I am so confused!

[jano]

I've written this nearly a dozen times this week, and hit cancel everytime. But I think this time I'll press submit. Sheesh. 😛

I'm confused regarding gear. Why? I don't like having half to a dozen cameras laying around in my house. I just want to use and own one. They say there's no magic bullet camera. We've all come across that at one time or another. It's not fair I tell you, it's not fair! I want it!

There's the SLR vs RF debate. I like both. I love the convenience and size of RF's, the ability to focus manually easier, and the super lenses available. Handling a Leica RF is similar to wearing that materialistic $30,000 watch (well, not quite, but similar idea when vs a $10 casio). But which ones? The fix lens compacts are great, but so are the interchangeable ones! On the other hand, I like to get close, with more precise framing, and am trying to learn about using a variety of grad filters, and the autofocus and speed of (d)SLRs is fantastic. Some even come in small packages!

And then there's the 35mm film vs digital debate. Making my own B&W's is fun, and there have been times when I've been simply floored by the ability of color film (whether e6 or c41) to convey those colors so well. But digital is so quick, time saving, and the latest cameras rival 35mm film in certain areas. I waffle from my digi P&S which can take the most excellent images, to the latest prosumer dslrs, and even to the more expensive options like the M8 or fuji s5 or whatever.

And then enter 120. I just saw my first 6x6 velveeta and provia slides. Oh my. I can go hassy.. folder.. TLR.. RF.. What about large format? And the whole darkroom printing experience and results? I.. don't know 🙁

So now what?! I just want to use one *sniff*

 

[wlewisiii]

I guess the best I can advise you is to do what I have done - found one model of each type that I wish to use.

4x5 - Speed Graphic
120 - 6x6 Agfa Isolette III
35 RF - Leica CL
35 SLR - Canon T90

Each of these has significant differences from all of the others and as a result gives something that is unique to my shooting.

It grows out of knowing what you want to shoot and how you want to shoot it. I won't say gear is unimportant, but OTOH, it is easy to get obsessive about it - and I know that all too well... :bang: Still, it's worth the effort.

Good luck!

William

 

[jlw]

Maybe someone on RFF would volunteer to be your "camera librarian," housing all your extra cameras for you and then letting you "check out" one at a time to use.

 

[Gid]

You are not alone!

I have exactly the same problem. I can justify(subjectively) having all of my cameras, but having them all results in a constant dilemma - which one? I really do believe that having so many choices has actually affected the quality of my photography as I find myself "testing" camera/lens/film combinations more than taking considered photographs. Also, I often find myself wishing I'd taken another camera/lens when I go out. If I didn't have any choice, I'd just get on with it.

For the record, I have

Olympus E1 DSLR (x2)
Epson RD-1
Leica M6
Hexar RF
Bronica RF645
Canon F1

+ a variety of lenses for each type.

I don't have a problem owning SLRs and RFs - a relatively easy choice driven by what I'm likely to be shooting. The real problem for me is RF. I love the convenience of digital and have been using the Epson more recently because I have very little time at the moment. So, easy then, just get rid of the M6 and Hexar, but the M6 is beautiful and manual and the Hexar is a joy to use when you want AE (and you need a backup) and I really like the film approach (except scanning which is a pain). Now don't get me started on the quality of the negs/slides from the Bronica🙂 (I did say I could justify them all)

If I did have to narrow down my choice to one camera I really don't know what my choice would be and I'd be sure to regret whichever I got rid of. I can say that I don't need any more cameras, which I guess is something positive. Want is of course something different, but even that is quite subdued at the moment, even with the M8 about to be launched, so maybe I shouldn't feel too bad about it all.

None of this will help you I'm sure except to know that you are not alone. It sure helps me 😀

 

[back alley]

jano, there is no hope.

well, maybe a little.
i feel for ya buddy, it's something that i go through from time to time. you may have noticed😉.

i started with a small rf camera long time ago. went to just about every major slr then back to rf but medium format and now back to 35 rf and have tried a number of them since my return.

i like to keep things simple, although i just bought a whack of om gear.
but the om is the closest slr to a rf that there is and it can take macro and long lenses too!

but i just traded my tiny 7mp canon digital for a bigger 5mp panasonic and while reading up on the incoming digital started thinking about a dslr.

IT NEVER ENDS!

maybe there IS no hope...

joe

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Tough. You need to decide and stick with it.

VW or Jaguar? You made a choice on that one.

Beach house or city apartment? You made a choice there too.

Cameras are expensive items but cheaper than cars or homes but I think we still need to make a choice.

If you do film and digital, B&W and color, SLR and RF there are dangers. One is that that you will end up as a camera collector, and that is not the same as a photographer. The other is that you will be forever comparing things and you will end up photographing only cats and brick walls inside the house and conducting 'lens tests' and 'film tests' in the back yard.

One or two cameras, one or two films and take photographs every day.

Yep, tough.

Keep the SLR and the digital for the one time a year you actually need that technology.

 

[Diggin99]

Have fun with it...

Have fun with it...

For me the last few months have been an exploration process. I started by using my SLR gear...taking it to shoot something like the local fair...or just the countryside. Then I decided I wanted to see what RF life was like. Long story short through working with each camera I have found what I really love to work with and the subject matters I tend to enjoy most too. And I enjoyed doing it. Now I know that what I love most are folder cameras...medium format...scenic countrysides. Now I have a knowledge of what camera is appropriate for which situation and am currently using one folder as my main camera and a couple of different films. I don't think there is anything wrong with finding out what camera you love to work with most...but once that is done the next step should be working with those one or two main cameras and working on being the best photographer you can be.When it really comes down to it I have one rule...have fun...its not a job for me just a hobby that helps me keep my sanity and relieve stress!

Nancy

 

[gareth]

You can have it all, just not all at once.

Narrow it down to the cameras that you will actually use.

I have a DSLR, for quick results, paid work and for getting rapid interation. If you shoot RAW the quality is very good. Biggest pain is that sensor, will I ever get it completely clean?

I have two film SLR's (one would do now I have the DSLR). And I have a new Bessa r2a to try out. I like to shoot b&w film, I've seen some great digital b&w work, but still film based hand printed b&w has the edge for me.

And if in doubt, just pick up a camera and a lens, go out and take some pictures. Don't become a gear junkie, cameras can't take pictures, only you can do that.

 

[oftheherd]

Yeah, I hear you! I think most all of us do. I have eveything from folders, to fixed 35mm rf, SLRs, mediumformat, and LF, 4x5 and 8x10. Even a P&S digital. I even use some of it. But all of it? Nope. Some never used? sadly so.

Hope? Yes, I hope I don't buy any more cameras until I decide some I need to keep and what I can decide to get rid of.

Sigh.

 

[clarence]

I guess the best I can advise you is to do what I have done - found one model of each type that I wish to use.

4x5 - Speed Graphic
120 - 6x6 Agfa Isolette III
35 RF - Leica CL
35 SLR - Canon T90
William

I agree with William. If one simply doesn't have the luxury of owning lots of cameras, one in each class may be the most feasible option. You still get a variety of equipment to suit your various needs, while maintaining a good degree of control over your spending.

No one camera can do everything of course, and I think the gear-acquisition crises stop when you realise that even if you owned more cameras, you would use each of them less, and hence the net return may not be worth it.

Clarence

 

[IGMeanwell]

I admit I am this kind as well...

I have my Folder Polaroid Model 250
My Yashica
A Minotla X-70
My Nikon DSLR

and I just decided on getting into Large Format

I purchased a custom view camera from The Polaroid Guy in Kentucky and bought some Polapan to take some portraits

so much to learn... film so expensive... when will I learn

 

[Bike Tourist]

I have decided that there is one kit for love, another for money.

These days, all I do for a small amount of spending money, is internet stock. Most of these agencies recoil in horror at anything resembling "noise" and, to them, film grain is the same as noise. So I have a digital SLR kit for money.

That leaves my Leica kit for pleasure.

I'm afraid the situation will remain in that kind of tension because I see no way I could buy an M8 and eliminate the problem.

. . . But, maybe I'll try.