How do _you_ decide what to sell?

[Benjamin Marks]

I'm thinking that it is time to do some serious cleaning of the photo-cabinet. I will freely admit that I have regretted selling every camera or lens that I have sold over the years. I take some solace from knowing that when the sale is done on RFF, that the lens or camera is going to a good home. In general, the cameras that I own fall into three categories:

1) the ones I take with me 99% of the time these days (M8, D3, EP-2).
2) the ones I finally purchased after wanting them for years (Bronica SQ-A, Mamiya 67, Nikon F3HP, Wisner 5x7)
3) the ones that probably just aren't worth selling (Spotmatic and Pentax thread mount glass, Konica AR glass, Nikkormats, Nikon F w/50/1.4 etc.)

The above is not an exhaustive list, but you get the idea. I used to have a "use it within one year or sell it" rule, but then a Hassie SCW and Pentax 67 were just sitting there, looking at me balefully and the rule had to be . . . revised. Yeah. That's the ticket.

So how do you all approach the problem? All hints, suggestions, strategies and criticism welcome.

Ben Marks

 

[iamzip]

I think, "well, I could sell this one, or this one," and then I keep them all
😀

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I'm very picky.

 

[Chris101]

I've never sold a camera or a lens in my life. I either keep them, give them away, or break them.

 

[jsrockit]

Whatever doesn't get used gets sold...generally to buy something else.

 

[newsgrunt]

In general I also use the 'if it hasn't been used in years rule' but I also take into account sellers remorse and factor in how difficult it would be to buy another one if I did come to regret selling something. Last sale was a Mamiya 7II but they're easy to find used and it went to a friend who's working on a project so I'm comfortable with that.

On top of that, I try to adhere to the 'if I want something, I have to sell something ' ethos

 

[tbarker13]

To me, these are easy decisions. If I'm not using something, I sell it.
I'm not a collector of gear and don't form attachments to lenses or camera bodies. And I generally prefer to have only one lens of any particular FL - other than 50, where I have several because they make great portrait lenses, offering nice variety in rendering.

So, when I find that something has been sitting on the shelf unused for, say 3-4 months, I know it is time to let it go to someone else who might put it to better use.
Like Newsgrunt above, I also generally sell something to make room for what I buy.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Full disclosure: thinking about taking that M9 plunge. Kind of makes me look at the gear side-ways and ask: "so is there $7,000 of value there that I could realize so that I don't have to choose between eating cat food and purchasing this re-DIC-ulously expensive camera?" Actually, the kibbles are looking pretty good . . .

Ben Marks

[Edit] Brian: picky about what you buy or picky about what you sell? Or both?

 

[FrankHarries]

Well, I have the same problem, so many cameras. I bought some stuff this year: Leica M2, M6, Hexar RF, Hexar AF, Summicron DR, VC Ultron 35, Hexanon 50 and some other lenses for the Hasselblad. Well, I really can't afford all that gear and therefore have to part with some of it to finance what I've allready bought. If I would have the money, I would keep everything. Sold a Yashica Mat 124 - this wasn't easy because it has been my first MF bought about 25 Years ago - but I also have a nice Rolleiflex so that I wanted to keep. Will get rid of some other gear . But I think it will still not be enough - so I think of other ways to get my bankaccount even: sell some other stuff around. It is really a drag - but on the other hand I couldn't have bought the M6 last week when I am not willing to divorce myself from some gear. I would would like to keep it all (in the summer I didn't mind to walk with the Hassi....) - poor me...

 

[Brian Legge]

I just sold a Ricoh 500 (not worth selling for the cash, but it worked beautifully and wasn't getting enough use), a Canonet 17 GIII (already had one and have been using the GIIIs less than other RFs recently) and 40 rolls of 120 film (I have 100 more from the same batch).

I have a bunch more stuff lined up to sell but I don't like selling anything before testing it, etc.

Big picture, I'm selling gear because I just spent a bunch on a 4x5 kit. I have a really hard time spending more than $200 at a time and that was 6 times that. I want to sell at least $500 worth of stuff to offset that purchase. 😉

 

[Nescio]

The only point worth thinking about is nº 2... Personally, I'm a collector - of dust that is - and I'd feel bad about seeling any of my gear. So I've sitting on a shelf a rather complete Oly set and a ditto Bronica EC outfit.
BUT... the Bronica setup saves me from wanting something "better", which is much more valuable than selling it for a few dimes and regretting it later.
So, if you've got the space and no need for funds, just keep things as they are. Getting rid of some of your "dreams" only makes space for new ones.
But if you really feel the need for a clean out, get rid of the crap, give it away and never look back.

Best of luck with you choice, which'll be entirely yours anyway.

 

[Nescio]

Didn't see your last post, sorry for that. If you want to splash out on an M9, you either have the money or not. If you need an excuse for buying it, I'm not all too sure that selling your gear will give you the peace of mind you're looking for. My advice? Just do it. Life's long enough to regret your purchase...😛

 

[Vickko]

Terrible at selling but great at buying (and going into debt).

But, sold a bunch of stuff recently - just decided "time to go, used it, novelty is gone".

 

[Rob-F]

I sell things when I no longer use them, and when I no longer like using them; or when I just really don't need them and get no satisfaction out of pride of ownership. I haven't sold much. I though I would never sell my Hassie SWC, but I did, because I got tired of squinting through its tiny finder peephole; and because I couldn't judge where the frame boundaries were going to be when I cropped the transparency to a wide-screen 2:1 format for projection. So I replaced it with a 40mm Distagon, since I can put tape markers on the groundglass to show where the frame edges are.

Now I am wondering if I should sell off my gear to raise money for a . . . well, you know . . .

 

[noimmunity]

3 principles for lenses...

3 principles for lenses...

1. Fear of sellers' remorse. Several of my RF lenses would be very hard to replace if sold. The chrome Nokton 35/1.2, the black Nikkor 85/2 in LTM, the Hex 50/2.4, the late model E46 Tele Elmar 135, even the Rollei Sonnar. My Leica crons would probably be unobtainable again at the prices for which I originally paid. The ZMs are still in production but are among my most used lenses.

Hence, I just sold my Nokton 35/1.4, the one lens that would be easy for me to find again.

2. Let others decide.

3. Beginner's mind. I haven't mastered the lenses I do own. Selling-and-buying would just make that task even harder.

 

[E.M]

I sold a 1969 Nikon F with Ftn finder , in very good condition , about 20 years ago , still regret it . It's the only camera I bought second hand and it is the only one I ever sold .

http//www.etiennemichiels.com

 

[rbiemer]

Because I have rarely been able to buy any of my camera gear in person, I buy somewhat "on spec". This does have the benefit of making selling decisions pretty easy: if the camera/lens/whatever doesn't work for me or suit me as well as I'd hoped before I bought it, then I pass it along.
I consciously do not impose a "use it during time period X or sell it" rule for myself; I may not need, for example, the Arax 500 mirror lens very often but when I do no other lens I own will substitute for it. So I keep it.
Rob

 

[Benjamin Marks]

Well, clearly I am not the only one with this "problem." I use the scare quotes because if this is the biggest problem one faces in life, things must be going pretty good.

@Nescio: I have definitely been in the "just do it" camp for a long time, but the sticker price on the M9, just puts it in a different league. Funny how I could gulp but plunge for a $5K camera, but just come up short for a $7K one. But there it is.

It is going to have to be some version of the "hard to replace" principle coupled with the "do I use it enough" concept. Sigh. The compensation is that actually using the gear is a thrill and trading stuff that doesn't get used for something that definitely will has some value.

Ben

 

[chris7521]

If it don't get used it goes. I have bought focal length lenses I thought I would use, only to find out I just don't use it. Everything I have currently, I use pretty often or at least often enough it doesn't collect dust. The only cameras I have that I will keep even if i don't ever use them are a few 1930's Leica which I just like to look at if nothing else because there is history there.🙂 and they're nice to look at.

 

[Doug]

Please, dear RFF collectors, accumulators, users, and traders... don't be specific about what gear you're thinking of selling, as that can serve as an advertisement. We don't do those in the discussion forums... Certainly say what you DID sell, or what you WON'T sell, just avoid tempting others here with your surplus gear! Thanks. 🙂

PS: I seem to be an accumulator, having a hard time bringing myself to sell anything.😱