besk
Well-known
I hate keeping things around that I never use - even if they sit quietly on a shelf.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I know what you mean.
I have five Nikkor lenses in the cabinet ... 50mm f/1.2 AI, 55mm f/3.5 Micro with extension tube, 85mm f/1.8 pre-AI, 105mm f/2.8 AF Micro, and 200mm f/4 AI-S Micro (with TC300 converter). I have used each of them at most once for anything but testing. Even have the Nikon F body to use them with ... which I also haven't really used since I acquired it. They're lovely lenses: selling the lot and the F would cover the latest acquisition almost entirely. But I'm reluctant to sell them.
That will soon change, I suspect, as the burden of owning all these things is growing on my mind.
grandallj
Grainy
I read this thread and think to myself: "Where was I when these guys were selling this gear?!" I wish I could have turned your remorse into my glee . . . .
kanzlr
Hexaneur
you can! if you are interested in Contax SLR gear 
froyd
Veteran
you can! if you are interested in Contax SLR gear
Very true!
I doubt we'll see the same phenomenon with digital. Hard to imagine M8 owners kicking themselves in 2020 for selling their camera for "only $2000" back in 2012. Of course, exception will be made for true collectibles.
zuiko85
Veteran
Well, not an RF lens but the one lens I do regret selling was the cheap little 28~48 f4 Zuiko S, didn't appreciate how handy it was till gone. Now they are thin on the ground and I'll never find another for the pittance I paid for that one.
grandallj
Grainy
you can! if you are interested in Contax SLR gear
That's a little far afield for me, but duly noted.
goamules
Well-known
I sold a LF Dallmeyer for $2000 last year, and am very glad because they are now dropping back to a more normal price of around $1200. If you are regretting selling things this much and focusing on just the prices you are at risk of getting stuck with thousands invested in lenses when the bottom drops out. Huge pirce increases spell one thing; A bubble. And one day it pops and someone is left holding the bag.
John E Earley
Tuol Sleng S21-0174
In over 50 years of photography, including a few years of owning a commercial studio, I have never sold a lens. Owned 135, 120, 4x5 and 8x10. I've traded a few, given a number of them away, had some stolen and worn a few out but never sold any that I can remember.
enasniearth
Well-known
Sold off
Sold off
Well the only one was a 5cm f 2 all black Nikon rangefinder lens .
Roberts newest book came out and it appears only 7 are known at this point
Or perhaps the 3.5 cm mini finder I sold in 1979 for $25 , we needed gas money to leave Los angeles . Well gas was 75 cents a gallon then ,
Sold off
Well the only one was a 5cm f 2 all black Nikon rangefinder lens .
Roberts newest book came out and it appears only 7 are known at this point
Or perhaps the 3.5 cm mini finder I sold in 1979 for $25 , we needed gas money to leave Los angeles . Well gas was 75 cents a gallon then ,
goamules
Well-known
I'm glad I sold my Angenieux 25mm F0.95 this year. It vignetted badly and I was starting not to like the funky out of focus rendering.
I got it for $700, too much for a little 16mm film lens if you think about it. It was all about the speed/hype. They peaked at around $1500, then started dropping. I think I got $1200 for it. It looks like now they are below a grand. Again, 3 years ago when m4/3 came out, everyone started clammaring for them and their prices skyrocketed. You don't want to be buying when everyone else is.
I got it for $700, too much for a little 16mm film lens if you think about it. It was all about the speed/hype. They peaked at around $1500, then started dropping. I think I got $1200 for it. It looks like now they are below a grand. Again, 3 years ago when m4/3 came out, everyone started clammaring for them and their prices skyrocketed. You don't want to be buying when everyone else is.
msbel
Member
Amen on your last point. However, it is a conundrum lately b/c of the 4/3, NEX, Fuji Pro, and other bodies with adapters taking M mount lenses, and no sign of that letting up. Maybe Zeiss making more NEX lenses will ease off of it, who knows.
Then the Dig M, where a lot of those who can afford it are basically getting a modern digital camera in an M body (easier learning curve, more studio friendly, etc.), and I would expect going to increase demand for M lenses.....
What would cause the bubble to burst at this point? Has to be some disruption.
santela
Established
I sold a 50 summilux pre-A in 2010, been regretting it until acquiring the 50 sonnar. Now I'm a happy camper.
lxmike
M2 fan.
Should never of let a Summicron 40mm f2 go, especially at the time as it was attached to a nice CL which I also sold..............................big mistake
Godfrey
somewhat colored
Someone raised an interesting notion ... Will anyone regret selling a favorite digital camera?
I tell you, old and slow to write data though it might be, I still can't let go of my Olympus E-1. It was made in October 2003 and is every bit as wonderful a camera today as it was when I acquired it in 2008. Sure, it's only 5Mpixel, writing data takes an eternity, and it will never be a "high ISO" champ ... but it produces beautiful photographs and is an absolute pleasure to use. And Olympus is still servicing the E-1 with new parts, although I heard that should end soon ... some bits are going to be hard to come by.
So I bet someone will regret selling cameras like that, now and then, in the future.
I tell you, old and slow to write data though it might be, I still can't let go of my Olympus E-1. It was made in October 2003 and is every bit as wonderful a camera today as it was when I acquired it in 2008. Sure, it's only 5Mpixel, writing data takes an eternity, and it will never be a "high ISO" champ ... but it produces beautiful photographs and is an absolute pleasure to use. And Olympus is still servicing the E-1 with new parts, although I heard that should end soon ... some bits are going to be hard to come by.
So I bet someone will regret selling cameras like that, now and then, in the future.
pdexposures
Well-known
Contemplating selling my 85mm 1.5 Leica Summarex. It's mint, I love the images it helps to produce, but I really don't ever use it. That being said I know I would miss it if it was gone.
thompsonks
Well-known
How about selling a beautiful black M3 body and a RolleiWide for $995 each, to Don Chatterton?
But it was the late 1970s. And that was a lot more than I'd paid for either of them.
Kirk
But it was the late 1970s. And that was a lot more than I'd paid for either of them.
Kirk
mike-s
Established
Noctilux f1.0 in mid 2008 for £1,300 ( I think about $2200 then). I see what they are selling for now! Oh well.
nobbylon
Veteran
Is this about financial remorse or user remorse?
Financially I would think that anyone selling lenses probably got good market value at the time.
The only lens from a user perspective I regretted selling was a 60 macro elmarit however I bought another later and aquired yet another in a trade.
Maybe the 35 asph that I sold for €1200 but that was all I could get at the time and I had only paid €1000 for it 3 years earlier. Funny that my rational for selling it was that I thought €1000 was too much to have in one lens! I bought a mint v4 to replace it and haven't regretted it apart from it being the lens I took to the Himalaya.
I've sold rigid summicrons, pre aspheric 35's, v4 35's, what about a summilux 50 pre asph for £450 in the box! I had one PM on that advert! The list is long but as I said, they were sold at market value and I didn't lose anything on any, had the use out of them and figured out what worked for me in the process.
Try not to look back and enjoy what you have.
Financially I would think that anyone selling lenses probably got good market value at the time.
The only lens from a user perspective I regretted selling was a 60 macro elmarit however I bought another later and aquired yet another in a trade.
Maybe the 35 asph that I sold for €1200 but that was all I could get at the time and I had only paid €1000 for it 3 years earlier. Funny that my rational for selling it was that I thought €1000 was too much to have in one lens! I bought a mint v4 to replace it and haven't regretted it apart from it being the lens I took to the Himalaya.
I've sold rigid summicrons, pre aspheric 35's, v4 35's, what about a summilux 50 pre asph for £450 in the box! I had one PM on that advert! The list is long but as I said, they were sold at market value and I didn't lose anything on any, had the use out of them and figured out what worked for me in the process.
Try not to look back and enjoy what you have.
rbsinto
Well-known
Over the years I've probably either sold or traded about a half dozen lenses, most of them nothing special, but strangely the only one I regret selling was an Osawa (the 35mm division of Mamiya about a zillion years ago) 75~150 3.8 zoom. I suspect it was probably made by Cosina or the like along with everyone else's 75~150 3.8 zoom.
It was small, light and a very handy little lens. And it took nice photos as well.
Except that I've got better optics that already cover that focal length range, every so often I find myself looking at KEH or ebay for the Nikon series E version, debating whether to buy one or not.
It was small, light and a very handy little lens. And it took nice photos as well.
Except that I've got better optics that already cover that focal length range, every so often I find myself looking at KEH or ebay for the Nikon series E version, debating whether to buy one or not.