured of all gear lust and/or brand loyalty at this point as I have damn near shot with everything.

What has really struck me about the whole thing is how people's perceptions and understandings of cameras & branding is mostly superstition and based very little in actual fact. People won't dare touch let alone use lenses that need very minor cleaning or have essentially unnoticeable defects. They incorrectly assume that modern lenses are invariably better optically than older lenses. They imbue coatings or brand names with godlike powers. They talk about the supposed importance for CLAs even for cameras that are completely electronic.