Back in the 35mm fold DIVORCE PENDING!

[Kopite64]

Took a week off work with the 4 kids for Easter and had a blast. Went to the Cinema, Swimming, Nature walks etc. Also not least because I have been putting some film through an absolute mint Yashica Mat 124G 6X6 I acquired off E-bay, a few weeks back.

I suddenly realised how much I had missed photography as a stimulating creative hobby having sold up a 35mm system years ago and had a succession of :rolleyes: Shhh digital compacts since.

So a week off, the kids on their play-stations due to bad weather. I decided to have a look at what my dream 35mm SLR from many years ago was going for on e-bay. I was amazed how many Nikon F3's there are most looking well used, only one or two looking well loved.

I was browsing when up popped a new listing "buy it now" for a Mint F3 HP body only had amateur use, photographed from every angle inside and out it looked pristine, money back guarantee if it did not work perfectly. $300 or £152. I drooled for all of 10 seconds, it was fate synchronicity stikes again and so I hit "buy it now".

My good lady was not due in for another 4 hours, the rain was still dancing down and I needed some glass for my new baby.

Oh dear 4 hours is a long time in Aladdin's cave

The devil makes work for idle hands!

Within 3 hours I had a mint MD4 motor drive for $80!!!! or £40, then a 28mm 2.8 AIS Nikkor which looks as new boxed €88 or £60. A 35mm F2.0 AIS mint €132 Euros or £90. A mint and boxed 50mm 1.8 AIS $80 or £40 and finally a pair of lenses together on a "buy it know" 35-70 3.5/4.5 (heard mixed reviews on this one) and a 80-200 F4 AIS both look absolutely mint price................... wait for it $200 or £101!!!!!!!

$950 or about £480 for a mint F3 HP, MD4 and 5 lenses. It seems I did very very well or is this the sort of price this fantastic gear is going for now?:confused:

Anyway my next mission is to beat the wife to the postie for the next week or so till it all arrives, four lots from the USA, 1 from Germany and 1 from Sweden.

I remember holding a F3HP as an 18 year old camera salesman and thinking "one day" it has took a while but I got there in the end!

I Just need to convince the wife it's all her fault for going to work and leaving me in charge of the 4 little darlings, I must have had a mental block or something

I will be posting my first efforts for your considered opinions very soon.

 

[resummerfield]

......my next mission is to beat the wife to the postie for the next week or so till it all arrives,.....

I know that feeling!

 

[copake_ham]

Congratulations. You'll enjoy the F3HP. I have three of them (three locations) and think they're true "classics".

 

[Travis Nunn]

...Anyway my next mission is to beat the wife to the postie for the next week or so till it all arrives...

I'm lucky in that I can have everything I buy sent to my work address. Makes things so much easier.

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I had a similar experience about a year ago. I was at a "garage sale" being held by a pro photographer in his studio. I found a very lightly used F3 with MD4 for $150 and just had to buy it. It was also my dream camera when I was around 18. I remember being in college photo class and just hating the rich girl who was using a brand new F3. Envy can be an ugly thing.

Congrats, I think you are going to love your new system.

 

[RobLewis]

Getting the gear and hiding it is the easy part for me. My wife is clueless on the 'stuff' aspect. I could take her picture in the morning with my Minolta x-700, then a Deardorf 8x10 in the afternoon, and she wouldn't notice the difference.

It's hiding the financial aspect that's tough. Stupid online access to checking accounts means she can see that I charged something at Central Camera. Paying cash is just as tough. "Why did you take $40 out of the account today?"

The web of lies I live.

 

[Kopite64]

"It's hiding the financial aspect that's tough. Stupid online access to checking accounts means she can see that I charged something at Central Camera. Paying cash is just as tough. "Why did you take $40 out of the account today?"

I know that feeling very well Rob which is why I set up a checking account a few years back called internet transactions in my name only and applied for a credit card in my name only. That credit card is my PayPal card and the account used for all my ebay activity so my selling profits go into that account. All communication is addressed to me and the account balance is invisible when my wife does joint account checking on the internet!

It also means that the occaisional, infrequent foray into the land of shared accounts is more accepted HAHAHA oh what a life

It was even funnier last year when she discovered my hiding place of 16 years for my cash slush fund. Told her I was saving for a birthday present for her. Incredibly she found something that cost exactly what I had saved to the last £ (I didn't even realise she had counted it).

I have a feeling the appearance of an SLR, Drive and 5 lenses may just wrinkle her beautiful little button nose:confused:

 

[Gary Holliday]

It's an essential purchase, women have babies to play with, men have cameras.

 

[roteague]

I understand how you feel Paul. I have an F5 that I really love.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Practice saying:

"I got it on eBay for $20."
"I just could not pass it up because I need it to photograph our beautiful children."

Steve

 

[film_guy]

LOL, I totally understand how you feel about photography purchases and relationship with your significant other. Hopefully I'm not detracting too much from the original poster's thread, but on most personal shooting days I just want to use my 35mm film camera and some B&W film, but since we have 35mm digital equipment, it's hard to explain to my partner why I still want to shoot film. She just doesn't understand how fun it is to do analog photography. Everytime I bring in a roll of film to be developed or I buy more rolls of film, she nags. Sigh.

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

For 33 years my wife has not found my cash slush fund, (I hide it in the oven).

I also have seperate account for my occasional camera purchases. Try hiding a a couple of 8x10 cameras and a couple of 5x7 cameras sometime.

P.S. I always lusted after the F3HP, but could never afford them, until the past couple of years. Now I have 2 F3HPs with MD4 on each. Thank God for digital!!!

Wayne

 

[wirehead]

tee hee. My wife figures that my photo expenses are cheaper than psychotherapy... so it's all part of the budget.

 

[Doyle Thomas]

Tell her, "IT'S ALL FOR ART"

 

[Gay Larson]

It's an essential purchase, women have babies to play with, men have cameras.

Hey! Not all women just play with babies, my baby is a MF Pentax. You don't want to sound chauvanistic, do you ????

 

[Valerie]

It's an essential purchase, women have babies to play with, men have cameras.

Exccuuuse me???? (Hands on hips, eyes shooting flaming bolts)

 

[Kino]

My wife was an animator and filmmaker; she ENCOURAGES me to buy gear... up to a point.

Nowdays, with that blasted auction site, government surplus sales and thrift stores, it is EASY to stay in budget and still accumulate great gear!

I love my wife... *snif*

 

[Sirius Glass]

The one thing my ex never complained about was photography. Recently she saw some of my enlarged photos on the wall at my oldest daughter's home and the ex said that I always took great photos.

I have had the same girl friend for six years. She never complains when I take photographs and waits patiently. When I want to buy photo, ski, bicycle or offroading equipment she encourages me to get those things for myself. I just don't know how long the relationship will last because we have never had a fight. ... And if you have never had a fight then you have not idea how long the relationship will last.

Steve

 

[Nicole]

I'll never forget when I was told women will never make good photographers - because we are too emotional.

Eat those words Gary!

Congratulations Paul! Make nice photographs of your wife and family, and let her take the camera out, too. That might make the introduction a little less painful.

 

[Kopite64]

Now there is a cunning plan cheers Nicole!

 

[colrehogan]

Exccuuuse me???? (Hands on hips, eyes shooting flaming bolts)

LOL!

I have my cameras, my husband has his shed full of tools (he is a mechanic by trade, not hobby. He has his multiple project vehicles waiting for warmer weather for him to work on.

 

[RobLewis]

It's an essential purchase, women have babies to play with, men have cameras.

That's hilarious!
Can't say my household fit's that mold- we've got 4 youngins, my wife has a much more 'successful' career than I have. (As a result of her superior education) I've done the stay at home dad thing for a few years, and probably am going to again within the next 6 months.

But I still claim to be the more intelligent one, by default of my superior male chromosomes.

(I'm only kidding, but I will be going into hiding now in case noone finds this humorous)

 

[RobLewis]

The one thing my ex never complained about was photography. Recently she saw some of my enlarged photos on the wall at my oldest daughter's home and the ex said that I always took great photos.
Steve

Unfortunately, I don't have the quality photos to convince her to let me satisfy my G.A.S. (As my photo gallery proves)
I need a new angle.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I'll never forget when I was told women will never make good photographers - because we are too emotional.

Eat those words Gary!

Congratulations Paul! Make nice photographs of your wife and family, and let her take the camera out, too. That might make the introduction a little less painful.

All seriousness aside. When my first child was born, I set up my X-700 with the strobe to the correct f/stop and 1/60th second. Then I showed the ex how to focus and shoot. The camera was always out and I made sure that it was always loaded and the batteries were good. A lot of Kodak [and Fuji] moments were captured.

Steve

 

[Steve Bellayr]

What great prices! Especially that 35mm f2.