Too much crap

KidA · Mar 1, 2016

While I like the idea of having very little gear and choosing a system that can tackle a lot of situations, no system that I know of can, for me at least. So you have to ask yourself as a photographer, that if a system covers 90-95% of what you need/want, is it really worth it to invest in something else - not only financially, but also with the amount of time, and space these new toys take up - for the remaining 5-10%? Of course, it's no so cut and dry, the '5-10%' system might be able to tackle a good 50%, and often more, of what one might need and potentially even better in many cases. Is it worth it for me to fork out thousands of dollars for a Mamiya 6 or 7 system so I can have a more compact system for when I travel? Its different for everyone's situation. There's no right answer. Just don't fall further into debt or add to you relationship troubles!

I have an OM system for 35mm and Hasselblad V for MF. Incredible systems, that never cease to amaze me, they're almost perfect for everything I need. But man do I ever lust over a Nikon F3 or F4 - the only real drawback (for me) is Nikon's size/weight. I love small systems when out and about. But a waist level viewfinder on 35mm is just an amazing concept for me. I know... not the only 35mm system that accommodates WL VF but it's a system that I feel would best replace my OM system that allow these viewfinders. Would I let go of my OM just for this? Hell no, I'm so comfortable with the OMs. If I had loads of cash and time to invest into a new Nikon system would I do it? Hell yes. Heck, add a Leica M system in there as well for when I 'need' that small rangefinder.

It's incredibly easy to drool over sooooo many cameras and feel the need to acquire and make use of every beautiful camera out there; it really would be nice. I also have to add that when I really only have the final print in mind, when I'm struck with an idea or a subject that is beautiful, a system that is able to tackle the job and not get in the way, that is more than enough. All this mumble jumble about gear is 95% bogus in my experience. The art is the most important thing.

On that note, anyone go from Olympus to Nikon and loved the change/addition? hahaha I'm sick...

Ko.Fe. · Mar 1, 2016

My wife also complained about my photo gear. I wouldn't mind to through away several old digital cameras we have and give her better one, but she prefers old junk.
On my side after trying many film cameras (most of them were sold after playing with them) I'm downsizing to few cameras I like to use and few cameras with sentimental value. Three shelves in small cabinet to keep all of my camera gear. On side one tripod, few light stands and lights, modifiers.
I feel better if I have just few cameras, lenses to choose from.

MattKing · Mar 1, 2016

paul ron said:
She just refers to it as HOLY CRAP EVERYWHERE

At least she considers it holy.

Rick A · Mar 1, 2016

RalphLambrecht said:
That hasn't been my experience.Then they want to know the shipping cost and I have to run to the post office or shipping company to find out; Afer days of work and many emails. I'll be back where I started.It's just sad.I offered stuff for free in a 2h radius to fellow amateurs and nobody even invested in the drive.

Just use the USPS site and get a decent scale to weigh things, or use the flat rate "if it fits, it ships" boxes. You don't even have to go to the PO to ship, they will pick up for you, they'll even drop empty boxes at your home if you need them. It's super easy to set up an account with them, and they accept Paypal or credit/debit card.
https://www.usps.com/

Theo Sulphate · Mar 1, 2016

DWThomas said:
Damn! Every time I see this title pop up I think it's another election thread!

Listen to me - we're not making film anymore. We're not making film cameras anymore. When I'm elected President, all that is going to change. You know what? I'm going to have Kodak make Kodachrome again and they're going to thank me for it. I'm going to make film great again. Fuji is discontinuing peel-apart instant film - well, when I'm President that's not going to happen. We send billions of dollars to Japan - the cars, the electronics - huge amounts of money. Believe me: Fuji is going to be making FP-100C for a long time. When I'm President, the film and film camera industry is going to be huge. Absolutely.

DWThomas · Mar 1, 2016

Theo Sulphate said:
Listen to me - we're not making film anymore. We're not making film cameras anymore. When I'm elected President, all that is going to change. You know what? I'm going to have Kodak make Kodachrome again and they're going to thank me for it. I'm going to make film great again. Fuji is discontinuing peel-apart instant film - well, when I'm President that's not going to happen. We send billions of dollars to Japan - the cars, the electronics - huge amounts of money. Believe me: Fuji is going to be making FP-100C for a long time. When I'm President, the film and film camera industry is going to be huge. Absolutely.

Wow! That'll be U-U-U-U-GE!

Theo Sulphate · Mar 1, 2016

KidA said:
While I like the idea of having very little gear and choosing a system that can tackle a lot of situations, no system that I know of can, for me at least. So you have to ask yourself as a photographer, that if a system covers 90-95% of what you need/want, is it really worth it to invest in something else - not only financially, but also with the amount of time, and space these new toys take up - for the remaining 5-10%? Of course, it's no so cut and dry, the '5-10%' system might be able to tackle a good 50%, and often more, of what one might need and potentially even better in many cases. Is it worth it for me to fork out thousands of dollars for a Mamiya 6 or 7 system so I can have a more compact system for when I travel? Its different for everyone's situation. There's no right answer. Just don't fall further into debt or add to you relationship troubles!...

I'm not running a business - photography is a hobby. I can probably cover all my "needs" with three cameras. But, as a hobby, I buy what I enjoy and the cameras do not have to justify their existence. I just enjoy the different types of cameras that exist and how they have different features and ways of working. I can now have cameras that I couldn't even afford to dream about 40 years ago. Debt? I have no debt - house, cars, cameras, everything else is all paid off.

It's incredibly easy to drool over sooooo many cameras and feel the need to acquire and make use of every beautiful camera out there; it really would be nice. I also have to add that when I really only have the final print in mind, when I'm struck with an idea or a subject that is beautiful, a system that is able to tackle the job and not get in the way, that is more than enough. All this mumble jumble about gear is 95% bogus in my experience. The art is the most important thing.

Art and gear aren't mutually exclusive. I've made plenty of really nice photographs - often with pretty simple cameras. Art isn't the most important thing to me - enjoying my hobbies and life are.

This is probably sounding harsh, which I don't intend. As you said, it's different for everyone's situation. Had I to do it all over again, I probably would choose and stay with all-manual, no electronics, cameras just to keep things paired down

Rick A · Mar 1, 2016

I.ve decided that all I need is three cameras, all manual, mechanical jewels. I have a well stocked dark room, so all extraneous items are going away. I realized a few years back I really didn't need everything to stock 12 complete dark rooms, or nearly 500 cameras. I now only have my OM-1 and a couple of lenses, my Zeiss Nettar 6x6, and my 4x5 with a couple of lenses. I am still selling off a bunch of DR gear.

GarageBoy · Mar 1, 2016

The worst part is I'm piss broke and a gear whore... I should evaluate my choices and stick to gear I am willing to use. No use keeping a mint Canon f1 around when it's worth more to a collector

Sirius Glass · Mar 1, 2016

GarageBoy said:
The worst part is I'm piss broke and a gear whore... I should evaluate my choices and stick to gear I am willing to use. No use keeping a mint Canon f1 around when it's worth more to a collector

Are you trying to make us ?

4season · Mar 2, 2016

I collect all sorts of cameras, but not all at once. Most are in the virtualized storage space I call "eBay". Seems to me that aside from a smallish number of genuinely rare or unique items (Leica Luxus et al) prices on most are in decline except where there's interest from a younger audience, but they're not exactly big spenders.

cooltouch · Mar 3, 2016

That sort of "keep the best of each format" philosophy just doesn't work with me. Why just the other day, I was the successful bidder on a Goodwill auction on a small lot of cameras. All of them are system cameras, but one belongs to a system that I don't have any of -- yet. Things will be expanding again, it looks like. My collecting philosophies tend to be inclusive rather than exclusive. That is, I don't draw lines in order to keep some things out. I'd rather remove the lines and watch it all come together.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 3, 2016

cooltouch said:
That sort of "keep the best of each format" philosophy just doesn't work with me. ...

"Format" is too broad a criterion to serve as a tool for selection. There will still be more choices within the format that are appealing.

For example, in 35mm there are SLR's, rangefinders, and various compacts to choose from. In medium format there are SLR's, TLR's, rangefinders, folders, etc.

My philosophy: buy what you like and can afford.

cooltouch · Mar 4, 2016

That's been mine as well. Within the realm of 35mm SLRs, however, I make one allowance, mostly just as a space-saving matter. I have a rather large selection of Tamron Adaptall-2 lenses, most of which are SP Adaptalls. I'm quite fond of these lenses and enjoy the images they provide. So typically what I'll do when I acquire a new SLR that is a component of a system in which I have no lenses, I'll try to get a normal lens with it and then I'll buy an adaptall-2 mount. I can then take my time collecting lenses for this system, picking out only the most desirable (that I can afford) as I go along.

nolanr66 · Mar 15, 2016

Well I went on a buying frenzy since my last post and got a Yashica MG-1 for free and a Nikon FM2n that I bought this morning from KEH. Camera shopping is done possibly for life. I shot a roll yesterday with the Yashica and it's a fun camera. The viewfinder is kind of dark and there is no diopter adjustment so that makes it kind of hard but I can still focus it. That rangefinder patch works great. It's not really the kind of camera you would spend with your eye stuck to it. Just do your business and fire it off. Pay attention because the sound is so light you may wonder if you took the shot. It has a copal shutter so there is no curtain. Anyway for quiet that little guy is king in my camera bag.

frank · Mar 15, 2016

I don't have too much crap; I've got lots of good stuff.

Theo Sulphate · Mar 15, 2016

nolanr66 said:
... got a Yashica MG-1 for free ... I shot a roll yesterday with the Yashica and it's a fun camera. ...

The Yashica and Canon rangefinders of the 1970's have a certain quality that is appealing; a combination of simplicity, flexibility, and competence.

Enjoy your new camera! You may also like this website:

http://www.yashica-guy.com/

.

fstop · Mar 16, 2016

APUGuser19 said:
I'm selling my 1968 Camaro Convertible that was my first car, and I've had it 42 years. This is hard.

yeah its tough getting film for those

Theo Sulphate · Mar 16, 2016

fstop said:
yeah its tough getting film for those

ROFL!

RalphLambrecht · Mar 16, 2016

BrianShaw said:
I don't understand why you don't just do what your wife suggests. She makes perfect sense.

she must have paid you to say that!

ciniframe · Mar 16, 2016

I've dealt with photo related crap for years. Trouble is I'm a tinkerer so I never know what adapter ring or other do bob I might need. Case in point, years ago at a photo swap meet I found a third party bellows for my Olympus Pen F, for $5 in good shape. Now I just didn't need a bellows but for the price.....well you just never know. It sat in my camera junk box for several years. Then, I was fooling around with a lens head from a 90mm Elmar. I found it would also screw into a series 5 thread. This gave me an idea, the Elmar on my Pen that could focus from infinity to 1:1

So with the mount end from an old Pen 'T' mount (left over from another project) a couple other adapter rings, lots of cutting drilling tapping etc, that project was successful. That contraption will go from infinity right to 1:1. Other than the Elmar, which did double duty on my M4-2, I think that the rest of the parts didn't total over $25

nolanr66 · Mar 16, 2016

Theo Sulphate said:
The Yashica and Canon rangefinders of the 1970's have a certain quality that is appealing; a combination of simplicity, flexibility, and competence.

Enjoy your new camera! You may also like this website:

http://www.yashica-guy.com/

.

Thanks for the link. It was pretty interesting.

Roger Cole · Mar 17, 2016

frank said:
I don't have too much crap; I've got lots of good stuff.

To paraphrase (he didn't say "crap") George Carlin from "A Place for my Stuff" - "Did you ever notice that your crap is stuff and their stuff is crap? Get all this crap out of here so I can put my stuff down!"

benjiboy · Mar 27, 2016

The secret of "not having too much crap" is not buying too much in the first place, I have only bought one camera and two lenses in the last twenty years.

frank · Mar 28, 2016

Yes, congratulations. I on the other hand have had the pleasure of experiencing dozens of different camera types, brands, and models; learning about their functionality, specifications, and place in history. Most I've run film through, though some more than others. It has been an enriching experience. It's kind of like refusing to smell the fragrances of a wide variety of flowers, sticking only to one or two, and then going to your grave without having experienced something life had to offer.

Just my opinion.

Too much crap

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