Raising Money for the New Folder?

dazedgonebye

dazedgonebye

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I try not to let this hobby cost my family too much money, so I tend to sell things off when possible to pay for new toys. Of course, there are some things that I will just never sell, but there are many other things that really aren’t important to me.
For the most part, I buy used and smart, and I don’t lose much on those sales. Sometimes, I even make a few bucks.
Right now, I see that Fuji/Bessa folder on the horizon and I’m starting to dig around to see what can go. One obvious place to look is at the other folding cameras I have. Do I really need 4 6x6 folders?
So, what are you willing to let go of to get something new in the near future? Are you the type that never lets go of anything, or do you see most of the cameras you own as tools to be traded off when a better/more interesting tool comes along?

I just sold off an ugly Koni-Omega Rapid…that’s the first $75 in my paypal account.
There’s a triplet lens Balda folder that’s likely to go, and maybe even my very nice Iskra. That’ll still leave me the Balda Super Baldax, which I love too much to let go of, and the new folder to satisfy compact medium format needs.
Of course, those things alone aren’t really going to get me very close…looks like I’ve got some decisions to make.
 
Some time ago I made a shift from folders to 35mm rangefinders. Now I have ended up with an almost complete Zorki arsenal and a - smaller - Leica collection. I did't feel hard about selling my Bessa collection (with excellent '36 and '51 examples), especially since it is getting harder to find 120 film, and prices of those film are rising: so the folders got neglected for use...and apart from some nice photo's of the gear, I'm glad they provided part of funding my current collection (still have some Rolleiflexes which I am thinking of selling for the same reason, they are not used any more).
Now it seems I have come into a new phase: I am selling (35mm) camera bodies in order to create funds for a collection of LTM and M lenses.
 
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Ron (Netherlands) said:
Some time ago I made a shift from folders to 35mm rangefinders. Now I have ended up with an almost complete Zorki arsenal and a - smaller - Leica collection. I did't feel hard about selling my Bessa collection (with excellent '36 and '51 examples), especially since it is getting harder to find 120 film, and prices of those film are rising: so the folders got neglected for use...and apart from some nice photo's of the gear, I'm glad they provided part of funding my current collection (still have some Rolleiflexes which I am thinking of selling for the same reason, they are not used any more).
Now it seems I have come into a new phase: I am selling (35mm) camera bodies in order to create funds for a collection of LTM and M lenses.
Click to expand...

It never seems to end...some sort of addiction to be sure.
 
Hi, I'm Bill, I'm a Camera Geek......

Hi, I'm Bill, I'm a Camera Geek......

dazedgonebye said:
It never seems to end...some sort of addiction to be sure.
Click to expand...

Well put my friend. I justify it rather than drinking or going to sports games because I can always sell my cameras when things get bad. I'd rather not go out to lunch and save my money for a new camera or film/processing.

A lot safer than restoring muscle cars (and better for the environment). A lot better than what some of my friends were addicted to some years back in NYC.

B2 (;->
(I'm Bill and I'm a Camerahollic, I think that's the first step)
 
I am currently clearing a load of gear as I will shortly be moving and cannot take everything with me, and would rather it had a new home than languish in storage.
It is hard, but at the end of the day if I have 3 cameras doing the same thing and only use one, it makes sense to get rid of 2.
Once it is all done I may have enough for something nice.

PS if you do decide to get rid of any of your folders, drop me a PM, I may be interested.
 
i've been saving money since pma. my everyday jacket and shoes are wearing out, but it's mostly warm and dry in socal so it's no big deal! 😀
 
Well, I only recently completed my latest sell-off of unused gear - 35mm RF lenses and excess developing equipment - so I could buy a CV 35/1.4 for my Leica M cameras.

So, much as I'd like the new folder, I have nothing of enough value to sell - a cupboard full of Zorkis and FEDs isn't going to get me close. But never mind - I can't have everything I want.
 
I am really NOT looking forward to the Fuji/Bessa III. I do not really know how to appreciate new design lenses with full multicoating and take over contrasty and super exaggerated colours. I will stick to my older lenses with give out just the right amount of colour plenty of truthful shadow details.

Also I will not give up MF for 35mm. Moving back from something enlargeable to some that cannot is just too much of a let down.
 
FSU gear that could go to raise funds.
Fed-2
Zorki-6
Jupters 12, 8 and 9
35-135 tele-finder
Iskra

It took me a while to collect all of this….going through disappointing copies, paying for a CLA on the Fed. Probably a few hundred dollars there altogether. Still, I don’t think I can let go of anything but the Iskra. Even that will kind of hurt. It’s a cool camera.
On the other hand, I never intended to become a “collector,” and if I’m not shooting them, I should probably sell them.
 
dazedgonebye said:
I try not to let this hobby cost my family too much money, so I tend to sell things off when possible to pay for new toys. Of course, there are some things that I will just never sell, but there are many other things that really aren’t important to me.
For the most part, I buy used and smart, and I don’t lose much on those sales. Sometimes, I even make a few bucks.
Right now, I see that Fuji/Bessa folder on the horizon and I’m starting to dig around to see what can go. One obvious place to look is at the other folding cameras I have. Do I really need 4 6x6 folders?
So, what are you willing to let go of to get something new in the near future? Are you the type that never lets go of anything, or do you see most of the cameras you own as tools to be traded off when a better/more interesting tool comes along?

I just sold off an ugly Koni-Omega Rapid…that’s the first $75 in my paypal account.
There’s a triplet lens Balda folder that’s likely to go, and maybe even my very nice Iskra. That’ll still leave me the Balda Super Baldax, which I love too much to let go of, and the new folder to satisfy compact medium format needs.
Of course, those things alone aren’t really going to get me very close…looks like I’ve got some decisions to make.
Click to expand...

I routinely "trade up" with my collection. Sometimes <whimper> it involves selling off cameras. Still, that said, the number seems to be going up rather than down.
 
Windscale said:
I am really NOT looking forward to the Fuji/Bessa III. I do not really know how to appreciate new design lenses with full multicoating and take over contrasty and super exaggerated colours. I will stick to my older lenses with give out just the right amount of colour plenty of truthful shadow details.

Also I will not give up MF for 35mm. Moving back from something enlargeable to some that cannot is just too much of a let down.
Click to expand...

8x10s do start looking kind of dinky after a while of doing medium and large format, don't they?
 
KoNickon said:
A Bessa II with the Apo-Lanthar would go a long way toward funding the III!

I'd love to get a nice Bessa II, even with the more humble Color-Skopar.
Click to expand...

Personally I cannot tell the difference between images made with either one of the three lenses, color-skopar, color-heliar or the apo-lanthar, probably because all three of my bessa II folders need CLAs.

The one with the apo-lanthar is a collector's item so I figure it should fetch enough to pay for a good part of the new fuji folder - if I really decide to sell it and the new folder isn't too expensive.

That being said, you can find a clean bessa II with the color-skopar for cheap right now. Have you looked around or are you also planning to buy the new folder??
 
Well, the Balda Mess Baldix I put up in the classifieds isn't doing its part in my fund rasing efforts.
At least my two old PDAs on fleabay are drawing interest and bids.
 
I would expect a Bessa II with an Apo-Lanthar to sell for a good deal more than the Bessa III. I sold my Bessa II with Color-Heliar and a few accessories a few years ago for a bit less than I expect the Bessa III to cost, but now they might be about on par with each other.

Assuming the price for the new camera isn't outrageous, I'll sell my Perkeo II to cover part of the cost.
 
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FallisPhoto said:
8x10s do start looking kind of dinky after a while of doing medium and large format, don't they?
Click to expand...

8x10 would be very nice. But the problem is that I can't turn the clock back 30 years. I doubt I can even take a no.3 Gitzo out nevermind the 8x10 camera!

The reason for selling my Hasselblad system many years ago was because I could no longer carry it around. So now, folders and mods only, or my Rolleiflex Planar 75/3.5 or Yashica 124G TLRs. All cameras must fit in one small bag except the P&S which goes in a separate small pouch.
 
BillBingham2 said:
Well put my friend. I justify it rather than drinking or going to sports games because I can always sell my cameras when things get bad. I'd rather not go out to lunch and save my money for a new camera or film/processing.

A lot safer than restoring muscle cars (and better for the environment). A lot better than what some of my friends were addicted to some years back in NYC.

B2 (;->
(I'm Bill and I'm a Camerahollic, I think that's the first step)
Click to expand...

I'd have to say there are some variables on the muscle cars thing. I'm pretty sure the difference in environmental impact of restoring an old Nova SS for the wife, vs the overall impact of material sourcing and manufacturing a new car, may compare well to the use-related impact for the few miles she drives, and the more basic end-product to someday recycle.

I've got my own set of 'recycling' decisions based on this folder tho - the Nikon SLR stuff will finally go no matter what, but still waiting to see what it'll cost, and what lens it will have. While the size and noice aspects will be great, I've got a Planar 80/2.8 on a Hasselblad that's hard to beat in 6x6
 
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