A hard decision.

[rover]

Adding to the "a car is a car" theme.....

I drove around a 1973 red Chevy Vega as my first car. A part of the fender fell off when hit by a basketball one day I was out playing with my friends. Don't fixate on what you drive, just think when the time comes, what you have is reliable and serves it's purpose.

 

[Al Patterson]

Here's a crazy scheme...

Here's a crazy scheme...

I think the only thing that's making me hesitate on this is that the camera has major emotional value for me. I will cry when I sell it, whether that time is now or sometime in the future. But the car would afford me a better job in another town and that job would afford me more money to spend on camera equipment...and when I think about it that way, I could get my Canon P back eventually. But it wouldn't be MY Canon P, you know?

Hey if you sell it to someone on here, you just might be able to buy it back from them at a later date. If I had the money, I'd buy your P, use it until you wanted it back, and sell it back to you....

 

[PetarDima]

Save Canon, buy Bessa R2M. Car will be fine, when you will have licence ...
I am happy with wife, two kids and new baby will come for about 8 months...life is beautifull, even when you can't have everything you want - I have only Kiev 4, but one day I'll have Bessa R3M or R2M too. Happy shooting!
We are so lucky to have photography forum like this!

 

[back alley]

man you guys are hard core!
some of you anyway.

any camera can be had with enough money in the bank.
same with any car.
but right now the car would lead to a better chance at money in the bank if there were a better job to be had because of it.
how long does it take to get a license?

get the car, get the license, get the job, get the camera again.

joe

 

[flashover]

not that long ago I needed a DSLR for some work I was doing. Just didn 't have the cash for one. So I sold my RF gear including my first Leica. Now I don't need the DSLR so it was sold a couple of days ago to cover something else. The point I am making is sometimes we have to make hard decissions or not so hard ones. Unless the car you are looking at is an unbeliveable deal there will be others.

 

[ricpr]

Man.....a lot of us have forgotten what hard times are like. It's the disposable income in us.....I'm sure. Steph, if you are trying to step up in the world, getting a car is the right step. No doubt you will have more opportunity with a car. Maybe you can give / sell the Canon P to your Father in exchange for a loan. If you Father knows you well, he will know that you are serious about moving ahead with your life if you are willing to part with your Canon P. I remember poverty well and I would have already sold the camera. A couple of bucks here and there made a hugh difference.....especially after my Son was born. You sound well rounded and intelligent. I bet you will end up with a better camera down the road. If I recall correctly, there are many stories here from members who regret selling a camera in their past. Your turn may be coming soon. I also see that there are many Leica owners here. This too can happen to you. You will make the right choice.

I enjoy this hobby, but a camera is NOT a car. If the car will get you a better job, do what you have to do. My love is in my driveway.....1967 Olds 98 with a 365HP 425. Even with gas prices the way they are, it's a thrill.

 

[Trius]

The choice is between two emotional attachments. Finding a good used car in Steph's area is not quite so simple. Waiting until she has the license means that specific car could be gone, then the search starts over, with all the stress associated with that.

But I agree that, as difficult as it is, Steph needs to distance herself emotionally as much as possible. Again, that's not easy. As Joe says, it's the future that is the primary focus. The ultimate goal is to move forward.

My first 35mm camera was a Konica C35V, and for the life of me I don't know what happened to it. When I returned to RFs, I sought out a good C35 (RF version) just for "old times sake". It's nice to have and helps connect me to the original C35V, which was really important in my photographic life. But if holding on to the current C35 got in the way of moving forward, I'd be able to part with it.

I suspect that whatever Steph decides to do, she'll make the right choice for her. Her desire to move forward is really strong. As painful as giving up the P and lenses might be today, reacquring a P kit in the future would heal that wound. No, it wouldn't be "the same", but then her life won't be the same, the river will have flowed and sticking a toe in will be a new adventure, not an old one.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

This P is special to me because it was someone here who was good enough to get it to me. It was the first interchangable lens rangefinder I had and it was the best camera I've ever gotten my hands on. I took photos of my friend's son with the camera and planned to take photos of their new baby with it as well. I also planned to never let it out of my own hands. I think I've just finally realized how badly I need to get out of this town and set off on my own.

And about the PSP. I paid only about $60 for it because I traded in almost every other gaming-related thing I owned to get it. I could get a decent return on my investment if I sold it, but it's my only gaming system. I have a few other cameras and I'm getting more and more into the older, more interesting ones such as my Argus C3 and my Ansco Speedex. I think I need to play around for a while with those and my Canonet.

And I also do plan to eventually get the camera back. I'd like to always have a Canon P in my bag regardless of what other bodies I buy down the road.

 

[jlw]

I have to point out that by the time you're back in the market for one, replacing your Canon P probably will cost a lot more than you paid for the one you have now.

On the other hand, good cars come on the market all the time, and by the time you have your license, you may have found another one you like even better.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

True.

I don't think I'll be able to sell it. It holds too much value to me. The car is going to have to wait...unfortunately. Even if it is the wrong decision...I love the camera WAY too much.

And besides...I still have a roll in the thing with fair pictures on it.

 

[Trius]

Follow your instinct. No one can make the decision but you, and everyone should support you.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Here's the cycle I'm going through. I love the camera, but I really need the car. I love taking photos, but there really isn't much to take photos of here (other than some *really* high corn...and I mean YOWZA) and a car could afford me a way to get somewhere to shoot better photos. It would also afford me a better job than I could get otherwise (there are about two restaurants here in town) which would consequently mean that I could buy more photo equipment. The problem is that it wouldn't be THIS photo equipment that I love so much...and it goes back around.

I wouldn't be cameraless without it, but I wouldn't have the one camera that I loved above all the others anymore.

But yeah, this is why it's a tough decision.

 

[DougK]

Bear in mind this is coming from a video game geek. Lose the PSP, keep the camera. Just ask yourself, will a PSP or a Canon P capture better memories?

 

[BillBingham2]

Stephanie,

This is MHO, you milage may vary.

The clock on the PSP is ticking, dump it, it is loosing value.

I would find temp homes for everything but the P and one lens.

Get your license and the car ASAP.

There are lots of folks here who if you are willing to sell at very reasonable prices great stuff and who knows, you might find you like Nikon S cameras better, or Leicas.

Your camera can ground you and provide you with many hours of fun than a PSP. You create something with you P, on the PSP you are working through someone elses creation.

The cameras other than the P I do not think will bring you that much money. Get your license and then go to a credit union. They used to give people loans and then you keep the money and pay it back over a period of say six months. Then go for the car loan if you can not get your father to co-sign.


You get a car and license and I will give you a Jupiter-12. It should do very well on your P.

 

[John]

Keep your camera stuff, it means more to you than cash. You don't need to sell stuff every time you run out of money. You can try to finance the car purchase through work, credit, parents possibly. Keep the idea in your head that you want to keep buying stuff, and you will soon be on the road to making money. Remember in the end you want a house full of furniture, a garage full of cars, a shelf full of cameras, and lots of other stuff. You won't get there buying and selling used camera equipment. You want to develop a lifestyle where you can keep a nice camera and not get it stolen.
Remember a car is like a huge sink hole that you keep shovelling money into, so you needs lots of it to catch up and keep ahead of things. I am not trying to make light of your situation. My daughter is in a similar position to you, struggling to upgrade her education, working intermittently, car trouble most of the time, but she is happy and is confident things will work out well. 🙂

 

[ywenz]

I agree with most others.. cameras are a luxury. You don't need a camera to survive. You do need a job however. Sell whatever you need to fork up the downpayment.. There are plenty of Canon Ps out there to buy later on.

 

[rxmd]

I would be very hesitant before I take a loan. Maybe it's got something to do with American consumption culture being different from European, but as long as I can avoid being in debt I'll try to do so. If you take a loan, try to get it from family instead of a bank if that is an option at all. Families don't take interest, and they don't spoil your credit record if you miss a deadline on repayment.

It makes no sense at all to buy a (=this) car before you have a license.

Cars are on sale everywhere all the time. You don't need this car, even though it may be nice. Wait until you've got your license, and possibly your monetary situation will have changed somewhat till then.

I'd try to keep the Canon P if possible; maybe not all the lenses, as Russian lenses are really an ubiquitous commodity, but the body. I started off with a Canon AE-1P. I haven't been using it all that much over the last six months or so, but it would probably be the last camera I sell. If you have to sell cameras, start with some others and don't put them on eBay, instead put them here or on photo.net where you can get a decent price.

Philipp

 

[FrankS]

Now I'm thinking that used camera prices will still go down, and there may be lots of cheap leica M cameras available once the M8 is being sold.

Good luck with your descision, Steph!

 

[Stu W]

I think you need a better plan. A set of brakes or a starter motor on the Honda will cost more than the Canon or the PSP. You're playing with scared money. I don't know anything about you, your level of education, or what you have in mind to do. I do know that I made my son put himself on the FDNY and NYPD list as a "safety net", if his plans don't pan out. That safety net will give him health benefits, 20 yr retirement, line of duty injury coverage, and a 75k+ salary. A change in venue may be in order, but not without a strategy. Just my opinion. Stu

 

[BJ Bignell]

I agree with Joe on this one: Sell everything and get a car, then work your ass off to earn money to buy the Canon and/or PSP back. All of your material possessions will become immaterial if you are not happy with your life.

However, I do think you should get your license before you spend a cent on any car. Owning a car when you don't have a license would be a waste of money.

Also, as others have mentioned, don't get too attached to the idea of buying this particular car. A little patience will go a long way when buying cars; you might find something else you'd like to drive, for a considerably lower price.

Good luck!