Help me rationalise my collection (rambling post...)

[jamiewakeham]

So I was quite happy. My camera collection, with approximate uses, went like this:

* Arax Hassy-clone, with a couple of lenses, gets use at weddings and when I want to pretend to be a landscape photog. Expensive, but it's paid for itself and I feel underequipped charging for a wedding wthout it.

* A couple of Pentax Spotmatics with quite a bit of glass - these are my workhorses.

* Canonet QL-17 - my 'party' camera as I can load it whilst drunk, it has autoexposure and it I drop it and break it I won't be upset.

* A Zorki 1 made up to look like a Leica II - the first RF I bought. It's a very convincing fake, beautifully done, and the camera itself functions perfectly too. I have its Elmar-ified I-22 and a couple of I61L/D for it.

* Recently I appeased my desire to be able to focus close-up and wide open with faster glass with a Kiev-4, with J12, J8, H-103, J9 and J11 lenses.

But the Kiev never felt quite 'right'. And then yesterday I went a little mad and bought the other RF that's made for focussing longer lenses wide-open and close-up. So, despite money being quite tight, now I have an M3 on the way and I need to work out how to pay for it :bang:

I'm keeping all three SLRs, and I figure it's worth keeping the Canonet for being drunk with. I suppose I need to sell the Zorki with the I-22 and an I61, and keep the other I61 for the M3.

Do I sell the Kiev body alone and try to find a Contax/Kiev - M adaptor (or indeed a Contax - LTM adaptor as I'll need a LTM - M adaptor for the I61 anyway)? This doesn't really pay for the M3 but does leave me with a good lens collection 😀

Or do I sell the Kiev and all its glass? Might begin to come close to paying for the M3 but I'll only have one lens for it 🙁

What would you do?

Jamie

 

[shadowfox]

If I were you, I'd whittle down the SLR to one body, the sale of two Spotmatics should almost cover the M3, no? Besides, now you have an M3, which is a killer camera/backup for wedding, IMHO.

The Zorki I'll let go, because already have the real thing (M3).

The Kiev I'd keep because it represents the "other-school" (Contax-style) RF. Unless you just can't get into it. I personally love the style.

 

[jamiewakeham]

What - a thread about buying and selling gear that only picks up one post over the weekend? What has RFF come to?

Thanks for the input, Shadowfox. When I said three SLRs, I was counting the Arax and only two Spotmatics; I'd want to keep at least the better one and the other is pretty ugly. I don't think I'd get all that much for it.

I'm not greatly enjoying the Kiev; just doesn't feel 'right' in my hands. I think it's going to have to go. My big question is whether I should sell all its glass or try to find a Contax - M adaptor.

Cheers
Jamie

 

[ChrisN]

Lets face it, short of selling off the Arax kit, or the entire Pentax collection, you're not going to raise enough to make much impact on the bill for the M3. And now you need lenses! You might as well keep the cameras, and just swear off eating for a while, or work a few more weddings. Good luck!

 

[clarence]

I would suggest selling the 'couple of Spotmatics' and keeping one Pentax body. That should offset at least half the cost of the M3.

And you can decide whether or not to sell the Kiev and the Kiev glass, but only after you've handled the M3 and compared the two. Contx-M adapters are expensive. You might as well buy the LTM versions of those lenses at a later date.

By the way, I was supposed to go to Oxford today, but my friend fell ill so the trip has been called off.

Clarence

 

[jamiewakeham]

Hope your friend's illness is nothing serious, Clarence.

I've been misleading; I have two Spotmatics, a nice one I want to keep and a beat-up one with broken meter that I may as well keep because it's worthless. I mentioned three SLRs because my Arax is also an SLR...

I reckon the Kiev has to go; I've handled an M3 already and it feels so right in comparison. My decision is whether I sell its glass too, or try to mount it on the M3. Tempting to keep it but if a Contax-M adaptor is unreliable, expensive or rare then I need to shift the Kiev glass and start looking ofr LTM FSU glass once more.

Jamie

 

[FrankS]

Most of the FSU glass can be replacrd cheaply with LTM versions. Sell the Kiev and glass if it doesn't feel right.

 

[Al Patterson]

I'd sell all the glass with the Kiev rather than look for an adapter. You can always buy similar lenses at a later date.

Enjoy the M3. I have a CL, and one of these days I'd like to upgrade to either M6 or MP, but not this year.

 

[FrankS]

Ferroequinologist - iron horses - locomotives/trains?