If you have ever been into photography for any period of time it's hard to get away from gear acquisition syndrome (GAS). Yes, this is a really thing in the photography sphere. You may laugh but it is very real and I've fallen for it many times.
It's just so tempting to buy that new lens, new camera or other piece of equipment. Unfortunately in many cases it does little for your photography and just momentarily provides a very short term adrenaline rush. We humans are an interesting beast and sometimes you've just got to do it even though you know it serves little real purpose.
As long as your budget allows sometimes it's just the best thing to do just for your peace of mind otherwise it's just nagging at you endlessly.
Thankfully photography can sometimes be done on the cheap although obviously you can also spend up large if you want to. Buying an old manual lens or a lens filter for instance can provide a short term buzz without breaking the bank.
I've gone through some of my historical purchases and most things just sit on the shelf and never get used. However I am a pretty frugal shopper and having bought quite a lot of used equipment off eBay I can justify lots of it due to buying at excellent prices. Your mileage may vary however.
Even so I have far too many lenses and lots of flashes that never get used. I really could cutdown on a lot but I am stuck on the Pentax K mount with little resale value so most value is in actual usage rather than monetary value.
Buying into a new system is also a daunting prospect when you don't make money from photography. Buying into a Sony, Fujifilm, OM System, Nikon, Canon or Panasonic mirrorless system is an expensive exercise. Especially when you already have a working albeit old school and heavier DSLR system.
Anyway, I am a bit of a sucker and have bought into the micro four thirds mount with an OM System (formerly Olympus) OM-5 camera and a selection of lenses. Micro four thirds appears to be on the outer but my logic is to keep my APS-C and fullframe Pentax DSLR camera's (for when I want the ultimate in picture quality) and use my OM-5 as my lightweight kit.
I'll continue to use my Pentax Q as my concert and live gig camera and my Fujifilm X30 (despite its non-functioning flash) when I don't want to take a heavier kit.
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