Should I sell all of my 70mm gear and film?

Hey guys I'm posing this question to you.

Do you guys think I should sell my 70mm gear? When I first got into medium format, I really loved 70mm format, it allowed me to take lots of pictures all day without having to carry around a bunch of rolls, And it was really fun to use something so specialized. I spent a lot of time searching out and collecting everything I would need to process this film, I still got probably five or six rolls of black-and-white film and I think possibly one roll of the E-6. The black-and-white film includes 3 rolls of Kodak technical pan, I also have A bunch of bags of Techidol. I have a MamiyaRB67 70mm roll film back, A few canisters for loading your film into, and I believe the technical pan Rolls come with their own canisters as well so someone would get basically brand-new canisters to use. I also have of course they Nikkor 70mm developing tank that takes 15 feet or so or 5m of 70mm. I've also got some individual printfile sleeves for storing the negatives, so I've basically got everything you would need.

My question is for one should I just shoot this stuff and then sell off the equipment, It's kind of a shame that I collected all this gear and having used all the film yet, However I also need some money for my endeavors, and I'm just not shooting like I used to, I take much more time and take less images, And I'm shooting a lot of large-format. Now I know that I could use this film for some modeling shoots, But it seems a shame to waste the technical pan on the model when it's really something I should be using for landscape imagery to capture all the detail or large enlargement. Also got 50 feet of HP5+ that I picked up from the ULF special order in 2013, I almost forgot to mention that. The thing is if I want to sell it altogether I'm not sure I could get what I want for it considering how much I spent, but selling it off piecemeal it's kind of a pain. How much do you think I could get for it if I sold as a package? I know that the tank itself cost me over $350 the 70mm back for the camera costs about $200 the special order HP5+ costs in the realm of $180, and the tech pan seems to be going somewhere between $80 and $150 per roll.

That's $1,030 if my math is correct.

Do you think I can get that if I put it on eBay or try to sell it here? Or should I just tell it piece by piece? Or should I shoot it all first and then sell just the gear off? I guess my main issue with all of this is that it took me so long to gather all of this stuff up, By the time that I actually acquired everything needed to develop it all which was some of the hardest to find, I had basically almost started shooting in 4 x 5 large-format and stopped shooting medium format as much and I know that once I sell this stuff there's no way I'll be able to get it back, It's all in super excellent shape and it's such a shame to sort of lose these really cool items, But I also feel like the money could go towards something way more important and something that I'm actually using more often in my life.

Thanks to anyone who could give me some insight, This is a serious threat please no jokers, Just some really good suggestions and advice please, And thank you.

~Stone

At least use the HP5 and/or E6 for a modeling shoot. Crossprocess the latter if it's a strange emulsion like CDU?

I don't reckon you'll recover the equipment value (70mm film being a little hard to buy right now and your stated prices being higher than those on eBay) and I think you're dreaming on the TP pricing, but you'll get some value back from that.

polyglot said:

At least use the HP5 and/or E6 for a modeling shoot. Crossprocess the latter if it's a strange emulsion like CDU?

I don't reckon you'll recover the equipment value (70mm film being a little hard to buy right now and your stated prices being higher than those on eBay) and I think you're dreaming on the TP pricing, but you'll get some value back from that.

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You're right with some of that, I'm basing the prices on what I paid two years ago, as far as the film is concerned I see one listed right now for $100 for a single can, So it's not completely unreasonable. Developing tanks are very hard to come by, Especially this one which is the daylight tank Version, I sold the other version which is a dip dunk for about $200 I believe just a few months ago. But the daylight version is much harder to find, and obviously much more convenient for those who don't own a dark room.

Well maybe I will shoot at least some of it, and then put the rest up for grabs and see if it will be bought.

Why are you asking us? Do you need a scape goat if you have remorse? What does it matter what others opinion is when it comes to personal decisions. Pull up yer big boy pants and make a decision for your own life. It's not like you need permission to sell or even keep anything, besides, in the end you are gonna do what you're gonna do.

As you know I also own an 8x10 camera. I shoot 8x10 black and white and 4x5 color. I recently sold my Hasselblad because it was just sitting in the camera bag being neglected. I am no longer shooting medium format film and only occasionally 35mm slide film with a Stereo Realist. It's big negatives for me or digital for Ebay and snapshots.

It was pretty much a no brainer for me but I can always buy another Blad if I want one. I'd think real hard about whether you will ever want to use the 70mm gear again.

Alan Gales said:

As you know I also own an 8x10 camera. I shoot 8x10 black and white and 4x5 color. I recently sold my Hasselblad because it was just sitting in the camera bag being neglected. I am no longer shooting medium format film and only occasionally 35mm slide film with a Stereo Realist. It's big negatives for me or digital for Ebay and snapshots.

It was pretty much a no brainer for me but I can always buy another Blad if I want one. I'd think real hard about whether you will ever want to use the 70mm gear again.

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Thank you Alan, that's kind of what I was thinking, and to answer the other poster about why I need to ask other people, it's because I don't have enough"life experience" and wanted to hear if people regretted selling their stuff, or if it ended up being A smart thing for them to do. So thanks for answering that question, It does make sense, I'm not using the gear either.

We all have regrets about decisions, but you just have to move forward and get over it. Lamenting over bad choices will prevent you from living.

Rick A said:

We all have regrets about decisions, but you just have to move forward and get over it. Lamenting over bad choices will prevent you from living.

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Point

Are your school plans still a go? If so, I'd hang on to the stuff until you have a semester (or two) under your belt. Your interests will change, while there, and you might find yourself wishing you still had this stuff.

I say sell it while it still has some value. It will only go down as 70mm film disappears.

eddie said:

Are your school plans still a go? If so, I'd hang on to the stuff until you have a semester (or two) under your belt. Your interests will change, while there, and you might find yourself wishing you still had this stuff.

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Yea, at least I can use it in the enlarger, but still, 120 just makes more sense now.

jerrybro said:

I say sell it while it still has some value. It will only go down as 70mm film disappears.

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That's kinda what I was thinking.

Another trusted member friend of mine told me that I should just keep it, that he's never sold any of his gear, and that I'll probably regret not having it, but I'm keeping the Mamiya camera just selling the back.

It's funny because, I think part of it is that the equipment is in such immaculate condition, and is the work of art in its design, and I'll probably never find something in such great shape again, the back looks like it was never used, I meticulous about my gear, it's always been kept in a pelican case, and came to me from NASA, that's right I got it from a NASA sale, so it was kind of something special, and it just kind of sucks that I can't have both, I also really just don't have the space for all this gear, and something has to give, and I don't want to be one of those people who has all this camera gear in boxes that's never used and so why not use it or lose it while it's still hot!

Gear is gear, museums are full of it. Its nice to look at, but are you running a museum?

As others have said, sell it. It's better to have the money, even if it's little and put it aside to earn interest or pay off debts. Otherwise it's junk that seats around and you don't use, not to mention it just loses value as it ages.

Nuff said:

As others have said, sell it. It's better to have the money, even if it's little and put it aside to earn interest or pay off debts. Otherwise it's junk that seats around and you don't use, not to mention it just loses value as it ages.

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trythis said:

Gear is gear, museums are full of it. Its nice to look at, but are you running a museum?

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You've got me sold! Or you secretly want my nice stuff... Haha

trythis said:

Gear is gear, museums are full of it. Its nice to look at, but are you running a museum?

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Exactly! It's just stuff, inanimate objects which have no sentimental value, even if people try to assign it.

I'm going through all of my snowboarding stuff and selling all of it, since due to injuries I can't use it any more.
You could argue that it has more sentimental value than your 70mm stuff, yet everything is going on ebay.
I will just keep the memories and photos of the fun times I had.

You can keep stuff till you die. Then it ends up scattered around thrift shops.

Evaluate what it is about 70mm that you value.

Determine whether you have a specific or likely current or future need for what 70mm gives you.

Determine what the likelihood would be of replacing in the future what you might sell today.

StoneNYC said:

You've got me sold! Or you secretly want my nice stuff... Haha

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It took me too long to realise that simple truth. I have boxes of junk I need to sell and get rid off. Very often less is better.

Hi Stone,

I buy and sell equipment often. Usually cheap one, but anyhow - here is how I see it:
equipment that is not used for more than 6 months - sell it. If you are using it - then it is not for sale.

On top of that goes rule (for me at least): "never sell any Leica equipment - you will be sorry, and later you will end up buying the same back with losses". I put this rule because I sold and later got again elmar 5cm f3.5 and elmar 90mm f4.

regards,

Pre SM (sellers remorse) is as bad as GAS...

Xmas said:

Pre SM (sellers remorse) is as bad as GAS...

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Maybe we should all look upon famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi:


Miyamoto Musashi Miyamoto Musashi > Quotes

1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful. --> replace weapons with equipment
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21. Never stray from the Way.”




http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/14462.Miyamoto_Musashi

darkosaric said:

Maybe we should all look upon famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi:


Miyamoto Musashi Miyamoto Musashi > Quotes

1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not, under any circumstances, depend on a partial feeling.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life long.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. In all things have no preferences.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful. --> replace weapons with equipment
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honour.
21. Never stray from the Way.”




http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/14462.Miyamoto_Musashi

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It's all very anti consumerism which is the latest craze

I would agree with it, maybe except the last 2...
And some of them it's all about the extent, I wouldn't go to extremes of some of the quotes...

trythis said:

You can keep stuff till you die. Then it ends up scattered around thrift shops.

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My Father was a great hoarder ("that might be useful one day"), and, having had the job of clearing the house quickly when he died so that my Mum could move to smaller accommodation, I can relate to your comment !

Since then my wife and I have tried to be ruthless in getting rid of unused stuff, without too much sentimentality. We've had the use and pleasure of it (as you have with your 70mm gear), so sell it, let someone else enjoy or use it, and put the proceeds to what we want to do, or what interests us, now. Our kids don't have the same tastes and interests as us, so let someone else who appreciates it have the stuff now, save it being wasted when the kids don't realise it might have any value, and just chuck it in the skip !

sell it all, expect a loss from what you paid for it ..
don't dilute your efforts with more than 1 or 2 formats
dilution is NOT the solution .. and if you are going back to school get your degree
you might consider using the same equipment as everyone else ...

i have seen folks when i was getting my degree who on purpose used different gear
they stuck out like a sore thumb ... and were roasted alive
and that probably won't be good if you don't have a thick skin ...

I'll agree on using the same equipment (or close) as others in the class. The idea is for the instructor to teach in a more-or-less standard fashion. With consistent/standard equipment, it will make the instructor's job easier and you will gain more from the experience.

For a completely random and arbitrary example, let us say everyone is using 35mm and you are using medium format, and the instructor is trying to teach something basic to photography (even if you already know it). Let us also assume the topic is one of those things that gets different results in different formats. This may make you a special case that has to be addressed separately, which will take more time if only for that reason, and thus slow the class. The idea is to learn and experience the concepts, you can always apply and extrapolate to your other equipment later.

As for selling your 70mm equipment, I'd not be in a rush; think it over a while. You may or may not feel differently in the future, and since this equipment is hard to come by, you want to be sure of your decision.