If you sold everything...

Thomas Bertilsson · Jul 21, 2010

You know, I actually sold almost everything. My collection of photo gadgets is really bare bones minimum, and in my future I see even less, so it'll be worth even less.
Hasselblad 500 with 80 and 150 lenses. Two backs. Light meter, tripod, a nice hood. Cable release.
6x6 pinhole camera.
Enlarger and darkroom stuff.
Epson V700 scanner and R2400 printer.

That's it.

alapin · Jul 21, 2010

What would it be worth in dollars, I really don't know. If I sold everything (all 25 cameras of difference formats), I wouldn't have anything to enjoy the hobby I do now. There are not to many cameras I want or need, because the ones I still have still give me great photos. For the pass fifty plus years, I have tried all types of cameras. The ones I have ended up with are pretty much what I like shooting. So to put a dollar valve on them not very much (because it always depends on the current market), but as a personal valve, priceless.

MattKing · Jul 21, 2010

I think some of the stuff I have would actually sell for more than I paid for it, because it was bought on Ebay when there were a lot more true bargains there.

I'm afraid that when I think of this my calculations inevitably end up not in $, but in stuff (if I sell camera body X, I could buy lens Y).

2F/2F · Jul 21, 2010

This question is just me being curious...not saying that I am considering it, or that it really matters. Just a discussion opener.

As for me, these are probably the only things that are worth some money:

Sinar "reverse" (front P standard), DB shutter, and six DB and DBM lenses, in custom-built rolling wooden case - Maybe $2,000 if parted out, $1,200 to $1,500 if sold all together
Two Linhof Technica IIIs (version four, with drop bed), in original three-lens kits, one with an amazing period-custom-made (from Craftsman tool box) storage case, which is better than the actual Linhof cases - Maybe $1,000 a piece, or more if the right collector saw them
Rollei Wide Angle, as-new condition with case - KEH offered me over $2,000 cash, which probably means they'd sell it for twice as much
c. 1850 Voigtländer im Wein Petzval clone, no flange or pinion - Maybe $400 to $600
1954 Pacemaker Speed, only perhaps valuable because it is a nice cased kit in near-mint condition - Maybe $500, $600 or more, but only to the right person (a crazy collector looking for super-clean examples)
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 - Probably $700 to $800, though I haven't watched the used market for this lens

Everything else is relatively inexpensive medium format stuff (RZ, C33/C220, M645, Super 23) and 35mm stuff (Nikon/Canon '60s/'70s stuff, and an EOS 3).

My point was kind of that all of this lovely equipment is worth far, far, far, far more than its monetary value. We analog shooters are scoring big time compared to digital shooters.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 21, 2010

2F/2F said:
... If you were to liquidate your entire collection of photography equipment, how much cash would you have in the end?...

What a humbling question this is. I must be nuts! What was I thinking?

2F/2F · Jul 21, 2010

RalphLambrecht said:
What a humbling question this is. I must be nuts! What was I thinking?

DWThomas · Jul 21, 2010

If you were to liquidate your entire collection of photography equipment, how much cash would you have in the end?

Not enough to be worth the grief to do it! After all, I'd have to run right out and buy something after I got done. I do have some of my stuff recorded in a spread sheet with a semblance of replacement value and it totals up to more than $5K, which doesn't include the enlarger (a mere Omega B-8) and some early gear in my dusty closet -- how 'bout $1k for my "rare" one-owner Brownie Target Six-20?

lns · Jul 21, 2010

2F/2F said:
Just something I found myself thinking about this evening, and I am interested to hear other people's answers as well: If you were to liquidate your entire collection of photography equipment, how much cash would you have in the end?

I'll have to think about my answer later, as it will require some serious counting, and I have to go to sleep now...but I am guessing that everything I have is probably worth about 6 to 8 grand on the used market. Hey! If I sell it all, I can get a top-of-the line small format digital camera without a lens, and it will be considered unusable by art directors and stock agencies in three to five years!!! Sounds like a deal to me!!! (I guess I can get the cheapo 50mm lens and use a library computer...and prints? Well, who actually does prints anyhow?)

I'm probably at the lower end of your range. I have to go through this exercise annually because I insure my cameras and have to itemize and value them. For me, I feel I have too much invested monetarily. I periodically feel guilty about it. Yet I use them all, at different times and for different purposes.

I've been thinking of selling a camera or two. But only, with regret, to buy my first digital camera. I think there's no question that we can more easily afford top-of-the-line film gear than digital.

More interesting, to me, is what I would never sell. I would never sell my main Hasselblad camera. For me, it's perfect. I would never sell my battered Nikon F3. It's like my 14-year-old Volvo station wagon, which is worth very little, but which I love to drive and will use happily until it falls apart. I would probably always keep one rangefinder with one lens, as that's the camera I use the most.

Complicating matters for me is that I have children who like photography, which is an incentive to keep a few extra cameras around. For example, I have a backup 500 c/m body that I rarely use, but I am keeping it for my son, who I suspect will want to try it soon.

-Laura

mathomas · Jul 21, 2010

Sadly, something over $10k, the larger part of that investment in Leica gear. I say "sadly", due to the lack of consistent attention I give this hobby. I get into it very intensely, then out of it. Every time I get back in, I buy a little more gear (mostly used), and I almost never sell anything.

2F/2F · Jul 21, 2010

lns said:
Complicating matters for me is that I have children who like photography, which is an incentive to keep a few extra cameras around. For example, I have a backup 500 c/m body that I rarely use, but I am keeping it for my son, who I suspect will want to try it soon.

-Laura

If we cannot convince the born-and-bred digital folks or converts from analog to shoot film (which we obviously cannot), I guess we are stuck with breeding our own!

Simplicius · Jul 21, 2010

probably about $1-$1.5K in total including darkroom gear stored awaiting space in 'the next place'. Offset this with the counselling required to overcome the cheesy grin my partner would have for weeks and the extra disposable income needed to uptake an interest in football, channel subscriptions, team kit etc. I'd reckon I't would be closer to minus $10K.

2F/2F · Jul 21, 2010

What this is getting at is: Why would we EVER sell our film equipment? There appears to be no good reason.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 21, 2010

DWThomas said:
Not enough to be worth the grief to do it! After all, I'd have to run right out and buy something after I got done. I do have some of my stuff recorded in a spread sheet with a semblance of replacement value and it totals up to more than $5K, which doesn't include the enlarger (a mere Omega B-8) and some early gear in my dusty closet -- how 'bout $1k for my "rare" one-owner Brownie Target Six-20?

You know you have too much as soon as the insurance company refuses to insure your gear.

BradS · Jul 21, 2010

geez...this is a tough but very interesting topic. I'm not sure I even have a complete written inventory let alone current market value for all the gear I have accumulated. I have just done a very rough, "back-of-the-envelope" reckoning and come up with around $8000 in cameras and optics. I have a pretty good store of darkroom equipment layed up too but, considering that I have had to practically give away darkroom stuff lately, I haven't counted any of it in the total.

ic-racer · Jul 21, 2010

mablo said:
I have an Excel file where I sum up all my acquisition costs, service costs and also give a rough estimate of the current market value for each item I own. I'm not a pro so I like to keep an eye on how much money I have tied up in my gear.

For the last 20 years I have done similar with a spreadsheet. I also have the serial numbers on there in case I would need to file an insurance claim.

I'm not going to mention the total on either the "cost" or "current worth" column.

I keep it up to date, but my "worth" prices might take a year on the market to materialize. If I had to liquidate rapidly, I suspect I'd only get one-third or even less.

Like some others I almost never sell anything. I have a lenscap going out this week for $12, but I think that is the first piece of gear I have ever sold.

Curt · Jul 21, 2010

It could go like this: Some guy says to another out in the future: "I got this stuff in a box at a garage sale, who knows if it works but I can make a lamp out of the camera looking thing and the lenses will look great lining he walkway out back of the house." "The rest I have to put in the garbage."

Ric Trexell · Jul 21, 2010

I think if I sold my gear I would always wonder what amount of money and joy I could have had by keeping it. I only have two Minolta X-700's and two Rb67 Pro S's. The X-700's are worth squat and the RB's are the only thing I could probably make any money with. The one X-700 I bought new in 1985 and it has been in the shop once. I'm just curious to see how far it will go. When it does jam up, it will go on ebay for parts, but will never see a repair shop while I own it. If everything had to go I would probably buy a Nikon manual camera with one lense. So really I don't have much invested, and what little I have in flashes and strobes wouldn't add much. Ric.

lns · Jul 21, 2010

2F/2F said:
If we cannot convince the born-and-bred digital folks or converts from analog to shoot film (which we obviously cannot), I guess we are stuck with breeding our own!

Well, I am done now, so I guess it's your turn.

-Laura

Lopaka · Jul 21, 2010

Hardly enough to be worth the effort.
Some folks tell me I should hurry up and sell the darkroom gear while I can still get a few bucks for it. Nah. I figure if it gets to the point where I can no longer get the materials to use it, I'll hang a sign on it that says "Museum" and charge admission.

Bob

michaelbsc · Jul 21, 2010

benjiboy said:
Certainly not enough to buy a top of the range full frame DSLR, but the reason I don't have one isn't because of the money, It's because I don't want one.

Who needs a Damned SLR anyway. My rangefinders work great.

Anachronistic Mike

j-dogg · Jul 22, 2010

All my film stuff I could probably get 250 or 300 for it.

Now all of my photography equipment, Rebel XTi, lenses, tripods, filters, this accessory, that gadget, somewhere in the realm of 1,xxx.

Now if we are talking selling expensive things most consider as toys, if I sold my bicycle, 86' Tommaso SLX full Dura-Ace 7700 / Ultegra 6600 and two wheelsets, I could get more for that than double Kelly Blue Book for my car.

and for the record, I am a convert from digital format, I still shoot it, I just prefer film.

flatulent1 · Jul 22, 2010

2F/2F said:
What this is getting at is: Why would we EVER sell our film equipment? There appears to be no good reason.

There is no good reason, at least not for me. I get far more enjoyment out of shooting film (or is it merely playing with film cameras?) than I do out of digital, and I hate the post-processing dance with a passion. But I won't go there because it'd turn into yet another F vs D rant.

rst · Jul 22, 2010

2F/2F said:
... If you were to liquidate your entire collection of photography equipment, how much cash would you have in the end?

Not enough to even think about it!

Cheers
Ruediger

pgomena · Jul 22, 2010

I would get a whole lot less for my Canon F1s and lenses than I paid for them. Thanks, Canon, for making the FD lenses useless on newer cameras.

If I piled up all my gear and sold it, it would bring maybe $5,000. But where would I be then? Hardly rich and without a decent camera.

It's interesting to think about the relative value of cameras and how they hold value over the years. I think my Rollei TLR wins hands down.

Peter Gomena

IloveTLRs · Jul 23, 2010

I think about this often, but the answer is "not much", unfortunately. None of my gear is really desirable right now (even the Leicas I have) plus dealers in my city are jerks about buying things.

I already sold off the desirable (read: money-maker) bits I didn't want, and am keeping everything else. Since I'm broke this year, nothing new is being added.

If you sold everything...

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