Did you think you would spend this much $$$?

Did you think you would spend this much $$$?

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As my dad used to say, "quality pays, it doesn't cost". So long as you're getting the best quality possible and you're using the kit and getting enjoyment from it, then it's money well spent, in my book.
 
In the 33 years that I've been photographing, I have spent a large sum of money on my hobby, but when I consider that the lion's share of my equipment was purchased second-hand, is mostly gear that was released in the 1950s, '60s, 70s, and 1980s, and that it is being used on a constant and on-going basis, I don't have any qualms or regrets about the expenditures.
 
zvos1 said:
It is not spending, it's investing ...
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Remember that the best camera equipment purchases will be the things you love so much that you use them forever or until they have no value left. So your best purchases become your worst investment. And your best investment is that gear that does not work for you so is sold.
 
I've spent a lot... but kept an even larger lot. When I gave the list of my gear to the lady at the insurance company in which we have our home, her eyes opened so wide they didn't fit her face. It's six Leica M bodies, assorted M-lenses (Leica and otherwise), two film Nikon SLRs with a variety of lenses, one dSLR, a couple of P&S and a myriad of valuable accessories. Hecy, I even listed the Leica hoods I had to get for my collapsible lenses!

I don't regret it, however. I'm simply glad that I made all my purchases back in the good ole pre-2008 days of yore :) !
 
when I first started I thought 600 dollars was pricey for a decent lens... in the rangefinder world that's cheap
 
It's all relative. The amount of money I have spent on camera gear in the last four (4) years pales in comparison to the depreciation hit on my car in the same period of time. The car is arguably a necessity (inexistent public transportation where I live), but I have certainly derived much more enjoyment from my photo gear.
 
After getting married, my wife alerted me to the fact that our kids are more important than cameras ...
 
Long term I never thought I would spend so much less...

I mean this M6 body is a keeper... I will probably keep it for 80 years, time will tell if i am a 50mm guy or a 35mm and i will make the viewfinder specifially only 50 or 35 uncluttered..
 
denizg7 said:
Long term I never thought I would spend so much less...

I mean this M6 body is a keeper... I will probably keep it for 80 years, time will tell if i am a 50mm guy or a 35mm and i will make the viewfinder specifially only 50 or 35 uncluttered..
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Same feelings here. Year ago was a 50mm guy. Past 6 months, only 35mm.
 
While there is no doubt that (some!) quality photographic equipment is expensive, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are spending a lot of money.

To elaborate - just about all the kit I have (Except for a couple of Nikkors) was bought second (or third, fourth, fifth...) hand.

As a result, it is (more or less) done depreciating. Unless I break something (which is where insurance enters the picture), my M4, my Fs and their lenses can be sold today for what I gave for them and, in some cases, more.

Unless 35mm film becomes unavailable, I have every belief that the equipment can be sold at a minimum, if any loss in one, three, five or ten years from now as well.

So - yes, I've bought more expensive-ish kit than I expected a few years ago, but that doesn't mean that all of the money is gone. (At least that is what I tell my wife; like many others, I am way better at purchasing than I am at selling...)
 
like many others, I am way better at purchasing than I am at selling...
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Learn the mantra, Grasshopper: eBay is your friend. :D

I'm seriously impressed with how much I've made back, by selling the stuff I no longer want. Of course, I've then "invested" the money in things I do want...

;)
 
Once I have decided to try (start) film photography it was much more, because I started with 4x5" - I was thinking that it would be cheaper than getting Mamiya 6 right away - how wrong I was :p

Now I have both, but that took a few years.
 
I spent a lot but also use my gear a lot. I have bought stuff I hardly use as well. However, most of the expensive analogue stuff holds its value so well I am not really bothered. And I am getting the knack of reselling too...
 
I have spent a lot, but use all of it. I just got into rangefinders and compact rangefinder like cameras, and I expect I will have spent a good bit more before it is all said and done. Oh well, I have a lifetime of enjoyment and good pictures of my family so I will say it has been well worth it.
 
Honestly all my spending was an investing to get the best out of my passion and love and devotion to Photography and ultimately it's all paid back in best results gained through.
 
I usually spend the money first and then thing of what I have done. However I always enjoy what I buy! :)
(basically my wife nags about spending too much, but...)
 
I never have enough. But whatever I buy, it is an investment, I will sell it for more, and when I do, we can buy curtains, a new sofa just from the profit I made, I tell.

But I am still in the buying fase, didn`t yet sold any, so....maybe a new sofa will just have to wait for a while. Luckily my wife suports me in my hobby and undertainds it and I do try to buy best money can buy, just can`t settle for anything less, and that is my only problem, why I spent so (tooooo) much.
 
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