Gear Fatigue: A Declaration

maclaine

maclaine

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In the last six months alone, I have bought, sold, and traded the following:

- CV Bessa R3A (traded, definitely regret this a bit)
- 40mm Nokton Classic MC (sold)
- Leica M4 (acquired in trade then sold)
- Leica 50mm DR Summicron w/ eyes (bought then traded)
- Leica 50mm Summicron tabbed 4th version (bought then sold)
- Leica 90mm Elmarit-M (bought then sold)
- Leica 40mm Nokton Classic (reacquired in trade then traded again)
- Nippon Kogaku 50mm Nikkor f/2 in Leica screw mount (acquired in trade then traded again, probably going to regret this, too)
- Zeiss Ikon (bought)
- Zeiss 50mm Planar ZM (traded some lenses and made up difference with cash)
- Canon Canonet QL17 GIII (acquired in trade)
- Olympus XA (bought)
- Mamiya M645, 45mm, 80mm, and 150mm lenses + accessories (traded)
- Mamiya C330 Professional w/80mm lens and a longer focal length that is basically junk but thrown in for free (acquired in trade)
- Sinar F 4x5 view camera (bought)
- Caltar II-S 135mm f/5.6 lens for the Sinar (bought)

I'm pretty sure that's it. That also doesn't include all of the gear I had prior to this latest intense round of GAS. Today was the day I traded in a couple lenses for the Zeiss Planar, and I plan on selling off a bunch of other stuff this weekend. I'm realizing that 95% of the shooting I do is with a standard lens, and if that's the case, then I'd like to get rid of everything that is extraneous to a one camera/one lens setup. This means I'll be down to the following:

- Zeiss Ikon with 50mm f/2 Planar
- OM-10 with Zuiko 50mm f/1.4
- Mamiya C330 with 80mm f/2.8
- Sinar F with Caltar II-S 135mm f/5.6

One camera, one lens per format. I do the bulk of my shooting these days with a rangefinder (the whole reason I'm here posting this, obviously), and I can foresee the day where I end up with one wide and one long lens, but that is a ways off. My brain is so totally fried from discovering, researching, and obsessing over new gear. I would literally find out about some new lens and swear that THAT WAS THE ONE I NEEDED, then learn about another one the next day and think the same thing. I'm not promising I'll never have a GAS attack again, of course, because I know that's not realistic, but I really need a break where the only thing I worry about is taking pictures.

I'm sure other people have come on here and posted similar rants before, but I needed to vent a little bit and put the exhaustion I'm feeling at the moment into words. Let's see how long I can stick to this promise.
 
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This is a serious problem IMO and I certainly can't claim exemption from guilt here. The amount of gear that goes through the classifieds that's only been owned for a short time is remarkable and proof that you're not Robinson Crusoe!

I've noticed certain cameras and lenses changing hands several times in the space of a few months!


In reallity I know that I need:

One good SLR with 35mm 50mm and 85mm lenses.
One M mount RF with the same focal lengths.
My Hasselblad 500CM with 80mm and 150mm lenses.
Bronica RF645 with 65mm and 100mm lenses.
My Crown Graphic because large format is 'real photography' and is a must IMO!

My D700 for one high quality digital that can share lenses with my film SLR body!


Idealy that's it ... I need no more! (last count ~ thirty something cameras) 😱
 
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I hear ya.
In the last 6 months I've traded one of my two R-D1s, bought a IIIf, traded the IIIf, acquired a 35mm UC-Hexanon, bought a J-8, bought a Tele-Elmarit, bought a chrome rigid Summicron helical, bought an M8, bought a 28mm f/1.9 Ultron. I'm about to hit another periodicity of selling in a month or so.

This last year has seen me change over to digital capture in a big way and with that, I thought I had to replace the equivalent focal lengths which I use on my M4. The M8 showed me that I LOVE the 21mm FL as a very close-in environmental portrait lens. So I use my 15mm CV on the M8 a lot and love it. (I drool over the Zeiss 15 but just can't justify that.

Were I to shoot more film, I'd keep every lens that I have right now, but I can't justify keeping one focal length for the case that I might expose a roll using that particular lens. I've covered everything from 15mm - 105mm on the film camera and with the M8 they translate to 21mm - ~140ish.

In the end, I have found that I shoot mostly with my 15, 35 and 90 on the M8.

Time to sell soon (and drool over that 24mm 'Lux!)
Phil Forrest
 
The years in which I bough A camera:

1977
1982
1986
1988
1992
1993
1996
1997
2002
2010

I find photography takes up the rest of my time.
 
Are you married? It has a way of tempering (read:squashing) hopes and dreams 😀

Usually my "better" half sides with reason instead of emotion.
Yeah that's right, I'm an emotional kind of guy 🙄
 
Finder said:
The years in which I bough A camera:

1977
1982
1986
1988
1992
1993
1996
1997
2002
2010

I find photography takes up the rest of my time.
Click to expand...

This is very impressive. I've been alive for less time than you've been buying cameras and acquired more cameras in the time between your last two purchases than you have total.

I'd love to make it the rest of the year without dropping any more money on gear and spending it on film instead. I do see myself setting up a dark room at some point this year, too, which would eat into any camera gear purchases.
 
maclaine said:
My brain is so totally fried from discovering, researching, and obsessing over new gear. I would literally find out about some new lens and swear that THAT WAS THE ONE I NEEDED, then learn about another one the next day and think the same thing. I'm not promising I'll never have a GAS attack again, of course, because I know that's not realistic, but I really need a break where the only thing I worry about is taking pictures.
Click to expand...

LOL - I recall telling you when I bought your 40 Nokton (because my 50 summilux annoyed me - tantamount to heresy in these parts) that you really didn't need the M and a sensible Bessa with a sensible meter while louder was a lot more practical! The 40 has so far been my last gear acquisition.

Mad roller coaster. Better to get off.

Considering selling both my 50/1.4 and 90 TE because might as well free up some cash though not going to tempt you ;-) Same with some of the OM gear - too many things and not enough time.

If you are keen on shooting, a few of us are meeting up in the North End Sunday.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/bpm-meetups/discuss/72157623403233997/

Cheers,
-Gautham
 
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Sometimes my camera collection makes feel like a laboratory mouse in a maze ... I know there's a piece of cheese there somewhere but how to find it! 😛
 
From my computer desk i can see 8 cameras and i know there is one more hiding in my bag 🙂
Why when I really only need one and the will to go outside and interact with the world.

Well maybe two but that's it ... yeah really 🙂
 
gnarayan said:
LOL - I recall telling you when I bought your 40 Nokton (because my 50 summilux annoyed me - tantamount to heresy in these parts) that you really didn't need the M and a sensible Bessa with a sensible meter while louder was a lot more practical! The 40 has so far been my last gear acquisition.

Mad roller coaster. Better to get off.

Considering selling both my 50/1.4 and 90 TE because might as well free up some cash though not going to tempt you ;-) Same with some of the OM gear - too many things and not enough time.

If you are keen on shooting, a few of us are meeting up in the North End Sunday.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/bpm-meetups/discuss/72157623403233997/

Cheers,
-Gautham
Click to expand...

Glad to hear you kept the 40mm, Gautham. That initial sale is what started all this madness. Even though I just reacquired and almost immediately traded the lens again, I'm happy to just have a 50mm f/2 and be done with it. Once I've cleansed myself of all this gear anxiety, I can see MAYBE getting an R3M with the 40mm as a second one camera/one lens setup, but that's not going to happen until next year at the very earliest.

I'd love to meet up Sunday. That's a little early for a night owl like me, but perhaps it will motivate me to not stay up until 4am on Saturday. I won't have to worry about obsessively reading photo websites and looking at pictures on Flickr, if I'm true to my word, so perhaps it will be easier.
 
It's just what happens. I could write a list... you don't want to know how long, for if I ever won lottery.
But my policy is one camera per format in most cases, especially in dealing with expensive gear. Concentrate on pairing the lenses to the body.

And at the end of the day, buy and use your favorite body (per format). When you're truly happy using something specific your need for other things lessens... only a little.
I only buy something if I know I'm going to use it in conjunction with other cameras, if I'm not, or the bought camera will become what I use most of the time, the others are sold.
 
maclaine said:
This is very impressive. I've been alive for less time than you've been buying cameras and acquired more cameras in the time between your last two purchases than you have total.

I'd love to make it the rest of the year without dropping any more money on gear and spending it on film instead. I do see myself setting up a dark room at some point this year, too, which would eat into any camera gear purchases.
Click to expand...

A darkroom is a great idea. I will be putting my darkroom together this year also--I had a move and I need to get everything together (I have finished painting, the floor down, and I have some of the work surfaces up).

As far as cameras go. I find it takes me such a long time to figure out their potential. I tend to buy for format so that list includes 35mm, 35mm panoramic, 6x6, 6x12, 4x5, and m4/3 cameras.

But I do understand the seduction of new gear. It really is exciting to pick up something new.
 
maclaine said:
In the last six months alone, I have bought, sold, and traded the following:

- CV Bessa R3A (traded, definitely regret this a bit)
- 40mm Nokton Classic MC (sold)
- Leica M4 (acquired in trade then sold)
- Leica 50mm DR Summicron w/ eyes (bought then traded)
- Leica 50mm Summicron tabbed 4th version (bought then sold)
- Leica 90mm Elmarit-M (bought then sold)
- Leica 40mm Nokton Classic (reacquired in trade then traded again)
- Leica 50mm Nikkor f/2 in Leica screw mount (acquired in trade then traded again)
- Zeiss Ikon (bought)
- Zeiss 50mm Planar f/2 ZM (traded some lenses and made up difference with cash)
- Canon Canonet QLGIII (acquired in trade)
- Olympus XA (bought)
- Mamiya M645, 45mm, 80mm, and 150mm lenses + accessories (traded)
- Mamiya C330 Professional w/80mm lens and a longer focal length that is basically junk but thrown in for free (acquired in trade)
- Sinar F 4x5 view camera (bought)
- Caltar II-S 135mm f/5.6 lens for the Sinar (bought)

I'm pretty sure that's it. That also doesn't include all of the gear I had prior to this latest intense round of GAS. Today was the day I traded in a couple lenses for the Zeiss Planar, and I plan on selling off a bunch of other stuff this weekend. I'm realizing that 95% of the shooting I do is with a standard lens, and if that's the case, then I'd like to get rid of everything that is extraneous to a one camera/one lens setup. This means I'll be down to the following:

- Zeiss Ikon with 50mm f/2 Planar
- OM-10 with Zuiko 50mm f/1.4
- Mamiya C330 with 80mm f/2.8
- Sinar F with Caltar II-S 135mm f/5.6

One camera, one lens per format. I do the bulk of my shooting these days with a rangefinder (the whole reason I'm here posting this, obviously), and I can foresee the day where I end up with one wide and one long lens, but that is a ways off. My brain is so totally fried from discovering, researching, and obsessing over new gear. I would literally find out about some new lens and swear that THAT WAS THE ONE I NEEDED, then learn about another one the next day and think the same thing. I'm not promising I'll never have a GAS attack again, of course, because I know that's not realistic, but I really need a break where the only thing I worry about is taking pictures.

I'm sure other people have come on here and posted similar rants before, but I needed to vent a little bit and put the exhaustion I'm feeling at the moment into words. Let's see how long I can stick to this promise.
Click to expand...


You need to stay away from the web and from magazines. You could even find time to make some pictures!

Best

Mike
 
sojournerphoto said:
You need to stay away from the web and from magazines. You could even find time to make some pictures!

Best

Mike
Click to expand...

There is great truth in this statement. Unfortunately, my job has me at a computer all day, and in those moments between actual work, I am poking around the net looking at stuff related to my second love, which is photography. It's all downhill from there.
 
Trouble is the buying and selling is just too much fun, i love it when there is a large parcel waiting for me when i get home.
Maybe it's best not to fight back and just enjoy the madness
😀
 
bgb said:
Trouble is the buying and selling is just too much fun, i love it when there is a large parcel waiting for me when i get home.
Maybe it's best not to fight back and just enjoy the madness
😀
Click to expand...

I think your post followed by the quote in your signature sums it up perfectly. The thrill of hunting for what's next is really addicting, to the point where you'll be searching for the next thing the moment you get the latest thing. I need to get my thrills from actually taking photos and looking at them, rather than worrying about what I'm going to take them with.
 
Just don't go overboard. Though the term overboard is vastly different person to person. Sometimes I think I need a floater.

At some point all the buying and selling gets old, that's the GAS venting.
 
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