how many cameras do we really need ??

[guitstik]

John, I just did an inventory of the cameras I have acquired over the past few months and I was astonished at the number. I thought that my wife was exaggerating but now I see that she actually low balled the number. I bought several cameras for the extra lenses and then never sold the bodies and some came as multiples in a purchase but all the cameras I have I like and use. Some are for specific use and some just because I like them but I still have a list of wants. I am chagrined to say that I have a rather huge collection and there appears to be no end in sight but to answer you question, one of each format but the actual number is seventy-three.

 

[Shangheye]

I need as many as I can have without getting divorced

 

[Rick A]

I have one 35mm kit with a couple of lenses, 6x6 kit that consists of a C-330 and C-220 bodies along with a few lenses, and a 4x5 kit with a couple of lenses. My mainstay is the 6x6, and shoot the 35mm less than any, and am learning to use the 4x5. For super portability I shoot an Isolette 6x6 folder, and guestimate exposure, simplicity at its finest.

 

[guitstik]

I need as many as I can have without getting divorced

I am blessed to married to an extremely tolerant woman but there are limits to what she can handle at any one time.

 

[Mats_A]

Not many. Just one more...... Promise!

r

mats

 

[bblhed]

Lets see, I have my "good" Nikon that does everything well but doesn't have a built in flash so I also have my plastic Nikon with a built in flash, and there is the older low end Nikon that tends to hunt in auto focus, there is the all manual Nikon, and the Nikon that meters automatically but is manual focus, I need them all. Then when i want to go swimming I need a Nikonos that will not share lenses with the other cameras. Sometimes I need to take a quick shot and e-mail it, or I want to learn how to do something without using up a lot of film so I need a digital Nikon as well. I like 3D photos so I need two Kodak Stereo cameras to shoot that with. I like to hike so i need two Kodak folding cameras that fit in my pocket. For those days when I want detail I need a medium format SLR. I also need a few pocket point and shoot digitals for just in case.

Now I know I could probably get by with a lot less gear, but I do shoot every single film camera I own at least once a month some more than that, if I don't shoot a camera within six months it goes to a new home, that simple. There is only one camera that I allow to skirt the rules a little, and that is the Nikonos it works quite well on land but I prefer to use it in the water so it gets a pass in the winter because the water here gets to be too hard to swim in.

One other thing, my tells me that if I get many more cameras I'm going to need a place to live with them so I don't think I need many more cameras.

 

[holmburgers]

You don't need any set amount of anything... all things in moderation.

 

[John Simmons]

You need to buy as many as you can, max out your credit cards, take out a second mortgage, deplete your savings....and wait for a government bailout.

 

[bblhed]

You need to buy as many as you can, max out your credit cards, take out a second mortgage, deplete your savings....and wait for a government bailout.

I have a job, want to work, pay my bills, and own a home, believe me I am not going to be seeing a bailout. The way my luck runs I will probably be paying for bailouts for the rest of my life.

 

[Ian David]

I worked out a while ago that I need:

one tiny (pocketable) 35mm
one bigger (with better optics) 35mm
one MF
one 4x5

Working for me so far...

Ian

 

[holmburgers]

Couldn't agree more! (still working on the MF though)

 

[Dave in Kansas]

While we each have our own camera "needs" I believe I "need" 2 - 35mm outfits (one for b&w and one for color, 2 - medium format systems, or one with removable backs for changing film types, and one 4x5 field camera.

In reality, the only format I'm close to that on is 4x5 where I have a Speed Graphic and a nice field camera. I have 6 or 7 35mm systems and 7 medium format systems with at least two of those systems having removable backs.

I thought it would be interesting to try different systems to see if I like one make over the others, but as it has turned out, they all have their strong points and all also have weaknesses. The problem with multiple systems of various makes is that I lose familiarity with some systems and that can result in either missed optimal shots, or even wrong exposure or other mistakes.

Dave

 

[JBrunner]

You need to have enough cameras that nobody (particularly spouse) can tell when you buy another one.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

41

 

[tim k]

You need to have enough cameras that nobody (particularly spouse) can tell when you buy another one.

Ding Ding Ding.....................we have a winner.

 

[guitstik]

You need to have enough cameras that nobody (particularly spouse) can tell when you buy another one.

I figured that out long ago and it works perfectly.

 

[dehk]

All you will 'need' is one camera, but its nice to have options. People always 'wants' more.

 

[benjiboy]

I decided years ago the thing that was preventing me from being a great photographer wasn't my lack of cameras

 

[pgomena]

I recently used my Rolleiflex on a couple of outings. (My Hasselblad is on the injured reserve list.) Using my Rollei again convinced me I could get along with just that camera. I do love to drag out the whole-plate camera, though, for the right circumstances, so I'd keep that as well. Two cameras should do the job.

So why do I own 14? About half of those are 35mm of various types, and I rarely shoot 35mm any more. Time to thin the herd.

Peter Gomena

 

[jon falth]

Married males really have an easy time computing the number of cameras needed...

We, those of us that are truly experienced in the wanting department, simply count the number of 'outfit's the little lady has bought over the years, subtract one from her total numnber of outfit's she purchased, and thus we technically have our upper boundary of our camera 'want' list...

 

[Q.G.]

A practical norm would be "enough not to be able to blame not having the right equipment for the *#^@ we create anymore."

 

[hidesert]

You need enough cameras so you can have one loaded with each type of film you use.

So I need one loaded with a slow speed, fine-grained B&W.

One with a fast B&W.

One with a fast color chrome film.

One with a highly saturated chrome film for landscapes on cloudy days.

One with a less saturated, lower contrast chrome for sunny days outdoors.

One with a chrome that renders skin tones accurately.

In addition, I need a parts camera.

Now that's just for my Rolleiflex TLRs. Now for my Nikon SLRs.....

 

[Curt]

Ideally you need one of each.

 

[guitstik]

I need enough camera's to finish this thread (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[h**la]

One...and an eye that can discern visual rubbish from an image that will impact someone, somewhere, someplace at sometime. Can anyone loan me an eyeball that works?