Photography is a popular hobby, and it isn't surprising that people are willing to spend money on gear for their hobby. Road bicyclists might save up for a carb

Photography is a popular hobby, and it isn't surprising that people are willing to spend money on gear for their hobby. Road bicyclists might save up for a carbon fiber road bike, anglers might splurge on a Crowder rod, golfers might buy some high-end clubs, etc. None of those things are essential for the hobby, and most are are overkill for beginners, but they offer incrementally better performance and make the hobby a bit more enjoyable. In that sense, supercars are actually a decent analogy. If supercars were around the same cost as mirrorless cameras and SLRs (<$5k, with minimal ongoing cost), then I'd expect supercars to be incredibly popular - lots of people would love to have one for weekend drives.