everything I want and way more than I need

[FrankS]

Time to start focusing more on the image-making side of photography for me. Gear acquisition, after a point, becomes a distraction and an impediment. I've reached that point. I have all the gear I want, and way more than I need, though it is really nice to have the choices I have.

 

[markinlondon]

Do you mean you're "done"? Again 😀 😀 !

I know how you feel, just a few weeks ago I cleared out some lenses to focus my outfit a bit. On Friday I bought another lens :bang:

 

[like2fiddle]

I'm kind of working on rearranging what I have and settling in to what I really want to use, but I am trying to "focus" on image making. I'm tempted lately to find a good FSU camera/lens. Any suggestions?

By the way, I was stuck in traffic last weekend behind a car with a bumper sticker that said the driver was trying to become the kind of person his dog... etc.

Roger

 

[kuvvy]

I know how you feel Frank. What with buying and selling and reading photo mags or books and visiting this site daily I never seem to do much shooting. Not as much as I once did.

I too have tried to curb the 'urge to splurge' any more cash on GAS.

BTW my new Canon Powershot G7 arrived today!😀

 

[PlantedTao]

visiting this site has been a major draw on my wallet...the thread on"Show your M" is been making me crave a new M camera and leica glass...but M's and leica glass will always be out there for sale, so I just need to use the equipment I got now...like that canon 35mm I got from you that I haven't even seen photos from.

I think I'm going to stay away from the threads and focus my attention on the galleries and other photographs...seeing others work really makes me want to go shoot.

good luck -
Jason

 

[vha]

Thanks for a non gear post, and for making me think.
Developed some films manually this evening, haven´t done that for years.
No fuji-machine, no Jobo developer, just a Paterson tank ..
Have to do more like that, taking photos, trying old films .. , using the gear in the camerabag, instead of adding some more.

Think i´ll have what i need, until a 1000 usd Noctilux appears in my direction 😉

vha

 

[Kyle]

I know what you mean, Frank. Buying new stuff really is just a distraction. Right now I'm trying to limit myself. Although I recently made some large purchases, I also made some sales, so I am now down to two 35mm cameras and 5 lenses in addition to one MF camera and 3 lenses. I'm actually hoping to drop that down to 1 35mm camera and 3 lenses (35/50/90). For me, having choices is too much of a distraction. The only choice I want to make is 35mm or MF.

It's really nice to make these sorts of decisions and free yourself from GAS. 🙂

 

[raid]

Frank:I also have enough equipment. I need to re-learn B&W developing and get serious about becoming independent of commercial labs.

Raid

 

[venchka]

Done for quite awhile

Done for quite awhile

Aye! After my recent bout of near terminal GAS, I need to focus on learning how to use all of my gear.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

everything I want and way more than I need

Darn it Frank, from that title, I thought you had just purchased a M8 😉

 

[FrankS]

No Tom, there is no M8 in my foreseeable future.

Roger, in FSU cameras you have a choice of FED, Zorki, and Kiev. Each has its own flavour. In FSU lenses, you can't go wrong with a J12 or J8. If you are lucky, you can find a good J3 and J9. The 53 Helios for Kiev is also excellent. Be careful of this FSU gear. It really is a distraction as you already have an M2 with a range of fine lenses.

As for a bumper sticker for my car, I'd modify that saying to be more aggressive: Trying to be the kind of man my pit bull wants me to be!

 

[Keith]

Time to start focusing more on the image-making side of photography for me. Gear acquisition, after a point, becomes a distraction and an impediment. I've reached that point. I have all the gear I want, and way more than I need, though it is really nice to have the choices I have.

Does this mean you don't want the f2.8 5cm Elmar Frank?

Nice lens anyone? .........😀 😀 😀

 

[FrankS]

No, no, Keith. I mean AFTER I get this lens! It is one that has eluded me for a while now.

 

[DougK]

I know the feeling. I want to get into large format, but a lot of my current gear has to go in order to justify the switch (and with the amount of medium format gear I have, large format is a "want" and not a "need"). I also wish I'd saved the money I've spent on gear and used it to travel to new places to take photos instead. At least I haven't bought any new cameras since this past spring, so I must be on the right track.

 

[back alley]

i have been putting off starting this very same thread frank...poor history and all that😉

since deciding on staying with only new gear, selling almost everything and having a small kit, just 2 bodies and 4 lenses, i also have felt 'done'. (a word i hesitate to use anymore)
i must also admit to feeling a bit lost as some of my old habits seem quite empty now.
i still wander around ebay for instance, but nothing tempts me. i have the lenses i want and i have 2 bodies to put them on. i'm not thinking about wider or longer. i feel sorta lost in gearland...

and for when/if i do suffer the painful gas, i have the oly to buy for and to think about more gear.
it seems a perfect solution.

as for rf gear, should i decide on the zm 50/1.5 in the future then i will sell the 50/2.

i think i could live like this and be happy.

joe

 

[rover]

No, no, Keith. I mean AFTER I get this lens! It is one that has eluded me for a while now.

(Laughing, not so quietly)

Yes, the done word (after a last bit for the pile). I have been shooting more the last few weeks and it feels good. I don't think the collecting part of our illness is bad, but there are other parts which really are more fun and rewarding.

 

[Trius]

I'll be honest and say that I'm done for awhile, partly out of necessity. I need to pay off some bills. After that, I will decide whether to stick with a few fixed lens RFs and the OM gear, or sell all but a very few pieces (SP, XA & OM w/21, [28?] 35, 50 & 100) and get a an M body and 3 good lenses. That might not seem "few", but it would involve selling the Toyo and Fujinon lenses.

 

[FrankS]

I really meant that now that I am getting this Elmar 50 f2.8, I am done. I've been looking for this for a while. Also, my Contaxes are on the way back from Henry. I should get them next week. My group of cameras has been incomplete while waiting for the Contaxes to come back.

 

[like2fiddle]

Frank, thanks for the FSU tips. I'm considering searching for a Zorki 4/4K mostly because most of them come with the J8.

That being said, and to try to stick to the spirit of this thread, I have taken digital shots of some of my fixed lens RF's to put up for sale. My aim is to end up with the M2 with the 35, 50, and 90 lenses plus one FSU camera with a decent lens on it.

My son and I have our darkroom torn apart so that we can make it more user friendly when we're finished, hopefully by Christmas. Having to take film to local places that just don't care what the pics look like in the end is for the birds!

Roger

 

[FrankS]

I was just talking to a friend via email about this, telling him that I am going to actively try to avoid the development of new photo gear wants. Eastern philosophy says: Truly wealthy is the man with few wants, also: Desire is the basis of all suffering.