What has APUG cost you?

Sirius Glass

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This is for 35mm, MF, LF, ULF, ...

I joined APUG as a happy SLR 35mm user in January 2007. Since then I have bought a Nikon F100, Hasselblad 503 CX, Hasselblad 903 SWC, Hasselblad CF 50mm, CF 80mm, CF 150mm, and CF 250mm lenses, Hasselblad 2X extender, Hasselblad close-up rings, an Chromega D5-XL Chromatic II enlarger, an Omega Arkey 150 Pro Print Dryer, set up a darkroom in my home and all sorts of goodies. I estimate that I have spent over $10,000US since I started here. The rate is about $420 per month on the average.

Talk about GAS!

Am I alone or are there others out there in APUG land experiencing the same thing?

Steve
 

Dave Pritchard

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I've done all this before. My Nikon F system is from years ago. I used to have an Omega D5V. Also used to use a Linhof Technica in 5x7. APUG did not light me up to replace all this stuff.

OTOH, there have been a few things that I bought because of APUG. Some members mentioned the absurd prices for late model Nikon 35mm SLRs on the big auction site. I just had to have a few of those. I mean, how can you resist buying wonderful cameras like the N8008s, or the N90 for peanuts?

I also learned about FSU cameras, so now have a FED2 and some medium format gear from behind the former iron curtain.
 

lorirfrommontana

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Oh, wow! I came here because I wanted to learn about my Nikon FM2. The next thing I know I have 5 slrs with lenses & multiple other vintage cameras (I've lost count and would like to keep it that way). I've discovered all of the stuff I needed for my darkroom and purchased it! I discovered bulk loading and purchased the supplies for that. I could have done worse though! I haven't started in large format yet!!!
 

flatulent1

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I can't blame APUG entirely for this, another forum has to shoulder its own share of the burden. In the last year and a half I have acquired a Minolta kit consisting of some SRT-xxx, XD11s and an XE7, totaling eight or nine. Perhaps ten. I've had several fully restored. And 15 or so lenses. I keep eyeballing Pentax, Olympus and the Leica R series, but thus far have been able to resist. Plus three folders and a few P&S cams, including a T4 Super I once bought new. I had to off-load a big white lens to afford much of this.
 

hoffy

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A hell of a lot less then I would have if I had stuck entirely to Digital.

I have bought 5 camera's in total for the pricely sum of $450 (& that includes 2 late model Maxxum 7 cameras), an enlarger for $35, a few trays, tongs, timers and things for $100 and consumables for about $300......so, in the last twelve months I have spent less then $1000.......

Now, If I had stuck to digital........
 

Dave Pritchard

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Eric Rose said:
Gee I guess my Minox isn't included. Whine whine. You know apug isn't just about 35mm, MF, LF and ULF. Ha ha. Just an inside joke people, keep on moving, nothing here to see.
Click to expand...

Eric, you left off the "..." from that list. That is where the Minox goes.
 

Ektagraphic

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All of the camera related equipment I own except an AE-1 Program with a 50mm. I now have....Nikon N80, Nikkormat FTn, Mamiya M645, Mamiya M645 1000s, Calumet 4X5, Canon FD gear, some Polaroid equipment, Kodak Brownie cameras, Kodak retina IIIF, slide projectors, and quite a few lenses. That is just some of it. I also have a full darkroom setup with a Beseler and Omega Enlarger. I have lots of excessories like Meters too. It has cost me money but the enjoyment is extremely rewarding.
 

Colin Corneau

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APUG has given me much, much more than it's ever cost me.

I now have a passion I didn't have before - one that has taken me around the world, given me a few exhibitions (and more to come), and brought great happiness.

Most of all it's sparked me to dream. As I said - APUG's given me a lot, not cost me.
 

DWThomas

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Well I arrived at APUG in mid-2006 after having a problem with a newly acquired Bronica SQ-A back, so the basic Bronica stuff was pre-APUG. But it appears a spare body, 3 additional Bronica PS lenses (50, 65 and a 110 1:1 macro) seemed to have appeared since, as well as a few minor accessories. In 2008 a Perkeo II, and just a few months ago, an Ercona II mysteriously arrived here. That's probably all just a bit north of $1K. I believe the 110 macro alone sold for more than that in its heyday so I think I've been pretty restrained.

Uh, oh yeah, and a 70-210 FD one-touch zoom for my A1/AE1/F1 collection, acquired at a ridiculous price.
 

MattKing

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A fair amount of time.

Also, the cost of 5 (I think) subscriptions and a couple of donations to the Holiday Tip Jar.

The rest - I would probably have spent anyways (although perhaps less wisely).

If that is the cost, the return on my investment has been excellent!

Matt
 

lorirfrommontana

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I definitely agree that the cost is far outweighed by the benifit. APUG has given me a place to go and not feel out of place for my love of film. There is so much knowledge here that I wasn't finding elsewhere. I can't wait everyday to get on and see what you are all up to! And, yes, I learned about other formats and vintage cameras here but I would have eventually stumbled upon them all without APUG, so I can't really say it is because of APUG that I've spent what I have on this hobby (obsession?).
 

JBrunner

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The secret is to have so many cameras that no one but you can tell when you get another.
 

lxdude

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Ektagraphic said:
... I have lots of excessories like Meters too...
Click to expand...

Every so often someone comes up with a more descriptive spelling than the correct one. I love this one.

Man, do I have some excessories. Like every Pentax LX focusing screen, two LX action finders(one's like new, the other banged up-guess which one is used more), enough dedicated flashes to light up a small stadium and enough various 4p cords, etc. to actually do it...

Good one, EktaPatrick.
 

Thomas Bertilsson

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APUG, or more precisely - photography, cost me my marriage. But, that is actually a good thing - for both of us!

I think APUG sparked a lot of interest for me when I joined back at the beginning of things. Then came experimentation, and for the sake of photography this has been the highest cost for me. I tested much too many films, developers, papers, and techniques, and it took me a few years to realize that I actually only need one film and one developer, and that any magic present in my prints come from me and not my materials.
I gather if I had learned that earlier on, I would be more advanced in my photography endeavor today.

Moneywise, I have always been good about looking for the best deal, and I have actually sold most of any equipment I've acquired over the years, and now own very little. I use a Hasselblad 500 with an 80 and a 150, a Pentax 35mm system with various lenses, but mainly a 100 and a 55. And then a 6x6 pinhole, a Holga, and an antique 5x7 portrait camera. That's it.
 

removed account4

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just subscriptions ..
i haven't really bought much stuff
(it helps being broke)
 

Chris Nielsen

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Since I joined APUG I have far less cameras, and far less types of film than I ever had. I have to thank APUG for that, I am slowly coming round to keeping two or three films and two or three cameras and knowing them really well. I would use just one film, but I can't just shoot b&w nor color nor slide, but one of each is a lot better than the thirty films I used to have sitting here. Easier to keep stocked as well
 

lxdude

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It's since I got on apug that I've acquired most of the aforementioned "excessories", but what really happened was 645.
I started with just one little ol' Bronica ETRSi with crank, Speed Grip, plain prism, 120 back and 75mm EII. $150 with shipping. I was just gonna "try it out to see if it was something I might want to get into in the future" Then came MC lenses: 40mm and 150mm. And lens hoods. And a bellows lens hood. And more backs, 120 and 220. Then an Action Finder prism almost as big as the camera.
And miscellaneous doo-dads.

Then one day recently I somehow found myself with less money and a few days later a 36 pound package arrived with another ETRSi with crank and Speed Grip. And Motor Drive Ei. And more backs, including a Polaroid and a 35 pano. And PE lenses: 40mm, 75mm, 135mm, 250mm, and 105mm 1:1 Macro. And another bellows hood. And an AEIII finder. And a Rotary Finder. And a WL finder. And a dedicated Sunpak 555 for which I also obtained a Pentax module. Sweet, as Sunpak made the old Pentax flash stuff and the brackets and such work together. And a Feisol tripod, with ball head.
And miscellaneous doo-dads.

I had planned to sell the LX, one MX and my old F3 setup to help pay for it all, along with the first ETRSi stuff. That somehow hasn't happened, I think partly because I realized it's hard to be lxdude without an LX, and partly because..... umm, I dunno.

I keep saying it all keeps me out of trouble (except financial trouble), but at the age I am, nobody's buying that story. It's just a typical case of GAS.

My vehicles need gas, my furnace needs gas, so why not me? Paying for it is a lot more fun than paying for the first two. The fact is, it's a blast being able to use all this stuff that once was made of unobtainium.

For the money I've spent the past few years on old used film stuff I could have gotten a nice little "latest technology" setup, but it won't give me chromes. I have a little dibbuddle P&S for the usual family snapshots, and that's enough. An image on a monitor just doesn't compare to a light box.

I guess I'm certifiable. As an apugger, I mean. Well, both meanings.
 
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Jesper

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Since I was buying stuff as fast as I could afford it before I found APUG I cannot say that I am buying more. Just better perhaps.
APUG has cost me time and a lot of postage.
It seems that a lot of the stuff in boxes of scrap I have is just the thing that others have been looking for (negative carriers, lenses, lens boards, film...) and I'm nice/stupid enough not to charge.

However, it has all been worth it. I have ”thank you prints” on my walls and more importantly, knowledge that stuff that was completely useless to me ended up with someone who actually needed it.
It has also helped me locate stuff that is not easy to find.
Definitely worth it.
 

Ektagraphic

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Oops :rolleyes: I shouold have looked spellchecked
 

Ian Grant

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Perhaps there's also how much have you saved by using APUG.

I've definite done well with LF lenses, light meters etc and a 3 or 4 cameras as as well, 35mm to LF, in all cases I've paid less than typical Ebay prices and been very happy. In addition I've passed on items given to me (like enlarger lenses) for just the postage and in return was kindly helped out when my Gossen meter was irreparably damaged with a similar incomplete but functioning one for parts.

Ian
 

ricksplace

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The subscription cost is the biggest "bang for the buck" I have ever seen.

I too have done some things for members with no charge, from spare parts I don't need to boring lensboards on my metal lathe. (I still have some 4X4 1/8" aluminum boards left that are great for lensboards for my Beseler 23C and 45MX, and my speed graphics. If anyone would like one bored to the diameter you want, send me a pm.)
 
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