Do you list your gear?

[Dougg]

I list my gear to remind me I own it!! Every post I make I read through, and I think "hey I should really go take some photo's with the _____". If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have photo's from my now beloved kiev - I'd have used the Zorki for everything.

I like your reasoning, Ash! I list my gear for the same purpose, but do it in a computer database. Gives more room for relevant detail. 🙂

Here's a sample page of my database. The Comments field scrolls. There are separate page/records for individual lenses, winders, and finders, etc too... Hmm, I need to take that Bessa-T out for a stroll!

 

[pvdhaar]

I don't list my gear in my sig or profile. The embarrassing disparity between equipment and result would become so immediately apparent..

 

[rxmd]

Inspired by this thread, I've started to put stuff in my sig now. I'm listing the gear that I'm actually using most of the time, I somehow feel that's more informative than a list of some stuff I have standing around in a drawer or cardboard box somewhere. That would be where it would become tacky IMHO.

I've also started to list stuff I'm interested in... IMHO a signature is a good place for a WTB list, because it's around wherever you post, and when you get the item or are no longer interested you can simply delete it and it's gone everywhere. (I wonder if that's breaking some kind of forum rule.)

 

[Ash]

Nice database... what mac program is that with?? I should do the same for a lot of my hobbies!

The WTB thing is an interesting idea. I doubt it breaks forum rules as long as its not an obvious and distracting part of your sig.

 

[Pherdinand]

i never understood why some people list their gear.
If asked, i can tell, or in a thread that goes about this stuff. but why should all the posts you write show what gear you have (and hopefully, use) around? The only explanation that I can think of is not a nice one, so i won't say it.

 

[Ash]

I think its a bit of a joke though. Some people have maybe 2 items in their sig that cost them as much as my whole collection put together. And I may possibly use all mine more often! I'm proud of my gear, and I'm proud that I use as much of it as possible, as often as possible.

 

[rogue_designer]

I'll admit - I like to see what other people are using. Just like I would smile and nod if I saw someone using a Lynx 14, or a Rollei 35 on the street, it's a familiarity based on similar interest and respect for the tools we use.

On some level - it's a gear head thing - an extension the kid in me that likes to watch James Bond movies for the gizmos and gadgets.

We've all already accepted that we fit into a rarefied and easily identifiable class of photographers - at least partially defined by our equipment (it is the Rangefinder Forum, after all...) So why not specify a bit further. No need to take it to excess and list every camera you own. But I do like to see what gets used.

But that's just me.

 

[HuubL]

LOL. My list is 5 lines long and ORANGE. Tacky? Maybe. Do I care. No.

I listed it so others could see what I have, and ask questions if they are interested in something similar. For instance, how many people have taken a Perfex Speed Candid apart? I'll tell you right now, anyone thinking about a shutter curtain replacement on a Speed Candid should think twice!

If you don't like the listing, ignore it. It's that simple.

Burninfilm, How's that "NoName" Kiev?

 

[jmilkins]

I don't list my gear, partly because I don' t use all of it as much as I should, and I'm a bit ashamed of this becasue I think they were made to be used not hidden in a cupboard.

But I do organise my gallery albumns by lenses because I realised that I really like viewing other peoples' photos taken with lenses I own or would like to own.

 

[burninfilm]

Burninfilm, How's that "NoName" Kiev?

Well, it's just about like any other Kiev. It does seem very well made, but I personally don't have a good example of a standard Kiev 4a to compare against it (my Kiev 4a is a well used example, not nearly nice enough to compare directly to the "NoName"). The focus is noticeably smoother than my well used but CLA'd 4a, and the lens is its original Carl Zeiss Sonnar f2.0. Basically, it's a nice camera with a fantastic lens.

 

[Dougg]

Nice database... what mac program is that with?? I should do the same for a lot of my hobbies!

Thanks Ash... it's FileMaker.

 

[fatboymax]

do you list your gear

do you list your gear

a camera is only a means to take a picture - how it was taken,and with what,doesn't really matter. some of the most mediocre pictures displayed on rangefinder forum are often taken by photographers who have more equipment than the average camera shop but have little,or no,visual sense of what constitutes a well composed image. less is more - so chuck away most of your gear chaps. one camera and one lens is all it takes.😛

 

[Dougg]

Riiiighht... Having a good selection of top quality expensive camera gear is almost automatic indication the user is a wannabe and the photos are boorrrrring... eh? Just live in obvious poverty and use dirty broken gear and you'll be an arrrrteeest for sure... 🙂

 

[FrankS]

Interesting discussion with strong feelings on both sides. You know you can't please everyone, so just please yourself and do what you want as long as you aren't hurting yourself or others.

 

[flashover]

Frank my list of gear in my sig is shrinking.

 

[NIKON KIU]

If I list all my gear, I'll be embarassed!
Most folks would think I am a nut!😉
Kiu

 

[NickTrop]

I don't mind it at all, personally. I don't think it's pretentious or anything like that. Sometimes, I'll spot a camera I'm not familiar with and Google it... So I encourage it. It's kinda fun to see what others use who have more expendible income for photography than me.

I like my cameras like my women - CHEAP! (Sorry, couldn't resist...) I'm the proud owner of the following decidedly CHEAP gear:

- Vivitar 3000S SLR (K-Mart Special, purchased new in 1990 for a wopping $100
(Plus a bunch of cheap used M42 and K-mount third party primes)
- Yashica GSN $40.00
- Yashica CC $36 (Stole that one : )
- Fujica Compact Deluxe $12 (great camera by the way)
- Yashica Lynx 14 $20
- Yashica Lynx 14e $2.39
- Konica Auto S3 (Latest addition $83. Outstanding camera...)
- Agfa Ventura Deluxe w/Solinar lens (MF folder. $100)
- Iskra $66 (Russian MF folder)
- Kiev 60 $90 (Plus a bunch of "relatively" cheap Russian MF lenses)

Prices do not include shipping...

CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP...

But I don't begrudge Leica or Contax or Hassy users at all! I'm also perfectly content with my cheap camera collection.

List away!

 

[Nando]

I moderate on a forum for automobile enthusiasts and I list my cars (and for a while, a car I wanted to get) in my sig there. I find that it results in getting some good contacts. That's mainly why I list the things I have. I already had a very nice email exchange with someone who saw I had a CV21 and CV75 (probably in my sig) and wanted to know what I thought of them.

 

[grantray]

I think it's neat to know what other photog's shoot wth. I could care less how much the stuff costs. I'm usually more interested in wierdo stuff I've never heard about. I consider it a learning experiance.

-grant

 

[FrankS]

Rather than list my gear in my sig. I'll list it once here. My embarrassment of riches, not including 35mm slr's:

Leica IIf, M2,3,6, CL, Minilux, Contax IIa bd, IIa cd, Nikon S, Bessa R2, Hexar AF
4x5 Speed Graphic, Hasselblad 500CM, Rolleiflex 3.5E, Fujica GS645W