How many IS too many?

[E. von Hoegh]

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?

Darkroom work is "actual photography"

 

[ToddB]

I have about 6 bodies and lenses. I've been in discussions about film cameras with people and they have just given theirs to me cause they have no need anymore. I have stopped doing that. That last one I 've actually bought was my Leica M3. Love that camera. Tried to sell my old Minolta 9000 on fleabay with no takers. So I just kept it. I try run a roll through these guys once in a while to keep them going.

Todd

 

[frank]

Darkroom work is "actual photography"

I agree that it's part of photography, but it is a separate and distinct activity that many/most photographers do not bother with.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Nikon:
F
F2A
Nikkormats FTN and FT.
8 lenses.
--------------------------------
Deardorff V8, several lenses.
Linhof ST IV three lens outfit, several other lenses, accessories.
--------------------------------
Rollei standard.
--------------------------------

The rest won't do anything the above gear won't do, but I get enjoyment from having and using them.
Pentax H1a
Pentax Spotmatic F
Yashica TL Super
Miranda Fv
Kodak IIIA Autographic x2, one was my maternal grandfather's.
Kodak Bantam 4.5, needs bellows, work in (slow) progress.
Kiev 4, Kiev 4a, 35/50/85 lenses - I get a tremendous kick out of using these supposedly crappy FSU cameras, mine work very well and I like the lenses.
A pair of Canon IIb bodies, one nearly perfect, one nice user, both need curtains - projects; I want to put a collapsible 50 on the user just to play with - hiking, street stuff, etc., it fits in a coat pocket.

Too much? No, I'll likely give one or two or three away when a good candidate comes along, but they take up little room and afford me enjoyment on several levels - restoring a non-working camera to functionality, using different gear, history, etc.

 

[naaldvoerder]

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.

There is a much nicer way of thinking about the superfluous number of camera's many of us own. I like to think that I have more camera's then I require to make my pictures, because I like to keep these marvelous pices of engineering from the scarheap, clean them, maintain them, keep them, and use them just for the sheer joy of it. I suspect I'm not alone in this... I am not doing analog photography to be "productive", I am doing it to enjoy meself.

 

[Frankly Unsharp]

Answer: when you feel that you have too many. But ten doesn't sound too bad, I counted my cameras a couple of weeks ago and they are now over 50...
It would be nice to own only 2-3 cameras, and concentrate on them, learn to 100% how they will react in different situations.
Maybe I'll fix it this time, I already sold an RB67 and the next to go will probably be one of my Minolta Sr or Sr-T:s. To get them sold to a price that matches the amount of money I've spent on them is a true utopia, but everything is better than nothing, I guess.

 

[AllanD]

There is a much nicer way of thinking about the superfluous number of camera's many of us own. I like to think that I have more camera's then I require to make my pictures, because I like to keep these marvelous pices of engineering from the scarheap, clean them, maintain them, keep them, and use them just for the sheer joy of it. I suspect I'm not alone in this... I am not doing analog photography to be "productive", I am doing it to enjoy meself.

+1

 

[mr rusty]

There is a much nicer way of thinking about the superfluous number of camera's many of us own. I like to think that I have more camera's then I require to make my pictures, because I like to keep these marvelous pices of engineering from the scarheap, clean them, maintain them, keep them, and use them just for the sheer joy of it. I suspect I'm not alone in this... I am not doing analog photography to be "productive", I am doing it to enjoy meself.

+2

All except one of my cameras are functional and I try to keep them that way. Out of 15ish cameras only 1 working camera has never had a film through it. (Yashica Minster D - must get round to using it). The non-runner is a Taron Eyemax that has a grille on it like a 50's chevy.

 

[BradS]

Well, seven years later...Here's what I have today:

Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP
Asahi Pentax Spotmatic SP-II
Pentax KX
Pentax MG
Vivitar 220/SL
Nikon FM3A

I use them all...some more than others. The SP-II and the Vivitar are fairly recent acqusitions. I've been using the Vivitar a bit lately. It is such an amazingly satisfying camera to use. The SP-II just came back from being overhauled and I'm very pleased to have it back in service.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

There is a much nicer way of thinking about the superfluous number of camera's many of us own. I like to think that I have more camera's then I require to make my pictures, because I like to keep these marvelous pices of engineering from the scarheap, clean them, maintain them, keep them, and use them just for the sheer joy of it. I suspect I'm not alone in this... I am not doing analog photography to be "productive", I am doing it to enjoy meself.

+3

All of my cameras below are 100% functional and get used - even the Polaroids.

 

[mdarnton]

I'm not going to give a count of everything, but a couple of years ago I discovered Nikon FGs. They're really nice cameras; ergonomic, small and light, sufficiently automatic, durable, great finder. . . . and $45@, usually in absolutely mint condition, often with a fresh CLA. Over a period of weakness, before I came to my senses, I had bought six of them.

That was probably excessive, but they've become the camera I use the most and carry all the time. Part of what's nice about them is that I never worry about losing or breaking the camera, so I'll take one places I wouldn't normally.

FWIW, everything 35mm that I have is focused on only two basic systems, one SLR, one RF--that are as complete as I can afford. I could never understand the idea having a mongrel mix of cameras and lenses that wouldn't fit each other, lots of cameras with no underlying system, a bunch of 50mm lenses, and not much else.

 

[k.hendrik]

There is a much nicer way of thinking about the superfluous number of camera's many of us own. I like to think that I have more camera's then I require to make my pictures, because I like to keep these marvelous pices of engineering from the scarheap, clean them, maintain them, keep them, and use them just for the sheer joy of it. I suspect I'm not alone in this... I am not doing analog photography to be "productive", I am doing it to enjoy meself.

hear hear !
All of my cameras below are 100% functional and get used:
MF
ERKO 9x12
Mamiya RZ67 pro II
Rolleiflex sl66se
Rolleiflex 4x4 baby grey
FODOR syncrona 6x9
Kodak Brownie model E 6x9
Zeiss Ikon Box-Tengor 6x9
DACORA Digna 6x6
Kodak folding Hawk-eye model c 6x9
Lubitel 2 6x6
Agfa Isoly III pronto 4x4
Mamiya C330 Pro f 6x6
35mm
Agfa clack 2x
Konica C35 2x
Ricoh singlex TLS
Europa EU300
Contax G2
Kodak Cameo EF
Focus free 35
Kodak Instamatic 177x
Agfamatic 100 sensor
Adox Prontor 500LK
Praktica MTL 3
Agfa Iso-rapid I
Minolta Dynax 5
Nikon FM
Ansco Autoset CDS
Canon AF35M II
and too many lenses.

Hey, only Pola back for RZ ?! Start searching.

 

[benjiboy]

I own-:
7 Canon FD bodies and 9 lenses
1 Mamiya TLR and 4 lenses
1 Zeiss Contax range finder camera
1 Minox 35GT compact camera

I have been involved in photography for nearly 63 years and have only bought 2 of these cameras in the last 25 years, I don't think this is excessive especially in the ten years since I retired I go out shooting almost every day and the majority of them get regular use.
I rationalized my equipment about 25 years ago when we downsized and moved house when our children left home and sold all my disparate collection of assorted cameras and concentrated mainly on Canon FD gear.
I keep my cameras well maintained and have them serviced when required ( which fortunately isn't very often ) by a camera technician at my local professional dealers who I have a friendly relationship with, I'm very happy with my equipment and don't want or need any more and am happy to just enjoy what I have.

 

[AllanD]

There is no doubt that collecting (and maintaining) cameras is a huge distraction from the primary purpose of all this i.e. taking photographs. The same can be said of many of the things that are discussed on this site (e.g. people making creating their own developers) To me, it is all part of a rich and engaging hobby and is something that appeals more to me than the heavily packaged and immutable (?) alternative provided by digital. Occasionally, I have to stop such nerdy activities and take the odd photo, but today, in my part of the UK at least, the light is dull and I have an 35SP to CLA, so I will be back at the workbench for a while!

I have 12 film SLRs at the moment, most bought for very little money. Each one is working and most will be sold eventually. There is little or no profit in this for me, but I want these things to stay in circulation, not as collectors items but useful for their original purpose. Naive maybe, but I find that fixing a camera is a very satisfying thing.

 

[Paul Howell]

When your family has an intervention, you find yourself on the reality TV show Hoarder’ s and the psychologist is coaching you with deep breaths and relaxation exercises a member of the team is pulling your Nikon F from your quivering hands and your only thoughts are Nikon Wife, Nikon Wife, and wife is not winning the battle.

 

[benjiboy]

You know you have enough when men in white coats come and drag you away in pyjamas whose sleeves fasten at the back.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have

One single frame camera
One double reflex camera
One rangefinder camera
One camera that does not have a distance setting
One press camera
One view camera
Three cameras that do not have rangefinders and one has to estimate the distance
Four reflex cameras
Four focal plane shutter cameras
Seven cameras with shutters in the lenses




How many cameras do I have?
​

 

[benjiboy]

24 at a guess.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Eight exactly

 

[Kc2edh]

Well, it all started with a Yashica FX-3 with 50mm ML lens for $8 at a garage sale about five or six years ago. I had always wanted to learn how to develop my own black and white film, and then was as good as any to start. At that point I was working full time and actually had money. During the next two years, it expanded to "too much". That one SLR turned into:

Canon AE-1
Nikon F2
Nikon N4004
Olympus OM-10
Contax 137MD
Olympus XA-2
Agfa Isolette
Rollei 35SE
Yashica Electro 35
Ricoh Auto Half
Rolleiflex Automat
Yashica-12
Bronica ETRSi
Lomo Lubitel
Lomo LK-A
FED something-or-other that never worked right
Polaroid 360
Polaroid SX-70
Holga
Diana (plus too many other garage sale "toy cameras")
Brownie Hawkeye
Argus C3
Speed Graphic 2x3
Calumet 4x5

I was perfectly fine with that one little FX-3 at first, but one day I was out shooting with it on a -30F winter day and it practically fell apart in my hands. A little research for a suitable replacement, and the GAS hit. Filled up the freezer with film in equal proportion. Good thing, too, because now I'm a poor college student again and haven't bought much for three years or so. In that time I've found the handful I love, and had no problem thinning the herd when I'm low on cash.

Now that all the messing with equipment is out of my system, I've actually started producing great images. The funniest part is that half of my best work is made with that original Yashica ML lens.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have

One single frame camera
One double reflex camera
One rangefinder camera
One camera that does not have a distance setting
One press camera
One view camera
Three cameras that do not have rangefinders and one has to estimate the distance
Four reflex cameras
Four focal plane shutter cameras
Seven cameras with shutters in the lenses




How many cameras do I have?
​

Correction!

I haveOne single frame camera
One double reflex camera
One rangefinder camera
One camera that does not have a distance setting
One press camera
One view camera
Two folder cameras
Three cameras that do not have rangefinders and one has to estimate the distance
Four reflex cameras
Four focal plane shutter cameras
Seven cameras with shutters in the lenses




How many cameras do I have?

 

[DcAnalogue]

Ok...
Actually I want: 2 lenses for my "new" Kiev 4 - One lens for my Nikkormat - One Nikon F or F2 body - One Zenith with some lenses - One Fed 2 or 5 with some lenses - A Bessa R with some lenses - A Fuji GSW 670 - A Rolleiflex with Tessar....and......

SOMEONE COULD STOP ME PLEASE....?!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Ok...
Actually I want: 2 lenses for my "new" Kiev 4 - One lens for my Nikkormat - One Nikon F or F2 body - One Zenith with some lenses - One Fed 2 or 5 with some lenses - A Bessa R with some lenses - A Fuji GSW 670 - A Rolleiflex with Tessar....and......

SOMEONE COULD STOP ME PLEASE....?!

You have been afflicted with GAS [Gadget Acquisition Syndrome] and the only way to control it is to buy more equipment. At APUG we all have this. For you there is not hope so get out your credit card, check book and cash so you can start spending.

 

[DcAnalogue]

You have been afflicted with GAS [Gadget Acquisition Syndrome] and the only way to control it is to buy more equipment. At APUG we all have this. For you there is not hope so get out your credit card, check book and cash so you can start spending.

Ahahahhahahaahah!...... I know it...... But you'd have writing: "so you can...continue spending".....

 

[gzhuang]

Dump all of them but the FM3A.