Too much crap

jeffreythree · Nov 12, 2015

I have not accumulated that much photography stuff, but had to chuckle since I just saw a display full of clean, neatly displayed cameras for sale locally as a lot including the glass case. I guess that is what you do when even the displays become to much.

Nodda Duma · Nov 12, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
I think that's part of my problem;You can't sell the stuff for any reasonable amount Even giving it away is tough.People are not even willing to pay for the shipping and local schools and photo clubs laugh at you trying to donate film equipment.I just can't get myself to throw it all away;breaks my heart.

Put it on eBay. That's where all the college kids look. You do have to let go of your notions of what the value should be (i.e. used to be). Look at completed auctions to get a better feel for current value. Once you get past that painful inhibition then you will be ok.

BradleyK · Nov 12, 2015

OptiKen said:
I am in the same process now and you are right, it is not easy.

Still pondering a further thinning of the herd. Although I've gone from 18 Nikon 35mm cameras down to 10 in the past year or so, I see an F3HP/MD4/MK1 and a black 1977 F2AS possibly on the chopping block.

flavio81 · Nov 12, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
Is it enough to still enjoy the equipment with the pride of ownership,cut down on maintenance, required CLAs and have working equipment around when you need it?

I had more or less the same problem. My solution was: Start learning how to repair them and CLA them yourself. A lens spanner and some micro screwdrivers are the basic tools you need.

Last week I restored a Canonflex RM to mint condition. With the lens i had less luck.

But for example now I know how to fully dissasemble Canon FD lenses, clean them, and put them back together again. And Nikon pre-AI lenses seem to be easy as well.

flavio81 · Nov 12, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
I think that's part of my problem;You can't sell the stuff for any reasonable amount Even giving it away is tough.People are not even willing to pay for the shipping and local schools and photo clubs laugh at you trying to donate film equipment.I just can't get myself to throw it all away;breaks my heart.

Find people with the same hobbie on your local area. Or talented young photographers who are curious to jump into film, and give away some cameras to them.

flavio81 · Nov 12, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
Well, this is what I've got after 50 years of interest in photography (I really do use all of these):

Nikon: F, F2, F2, F2, F2S, F2S, F3/T, F3/T, F4S, F4S, FM, FM3a, D700
Canon: EF, AE-1P, RebelG, RebelG, RebelG, Elan 7NE, QL17GIII, Canonet 28

Your list shows great taste but it needs more Canons... At least the F-1 versions and an FTb !

mweintraub · Nov 12, 2015

flavio81 said:
Your list shows great taste but it needs more Canons... At least the F-1 versions and an FTb !

Why when they have Nikons?

4season · Nov 12, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
I just have too much photographic equipment but I get my calm from having it all around me

Maybe hard to have lasting change as long as that's true? Will power only goes so far. I got to where more than a few starts to feel like more fuss-and-bother, and believe me, it's easy to get rid of stuff with that mindset.

Sirius Glass · Nov 12, 2015

Grouping is a good idea.
Displaying some of it is a good idea.
Your whole adult life you have been working to buy things that other people needed, wanted, or thought they needed. This is the time in your life to enjoy what you have. You worked for it. You earned it. If it give you pleasure to have and to hold then you should definitely keep it. Enjoy what you have collected and earned.

blockend · Nov 12, 2015

Inverse square law: the amount of photographic gear you own is inversely proportional to the quality of your photography. (Physician, heal thy self).

blockend · Nov 12, 2015

Some of my photographic hoarding tendencies are a result of assuming, let's say cheap lenses, will be around forever, only to find the adapter boom has created a market for unconsidered trifles in glass. If I lost or broke some of the stuff I paid buttons for, I'd have trouble tracking one down in similar condition, and would undoubtedly have to pay an arm and a leg for it. This has created a just-in-case scenario, or proliferating redundancy to give greed and paranoia a fancy title.

The solution is to fall in love with 1990s consumer SLRs, of which there are sufficient to allay even my doubts about availability, or failing that, a Summilux habit that divorce would bring to a premature close.

flavio81 · Nov 12, 2015

mweintraub said:
Why when they have Nikons?

Yeah but Nikons can't mount Canon Lenses.

I prefer my Canon New F-1 over all my Nikons - FT2, FE, EL, FG, F, F2, and previously an F3 as well.

Still, those Nikons are great cameras as well. My favorite, the F.

Sirius Glass · Nov 12, 2015

Yeah but Canons can't mount Nikon Lenses.

mweintraub · Nov 12, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
Yeah but Canons can't mount Nikon Lenses.

EF body with Nikon adapters can. That's why a lot of Canon shooters shoot Canon, to use other brand lenses. *shots fired*

Sirius Glass · Nov 12, 2015

Just keepin' the ball in play.

Theo Sulphate · Nov 12, 2015

blockend said:
Inverse square law: the amount of photographic gear you own is inversely proportional to the quality of your photography. (Physician, heal thy self).

That is neither a law nor is it true.

A crap photographer can own one camera his whole life; a great photographer isn't lessened by owning more cameras.

As I mentioned in a different thread, I'm blessed with the ability to see good photos everywhere, even in the most mundane situations. If I happen to have a camera with me, I can usually get the shot.

Theo Sulphate · Nov 12, 2015

flavio81 said:
... needs more Canons... At least the F-1 versions and an FTb !

I am so happy with the Canon EF, it's hard for me to think of getting another Canon. I agree the FTb is another excellent camera by Canon - I haven't seen one at a swap meet for a long time.

dynachrome · Nov 12, 2015

I sometimes use manual focus Nikon lenses on manual focus Canon cameras with the correct adapter. I'm sure I was more creative at 14 with one good camera than I am now with many more. Sometimes it can be helpful to put one body and two or three lenses in a camera bag bag and just use them for a while. Find a subject that interests you and concentrate on it for a while. No one can use all of the equipment in a large collection all the time. After you have used the body and lenses for a while, put a different body and some lenses in the bag and use them for a while. Sometimes just switching the items and getting used to the can spark something.

blockend · Nov 12, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
As I mentioned in a different thread, I'm blessed with the ability to see good photos everywhere, even in the most mundane situations.

Sorry Henri, I forgot who I was talking to.

benjiboy · Nov 12, 2015

blockend said:
Inverse square law: the amount of photographic gear you own is inversely proportional to the quality of your photography. (Physician, heal thy self).[/QUOTE
There's a lot of truth in that, many amateurs own quantitys and qualitys of photographic equipment that professionals would never entertain because the idea of professional photography is to build up your bank balance not spending money unnecessarily on your equipment inventory.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 12, 2015

benjiboy said:
blockend said:

Inverse square law: the amount of photographic gear you own is inversely proportional to the quality of your photography. (Physician, heal thy self).[/QUOTE
There's a lot of truth in that, many amateurs own quantitys and qualitys of photographic equipment that professionals would never entertain because the idea of professional photography is to build up your bank balance not spending money unnecessarily on your equipment inventory.

Click to expand...

but that's half the fun

Theo Sulphate · Nov 12, 2015

blockend said:
Sorry Henri, I forgot who I was talking to.

No need to be nasty about it. I never claimed to be a great artist, but my photos aren't crap, either.

benjiboy said:
... many amateurs own quantitys and qualitys of photographic equipment that professionals would never entertain because the idea of professional photography is to build up your bank balance not spending money unnecessarily on your equipment inventory.

That is true - and that's exactly how it should be because photography as a profession involves a totally different set of demands and priorities than photography as a hobby. I know two professional photographers well, they each have their main camera and a backup. That's all the cameras they have - which are, by the way, digital.

Luis-F-S · Nov 12, 2015

I've regretted almost every camera I've sold so I say keep it all!

ColColt · Nov 12, 2015

I think most of us have a fair amount of gear be it cameras and lens, darkroom equipment or other hobbies acquired over the years. I have way too much in t he line of reloading equipment and that stuff occupies the bench my 23CII use to sit on before I mothballed it some years ago. You can barely get around in that room and it drives me nuts.

Same way with electronic equipment. I love old vintage equipment, Nakamichi tape decks, Teac reel to reel decks, Marantz receivers Advent and Pioneer speakers and receivers, etc. This is not to mention the eight film cameras I have and two digital with all the associated lens and other goodies. You can acquire a lot of stuff in 70 years. Some I've sold but kept most.

zozur · Nov 13, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
I think that's part of my problem;You can't sell the stuff for any reasonable amount Even giving it away is tough.People are not even willing to pay for the shipping and local schools and photo clubs laugh at you trying to donate film equipment.I just can't get myself to throw it all away;breaks my heart.

Maybe you should put it here on classifieds. I think many people may be interested [emoji4]

Too much crap

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