Buying the same cameras/lenses that you have sold before

I enjoyed your insightful posting and story. All's well that ends well, so being able to enjoy your hobby in retirement is what's important.

My very best friend is from Tasmania - a great place and good people.

 

They take different space in different locations, and some of them (like my location light kit under the buffet and 4x5 enlarger) are awkward in both their shape and size. She is also quite reasonable when it comes to the amount of clothes, shoes and purses she acquires and keeps.
What can I say, we are both fortunate, and we both know it, but things aren't perfect!

 

I've done this a few times, usually involving a Nikon F3, which is my favorite camera.

I shoot all formats from half-frame 35mm (Tessina) to 8x10, so lots of items are of interest.
When I see one I want but can't afford, I sell one of my F3 cameras or motor drives to buy it.

Then later I replace the departed member of the family with a newer one, usually nicer.
I've not lost any significant amount of money in these dealings, yet.

- Leigh

 

Haven't done it yet, but my worst case of seller's remorse involved a Mamiya M645 and a shift lens.

 

+10,000

 

Nothing wrong with any of that....if someone gets pleasure and interest from collecting cameras, rather than using them (and so long as it doesn't affect them or their family financially or otherwise), it's entirely their own choice. There are too many people in this world, often do-gooders and politicians, willing and keen to tell us what we should-or-should-not do (and often it's a case of "do as I say, not
as I do" ! )

 

Ha ha... right. There's a forum member who often posts things like "I actually USE my photo gear" as a disparaging remark to those who can't for some reason. You can collect photo gear if you want to. You only need keep yourself and family happy.

 

Good thing you got rid of the wife! My X was pretty good about my stuff then one day she kept my stuff and got rid of me. Go figure?

 

Trading in my ex was the best thing I did for my children and myself. The newer models have lower mileage and require much less maintenance.

 

I haven't ridden since I jumped off the marriage train many years ago. I've been 'walking solo' ever since. Riding the rails and tunnels isn't worth the inevitable head-on collision.

 

So what's up with the present tense comment in your sig?

I've had more than one marriage that ended badly. The first one still gives me nightmares. Fortunately I found a woman who I can put up with and who puts up with me. Yeah, we fuss and fight, but we always get over it. I put up with her purses and shoes and clothes and she puts up with my cameras and guitars and motorcycles.

 

It's just a joke. My ex was a PITA.

 

I agree.

My house, my cars, and all my other toys are paid for. Of my many cameras, I enjoy the variety of camera designs, their viewfinders, lenses, their mechanisms, and the different ways they operate. Even though I work a regular 5-day week, I do use my cameras to make photos every week. Occasionally, I make a really nice photo. I don't begrudge anyone who has lots of cameras and appreciates them, whether they use them or not.

 

I bought and sold more Yashica GSNs than I can hope to remember, don't have one now since finding the Canon P. Don't see ever selling the Canon. Also about 4 or 5 years ago sold my Nikon F4s and all my AF lens, wanted to get back to my manual roots Took me years to find the right F4s again, still have it. Only one AF lens, but a nice group of manual lens.

David

 

Nikkor 50mm f1.8D, I thought I would never need it after I started with DX and I sold it for almost nothing, after a few months I realized how much I like that lens, considering the price of course. With film, with full-frame, with DX, with a macro-adapter, portraits... I use it a lot

 

I sold my first 35mm camera, a Canon whose model # I've forgotten, and which I never used much, to buy my then high school age son a digital. He was shooting a lot of film and spending time he didn't have in the darkroom, when he had a demanding school and an amazing and very worthy girlfriend to attend to. When I got back into photography, I went right back to film and got a Rebel Ti for about $20, and eventually my beloved RB67 kit. I also use a pair of Olympus XAs.

I also sold my 50mm Sekor C lens for my RB because I was broke. I've replaced it as I never wanted to get rid of it. That camera and its lenses will go to the grave with me.

My son and his girlfriend parted ways, and he no longer shoots. Ah, life's journeys!

 

As a kid I had a M42 Praktica, which I sold to buy a bayonett Praktica, which I sold to buy a Minolta Dynax. That one got stolen and I went digital.

I have recently purchased a Praktica L (the bare bones, no metering one) and it brings fine memories.

In principle I try to avoid owning more cameras than I can shoot, but I made an exception with this one.

 

CANON A-1 -- that's the one I miss from all those I have sold, so maybe I might be tempted to get some decent FD lenses and an A-1.
-----------
The Canon A-1 is the camera I used when I 1st joined a camera club and needed something for taking 35mm slide film with aperture priority.
I sold the A-1 when I got hoodwinked by the marketing machine into owning an EOS650, a camera that I hated and soon upgraded to an EOS5 - which I really enjoyed!
Don't need to rush into it right now though as I mainly have Nikon gear at the moment (and a tiny Olympus RC rangefinder for giggles!!)

 

I'm worse than you guys. I've been rebuying every camera and lens that I ever owned or handled since 1969. I was forced to sell off most of them for one reason or another and miss them. I'm also buying lenses that I always wanted but couldn't afford. I'm not letting them collect dust, I take a different camera and lens kit with me every day and enjoy processing B&W and scanning 35mm-6x7. I guess I'm nuts, but having a grand old time. Probably over 75 bodies and over 300 lenses. Only 2 or 3 aftermarket, those I gave away.

 

Richard, I don't have the collection size you do, but our attitudes and experiences are pretty much alike. I've reacquired just about all the cameras I was forced to sell -- and then some -- and almost all the lenses, but I've bought a bunch more I never had before. So I'm in total agreement with you -- except for one point. I have several favorite aftermarket optics that I believe are every bit as good, if not better than, those made by the principals. To name a few: Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm f/2.8-3.5, Vivitar 35mm f/1.9, Vivitar 135mm f/2.8 Close Focus, Tamron 24mm f/2.5, Tamron 90mm f/2.5 macro, Tamron 300mm f/2.8 LDIF, Tokina 100-300mm f/4. And a few more, but that's enough for now.

 

Not exactly on topic... but that one time I took my old darkroom equipment to the junkyard . Two enlargers, plenty of accessories. The reasoning was that I didn't have space for it anyway (which was true at the time) and I was moving... so... to the junkyard it went. I've since replaced it, with a better enlarger, too. But still...

 

so wait, you people *sell* gear? Once I've got it, it's *mine*, I worked too hard to get it, and will use it till the wheels fall off

 

Sometimes, we have no other choice but to sell things.

 

ok, so now I feel kinda arrogant, apologies and hope you get all the equipment you deserve...

 

I agree with a caveat: I had a Vivitar 85mm to 205mm pre Series I zoom lens that was less than lackluster in performance. After Vivitar launched Series I aftermarket lenses, in general were on par with the manufacturers. Another exception is that the coatings on the Rokkor lenses produced brighter lenses than the aftermarket lenses.