- They seem to be constantly either stealing or being stolen from, or harrassed/harrassing for those same purposes.
- It wasn't that long ago that people were waiting months-upon-months to get their hands on a D850. It's still the same camera.
As far as whether not making money from photography has anything to do with buying any camera, think about what you spend to enjoy photography as a hobby.
My goal is to take a "photography vacation" every year: 7-10 days of travel with the sole purpose of photography. (I started last year, but have had to forego the trip this year due to a family situation. I may still be up for a shorter one in a month, but the window of opportunity is closing.) The trip would likely cost about $2000-$3000, plus my time, depending on when and where I go. If I were to go with equipment that improved my keeper rate by a significant amount, it would be worth it. That's why hiring a guide to to get to the best opportunities is worth it. The purpose of going is to take good photos, and anything that you can do to increase the number of images that you like and want to share with others is a good thing, as long as you can afford it.
It is a very personal decision, and if you don't believe that the purchase of the new equipment isn't worth it, and you are pleased with the results you are currently getting, there is absolutely no reason at all to purchase new gear or the latest gear. That being said, even if my Z9 turns out to be everything I want it to be, I'm still not getting rid of my D850! (Although it may stay in my camera bag more often than it now does.)