How many cameras are enough??

[GeneW]

Extremely thoughtful and thought-provoking posts! I've nothing at all against collecting, btw. I worked for years in a museum and I know how passionate collectors are and how knowledgeable. It's that I realize I'm not a collector by nature and that somehow or other I have acquired a much bigger collection of cameras than I ever meant to 😎

Very interesting series of replies and I'm enjoying the insights.

Gene

 

[RObert Budding]

How many cameras are enough? Why, one more than I own!

Rangefinder: Contax IIIa with 35, 50, 135mm lenses. Searching for an 85mm coated Jena to round out the package. All had Henry Scherer's "spa treatment."

SLR: Contaflex Super B with 35, 50, 85, 115mm lenses.

TLR: Minolta Autocord CDS III
Ikoflex that I'm planning to sell. It needs a CLA.

Folder: Zeiss Ikon 521 645 format.

That's about it, except for some cheap cameras for the kids to play with. But I may add a Minolta 7s II for a pocket/carry anywhere camera.

Robert

 

[rick oleson]

.... the problem with SELLING excess cameras is that I always remember missing the camera long after I've forgotten what I did with the money I got for it.......

: ) =

 

[rbiemer]

How many do I need?
Realistically, One. But then--which one?
I own more than I use at once but all of them I do use.
I admit to being a collector of sorts--love those FSU cameras-- but I'm not interested in anything I can't take pictures with.
If I had to restrict myself I would keep:
RF: Canonette, Zorki 3m
MF: Arax60(love the macro on those big negs)
other: Agat 18--this one stays loaded with film and either in the bag with the big camera or in my pocket/backpack.
None of the cameras I own are worth very much (except the Arax-but I don't think I'll ever get what I paid for it and it took so long so save the $ I'm not parting with it) so I'm pretty much stuck with 'em all.
Yes I will be buying more cameras. Not sure what yet but I do have a realistic short list :
Bessa R, Iskira, Oly Pen F, some 35mm SLR--don't have one.
and a pie in the sky list:
one of the nicer Canon RF, Leica CM, Siluro(underwater 120 camera), Combat Graphic or Fuji GW670III, Goerz Minicord, and that list goes on.
Will I be happy when/if I get all these cameras? Sure 'cuz I'm happy now.
I don't define my own success as a photographer by the equiptment I own but by the pictures I'm pleased with.
I know two pro photographers(one does mostly weddings and the other is a photojournalist) they each have a print of mine hanging on their walls.
That made me very happy indeed!
Rob

 

[Doug]

"How many is enough?" Whoa, this IS getting deep... I'm reminded of the word "more", as used by Robbie the teenage son dinosaur in the Dinosaurs TV series some years back. He said something like, "More? Of course there's more; that's what more MEANS!" He was referring to the extinction of species, but, hey, cameras are important too!

Ok; "enough" may not strictly include frivolous cameras you own just for the fun of seeing how they work, or for nostalgic reasons. Only serious use, right? There go the Pentax Auto 110's, the Petri 7s, the Kodak Junior 620, and yes the Kievs.

I think "enough" includes cameras you actively use plus those you expect you'll need for some yet-unplanned future projects. Just because you're not actively using them NOW doesn't mean they're not part of "enough." No need to "thin them out" if there's a likely future need. I think it's reasonable to assume that most of us should have on hand samples of both SLR and RF cameras. The ones that are workable, convenient, familiar, reliable, and serviceable.

My cameras seem to run in pairs, and I think that has practical basis. One's broken, lost, or in for service, you still have the other. One is reserved for slow film & the other fast, or color/B&W, or two different lenses. Same with pistols for personal defense: A nationally-known self-defense trainer told me that when I settled on a favorite carry pistol to go out and buy another one just like it, then alternate their use. Practical... and maybe the wife'll agree.

I do think we should probably have a limited selection in active service, j ust to save confusion. I have four loaded at the moment; two RFs and two SLRs. Now, can we have 'too many' cameras? I don't think so, but ask Curt! 😉

 

[taffer]

.... the problem with SELLING excess cameras is that I always remember missing the camera long after I've forgotten what I did with the money I got for it.......

: ) =

TRUE ! That's what money from cameras should go to cameras !

Now seriously, if there's something I've learnt from this thread, it is...

...

that I need an M3 ! 😀

Dunno, but I think I *could* do with a nice 35mm RF (be it Canon, CL, M2 or even Bessa R/R2) and my 35 pancake, and then filling the empty space of my missing cameras with more interesting moments to photograph with that small outfit.

 

[rbiemer]

Gene,
I forgot the obvious question:
What are you going to be culling? Any thing folks around here might be able to put to good use?😀
Rob

 

[RubenBlaedel]

The most important thing is not to have so many cameras that you do not know how to use them - it is down right stupid to miss a good shot because of some dumb feature you forgot about is blocking the camera. I have well over 50 cameras but I am not a collector - I just forgot to sell some off along the way - I will be selling about 30 soon but I do not thing I will ever be parting with my Hasselblads, Rolleis or Leicas nor the large and rather bulky Fuji GX 680. After parting the 30 ranging from Argus, Olympus, nettar, brauns etc. I will probably also sell of my canon eos cameras but I will keep the L optics especially the long ones saving them for the right canon digital eos comes along.
If i should cut things down to 3 cameras it would be the Hasselblad SWC/M, The Rolleiflex TLR and the Leica M6 with the 35 mm summmicron. Another 3 to reach the initial postings 6 cameras would be the Super Ikonta, The Fuji GX 680 and Minox B - in other words one 35 mm rangefinder and one 6x6 rangefinder - the rest are non rangefinders

 

[GeneW]

Gene,
I forgot the obvious question:
What are you going to be culling? Any thing folks around here might be able to put to good use?😀
Rob

LOL Rob! Well, that's a fair question. In addition to the three I offered for free (for Tsunami Fund contributions) I am thinking of thinning out the following:

- Fed-2e. Lovely condition. Industar-26M 50mm/2.8 lens that is sharp as a tack

- Industar-50 collapsible 50mm/3.5 lens. A beauty but doesn't fit perfectly on the Fed-2

- Voigtlander 6x9 folder (1929). Mechanically fine, clean lens, and the bellows don't leak. Poor VF and no RF, but decent wire 'sports' frame.

- Canon S45 4mpx digital -- very nice condition and very compact

- Canon G2 digital -- one of my favourite cams, but I'd like to upgrade to the latest G6

On my maybe list are

- Rolleiflex TLR 3.5F Planar, superb condition

- Rollei Mutar 1.5x Bayonet II for 3.5F

- Olympus OM-1, black, recently CLA'd, and in gorgeous shape

I've not even thought of prices at this point, but if you're interested in any of these PM me.

Gene

 

[sfaust]

Ok, I understand the "How many cameras" part, but I am baffled at the "is enough" part 🙂

I think your initial listing was adequate, and could even be reduced a little by getting rid of the Zorki. The R2 is every bit of a carry around camera as the Zorki, so its duplication. The rest isn't, and it gives you small compact RF, SLR for macro and long lenses, and then the medium format. So I'd dump the Zorki, and grab a nice folding field 4x5!

My kit is heavy in SLR, digtal, and MF due to work. Here is what I have, and how I would reduce it if it was just for personal use.


Fuji S2 Pro
Fuji S2 Pro (backup)
(above to be replaced with a pair of D2x when they ship)
Cypershot P1000

Nikon F5
Nikon F5 (backup)
19 Nikon lenses for both the F5s and S2 Pros from 14mm to 400mm

Bronica SQ Ai
Bronica SQ Ai (backup)
120,120,220,220 & 50mm, 150mm, 80mm

Toyo 4x5

Nikon FG
Nikon FA
Bessa R3a black, 21mm 4, 35mm 2.5, 40mm 1.4, 75mm 2.5
Canonet QL17 GIII black
Vivitar 35ES black
Kiev 4A black
Konica S3 black
Yashica GSN
Yashica 35CC black
Yashica MG-1


If I wasn't working, here is what I think I'd like to end up with as my reduced kit for just personal use.

Nikon D2x (digital)
18-70,24, 50 1.8, 85 1.8, 70-200 2.8 VR
Sony Cybershot P100 (pocket cam)
Bessa R3a 21mm, 40mm, 75mm
Hassy, 80mm, 50mm
Field 4x5 camera

Thats 1 digital SLR, 1 digital pocket, 1 RF, 1 MF, and 1 LF

 

[Solinar]

Is there a New Year's resolution in the making? I managed to trim my medium format collection down to 5 in 2004 from 10.

It would take some serious thought to trim my 35mm range finder collection to a mere 5 as well. 2004 saw the addition of a Retina IIIc, FED 2, Zorki 4 and Zorki 3M still on its way.

 

[doubs43]

The truth is I enjoy tinkering with my "collection".... Bill K.

Me too. I have more cameras than most but fewer than I'd like to have.. This past weekend I exposed four rolls of film: one in a Super Ikonta B, two in a Moskva-4 and the last in a Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex Model II/III. I honestly don't know how many cameras I own. I'd have to count them to be certain.

Yesterday, while out with the Ikoflex, I was approached by a gentleman and his wife who were curious about my old TLR. During the conversation the man stated that he was a camera collector and had 108 cameras at that moment.... none of them a rangefinder, according to him. (I expressed my sympathies.) One of his passions is apparently the Polaroid although both he and his wife carried Nikons.

I'm now waiting for delivery of my newest purchase, a Fujica V2. It's likely the last camera I buy for awhile as I have many that require a little to a lot of attention. I now want to spend my time getting those I have in order and actually taking some pictures.

Walker

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Inverse Function?

Inverse Function?

Me too. I have more cameras than most but fewer than I'd like to have.. (snip)
Walker

😀 I have fewer than most but more than I'd like...

Happy New Year to all!

D2

 

[JohnM]

What I have -

Bessa R3, Nokton 50/1.5, CV 90/2.5
Bessa R2, Ultron 35/1.7
Bessa L, CV 21/4
Canonet GIII
Canon 110ED 20 (a 110-film rangefinder - f2.0!)
Digital Rebel, 18-55, 28-300, assorted M42-mount lenses
Canon s50 digital P&S

The R3 and the Digital Rebel are staying as will the Bessa L - I can't get along without those three cameras. The Canon s50 is a great camera for my wife to use - have to keep it to keep her away from the Rebel. I will never get rid of the 110 because, basically, no one would ever want it and I think it's pretty cool.

But, honestly, I have too many cameras. I like to keep things simple and I've allowed things to get a little complicated again - I was out this weekend and my pack was crammed with Bessas. For whatever reason, it bugs me.

I will definitely be parting with the Canonet and I am starting to think that I will sell off the Bessa R2, the Nokton and the Ultron and replace them with the new 40/1.4 and a CV 75. (The latter would be down the road.)

A year from now, I would hope to be down to the R3, the L, the Rebel, s50 and the 110ED. Nice, simple - but, if I come across the right M3 or M2 or even Canon P/7/L1, all bets are off.

 

[rover]

I would hate to be a bad example, but, the mail man was here today.

Kiev 4a and Iskra are now in the house!!!

I guess I now need two more than I had yesterday.

So, what do I have?

SRT 101 and SRT 200 these are the two cameras my father bought for us when we were kids. They will stay.

X700 and a bunch of lenses.

Maxxum 7000xi (I think) and 2 zooms. This also was my father's.

Canon EOS 10s and 2 lenses.
Canon IX (really available guys).

Super Ricohflex, new to the gang but not functional at this time.

Yashica Mat 124G

Hasselblad 500 c/m with 80 and 150mm lenses. I really want a CF 50mm lens, that may need to be a 2005 goal.

Oh yeah, the Holga.

And my Canonet.

Hmmmm, I guess that leaves the Bessa girls, R2 and R3a.

And today's FSU additions.

Too much?

 

[rover]

Oh yeah, Minolta F100 digital and a couple P&S cameras. Sammy's Polaroid One and a toy thingy that doesn't work.

 

[rover]

What I sold in 2004...

Bessa R
Bessa R2
Konica S3
Yashica GSN
Himatic 9
Lenses and accessories.

 

[back alley]

sounds reasonable to me rover.
i'm curious to hear your impressions on the kiev. is it the one w or w/o the meter.

i saw one for the first time when i met with russ. i was very surprised at the size of it. i always thought they were smaller.

joe

 

[Russ]

I have fifteen rangefinder's, but only use four of them on a regular basis. I have been considering dumping the remainders...

Six SLR's, that I'll never part with.

Russ

 

[rover]

First impressions of the Kiev....
I want another one. What a genius design (thank you Zeiss). Mine is a 1971 meterless 4a. The focus dial is wonderful and easy to use. It is nice and clean. The leather cover is not original and not the best replacement job, but I can deal with that. Size is bigger than a small camera, but not that bad. I will have to put my little pocket Leatherman tool with the tiny scissors in my camera bag so I can trim the film leader. I am looking forward to getting it out in the wild.