Gear Regret : I am sorry I sold that

[aparat]

I used to have a Minolta Maxxum 7, which I'd bought just before it was discontinued. I sold it along with three lenses because I though I didn't need all the automation. I didn't realize that I could just set the camera to manual .

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Probably my original chrome FM2n. Bought it used in 1991. Traded it and a black FM in on my first F3P in 2004. Only got $80 in trade value for it, so probably should've put it back into the bag, along with the ugly 55f2.8 Micro, which I eventually got back. At least, the black FM2n that I have today does a pretty decent job at satisfying my desire to use an FM2n. It's nowhere near as clean cosmetically, but works fine.

Lens-wise, probably the 35f2 Nikkor-O AI'd. Am trying to buy my last one back, if Glazer's can find where they have it. If not, when they get another 35f2, I'll get that one instead.

I've been pretty good lately, at avoiding the urge to purge, then replace. Most of my Nikons are purchases from 2007 or 2008. The only 2009 purchases have been the Nikomat FTn and the EL. One body is one that I've owned twice, namely my F4. Bought it in July 2007 for $200 as an F4s. Traded it and some other items toward my F2A and a 35f2 Nikkor-O (not the same one, but one that donated its AI ring to my last one). After Christmas 2008, I noticed that there was a familiar F4 at Kenmore Camera. Turned out that mine had returned, this time with a MB-20. Traded the F5 toward it, and never looked back.

-J

 

[CGross]

A Mamiya C33 w/65mm lens that I practically gave a away but spent a good bit restoring and my beautiful Nikon F4s.

 

[mightyomega]

Two things I regret: I had a beautiful Contax II which I had overhauled. I got good $$$ for it, and I have a Bessa R2C upon which my old Zeiss Contax lenses reside, but it ain't the same. I miss that distinctive "buzz-clack" of the metal shutter in the Contax. Sigh.
Another regret, but not a sale. I left my beloved Zeiss-Ikon Nettar 517/16 on a bus a few months ago. I was having some personal problems, and I wasn't paying attention, and I left it right on the seat. Sigh, sigh. That was my favorite camera, ever. I literally cried for hours. I bought another one on that auction site, but it ain't the same either.

 

[clayne]

I have no regrets jumping off the digital bandwagon for a while. I'm hoping that I can be patient enough for the pixel-war stupidity to settle down.

It is amazing how history repeats itself:

3MP - better than film, look at these wonderful 13x19 prints
6MP - No wait, 6MP is better than film, we were wrong about 3MP
8MP - Cat's meow, we've finally arrived, 6MP is aweful
10MP - Finally we can print larger than 24x36
16MP - Cooking with oil! 10MP is horrid, can't even make an 8x10.
24MP - 16MP? That's just so last year. Can't even make a 5x7 with that.
60MP - We can now print 11x14!!!!!

And the beat goes on...

You said it, partner. It truly is a load of shit, isn't it?

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[daxid]

35mm summicron version IV mint.

 

[flatulent1]

Sold a Maxxum 7000 and a bagful of lenses, good riddance.
Sold an Olympus IS-1, Hallelujah.
Sold my T90. I did WHAT!? I regretted that burst of stupidity so much I have since replaced it with three more. I feel better now.

My only other gear regret is losing track of that little camera I used in the 4th grade photo club back in the 60's. No idea what it was, but it gave me big negatives. Still have my father's near-mint Argus C3; never letting go of that one.

Recently sold my EF 70-200 f/2.8L. I have mild regrets about that one, it was a sweet lens the few times I used it, but I don't miss it. Well, not much. I keep dithering about offloading my 5D, but it's my only DSLR and I'm bound to need it SOMEday... :rolleyes: God I hope not!

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I try not to part with things unless I truly have no need for it. I've sold a 4x5 Crown with spring back, top rf was funky. Don't miss it as I have a speed and crown. Sold a 15" Wollensak Tele-Optar. Don't miss that one too much as I never really needed a long lens and that one was too much for the speed's front-standard, especially without that special lensboard.

Sold a 20 or a 21mm flektogon, m42 mount. Never needed anything that wide, neat lens though.

Sold a Yashica Electro, really nice condition with a decent yashinon 55mm lens for like $90 on ebay. I didn't think I deserved that much but hey, that $90 bought me some supplies. It was a nice camera though. I have a GAF L-ES that i'll break out if I want to do the m42 slr thing.

Point is, every time I sold something I made sure that I could let go of it.. I guess i've been lucky. My friends have had some nice gear only to get rid of it for something else in times of need. I hate regret.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I hate regret.

Regretting regret is very regretful!

Steve

 

[clayne]

35mm summicron version IV mint.

Ouch. One of my favorite lenses.

I keep dithering about offloading my 5D, but it's my only DSLR and I'm bound to need it SOMEday... :rolleyes: God I hope not!

Dump it - seriously. Especially now when you can still get a decent coin for it. If you wait to sell that 5D, in 2 years it will be worth less than 500$.

 

[Steve Smith]

Dump it - seriously. Especially now when you can still get a decent coin for it. If you wait to sell that 5D, in 2 years it will be worth less than 500$.

Agreed.

I wish I had sold my D100 a few years ago when it was worth a few hundred. Now I would be lucky to get £50 for it.


Steve.

 

[Chris Nielsen]

Canon 30D.

Oh wait, I was glad to have sold that, wrong thread sorry

 

[David R Munson]

Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AI-S, Nikon 50mm f1.4 Nikkor S•C, Nikon 105mm f/2.5 Nikkor-P (AI'D), Linhof Kardan Bi 4x5, Mamiya RB67, Mamiya RZ67, Pentax 645, Mamiya 80mm f/1.9 first time around (have a second one now).

 

[flatulent1]

Dump it - seriously. Especially now when you can still get a decent coin for it. If you wait to sell that 5D, in 2 years it will be worth less than 500$.

The 5D is a fine camera, whether I sell it now for $1000 or in two years for $500, and replacing it will be far more expensive than picking up a spare film camera or three.

(Speaking of regrets, years ago I sold my HP 41CX and assorted memory cards, and replaced it with the brand new HP 28S. Great calculator, no regrets about the 28, but I missed the 41CX so much I got another last year. Five years ago I found a new HP 48GX; very nice, but I've never bonded with it. I recently picked up a new HP 50G; ditto. They just don't make 'em like they used to.)

 

[aldevo]

I was sorry that I ever sold my first hasselblad kit to get into large format... Big mistake. Then it took a long time to figure out I missed the square, and got into a Mamiya 6 and ultimately another Hasselblad. On the 35mm front, selling my RTS-II was also another big mistake... It was a battleship camera built to last. I sold it to get a CONTAX RX AND ARIA of all things. These were the antithesis of common sense... Oh well.

I'm also still not sure that LF is truly for me... I know you've been there David... I like the sponteneity of MF...

Well, Andrew, if it makes you feel better...

I picked up a Contax RTS-II at an estate auction very recently and despite that it appeared to be in perfect working order and every bit the battleship you described....it's film transport packed in spectacularly on the 2nd role of film I ran through it.

The HMS Hood of battleship cameras, I'm afraid...

 

[John_Nikon_F]

<SNIP>
I've been pretty good lately, at avoiding the urge to purge, then replace. <SNIP>

-J

In one word: HA!

F3P's gone, black FM2n's gone, F2A's gone, chrome FTn has been replaced with yet another chrome FTn, resold the FE2 that I had last year, then again this year, sold off the 50f2 Nikkor-H AI'd, and the AIS 20f2.8, as well.

But, I did finally replace the original chrome FM2n with one that's a suitable replacement. Actually is much nicer than the original body. One nick near the rewind side strap lug, three scratches on the wind side top cover, above the door hinge, and the usual marks on the baseplate.

I'm keeping the F4 after all, as well as the F FTn. The F2A will eventually get replaced by an F2AS, but the F3 won't be replaced. The FT2 will be back from the shop soon, and then it'll be time to work on the FTn, getting its meter working properly, the self-timer functioning, and a real clean top cover installed.

-J

 

[railwayman3]

When I got married, I sold my darkroom gear and all the stuff "which I'd never use again".

Still, 20+ years later (and divorced, but now with a new lady who's as keen a photographer as I am), I've been able to replace all my analogue gear for a fraction of the cost now that the misguided masses have gone to the dark side.

 

[tac]

Never sold but one camera: Nikon FE. I used FM2's and FE2's professionally, and bought the FE just because it was pristine and way cheap- I was just going to flip it for the money, but I came to like the solid 'chunk' of the extremely accurate shutter. Sold it as a favor to a friend, who became not-a-friend, and I regret the loss. Nothing special, I just liked it- who can explain these things? The rest of my collection is disposed of in my will, to clueless relatives who will never use them- maybe I'll sell it all and buy a ultra fancy grill, which they can fight over.

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I sold my 80 - 200 F4 FD lense a number of years ago and have been missing it since.

Jeff

 

[spongeboy]

About 15 years ago, I sold a Nikkor 55mm f1.2 through a local camera shop because as a student I needed the money. When I came to collect the money, the dealer said he sold it for 150$ instead of 250$, because apparently I had agreed to lowering the price. I assured him that he was mistaken, but he didn't budge. I've never been to the shop since and he lost that way many 1000$ in sales....
I also kinda miss my SWC/m, which I sold more recently, but I am about to purge heaps of my LF/MF/35mm gear I'm not using. I've already made a box up that is now full of my surplus lenses, shutters, cameras and the like.... I find that less is more, most of the time; and "gear angst" is unnecessary. Life is short. You can't take it with ya! Stop hoarding and invest the money sensibly instead!

 

[flatulent1]

I sold my 80 - 200 F4 FD lense a number of years ago and have been missing it since.

Jeff

You know how cheap these lenses are today, right? I just got one last year for, yes, cheap.

 

[DanielStone]

rb67 pro s.

i have an rz II though, and its a great camera, but the rb67 had a completely mechanical shutter, unlike the electronic one in the rz. so for time exposures, it was much better. but with the current prices, i might get another.

 

[Dave Dawson]

The only reason I sold any gear was because I wasn't using it and if I had kept it I still wouldn't have used it so I don't regret getting rid of any of it...I always replaced it with other gear I would use.

Cheers Dave

 

[Drew B.]

I sold my 35mm lens for the mamiya 645...to another apuger for cheap money...and now that I need it again, it's going (ie, ebay) for three or four times the price I sold it for.... Huge regrets here!

 

[sharpnikkor]

Sold my father's old 5 x 7 Agfa Ansco twenty years ago when times were tough and have always regretted it. It had a nice B&L Tessar and helped support our family through two decades of photo work. I miss a beautiful little Rollei 35 I thought I'd never use again. Tried selling my Wisner three times in the last two years and am glad it is still with me. Fate and a depressed photo market intervened in my favor. It is difficult parting with quality photo equipment and later trying to replicate it.