What has APUG cost you?

[arigram]

I would have turned into digital much sooner if it wasn't for APUG.
Sometimes I wonder if I am being sensible or a fanatic by clinging to this forum-photo gear duo for personal reasons unrelated to the technical and practical matters of the art and profession.
After I got my Hasselblad 501CM kit, I didn't have to continue the same analog path investing thousand of euros in more Hasselblad, in Rolleiflex, in Holga, in Zero Image, in tons of film, paper and chemicals.
But I could have done the same in digital, buying software and inks and inkjet paper and constantly upgrading.

So, APUG isn't much at fault. I may have gotten a pinhole because I saw an image here and may have lusted over a LF camera to play with after seeing your obsessive discussions. But in the end, it was all about my interest and focus in photography and not a sort of desire to play with the toys that other kids play with.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Before APUG, I used to think of 4x5 as LARGE format. Then I went down the rabbit hole of alt process printing and ended up with a veritable plethora of assorted large and ultra-large format cameras, lenses and film holders, not to mention chemistry and paper and glass and metal for doing platinum, gum and wet plate (daguerreotypes are coming, but I'm not there yet as far as doing them at home). Most of this stuff I never would have tried without having been exposed (no pun intended) to it here first - heck, I wouldn't have known half those things existed or could still be done today

 

[winger]

I already had 2 MF cameras before I found APUG, so I can't blame that on the site. But I've added 4x5 and some MF folders after seeing some in action at various gatherings. But used and less than $800 at this point, I think. I've also tried some gum and cyanotypes as well as pinhole.
Overall, I'd say APUG has really saved me more than made me spend more. I haven't gotten a dslr or spent money on things I don't use. And I've certainly learned more from people here.

 

[Laurent]

my sanity

Same for me...

APUG somehow helped me to stop being ashamed of dreaming of new "tools" and new processes and.... It taught me that GAS is not a disease (at least not a deadly one). It taught me also that I can resist to GAS (I have less cameras to start 2010 than I had to start 2009... OK, not sure I'll resist this Leica M3 too long, except maybe if I buy the Fuji 300mm for my view-camera ;-) )

To be honest, APUG did not cost me more than the subscriptions + some stamps (for the exchanges) and brought me a lot of new friends !

 

[benjiboy]

What APUG has given me is beyond price.

 

[jd callow]

I have spent many valuable hours acquiring many valuable friends on apug.

 

[wclark5179]

One of the most valuable ingredients I have is time.

I look at APUG differently now that I'm cruising toward retirement. When I was busy I spent little time here but now I'm getting back into using film with my darkroom set up again.

Smiles & Fun!

 

[Moopheus]

I think I can say reasonably certainly that I would not have bought the Speed Graphic or the Koni-Omega if I had not been exposed to APUG first. I might have eventually gotten around to the darkroom stuff on my own--I'd always wanted to get back to that. APUG just encouraged it to happen a little faster. Which is a good thing. So I've spent some money, but it hasn't been a huge fortune. Certainly a lot less than other hobbies I could have picked up (I've spent just as much on cycling gear, I'm sure).

 

[Patrick Latour]

I do not have this problem... I am married

 

[Existing Light]

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

Great philosophy. I'm slowly making my way to having that many cameras.

Would you mind if I used that quote as my signature?

 

[Shawn Rahman]

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

Let me add to this from personal experience:

The secret is to have so many cameras, that no one, not even your wife, can tell when you get another, even if the last one you got was a Leica M7.

 

[Sirius Glass]

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.

Add ALL 16mm and 8mm cameras.

At least I do not discriminate!

Steve

 

[Sirius Glass]

I do not have this problem... I am married

Send her in to KEH and see what you can get on a newer, lower mileage [kilometerage] model.

Steve

 

[Sirius Glass]

APUG got me back into shooting black & white and then building a darkroom.

Steve

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Wow. Well, let's see. I joined at the end of 2005. So, I bought three lenses for the M645j's and then a second body. I then bought an sr-T101. I then bought three or four MD mount lenses. I then bought an RB67, lens, WLF, ext. ring, two backs. I bought a Nikon N65 and resold so that doesn't count. I then bought four XG-1 bodies (all opperational though three were not sold as such) and about four more MD mount lenses as I had given my older Minolta setups to avid friends to get them started. I bought an old Army LC-1 Alice backpack for lugging around the LF I picked up from erie p. About 20 filters. Four years of film. Two years of film chemistry and the gear to process it. One year of paper and, oh, don't forget the Fujimoto Lucky 60M enlarger and other gear for printing. And don't forget the library.

Let's see, carry the four, um . . . yeah, I would estimate about two grand in four years.

Wow, I'm glad I resigned myself to film, paper, chemistry and maybe one more lens for the B&J 4x5 Press camera I got from Tommy a month ago. Big thank you to CJ for advice on perfecting the gear you have rather than buying more stuff - how right. This really stinks. I need to sell more spark plugs.

 

[Mike1234]

Like a beautiful lover.... APUG has lead us nowhere we didn't already want to go... and the cost emotionally and financially... can be devastating.

 

[ZugPhoto]

It's only money...

 

[Patrick Latour]

Send her in to KEH and see what you can get on a newer, lower mileage [kilometerage] model.

Steve

I love the idea, but I do not know why, she does not look as excited as me about it.

 

[colrehogan]

APUG, or more precisely - photography, cost me my marriage.

I wonder for how many of us that is true.

 

[lxdude]

Oops :rolleyes: I shouold have looked spellchecked

Well, you can start anytime.


I'm glad you didn't. It was a most serendipitous misspelling.

 

[papagene]

The only two items I have bought since joining APUG in 2004 are a Kodak 2D 5x7 camera and a Rodenstock APO Gerogon 300mm f9 to print 5x7 negs. Like Mr Nanian says about having no money...

gene