Reverse GAS?

Mark Crabtree · Oct 12, 2011

I'm just getting back to the darkroom after a few months of doing digi stuff for jobs.

While I wasn't paying attention, the film cameras here have been multiplying to the point it is becoming a distraction from shooting. So now I have the opposite of GAS, I'm obsessed with getting some of this stuff out of here so I can concentrate. It is unbelievable the great gear available for next to nothing now, but I think I have to develop some willpower to resist.

The Rolleicords are going on the block (since I've got flexes), but other stuff I just can't figure out what to do with. Latest is a Nikon F80 (N80). It is an amazing piece of gear, but I'm still mostly back in the pre-AI days with Nikon.

I'm just curious if others here suffer from reverse GAS. I often think I would make better pictures with a single camera and lens.

Klainmeister · Oct 12, 2011

I did the same thing about a year ago. I gave almost everything away to friends that were just getting into film and since have really blossomed. I needed to narrow it down to one system to perfect rather than 30 to tinker with.

So uh....whatcha gonna do with that Nikon????

Mark Crabtree · Oct 12, 2011

Klainmeister said:
I did the same thing about a year ago. I gave almost everything away to friends that were just getting into film and since have really blossomed. I needed to narrow it down to one system to perfect rather than 30 to tinker with.

So uh....whatcha gonna do with that Nikon????

I'm open to suggestions, but don't want to turn this into a fishing thread, so I'll PM you.

I'd love to play with the F80, but I don't have any lenses I want to use on it. That was today's distraction - shopping around locally, and calling a couple friends about lenses for a camera I don't really need. But it does seem cool!

I wish I knew some folks interested in film around here, but can only think of one.

Klainmeister · Oct 12, 2011

Oh no, I meant it teasingly. I seriously gave away 12 cameras and think they all deserved their new homes. Where are you?

Mark Crabtree · Oct 12, 2011

Klainmeister said:
Oh no, I meant it teasingly. I seriously gave away 12 cameras and think they all deserved their new homes. Where are you?

West Virginia.

One of the older photo stores in the state (Merrill Photo in Charleston) had a going out of business auction last Sunday. I was curious to go see what was there, but didn't want to risk dragging more stuff home.

guitstik · Oct 13, 2011

I have been toying with the idea of putting on a photography swap meet and selling spaces to vendors all in a vain attempt to offload... Uh find new homes for some of my camera gear. I have been pretty successful selling a lot of the cameras that I only had a few lenses for. Some went to help out college students and a couple more went to some friends of mine that have shown an interest in photography. Only keeping the cameras that I have a bunch of lenses for doesn't really mean that much because that only gets me down to Konica, Minolta and my recent acquisition of a Nikon F with a bunch of lenses and the Nikon S2 with the only three lenses that I really need for a RF. And that is just the SLR systems, it's much harder to get rid of my TLR's, medium format SLR's, large format cameras and those that I consider collector/users. So that still leaves me with a lot of cameras to maintain and use.

And before I get flamed, I know the S2 is not an SLR.

Ralph Javins · Oct 13, 2011

Good morning, guitstik;

Nah, you are not going to be flamed; there is even a section right here on APUG for rangefinder cameras. And the Nikon S2 was a very serious camera back in the 1950s or so. If you get inside the S2 and the Nikon F, you will note a very strong family lineage between the two of them. No problem, and enjoy the S2.

jacksond · Oct 13, 2011

Reverse NAS

I sold all of my Nikon gear, digital and film. Too much stuff and too heavy. I kept the Leicas and a few lenses for it. Then I bought a Minolta X700 and 200MM on EBay! Go figure.

Brian Legge · Oct 13, 2011

I've been selling off a fair amount as I figured out what sort of cameras work best for me. I've come to accept that I love rangefinders love them for 35mm. I love the idea of using a higher end one but have the hardest time letting myself spend that much money on a camera - even though they're a bargain compared to original prices. I was hoping saving up money from sales would let me do it guilt free but evidently it doesn't work that way.

sandermarijn · Oct 13, 2011

Some of my pictures that I like most were taken with my first self-owned camera, a Konica A4 p&s (very similar to the later Big Mini non-zoom). I'm still wondering if that high proportion of success is down to
- the simplicity of having one camera and having to make do with that,
- youthful creativeness and 'naivety' that have since slipped away,
- nostalgia that makes older photographs look better than they are.
A bit of everything I suppose.

In any case, reverse GAS seems like an enviable affliction. A pandemic wouldn't hurt the world.

perkeleellinen · Oct 13, 2011

I went through the reverse GAS thing a few years back and now have just one SLR body and three lenses.

Jerevan · Oct 13, 2011

I am now down to a Nikon F2 with a 50, and in medium format a Rolleiflex which I had to rebuy/refund (film transport issue). But I have the big hurdle left: a throng of LF cameras that I need to do something about. When I started out in photography, I wanted to be like Ansel Adams. Big honking camera, f64, and grand vistas with rolling clouds... but ten years later, I am still in the backyard. I have been dabbling in LF, in fits and starts. I have two 5x7s and then for some reason, I just had to have a 4x5 too... Too much stuff and nothing done. I have to downsize. So now, it's a sort of internal wrestling match for me, which way to turn at the crossroads.

guitstik · Oct 13, 2011

Remember tho, for every one reverse GAS there must be at least one suffering from GAS. You cannot have one without the other.

Mark Crabtree · Oct 13, 2011

guitstik said:
Remember tho, for every one reverse GAS there must be at least one suffering from GAS. You cannot have one without the other.

I hope you're right, but it seems like a lot of nice stuff goes begging these days. And the oddest things seem to stay desirable.

Besk · Oct 13, 2011

Ditto on just about just everything said above!

As I have approached retirement age (and beyond but still working) it just seems that keeping so much stuff around is more of a burden that a pleasure. Maybe it is just mental because I do have the the room to store it but it is a burden nevertheless.

Now to decide what to keep and what to get rid of. That is the question!

Mark Crabtree · Oct 13, 2011

Jerevan;1247148 I have two 5x7s and then for some reason said:
Large format is a particular dilemma for me. Need a couple Cirkut Cameras? I guess I don't really mind so much having them laying around so much since I've made my living with the Cirkut for over 25 years. They've paid for their keep. Still, I remember how I struggled to find (and pay for) them. I don't know if anybody still buys Cirkuts today.

I love to shoot with 8x10 more than any other format, but just don't have much motivation for it these days (just usually can't think of things I want to shoot in that format). I intend to keep my Deardorff at least for show and tell since I do some presentations on the work Walker Evans did in my area (w/Deardorff).

The odd part is that the best picture I've made in the past year was with the Deardorff, in spite of very little use for it, and many rolls of 35mm and 120.

I had a show a few years back with about 65 pictures. Looking at them all in one place made me realize how much I used 35 to 50mm (or equivalent) lenses. Most of the pictures could have been shot with either focal length. I think two shots were with slightly longer lenses, and none with shorter focal lengths. I think having just a Rollei, or a Leica w/35mm would make me a better photographer. Still, I have fun with the other stuff and get the occasional good picture.

TheFlyingCamera · Oct 13, 2011

I gave myself a little exercise this past weekend on my vacation - although I took four lenses with me, I only shot two of them, and I took one, maybe two shots with the second lens, out of 45 or so (this was with my 5x7). I think I could pretty easily confine myself to shooting one lens, one format (although it might well be whole plate not 5x7, except for the absolute lack of color film for whole plate). Ok- I couldn't do just one format - I've got several that I love, but it wouldn't kill me to have just one or two lenses per format. I'm actually going to be selling off a bunch of lenses soon from my 4x5 outfit as that's another size I really don't use much, and my 8x10 camera (another format I rarely use). It's time to simplify and winnow the herd so I can focus (pun intended) on making images, not playing with toys.

guitstik · Oct 13, 2011

Well now, funny y'all should bring it up because I could definitely use a few more 4x5 lenses and an 8x10 camera. The 4x5 lenses that I have are limited in movement because they are from several Graphics but they don't translate well to a field camera when movement is needed. And I have a desperate need for 8x10 for doing larger contact prints as well as wet plate and Degaureotypes. I have noticed that I am not getting the clarity of detail from my contact prints and I want to see if going bigger helps plus I want the larger size. My 4x5 negs are falling off when I do any architectural shots and even some of my landscapes. If either of you would be willing to donate to a worthy cause You see, I can come up with plenty of reasons why I need more.

My wife has gotten to the point where she starts checking with our small town PO if I get rid of one camera,she knows that several more will be coming to live with us.

mablo · Oct 13, 2011

I've been selling a lot of gear lately. First I got rid of all of my rangefinder gear. I had everything from fixed lens Olympus rangefinders up to Canon P's and Leicas. Unfortunately RF is not my cup of tea. Then I sold all my other 135mm gear except my three Nikon bodies (two AF one MF) and three Nikkor lenses. I just felt I had too much gear. I still need to sell one or two TLR cameras.

I don't want more gear. What I want is one good image.

fmajor · Oct 15, 2011

Ha! Last year I was in reverse-GAS mode as well, but it was to *invest* in a new format.

However, i've since stabilized the selling/buying and am just buying consumables except for a new carbon fiber tripod and new-to-me ballhead. I am tempted to buy another lens or 2 for my RB67, but am not giving in to it and am instead trying to work on skill.

flatulent1 · Oct 18, 2011

fmajor said:
Ha! Last year I was in reverse-GAS mode as well, but it was to *invest* in a new format.

Same here. Sort of.

This spring I parted company with my Nikon gear so as to bolster my accumulation of Contax gear. I miss the Nikon, but I am very pleased with the Contax.

I have also been sorting through my gear, unloading a lot of Canon FD and a few EOS pieces. I've also packed away my Minolta gear as I don't see myself using any of it any time soon, but I cannot bring myself to get rid of my XD-11s.

fmajor · Oct 19, 2011

Ha!

Fred - i'm with you on the XD-11's. I had 2 which were in beautiful condition, had been CLA'ed and i had put on new covers as well as a mint XD-5 (just needs a new film spool installed). However, i didn't see myself *needing* 2 of the same, nearly identical cameras plus a near-relative so 1 had to go. The market was still excellent for them and i got a good price which went directly into my RB67 gear (a Mamiya 65mm Sekor C in *as new* condition + 3 filters for $200 - including shipping).

Black Dog · Oct 19, 2011

I've never really succumbed to GAS, luckily-I'm planning to add an 8x10 which I'll use for most of my b+w work, another Mamiya 330 body [maybe a 6 if I can get one] and a couple of 35mm compacts for just slipping in my pocket [very useful even for a dedicated MF/LF shooter]. My 5x4 will then be used for b+w slides and colour negs [love the sound of Portra 800 in 120] as I have a project in mind colour would be just great for ....XP2 is just a lovely film in 120 as well as it has 1930s tones but not 1930s grain Simples! Not many used 8x10s for sale in the UK though but I'm keeping my eyes open.

BrianL · Oct 19, 2011

I went through it some years ago and preparing to do it again but I've only a few and I really hate to give them up. I broke the ice however by selling a bunch of my stereo equipment collection a few months ago. It only seems to hurt for a while but buying something seems to help. Oh, wait, that's counterproductive.

Jadedoto · Oct 19, 2011

I would really love to... I'm only 21 and have a camera collection that is at least half of my belongings. The apartment is running out of space.

It really is a distraction. But I can't bring myself to unload things. So instead I'm just trading off things I like.

The worst (best?) part is that since I'm young, I have a bunch of retiring photographers in the area who give me cameras. And I can't say no

Reverse GAS?

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