What do you do with stuff u don't really use

[Sirius Glass]

If I do not use it, I usually sell it. I have some really unusual cameras that I do not use, but I decided to keep a very few.

 

[benjiboy]

I just gave up medium format and have sold my Mamiya C330F and 55,80,135 and 180 lenses the prism and L grip because I haven't used it for about three years and don't relish the prospect of lugging it around any more, I also sold my Canon A1 because there's a limit to the amount of equipment I can use in my life, I'm not a collector my interest in cameras is purely as a means to an end, not an end in itself.

 

[Bob Carnie]

Simple rule to follow- If you haven't touched it in the last year, you don't need it. Sell it on.

good point, I give away most stuff rather than sell.

 

[RichardJack]

One of the worst feeling in the world is getting rid of old equipment then you find you could of really used it. I sold many rare lenses and expensive film cameras to buy digital bodies (needed them for work). I bought a good number of them back but I lost lots of money in the process.
I absolutely certain that the item won't be missed. If it's valuable sell it, otherwise the best thing you can do is give it to someone who will cherish it and enjoy it.
If uncertain pack it up well and hide it away someplace. Some items that have lost value might become valuable again.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Simple rule to follow- If you haven't touched it in the last year, you don't need it. Sell it on.

but what do you do if nobody wants it,or worse doesn't even want to pay shipping for it?

 

[sepiareverb]

I tend to bury stuff in the backyard if nobody seems interested in buying it quickly.

 

[Neil Poulsen]

As I drift slowly into retirement, my emphasis is on 4x5 (primarily) and 8x10 large format, and medium format, HP5 films. While I may shoot some 4x5 or medium format color, I rely primarily on my ancient Kodak, 35mm digital SLR/c (used solely on a tripod) for color.

So, I have it down to a few, carefully chosen outfits that will meet all my needs. For example, my Wista SP folder will probably see the most use. I have a good medium format camera system for range-finder, hand-held use, and a second for good, medium format, tripod work.

Will I use all these systems in any given time period? Probably not. But I'll be pleased to have them, should I find a need.

As for all the rest, it's currently being, or has already been, SOLD!

 

[Agulliver]

My wife says I have too many cameras. We do live in a one bedroom maisonette but most of my gear is handily stored under the bed or in boxes in the garage. Her craft stuff is strewn around the living room....

I don't generally keep something that does not work. I will sell or give away cameras that don't work unless they have specific sentimental value. For example a Praktica MTL5 that belonged to my later father which does not wind on correctly. It was his first SLR, he took some amazing pictures on a then rare business trip to China back in 1984 and I don't want to get rid of it.

However everything else works but I do not buy into the rule of offloading gear one doesn't use once a year. I have gear I use maybe every 5 years just for fun, but my life would be less enriched if I didn't own it. And having bought much "in the day" or in the slump when everyone was going digital...I could probably not afford to replace at a later date.

So...offload wisely. Thinking I was responsible I got rid of a lot of things in my teens and twenties...only to bitterly regret it in my 40s.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

I have been slowly selling camera equipment and household junk that we don't use on ePrey. But it is a lot of trouble and recently I have not had the energy. My approximate rule is if the item will sell for $20 or less, throw it out or donate to the charity. It's just not worth the time to sell, pack, and ship. I have reduced my digital equipment to one Fuji X-E1 body and several lenses - no other digital bodies or brands. But film: I kept the Leica IIIC that my father bought at a PX on Guam in 1949. I need to get it cleaned and adjusted. And I re-acquired a Rolleiflex 3.5E - the Rollei experience is just too much fun...

 

[railwayman3]

I don't have too much gear which I never use, some is only used every 2-3 years and I'm happy to store that. OTOH, I have disposed of some items (after a lot of thought!) which I, realistically, will never use....and that applies to other things as well, such as stuff for hobbies or interests which I know I'll never have the time to do.

It's probably more important to be systematic, maybe list what you have, so that it can easily be found, or the list may remind you of something interesting if your photographic ideas are at a low ebb. I always take a lesson from my late Father....he kept everything, either on the idea that it "might be useful one day" (in which case he usually couldn't find the item and had to buy another anyway), or that he would have time to pursue some new interest "one day" (which time never came, as he "hobby time" was fully occupied with his photography!). When he passed away we had the impossible job of sorting the big family house quickly (my Mum was fortunate in having an unexpected chance to buy an ideal smaller house)....the majority of the stuff had to go in the skip ! Afterwards, there were a few things (fortunately nothing valuable) which we regretted had gone, but that was that.

A lot of second-hand stuff is actually worth zilch in money terms, or at the least not worth the time and cost of trying to sell on Ebay. Probably best to pass it on to someone who can benefit or enjoy using it, or to a charity shop so that it ends up in a good home, rather than in the skip or landfill.

 

[benjiboy]

I've pared my cameras right down to the minimum recently I now only have the ones I really use regularly and want to keep, and with some the money I bought my wife a new warm winter coat for putting up with me and my photography for more than fifty years.

 

[removed account4]

i've noticed that sometimes the same make model year and glass does not work the same as
the same make model year and glass of camera / lens, so sometimes i have gotten rid of something
and bought it when i found it again ( sometimes it can't be found that ez too ) and been disappointed
in the performance of the new-thing. it isn't that i was nostalgic about what i sold (gave away), or had faint but
enlarged memories that were warm and fuzzy but sometimes things are not exactly the same as they
were. not sure if they were made on a monday or friday, or if the person who made them was wacked out
on cough syrup or morphine or whatever use medicinally or recreationally in whatever time period the camera/lens was made
or if the QC was on lunch break so his/her assistant or no one, not even "inspector 14" looked at whatever it was ....
so, the stuff i use, and sometimes think of selling off, or giving away &c, i tend to hang on to, even if it is a piece of junque ...
pieces of junque have a quality too that sometimes doesn't pass from junk to junk ...

I tend to bury stuff in the backyard if nobody seems interested in buying it quickly.

i've tried to burry stuff here
but we have too many rocks to contend with. i understand now
why there were so many farmers of stone fences around here...

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Wasn't sure where to post this...

Moving so that means boxing up all my gear and film, along with other stuff. This of course forces you to look and handle everything you have. I have been trying to keep things simple the last few years. For me this means using 2 or 3 cameras and 3 or 4 different films. So what should I do with the rest of the gear that does not get used?

Do I pass it along to someone who could use it more than I do? And then regret selling shortly after? And what about film that was found in the freezer? I know it still fine, so do I use it or trade it for films I use more? I hate thinking about it.

Great film, great cameras and lenses. Too much really and not enough time to shoot.

I posted this in mf as I have 4 or 5 systems that don't really get used for no reason except I prefer others. Same with 120 films. Found a large stash of 120 film in the freezer that I bought to shoot, put in freezer for the right situation and have yet to use it. I guess it's a good problem to have.

Anyway, what would you do or what have you done when you were in the same situation?

Thanks
nobody wants it; can't sell;can't give away for shipping;must go into the trash; I only keep what can'y easily be replaced
John

 

[RalphLambrecht]

re: I don't have to trash them and if I ever need any info from them again,I know where to find them

 

[cooltouch]

I have on two separate occasions sold off large quantities of my photo gear only to regret having done so later. I'm still in the process of reaquiring items that I sold and I've vowed to myself now that the gear I own now, I will never sell. I'll let my heirs worry about what to do with it.

I have accumulated a lot of gear now, mostly because of how cheap the old stuff sells for now. Yeah, most of my gear is old stuff, but I don't care. They still work great. I have dozens of lenses now that I can also use with my digital cameras, so this gives me great flexibility that I would otherwise not have. It does not bother me in the least that I have to manual focus these lenses and use them with manual iris settings to obtain the images I want. On the contrary, I enjoy it. That is undoubtedly the atavistic anachronistic iconoclast in me. But I don't care. I enjoy this and that's all that matters to me.

 

[benjiboy]

I haver never regretted selling photographic gear I haven't used for years, on the contrary
I found it liberating.

 

[OptiKen]

I just try to stay out of her way

 

[ColColt]

I've sold/traded most things photographic or sports related(like guns) that I didn't end up regretting later. It's a tough decision. I just redid my will recently and still don't know what I'll do with my film cameras. No family now except a nephew and three nieces that wouldn't know the first thing about a film camera since the invention of the 16mp iphone. I thought about selling a couple 2-3 but then comes the decision of which ones.

 

[cooltouch]

Do like I've decided I'll do. I'm gonna keep it all and let my heirs worry about it.

 

[Newt_on_Swings]

For useful items that I dont have a use for anymore, I usually give away to someone who would find it useful. I have given away multiple cameras of my own, two enlargers, and many rolls of film. I actually need to sell off some gear but I don't really like the hassle of selling things online.

 

[railwayman3]

I've sold/traded most things photographic or sports related(like guns) that I didn't end up regretting later. It's a tough decision. I just redid my will recently and still don't know what I'll do with my film cameras. No family now except a nephew and three nieces that wouldn't know the first thing about a film camera since the invention of the 16mp iphone. I thought about selling a couple 2-3 but then comes the decision of which ones.

I have a similar situation with certain collectables which are of some value which may not be obvious to my step-children, who would know nothing about them.
I don't want them to finish up in the skip (and I don't want the kids to lose out on their value!), so the items are listed together with the details of reliable specialist dealers who would probably buy them at a fair price.

In the case of photo equipment of little intrinsic value, why not leave a note with your will of, say, a photo society or school camera club to whom they could be donated ?

 

[SpicySaffron]

My first proper medium format camera was a Rolleiflex Automat 1. Certainly not a looker, but put out great photos. I've since replaced it with other medium format cameras, but I could never sell it just on sheer sentimental value. It's a wall camera now.

 

[John_Nikon_F]

Question you have to ask yourself:

Do you like the gear? Does it provide the image quaity you desire? If so, then uncock any cameras that were cocked, remove batteries, set all unmounted lenses to their minimum aperture, then put things into some camera bags with some silica gel packets, so they don't get severely dusty or begin growing things, and put them on a shelf in a closet once you move. Then, when you need the gear, it's there.

If you don't care for it, then, yes, pop it on CL, APUG, eBay, whatever. Rehome it. Alternatively, take everything to a swap meet and trade it for stuff you want/need. I've done that a few times over the past 5 years. Last time, sold a well-used Nikon F3P with drive, a Nikon FM2n that worked well, but was kinda beat, and a couple lenses for $375. Was happy.

-J

 

[chassis]

destroya if you have the roll of Plus-X I am interested. Please check your PMs.

 

[Sirius Glass]

...

Do you like the gear? Does it provide the image quaity you desire? If so, then uncock any cameras that were cocked, remove batteries, set all unmounted lenses to their minimum aperture, then put things into some camera bags with some silica gel packets, so they don't get severely dusty or begin growing things, and put them on a shelf in a closet once you move. Then, when you need the gear, it's there.

Not the right approach for all cameras. Hasselblad specifically states that all its lenses and camera bodies are to be stored in the cocked state.