How many IS too many?

spiralcity · Sep 19, 2007

Well, I have a GREAT reason for owning so many cameras; I collect them ;-)

I use this excuse everytime I buy a camera or accessory.

Nikon F3HP
Nikon FE
Nikon FE2
Nikon EM
Nikon FG
Nikon N2020
Nikon N70
Nikon F100
Nikon Nikkorex ( Broken )
Topcon RE Super
Mamiya/Sekor 35mm (M-42 screw mount)
Bronica ETRSI
Kodak Tourist Camera 620 Film

This is a small collection but its growing quickly!

roteague · Sep 19, 2007

spiralcity said:
Well, I have a GREAT reason for owning so many cameras; I collect them ;-)

I use this excuse everytime I buy a camera or accessory.

Nikon F3HP
Nikon FE
Nikon FE2
Nikon EM
Nikon FG
Nikon N2020
Nikon N70
Nikon F100
Topcon RE Super
Mamiya/Sekor 35mm
Bronica ETRSI

This is a small collection but its growing quickly!

Here is another excuse for you --

You need a Nikon N80 to round out your collection, because it is small, light and full featured (much more than the N70) - I've had both.

spiralcity · Sep 19, 2007

I use my N70 and FE2 mostly. I love my N70, I know that camera very well and it has never let me down.

My next camera purchase is a FM2.

roteague · Sep 19, 2007

spiralcity said:
I use my N70 and FE2 mostly. I love my N70, I know that camera very well and it has never let me down.

My next camera purchase is a FM2.

The N80 has a depth of field preview, which the N70 doesn't have. I think the N80 is a bit smaller; I'm not sure since I bought mine with the external battery grip. I used this camera in Jordan and Australia before upgrading to an F5 a couple of years ago.

Sirius Glass · Sep 19, 2007

roteague said:
The N80 has a depth of field preview, which the N70 doesn't have. I think the N80 is a bit smaller; I'm not sure since I bought mine with the external battery grip. I used this camera in Jordan and Australia before upgrading to an F5 a couple of years ago.

N75 has a depth of field preview button.

Steve

spiralcity · Sep 20, 2007

The N70 dosent have a DF button but my FE2 does and I use these cameras as my main shooters.

My F100 is a ROCKET but I never take her out of the house.

roteague · Sep 20, 2007

spiralcity said:
The N70 dosent have a DF button but my FE2 does and I use these cameras as my main shooters.

My F100 is a ROCKET but I never take her out of the house.

Well, I'm just passing along a tip on what I think is a great camera, that I think you would enjoy using if you tried one.

Personally, I much prefer my newer cameras - like my F6. But, to each his own.

spiralcity · Sep 20, 2007

I agree with you about the N80. Its a fine camera. I just dont plan on purchasing one soon. I want a few older bodies first. Thanks for passing along the info.

spiralcity · Sep 20, 2007

roteague,
I forgot to mention that my favorite camera in my collection is the FE2. This camera is beautiful. Im not sure if you ever used one but I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking to get into film.

roteague · Sep 20, 2007

spiralcity said:
roteague,
I forgot to mention that my favorite camera in my collection is the FE2. This camera is beautiful. Im not sure if you ever used one but I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking to get into film.

I'm sure it is a good camera. I'm not into collecting, so I probably won't add one to my collection. I really prefer newer cameras; my two favorite 35mm cameras are the Nikon F6 and Nikon F5. I gave away my N70 and now the N80 just gathers dust.

benjiboy · Sep 22, 2007

I was once told by a guy who was a pro.that the idea of professional photography is to build up you're bank balance, not you're muscles lugging gear about.

Norman Christie · Sep 24, 2007

BradS said:
A couple of weeks ago, I suffered a moment of weakness and I ordered yet another 35mm body from KEH. A chrome Nikon FA in EX condition....

While I was waiting for it to come, I realized it would make....geez, when you loose count surely, it is a sign.

I hauled out all the 35mm bodies I could remember. I left my wife's Canon EOS out of the count...one, two....eleven and one more on the way makes...TWELVE!

I've tried to sell some. I gave some away...still, there are ten!

Pentax KX (my first "real camera - even my wife agrees, this one's a keeper).
Nikon FM3a, black FA and chrome FA
Minolta X-370N and SRT-201
Yashica FX-3 super 2000 (I'm amazed at the ML glass)
Pentax H1a, Spotmatic, and SP-1000

I won't even go into the glass...am I sick? I need help.

Sorry Brad,
You're a confirmed cameraoholic. There is unfortunately no known cure for this affliction. I know. As I write - I know that my bid for a Pentax ME ll be successful. I could/should have withdrawn the bid but, what the heck! I twill join my ever increasing "family" of iconic cameras. Seriously, I am a convinced B&W enthusiast trying to go back to the 1970s. Enjoy it - look at what you are saving. These cameras cost a fortune thirty forty years a go and are usually in mint condition. Find a sympathetic camera technician and you have a Rolls Royce for about £50. You are right to stick with Pentax.
Regards,

digiconvert · Sep 24, 2007

I really DONT KNOW why I just bought a Z-20 (Pentax) from e-bay (£20 with postage !) but I know I won't get rid of my P30T which I'm 'upgrading' . I have my Canon EOS 500 (which was my first AF camera but I just don't cherish it like the Pentax) , a petri 35 automatic (bought in the 70s when I was into caving and mountaineering - couldn't even get into a cave now !) my first MF camera (Lubitel ) and my 'baby' the Bronica SQB . I keep rationalising why I need these cameras - yo know - that's for slides, that's for colour print , that's for fun etc.etc. but I just know I will end up with more cameras than I can shoot with !

I need help while I still only have this many cameras - mind you I've seen a nice canon FD fit on ebay and I always did want an OM 1 !

Renato Tonelli · Sep 24, 2007

The Good News is: you're absolutely normal.
The Bad News is: I am as sick as you.
The list, from memory, and I will limit myself to 35:

Pentax Spotmatic II
Pentax Spotmatic F
Pentax K1000
Pentax K2
Pentax LX (2 bodies)
Rolleiflex SL2000
Rolleiflex 3003
Rollei 35
Rollei 35 Classic
Leica MP (ouch!)
Leica M6 (ouch again!)
ContaxG2 (a moment of weakness)

I console myself by using them...

sbelyaev · Sep 24, 2007

JBrunner said:
Someone said it here before, and I wish I could remember who, because they richly deserve the credit.

"The trick is to own enough cameras, that nobody, except you, can tell when you get another one."

Well said!

sausage100uk · Sep 24, 2007

My O/H read this over my shoulder, apparently I don't need encouraging....

LUKE 221 · Dec 15, 2014

This is what I have at the moment.

Asahi Pentax Spotmatic with Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm Tessar
Fujica STX-1
Canon EF
Olympus OM-1
Nikkormat FTN
Nikkormat FT3
Nikkormat EL
Mamiya 645

RalphLambrecht · Dec 15, 2014

sounds pretty normal but you are on to something. really, two is already too many,but who's talking?

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 15, 2014

BradS in 2007 said:
WOW! Now I don't feel so bad.

Well, I've gotten rid of a few. I sold the K-1000, lost the spotmatic somewhere (!?!?!), gave the Pentax H1a to a friend who confessed a sentimental attachement to the type, sent the second Nikon FA body back to KEH (it was supposed to be in EX condition but, the mirror foam was absent, the door seals crumbling, view finder full of bits of black fuzz and worst of all, the shutter wasn't even opening when the expsore mode was set to AE!).

So, now, I'm down to....er, let's see...seven 35mm slr bodies.

Nikon FM3A
Nikon FA (my original war horse)
Pentax KX (my first real camera)
Pentax SP-1000
Minolta X-370 (saving for my kid)
Minolta SRT-201 (would sell but, it seems to be worth less than a large pizza and a pint)
Yashica FX-3 Super 2000

That seems a reasonable number, but since we're revisiting this thread, I'm curious, BradS, seven years later, what's the count?

klop · Dec 16, 2014

I stopped counting at 270... They are in stacked tubs in our bedroom, den, bedroom closet, craft room closet, extra bedroom closet. Then there are the movie projectors.... The wife says at least I'm not out drinking and chasing women, so she doesn't mind.....:munch:

Jon Buffington · Dec 16, 2014

I don't feel so bad now that I see some of your lists. Here is what I currently have based on my (often incorrect) memory.

working cameras:

Canon ae-1 x2
Canon A1
Canon T50
Canon Rebel (original)

Minolta srt102
Minolta srt201
Minolta maxxum 7000
Minolta maxxum 400si
Minolta maxxum 3000i

Fujica FX-3

Mamiya Sekor DTL1000

Olympus stylus
Olympus stylus epic
Olympus XA
Olympus AF

Yashica LM (my only MF)
Yashica electro35 gsn

Nikon fg-20
Nikon L35AF

Petri 7

Leica CL (anniversary and Christmas gift rolled up in 1, from my wife last week. )

Partial or non working as follows:
Minolta XD11 (dead)
Kodak Retina IIa (too expensive to restore, decorative piece now)
Minolta Hi Matic 9 (iffy, sticky shutter needs CLA I believe)
Canon AF35M (dead, bought at flea market $5 and looked new)
Afga Carat (my wife inherited it, display piece and non functioning. I may get it restored for sentimental reasons)

Some 16mm camera bought on impulse, flea market

This does not include my 2 DSLR's (canon) and numerous point n shoots, as well as gopro and flip video cams.

I call myself a collector at times and at others a rescuer of lost cameras, saving them from the flea market/thrift store death.

jfoote · Dec 23, 2014

I have the disease too..

I just submitted an offer of <8 for a Canon EOS body. I already have an A2 - just got it two weeks ago and have only one roll of film through it - and I don't even have another lens for it. But the Yungho (however you spell it) knock of of the 50 1.8 is very tempting.....

benjiboy · Dec 23, 2014

It seems to me that too many people are more interested in owning, thinking about owning, buying selling and trading up photographic equipment than in making pictures with them, and if all that energy thought and effort was directed into actual photography and some of money they wished to spend they spent on maintaining the gear they actually use on a regular basis instead of buying more and more cameras their photography and their life would be much more productive.

frank · Dec 23, 2014

benjiboy said:
It seems to me that too many people are more interested in owning, thinking about owning, buying selling and trading up photographic equipment than in making pictures with them, and if all that energy were directed into actual photography they would be far more productive.

I respectfully disagree with this viewpoint. It is pre-supposed that a certain amount of energy exists to be divided between photography and collecting. I posit that one can do both without detriment to the other; that these activities can be complimentary and are not necessarily contradictory/mutually exclusive.

Think of photography and darkroom work: Is it also true that if all that energy devoted to darkroom work were directed into actual photography they would be far more productive?

Of course not. Just my opinion.

Additionally, why would you be concerned about what others do?

E. von Hoegh · Dec 23, 2014

BradS said:
A couple of weeks ago, I suffered a moment of weakness and I ordered yet another 35mm body from KEH. A chrome Nikon FA in EX condition....

While I was waiting for it to come, I realized it would make....geez, when you loose count surely, it is a sign.

I hauled out all the 35mm bodies I could remember. I left my wife's Canon EOS out of the count...one, two....eleven and one more on the way makes...TWELVE!

I've tried to sell some. I gave some away...still, there are ten!

Pentax KX (my first "real camera - even my wife agrees, this one's a keeper).
Nikon FM3a, black FA and chrome FA
Minolta X-370N and SRT-201
Yashica FX-3 super 2000 (I'm amazed at the ML glass)
Pentax H1a, Spotmatic, and SP-1000

I won't even go into the glass...am I sick? I need help.

"Too many" is one more than "enough".

How many IS too many?

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