How Many Cameras do you Own?

[Theo Sulphate]

Having many cameras is a shame only if they're never used.

 

[David Brown]

I just looked and counted. I have eight hammers! Eight tools that do essentially the same thing.

Why eight?

Well, there’s the basic set of three: a 12oz., the “standard” 16oz., and a 20oz. framing hammer.

Number four is another 16oz. with a different type of claw. It doesn’t drive nails differently, but it pulls them back out a different way.

Numbers five to seven were my Dad’s. Just sentimental. I don’t use them. They are all different: a standard, a tack hammer, and a ball peen.

Number eight is a huge ball peen that I found in a thrift shop cheap and I just thought it was cool.

And let’s not even talk about various “mallets” and sledges.

I am not a carpenter. I could live with one standard 16oz. hammer. I’ve had people tell me that I really should only have one. I should use that one until I fully learn and explore all that this hammer can do. I could give some of the hammers to trade schools so that young people could learn to drive nails.

 

[benjiboy]

Having many cameras is a shame only if they're never used.

I came to that conclusion years ago when I decided to be a photographer and not a museum curator and only keep the equipment I use on a regular basis and sell the rest.because the more gear you have the more "hostages to fate" you have.

 

[pressureworld]

I sold my Leica M6 and Pentax 67II kit to help finance the down payment for my new house. At the moment I own a Hasselblad 501c and a Fuji X-E2. I'm thinking about selling the XE-2 and picking up either a X- Pro 2 or the new GFX 50r for long exposures.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

7... and I use all of them. At the same time.

 

[benjiboy]

2- Canon F1-N AE
1- Canon EF
3- canon T90
1- Canon FTbn (In honourable retirement)
1-Canon A1
1 Minox 35GT
Samsung digital zoom compact ( a birthday present from one of my children )

2-Mamiya C330F TLRs
All my cameras are in regular use since my time has been my own since I retired six years ago , I'm not a collector, and don't want any ornaments

In the last five years I have sold most of the stuff listed here to rationalize my collection, I didn't need the money I spent it on my wife who has put up with me for fiffty four years, here's what I have kept.

2 Canon New F1- AE
2 Canon F1n
1 Canon EF
1 Minox 35 GT
1 Samsung digital zoom compact

 

[c41]

I have 11. No subs, just a goalkeeper and a 4-4-2 formation.

I keep a note of last use for each one and they all get game time. They’ve all scored at least once for me in the last 12 months and there’s always the odd injury to get through.

They’re not all superstars, some of them are very average, but a few of them are definitely ‘galacticos’ and i am certainly a lucky and ‘rich man’ when it comes to cameras.

 

[c41]

7... and I use all of them. At the same time.

A magnificent sight to behold I imagine, almost octotastic.

 

[REAndy]

According to me: never enough

According to my wife: way more than necessary

+1

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

A magnificent sight to behold I imagine, almost octotastic.

...It certainly is, especially when one of them is a 14x17... LOL

 

[anfenglin]

17, two Polaroids, three folders, two TLRs, three medium format SLRs, three 35mm SLRs, and others, five of all my cameras are shelved, thesy are either defective, need new seals or are in the process of being sold.
My most used is the Pentax 6x7, then the Pentacon Six, number three is the Nikomat FTN, after that my Agfa Isolette II with Solinar 3.5 and new bellows.
The Rolleiflex gets used rarely these days, I like interchangeable lenses atm.

Update:

It changed completely.
I sold the heavy and uncivilized Pentax 6x7 in favour of lighter cameras.
ATM I own:

- Nikon F3/T
- Nikon F5
- Pentacon Six
- Mamiya 6 MF
- Fuji GW690 III
- Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 532/16 with Opton Tessar 2,8/80
- Holga 120 GN

Thesa are the regulars, not listed are the ones I intend to sell or the broken ones.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

...
I sold the heavy and uncivilized Pentax 6x7 in favour of lighter cameras.
ATM I own:
...
- Nikon F5
...

"uncivilized" - that is funny. So, just too loud, primitive, or bulky?

Is the F5 actually lighter?


I don't have a Pentax 6x7, but I had an opportunity to play with one - it was cool and, with those big lenses, seemed to be a Serious Camera.

 

[anfenglin]

"uncivilized" - that is funny. So, just too loud, primitive, or bulky?

Is the F5 actually lighter?


I don't have a Pentax 6x7, but I had an opportunity to play with one - it was cool and, with those big lenses, seemed to be a Serious Camera.

All of the above, I'm afraid.

I had the wooden left hand grip on my P67 which I like a lot, it made carrying the monster much easier.
Due to the sheer bulk of the camera with lens alone (I had the 105mm, awesome lens) made me pick something smaller and lighter almost always.
Sure, the image quality is very awesome but I do not like 6x7, I'm more of a 6x6 man, that and carrying that rock around made me sell it.
Also, there is no right hand grip although you can rest the camera on the palm of your left hand.

The F5 is not that bulky, it does not expand into every direction, also gripping it feels great, as if it wants to be touched.
I can not imagine it would ever slip out of my hands.
Additionally, I like a meter in my camera and the awesome color matrix meter in the F5 is brilliant.

Now that I have the Mamiya 6 which also is foldable, I am set.
It is relatively lightweight, can be collapsed and has awesome lenses. There are only three for it and I own the 50 and the 75.
There also is a 150 but I do not need it. Also, long lenses on range finders tend to be difficult to work with.

Maybe the 67II is better with it being lighter and has a right hand grip and all but I am done with the P67.
It was nice while it lasted but now I enjoy other cameras.

 

[rayonline_nz]

Have you mainly bought them new or used and was it before digital was readily available ie when film equipment was more expensive than now.

I have only 4. I bought my film gear after digital took off, so my Nikon Fm2n and F100 and prob 2016 and 2017 RB67 and a Hasselblad 500CM.

I've decided to treat it commercially than a hobbyist and treat them as tools. No more would I think, I just want that Nikon 105mm F2.5 or that 35mm F1.4 or that 50mm F1.2 just because. Or that Contax T2.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Nikon F2a, 2
Nikon F, 1
Nikkormats Ft and Ftn
Canon Ftb, IIB x 2
Minolta maxxum 7000 plus beercan
Kiev 4, 4a, Contax II, lenses from 35mm to 135mm
Pentaxen H1a, SP1000, SPF, two phd cameras.
Deardorff V8
Linhof STIV 3 lens outfit
Rolleiflex Standard and Automat
Four 16mm Minoltas
Kodak 35rf, Bantam 4.5, several big folders.
A motley assortment of slrs, Mamiyas (the lenses can be really good, bodies... eh..). some bayonet mount pentaxen that I service & give to the local community college, more that I cannot recall atm.
The pair of Canon IIbs are within 800 according to the serial numbers. One has an Industar 22, the other has a Summitar.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I sold my Leica M6 and Pentax 67II kit to help finance the down payment for my new house. At the moment I own a Hasselblad 501c and a Fuji X-E2. I'm thinking about selling the XE-2 and picking up either a X- Pro 2 or the new GFX 50r for long exposures.

a Hasselblasd501c is all man really needs to be happy.

 

[Sirius Glass]

a Hasselblasd501c is all man really needs to be happy.

Or a Hasselblad 503 CX and Hasselblad 903 SWC.

 

[mshchem]

Way too many.

 

[Arthurwg]

All in? Maybe 20.

 

[AndyH]

I love seeing these old multi page threads resurface!

I must have more than 50 shelf queens, ranging from brass and glass to box camera from my youth.

Cameras in active use in ascending order of age:

Two Nikon D7100s (one belongs to my wife)
Rolleiflex Sl35E
Rollei 35
Hasselblad 500C
Pentax Spotmatic x 2
Rolleiflex 3.5
Retina IIIc
Zeiss Super Ikonta
Leica III x 2

All of the film cameras are currently loaded and ready for use.

Andy

 

[benjiboy]

I still have 5 canon FD cameras comprising of 2 F1n's , 2 New F1N - AE''s and an EF, I don't ever intend to buy any more cameras.

 

[BradS]

35mm: about thirty - Leica, Nikon, Pentax and a few orphans.

120: one old folder and two pinhole cameras

4x5: four plus one pinhole camera.

 

[BMbikerider]

Too many.... Nikons...... Minoltas and a Fuji digital compact. You can only use one at once!

 

[darkosaric]

Around 30: 5 Leica, 6 Nikon, 2 Instax, 1 Polaroid, 2 Diana F, 1 Rolleiflex, ~10 other P&S or similar small cameras.

 

[gdavis]

Ya, I'm not a collector.

Most convenient:
Canon Elan II - My first "real" camera.
Canon 10D - not worth enough to bother selling, hanging on to in case my nephews become interested.
Canon 1D MkIIN - backup
Canon 1DX - main DSLR

Less convenient but not bad to get my film fix:
RB67 Pro S

Very inconvenient, but the nice big negs :
Toyo View 4x5