Do you feel bad about your unused cameras?

I get too emotionally attached to sell any gear. The M3 and the M7 were my Dad's and so was the R7. I cannot part with them and the M7 has become my favorite shooter. The M6 was my first M. The M5 is absolute perfection with a pre-asph summilux 50 and a roll of Tri-x. They all get exercised and see film regularly enough.

The one camera I wish I would use more often is my F2AS. It has been years and years. I really love its ergonomics. The Nikkor lenses, though, always leave me flat. Maybe one day I will find a good lens for it. (Suggestions for a good 50mm? I think I have tried them all. My favorite in the range- do not laugh - the much-maligned Zoom-Nikkor 43-86/3.5. It has character!)

But I can't stand to part with any of them. I gave a Nikkormat FT2 away 6 months ago to a niece that needed a camera. I bought it on ebay for $20 less than a year ago. I had it CLA'd and replaced some worn parts with NOS. I never used it. But I hate that I don't have it anymore, so I have been looking to replace it.

Oh, and there are few more cameras and many, many lenses. But no guilt at all.
 
About six years ago I sold my Nikons and Hasselblads to buy Canon DSLRs to use for my job. Early last year, thanks to the evilbay, I started buying rangefinders, TLRS and medium format folding cameras that I wasn't even familiar with before for my own leisure use. Now I have my favorites but I don't feel bad for the ones not being utilized regularly because I enjoy just looking or tinkering with them.
Something I can't say about old and obselete digital equipment.
 
>The one camera I wish I would use more often is my F2AS. It has been years and years. I
>really love its ergonomics. The Nikkor lenses, though, always leave me flat. Maybe one day
> I will find a good lens for it. (Suggestions for a good 50mm? I think I have tried them all.
>My favorite in the range- do not laugh - the much-maligned Zoom-Nikkor 43-86/3.5. It has
> character!)

I keep another "Maligned" lens on my F2AS, a Nikkor 55mm F1.2. It also has character, soft edges and center sharp.

The "normal" lens with the most character in the Nikon line-up is the 5.8cm F1.4. Nikon's first "superspeed" SLR lens. The longer focal length clears the mirror without using optical tricks that folds in a slight "retrofocus" to most 50s. It is lower contrast, has swirly Bokeh, and is much like an early Summilux and Summarit. You will need to have it AI'd for meter coupling on the F2AS. I keep mine on a Nikon F Photomic with Bulleeye meter.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
I keep mine on a Nikon F Photomic with Bulleeye meter.
Click to expand...
Don't you be using Contax terms on MY Nikons 😀
The correct term is a flag Photomic meter, then there was the button photomic meter, then Photomic T....

Kiu
PS: Brian S. is an ol' buddy of mine, so I get to mess with him.
 
I do not have the Flag Photomic, mine is the later Button Photomic. Then I have the Black NKT Photomic T, Black Photomic Tn, Photomic FTn, Black Photomic FTn, Apollo Photomic FTn...and of course the 64 Eye-level with the Selenium Meter III (still accurate).
 
I keep another "Maligned" lens on my F2AS, a Nikkor 55mm F1.2. It also has character, soft edges and center sharp.

Thanks. Just what I needed - more GAS! Now I must try this lens.
 
Hilm3 said:
I keep another "Maligned" lens on my F2AS, a Nikkor 55mm F1.2. It also has character, soft edges and center sharp.

Thanks. Just what I needed - more GAS! Now I must try this lens.
Click to expand...

It's only $40.00

Don't you be complaining.

Brian,
you're suppose to have all of them in black and chrome!

Eye-level finder, two types
Waist level finder, 3 types
Action finder, I don't know how many types but more than 1
Flag Photomic
Button Photomic
Photomic T (through the lens)
Photomic Tn
Photomic Ftn

Kiu
PS: it's been awhile since I hijack a thread
 
EcoLeica said:
Over the last couple of years since I have gotten back into photography i have bought new cameras, sold off old ones and generally had a nice little collection that sits on my desk. But I have always made sure that the cameras I had were being used in some sense because the idea of a camera just sitting there not fulfilling its purpose of taking photos seemed sad. So the other day I managed to grab myself a near mint rolleicord Vb (which I love!) meaning I now have two TLR (the other being a rolleiflex automat). Liking both cameras i set up the flimsy excuse that I will have one for color and one for B&W but in reality I keep grabbin the less complicated Vb whenever I want to do medium format. So the automat is goin to find a new home where someone can use it like it was intended.

Now most of you out there are probably shooters and only keep what you shoot with, but do any of you feel that twang of guilt when you have a fine camera sitting up on the shelf not being used?

Steve
Click to expand...

Most of my cameras were train wrecks when I got hold of them. Some of the people who have seen my "before" photos can vouch for this. I enjoy tinkering, so I tend to get the ebay offerings that are only one or two steps away from fulfilling their destiny as landfill. I usually get them for about $10 or $15, and almost never go over $20, so they are in pretty sad shape. I have enough personal cameras that I can't really use them all, but I don't feel the least bit guilty. Anything that winds up sitting on my shelf is way ahead of the game. If it wasn't there, it would probably be rusting in a garbage dump. Besides, eventually, I sell some of them. I'm just sorry I can't rescue more.
 
Nikon F2AS with 55/1.2 AI Nikkor, wide-open.

3153902369_f76cd0edea_o.jpg


Everytime she took a bite of the Donut, it yelled "Ouch".

The lens was just under $200, mint condition.
 
Very nice, Brian S. Beautiful color. That lens does show great character wide open in close focus. Must have it. Which film?

Kiu - $40? That caused me real pain when I actually looked for that price ;0).
 
Not a bit.

Guilt would only be appropriate if the camera represented money that was siphoned off from more important concerns. Even if that were the case, you should not feel less guilty by using the camera. You should hock it and reallocate the funds where they should have gone.

Long as the resources you're expending on your hobby is surplus, then you can do whatever you want. Being able to put down whatever camera for as long as you want is what makes it a hobby instead of a job.

I like my cameras, but I don't personify them. They're tools and it's their purpose to sit there waiting for as long as necessary until I want to take them out and use them.
 
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