Gear Deacquisition Syndrome?

Back in the 1980s I sold a lot of my equipment because I foresaw the coming of the digital age. I sold my wet darkroom, my large format system, my medium format system, one Leica M1 body, and all of my 35mm Nikon bodies except for one. Since I had access to similar equipment on my job, I was able to survive for years without my personal equipment.

I was really surprised that it took so long for the digital age to arrive. It was not until 2002, when I purchased my first digital camera, that the digital age began for me.
 
Ok. I've actualized this. Latest victims seem to be:

- Fuji X100T
- Konica Pearl II rangefinder
- Konica Standard rangefinder (pre-1951)

This time I do understand the motive. It looks like we are about to move to a house that needs some work, and extra money doesn't hurt in accelerating things that have to be done before we move in. Not wanting to get a divorce over bathroom tile might put my Rollei in play too. But I always wanted an FX or GX... :)

The thing that I hate about GDS is my tendency to "curate," or to spend years finding all the accessories for something only to sell all of it as a package in a fit of whatever and then never be able to replace the set. I have a Silvestri H that may be past its peak usage days (I shot a 100 rolls of film with it a year ago), but it was such a complete PITA to get things complete and in working order that I probably could never off it (you almost never see a 6x12 version that is ready to use up for sale, and every part seems to cost $200-400 if you can even get them).

Then there is the seller's remorse and the mild depression that sets in when you want to buy something back that has sentimental value, and you find your buyer sold it to KEH for $20.

D
 
No. Most of my gear is just low cost stuff (sometimes bought because it is low cost) so hardly worth the hassle of selling. My current most valuable camera and lens is a Leica M4-2 and a CV 35mm f2.5 PII. Probably the next most valuable item is a Zeiss Box Tengor, so you get the picture. The rest do the stuff is mostly garage sale fodder, or give away.
 
Dante_Stella said:
The thing that I hate about GDS is my tendency to "curate," or to spend years finding all the accessories for something only to sell all of it as a package in a fit of whatever and then never be able to replace the set. . . .
Click to expand...

Ditto.

Years ago I worked with a guy who was restoring this 1930's truck. He was a true artist and did much of the work himself, paying incredible attention to each tiny detail. It took him probably eight years to finish the truck, and within a month, HE SOLD IT! I was flabbergasted and asked him why he didn't keep and drive this beautiful creation he had meticulously restored. His reply was that the joy was in the restoration, now that it was finished, he was looking toward the next project.

I think it something of the same thing with me and the antique cameras I "curate" as Dante says. There's something cool about bringing them back to life and outfitting them in their original accessories. After I shoot a few rolls with the finished camera system, I find myself looking for the next camera system to "restore".

Best,
-Tim
 
Tim - I curated my Rollei 2.8F, sold it, bought a 2.8GX and am now working on perfecting that. So you're right about the cycle continuing!

Dante
 
B-9 said:
How's the Summarit? One of those lenses I always find myself looking at.

...
Click to expand...
Sorry, I'm late. It is the lens to have as one.


The mystique of this thread as in the quote at #50, is what I offered the camera I shouldn't have offered for the trade. Thanks for not replying to my offer. :)
 
Gosh is this thread funny! And I'm in the same boat with you bunch of fine folks except I haven't sold anything yet! Trying my darndest to get grand kids interested in film photography!
 
Oh, I managed to get rid of 4 bay III filters and the Rolleinars that were gathering dust. Got a Mamiya ZD to replace them. So -7 pieces, +2 new pieces (it had a lens attached).

HEY, I have decreased my collection with 5 pieces :D
 
robert blu said:
All tha cameras a do not use have a sentimental value for me and a very low monetary value, therefore no desire or reason to sell.

The only piece I sold was a lens I still regret having sold!

But I do not buy so much on the other side...

Robert
Click to expand...

^^^this. I recently looked at a pretty extensive list of Pentax screw-mount and Konica Hexanon lenses with the thought of freeing up some shelf space. Balderdash. The re-sale value is so low . . . the entertainment value/sentimental value is stratospheric in comparison.

I recently sold a very nice Leica M6 TTL and a Zone VI 4x5 to pay for a puppy. Love the dog. It was the right choice. Miss the gear, though.
 
I go through phases. Early on I most definitely accumulated WAY more than I needed to work with. Then there was a point about 5 years ago when I was in a bad spot financially, and making some dramatic changes (things are much better now). I was forced to sell off all but the absolute essentials (for that time). Initially I was distraught of course, but it actually awakened an entirely new mindset for me and now I vastly prefer to not have too much equipment (and by extension I've tried to minimize my other possessions too).

I still of course get the urge to acquire something, but what I do strictly now is that if I want to buy something, I have to sell something first and I also have to be able to purchase it outright or be able to pay it off within three payments on my credit card. It helps keep me in check and more often than not it gives me pause when I have to sell something, which in turn makes me question wether I need said item. More often than not I back out of the purchase. I still have plenty of equipment currently, but it is a very tailored setup around my specific shooting style and needs. There is very little "excess" in my kit (in my opinion).

To me now, having less is freeing and creatively invigorating.
 
I go through periods of experimentation and GAS along with it. Eventually one or two items become an essential item in my kit, and the rest has to go. Sometimes it has to go to free up some funds for further experimentation, and sometimes it has to go because I don't like clutter. I like to think it is the latter, but to be honest it is most often the former.

Cheers
Rob


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mark A. Fisher said:
I'm in the process of De-Gassing right now. When I taught I would pick up film cameras for students to use. Now that I'm not in the classroom I have given a great many of them away to former students - about 50 cameras of different stripes so far. I'm now to the point where the more expensive ones - Hasselblad, etc - are on the market as well, to friends and colleagues. I'd like to get down to maybe 2 or 3 digital bodies/lenses, and 4 or 5 film bodies/lenses.

But I've been looking at the Fuji X100T, the X-Pro2, a Nikon Df, a ...

Well, maybe my De-Gassing is doomed already...
Click to expand...

"De-Gassing", perfect!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom