Wow, I have too many cameras
A film shooter’s journey through the seven circles of Gear Acquisition Syndrome
Building Negativo.es has been... an experience. And apparently, so has building my camera collection.
When you have 3–4 film cameras, the app is simple. Cute, even. You scroll a little, tap a card, log a roll, go on with your day like a normal person.
Then you hit the real milestone of film photography:
You own too many cameras.
Not “I have options” too many.
More like “why do I own three copies of the same tiny Soviet camera” too many.
And that’s when I discovered the next issue in the system I built.
Maybe it’s not a bug.
Maybe it’s just Negativo.es politely holding up a mirror.
The GAS Hall of Fame
A comprehensive list of the very normal™ reasons my camera list became a UI problem.
The Endless Scroll of Shame
Problem: My favorite cameras keep ending up at the bottom of the list.
What I thought: “This is fine. I’ll just scroll.”
What it was: The list is now long enough that scrolling feels like a commitment. On mobile, it’s basically cardio.
Fix: Add sorting options so the app stops pretending every camera is equally important.
The “I Actually Use These” Delusion
Problem: With a big collection, you don’t pick “a camera.” You enter a decision spiral.
Tomorrow: Kiev.
Next day: Zenit (my favorite).
Traveling light: something compact.
Big trip: medium format because London deserves drama.
Low light: fast glass because reality exists.
What I thought: “I’m just being intentional.”
What it was: Classic GAS behavior disguised as artistic planning.
Fix: Favorites. One tap. No self-negotiation.
The Duplicate Camera Incident
Problem: I own multiples of the same camera. Because of course I do.
Like the Kiev 30 — the “spy” camera that’s not really a spy camera, unless your spy work involves documenting your daily life. I have three.
What I thought: “It’s practical to have backups.”
What it was: It’s practical until the app becomes a spreadsheet of identical rectangles.
Fix: Filters + sorting that let you find “the one that matters right now” instantly.
The Loaded Film Chaos
Problem: The app treats “loaded with film” and “empty” like they’re the same priority.
What I thought: “I’ll remember what’s loaded.”
What it was: I will not remember. Nobody remembers. That’s why we built the app.
Fix: Sorting that puts loaded cameras first. Because that’s what you actually need in the moment.
The Format Problem (35mm vs 120 vs “Why Did I Bring This”)
Problem: Choosing a camera is often choosing a format.
Sometimes you want 35mm because you’ll shoot a lot.
Sometimes you want 120 because you want quality.
Sometimes you want a rangefinder because it makes you feel like you know what you’re doing.
What I thought: “I’ll just pick one.”
What it was: Picking one requires finding it first. Which requires scrolling. Which triggers the spiral.
Fix: Quick filters: 35mm / 120, plus whatever else makes sense.
What I’m building next (because the app should survive GAS)
Here’s the upgrade plan. No dates. No promises. Just intent.
Sorting options
Alphabetical (for the disciplined)
Recently used / recently added (for people who live in reality)
Loaded with film first (the only sorting that matters when you’re outside)
Favorites
Pin the cameras you actually use constantly.
One tap. No archaeology.
Quick filters
35mm / 120
Loaded / unloaded
Potentially: daily carry vs serious trip
Lessons Learned
Having a small collection makes any UI look good.
Having GAS turns your app into a stress test.
Mobile UX is not “make it smaller.” It’s “make it usable with one thumb while life is happening.”
The goal isn’t to admire your collection. The goal is: open app → find camera → log film → move on.
Final Thoughts
I’m genuinely happy with Negativo.es. This time I did the boring work: scope, docs, diagrams, DB structure, screen designs. Clear focus, steady iteration.
And the best part? I use it every day. Every roll. Every camera swap. Every time I forget what film is in what body.
So if you’re reading this and thinking “I don’t need favorites, I only have a few cameras”…
Congratulations.
For now.
— The Negativo.es team (which is just me), surviving GAS one “good deal” at a time