Living with G.A.S.

LMNOP · May 7, 2015

Do you ever hold on to cameras you don't use anymore, just to own them? Is this a toxic practice, or is there a greater purpose to collecting, at the risk of a camera no longer working some day due to infrequent use?

GAS is always described in reference to wanting more cameras, but when you are happy with your current cameras, and there is one collecting dust, isn't that just as bad? When it has resale value, you're essentially paying to hold onto it. Any thoughts? If this is too philosophical for the MF thread, I can remove it.

Fixcinater · May 7, 2015

Does it cause you stress to see it there being dis-used?

If so, sell it on. If not, keep it until you use it or it causes you stress.

I have a few around that don't get used but I like how they look as decor objects so they stick around.

film_man · May 7, 2015

If it hasn't been used in 3 months it means it has to go! Just so that the money can be better spent on the next bit of kit

480sparky · May 7, 2015

I can't answer the question as I don't have anything just sitting collecting dust. If I find something I have that I'm using any more (usually because I've gotten something to replace it with, or something that works better), I just sell it.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 7, 2015

I'll admit it. I enjoy handling, observing, marveling, fondling, firing off and just plain looking at beautiful 1940-50-60's cameras. The craftsmanship on many is gorgeous and they are practically works of art from an era that will never again support such. And I will own some cameras for that reason alone. That said 98% of my cameras are useable and functional. I do have that standard.

R.Gould · May 7, 2015

All of my cameras are usable, they all get used, some more than others, but I look at them and think I haven't used you for a while now, do I really need you? I pick it up and fire off the shutter, it is so silky smooth, and I think of the craftmanship and pride that went into the building of the camera, so I take it out next time and use it, gaze lovingly at the beautiful negatives it gives me, and I simply can't bear to part with it, so it goes back on the shelf untill the next time, then I get to thinking that I must get more of these lovely 40's,50's cameras and before I know where I am I am looking at the lists of my favorite dealers and somehow on the phone to one of them and next day another lovely old camera is in my hands, It happened only tday, got my Ensign 16/20 out, put a roll of Fomapan in it, next thing I am impatiently waiting for my newly bought Rolleicord Va 2, made, I am told, in 1958, to arrive tomorrow
Richard

mweintraub · May 7, 2015

I've been given a number of cameras from friends and family so those do not get sold. Of course, those are not piling up. What am I going to do? Oh yeah, shoot the good ones. [but those are 35mm]

scapevision · May 7, 2015

I just beat GAS, I now have only one camera.

Old-N-Feeble · May 7, 2015

The only GAS I experience is caused by wishful thinking... either hoping I can carry a larger camera... or can afford to keep very pricey items.

BrianShaw · May 7, 2015

LMNOP said:
Do you ever hold on to cameras you don't use anymore, just to own them? Is this a toxic practice, or is there a greater purpose to collecting, at the risk of a camera no longer working some day due to infrequent use?

GAS is always described in reference to wanting more cameras, but when you are happy with your current cameras, and there is one collecting dust, isn't that just as bad? When it has resale value, you're essentially paying to hold onto it. Any thoughts? If this is too philosophical for the MF thread, I can remove it.

Answers to questions in order of question: yes. no, sometimes. no. not really.

R.Gould · May 7, 2015

Even old friends are not helping my problems with G,A.S, an old and very dear friend who passed away recently has left me a collection of cameras, including a Leica screw fit camera, so I will just give up and live with the GAS

Jeff Bradford · May 7, 2015

Many of my cameras were acquired for particular projects, though some of those projects aren't progressing at the pace I had hoped. As long as I come up with new projects for my cameras instead of new cameras for my projects, I'll come out okay. The ones that are gathering dust aren't worth anything to anyone but me anyway.

LMNOP · May 7, 2015

Well in this case it's a great camera that works well, and has resale value, but I just don't use it enough. I know I'll miss it, but the money would be helpful toward other gear that I need. It's a matter of waiting longer I guess, if I keep it, but it also spawns the question, do I need it? If one day I found that the camera no longer worked, I wouldn't want to pay for repair.

BrianShaw · May 7, 2015

So, this is about a specific camera you are in a quandary about? Let us know what it is and we'll let you know if you'll miss it or not.

Theo Sulphate · May 7, 2015

LMNOP said:
Well in this case it's a great camera that works well, and has resale value, but I just don't use it enough. I know I'll miss it, but the money would be helpful toward other gear that I need. It's a matter of waiting longer I guess, if I keep it, but it also spawns the question, do I need it? If one day I found that the camera no longer worked, I wouldn't want to pay for repair.

I'll give you $20 for it.

BrianShaw · May 7, 2015

Is that the true value, the amount you're willing to pay, or the current contents of your wallet?

bergytone · May 7, 2015

I had a gas attack today, I farted out $10 on a Minolta 110ES, supposedly the best 110 pocket camera ever made. The plan is, I'm going to see if I can load my own B&W film into those goofy little cartridges, and take the thing for a ride. It's a hobby, that's all. I may not get around to it for a year, but it's actually kinda fun doing the research on reloading the cartridges and bringing this amazingly complex little camera to life again. Will I keep it after that? maybe, but selling it and taking my $10 to buy lunch at Arby's isn't as fun as the chase of the gear and seeing how well it works... oh yeah... how am I going to enlarge 110? How am I going to scan it? I'd spend 10x what I paid for the camera on negative carriers... I'll worry about that later....

Old-N-Feeble · May 7, 2015

At this point I think there are 'some' folks who'd have to pay 'me' to take equipment off their hands.

antmar · May 7, 2015

I think I did the first step, I stopped buying more cameras some months ago.
The cameras I already have (and they are really too many in all the film formats) is an other point that I will think in the future.
Now I am trying to decide which camera I will use most, my M2 has the advantage so far.

benjiboy · May 7, 2015

I don't suffer from G.A.S, I have only bought two cameras in the last twenty five years, and I have used each of the eight cameras I have pretty regularly almost on a daily basis in the last ten years since I retired.

Richard S. (rich815) · May 7, 2015

I have GAS but am not suffering at all....

Theo Sulphate · May 7, 2015

BrianShaw said:
Is that the true value, the amount you're willing to pay, or the current contents of your wallet?

Since I don't know what the camera is, it was mostly a joke based on the other two "$20 camera" threads on APUG.

If it's actually a camera on my previously stated wishlist, I'd pay a market-value price.

one90guy · May 7, 2015

bergytone said:
I had a gas attack today, I farted out $10 on a Minolta 110ES, supposedly the best 110 pocket camera ever made. The plan is, I'm going to see if I can load my own B&W film into those goofy little cartridges, and take the thing for a ride. It's a hobby, that's all. I may not get around to it for a year, but it's actually kinda fun doing the research on reloading the cartridges and bringing this amazingly complex little camera to life again. Will I keep it after that? maybe, but selling it and taking my $10 to buy lunch at Arby's isn't as fun as the chase of the gear and seeing how well it works... oh yeah... how am I going to enlarge 110? How am I going to scan it? I'd spend 10x what I paid for the camera on negative carriers... I'll worry about that later....

Whew someone else's thinks like I do, I am not alone

David

Mainecoonmaniac · May 7, 2015

Ask this fellow.

http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.htm...824b00ab5a302aaa&docUrl=http://petapixel.com/

Pioneer · May 7, 2015

I have far more cameras (and lenses) that I could comfortably use over a comfortable period. I know that and so does my significant other. I know that because she reminds me of that fact every now and then.

I have about five cameras that I use regularly. These are obviously the ones that I would really miss if they were sold. But I experience no stress from owning all the other ones.

I DO begin to feel stress when I try to select the ones that I will sell. Oh, of course there are those cameras that mean very little to me that I can easily sell. I own a few Nikons and Canons that fit into that category for me. But bring me some of my Pentax M42 mount cameras and ask which ones I want to sell and I run for my bottle of antacids.

So, for me, the best solution is just to keep them all.

DISCLAIMER - I DO NOT hate Nikons and Canons. I am sure they are terrific cameras. I have just never bonded with one. Well, maybe my Nikon F6, but we will just keep that between each other, OK?

Living with G.A.S.

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