Do you know where your cameras are?

I have a secure steel cabinet in my study, fastened to the wall, to contain my photo equipment. However...

My two Leicas (M2 and M6) are sitting on a shelf in the bedroom, my Bessas (R3 and R4) are in a photo bag on the floor in front of the TV after I used them yesterday, and my OMs are in various places around the house - I'd have to search around to find any specific body/lens combo.

I've got some gear actually in the cabinet - some older cameras mainly, Olympus and Bronica lenses - and my ETRSi sitting on top of the cabinet. Oh, and the cabinet is unlocked.
 
Al Kaplan said:
I try to always put them back in the same place on the foot stool or the dining room table. My brain has gotten to that stage where I'll walk by something three or four times and still not "see" it, then suddenly there it is right where I thought it was. Frustrating!
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Same problem. It`s a nightmare sometimes. I just try and keep it simple ,everything in the same place ,or the daughter will be signing those papers and I will be taking my place at the staring window.
 
my goal is to have all my gear in camera bags each night so if there is a fire i can just grab them and run.
these days that's a simple task...the zi, 2 rd1 bodies and all lenses fit into a domke f6, the g1 and 2 lenses fit in another domke f6.
 
Don't even start with tripods-- I may have one in several countries and continents. Left one in a church in the choir loft.

In Vallarta the manager at the hotel was quizzing a guy on the contents of a backpack, turns out he had a few too many the night before and left it on the beach, with his Macbook -- one of the employees brought it to the desk.

Guy did not even ask the employee's name for a thank you.

Maybe he was in shock, I know I was in shock in Rome.

If something happens to the house, I hope the insurance company is kind, would hate to get scolded. ;-)

I guess I have to be more careful of my cell phone, now it has a "camera". ;-), perhaps the M9 will make calls, at least you could call it from a land line to see where you put it.

Regards, John
 
Roger: Best wishes to Frances. Hope all goes well!

My Main Axe kit–a pair of Hexar RFs and three lenses–permanently resides in The Domke 803 bag I bought for it, making it (1) easy to find, and (2) ready to go at literally a moment's notice.

As for other stuff: the Leica M2 hangs on the wall in my small digital atelier; The Olympus OM-2n with Sigma UW zoom is currently atop thebig flatbed scanner, along with the Olympus C-8080 digital and Konica Auto S3. The chandelier above all this (this was once the dining room...been wanting to get rid of this thing) has become something of a photo-gear mobile, with a Holga 135, Ricoh GR-1 (still broken), Casio EX850 digital, Canon PowerShot 320 digital (from a client, and occasionally works), and black Konica POP.

(Maybe I should keep that chandelier after all.)


- Barrett
 
i keep most of my cameras in those white boxes on the lower shelf with a little bag of silicant(SP?) my M7 is always ready to go, usually on top of the cabinet amongst the mess. my m6 is always ready to go, but on the top shelf of the cabinet and it usually has a different kind of film in it.
the boxes on the right are full of lenses, so they're easy to get to. there is an M3 in the red box, another in the leather leitz bag on top, a 'spare' M6 in the white box on top, an M2 somewhere in there and a lot of stereo cameras down below. my black paint M3 is at the bank in a safety deposit box. and my black paint m4 is on it's way back from Solms right now.
this cabinet is the only place in the house i can keep curious toddler paws off of them. it's also the only place that is this messy, my wife is pretty tidy...

bob
 

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Mine are always kept (when not being used) in a cupboard that has a low wattage bulb burning permanently in the bottom. I had a lens fungus issue with a couple of TLR cameras a while ago and read about this tip for high humidity areas and fingers crossed it seems to have made a difference!
 
Most are a few feet away from me in my home office. Two are in a bag, ready to go out with me tomorrow (An Iskra and a Yashicamat 124G).

I lost a Hexar AF last year on vacation. Left it in a rented RV and it was somehow never found. (Bought a replacement right away.)
 
My Leica kit is always in a bag ready to go. Others are in a clear plastic multi-drawer storage rack. Leica kit comprises two M2s, Ultron 35 1.7, APO Lanthar, DR Summicron, Sekonic Digilite and 10 rolls of film. This is my doomsday kit and is usually next to me in the bedroom as well. If the big one hits, I will sling the bag bandolier style, carry my daughter out on one arm and drag the wife out with the other. 🙂
 
Thought I lost my M mount 50 2.8 Elmar last year. Was taking pictures of sailboats at a harbor in upstate NY, remembered switching to my 35 Summaron. Got back home, couldn't find the Elmar anyplace. Gave it up for lost. Fast forward to last May, fumbling around in a closet looking for an old jacket, felt something heavy in a pocket--surpise! Elmar has returned. Love that little lens. Lost but never found--my trusty Metrastar meter at a photo shoot at a church. Never saw it again. The moral to all of this-- hold on to what you have, it's hard to replace.
 
I've misplaced a Contessa-Nettel Piccolette. I've been looking for the camera for about two weeks.

And I've also misplaced an Agfa Optima Paramat-I, and I've been looking for that one for nearly two months!
 
in order of searching:

1. Steel Craftsman tool cabinet in my basement.

2. Coffee table in basement.

3. computer and slide projector desk in basement.

4. Sidebar table in the dining room.

5. If all else fails: the one I'm hunting for will be in a camera bag.
 
I always know where my cameras are. I'd have to be a complete moron if I didnt. 😉 Funny, I'm going through some remodeling and house is a mess, but of all things, - I know where all my cameras are. But thats just me.
 
All my cameras and lenses are stored in 7 metal, suitcase type, foam lined w/ movable dividers cases in my small, one room apt. w/ accessories nearby in a plastic (standard Korean discount house issue) chest. The cases are all stored and lined up in a (METAL) rack. My bags are stored on a plastic (same origin) hat/ coat rack near the door.

The cases (bought from a street vendor in a used camera- rich store area) are heavy, not air-tight but dust and light-proof and cost me about $40 each.
 
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I know where all of mine are except for one. I built some book shelves and use those.
The one I can't find is my Agat 18k 1/2 frame. It is small, I know but haven't seen hide nor hair of it for about a year. Since I moved last year, in fact. I suspect it got left behind.:bang:
When I'm out shooting, I don't worry too much as I don't tend to carry a lot with me. Typically one body, sometimes two lenses but generally just the one on the camera, some film and maybe a filter--almost always on the lens.
Two jacket pockets take care of all that and the camera is on a strap over my shoulder.
Rob
 
My gear sits in two or sometimes three Billingham bags stacked next to the desk where I'm typing this - all except two lenses which are large (AF-Zoom-Nikkor 80-200/2.8D, in a cylindrical case) or awkwardly shaped (Elmarit-M 135/2.8, in its dedicated triangular-shaped leather pouch). And the Nikonos-V could be anywhere: if it is happy in sand, snow, mud, and water it shouldn't mind a bit of house dust.

A long time ago my heart nearly stopped when I realized I'd lost my brand-new, first SLR and two slow consumer zooms at Heathrow Airport and been unaware of it for the best part of an hour and a half. Bear in mind that airports attract criminal elements, and how large Heathrow was even then. I tracked back mentally and realized I'd probably left the Photax bag in the gents' loo.

I knew it wouldn't be there any more - and it wasn't. But I still asked at reception, whereupon it was returned to me immediately and on trust - no questions, no forms to fill in.

For this reason I will never indulge in Britain's favourite national pastime: knocking our own country. There are many annoying things about it, but to live in a place where I've repeatedly come up against such honest behaviour is a privilege. Granted that the person who handed in the gear may well have been a foreign worker or tourist!

One more example: last year I lost my mobile phone yet again (with Carl Zeiss 3.2Mp lens if you wonder what this has to do with cameras!) and didn't even start to think about it seriously for nearly a week; you see, I'm always losing it or at least misplacing it at work or at home. Eventually I tracked it down to the Field and Trek outdoor pursuits/clothing shop. The phone had lain on the windowsill undisturbed for the best part of 5 days. Again, this speaks volumes for British or visitors to Britain's honesty, as well as for the frequency of cleaning in the changing rooms!

Sorry, what started as a reply to Roger's post has turned into an advertisement for Britain. Perhaps you can guess I'm only half British myself!

Tom
 
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We would like to thank all members for this thread full of great information. It will surely make our work easier next time we visit.

The ITA Board (International Thieves Association)
 
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