I destroyed a camera box (thoughts on paraphernalia)

[Phil_F_NM]

A little off topic for you box collectors

A little off topic for you box collectors

If anyone has a "box" for a 1924 Corona Four without the typewriter, I'm interested.

Phil Forrest

 

[hap]

Hmm. On the three times I almost dropped some piece of equipment, in recent memory, it was because of the strap, not because of the lack of a strap.

This is why I like the Peak Design straps: I put the anchors on my equipment and then fit a strap when and if I think it's going to be useful for carrying the piece of equipment. Straps come on and off with this system in a second so it's easy to choose when to use one and when not to.

G

I find that strategy making sense. However, some straps are beautiful and add to the aesthetic of the camera and even the experience. Once in a while I indulge.

 

[JeffS7444]

Camera straps can be seen as an extension of one's clothing, and most camera straps provided with new cameras are sort of uncool, the photographic equivalent of a "gimme hat". But this too can be fun if you ironically advertise defunct brands and products.

 

[hap]

My name is Steve and I'm a box hoarder....... I do sell gear now and again so I keep the boxes to enhance the sale. I wonder sometimes if it actually does. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I'd like to save boxes, but it mostly takes up room and my wife doesn't find that a "good thing". I even save shipping boxes (to her horror) for storage or when I sell something there's a box on hand.

 

[JeffS7444]

I found photos of the Nikon F3/T box, and to me it looks like nothing special: Just another gold-colored cardboard box. I am always looking for interesting collectable camera boxes, manuals and advertisments, but IMO, 99.9% of the things just look like cluttery old junk to me.

 

[Pál_K]

I found photos of the Nikon F3/T box, and to me it looks like nothing special: Just another gold-colored cardboard box. I am always looking for interesting collectable camera boxes, manuals and advertisments, but IMO, 99.9% of the things just look like cluttery old junk to me.

That’s true. But the F3/T was my first Nikon and it was totally new. I’d not seen a box like that before. The F4, FM3a, D700, etc., boxes all look essentially identical and aren’t really “special”.

Yet, I can’t throw them away or sell them. Years ago, someone on another site offered me a good price for my boxes and would pay shipping (he was intending to sell them on eBay). That the boxes have the serial numbers of my cameras and lenses affixed does not help matters - it adds a level of non-quantum entanglement between the box and its item.

 

[sepiareverb]

I've found so many boxes for things I've sold because I'm a moron and don't think to include the box that I've lovingly saved in another box so it doesn't get damaged in the storage...

 

[hap]

That’s true. But the F3/T was my first Nikon and it was totally new. I’d not seen a box like that before. The F4, FM3a, D700, etc., boxes all look essentially identical and aren’t really “special”.

Yet, I can’t throw them away or sell them. Years ago, someone on another site offered me a good price for my boxes and would pay shipping (he was intending to sell them on eBay). That the boxes have the serial numbers of my cameras and lenses affixed does not help matters - it adds a level of non-quantum entanglement between the box and its item.

You mean "spooky" action.....

 

[Pál_K]

You mean "spooky" action.....

The “spooky action at a distance” in my case is probably a psychological problem - a tendency to infuse human emotions into “inanimate” objects. For example, if I’ve had a camera for 40 years and also some object also associated with that camera, I feel that since I’ve had both the camera and this other object together with me for so long, then it is some sort of “abandonment” if I got rid of the other object.

Here’s a good example: when I bought a new Canon AE-1 Program in 1987, I also bought a Tokina ATX 35-200 lens with it. With that lens came a nice blue cleaning cloth that had “Tokina” written on it. I kept that cloth in my nice camera bag. Well, a few years ago, that cloth went missing. I’m hoping I didn’t accidentally lose it in a park while making photos. I’ve been searching my whole house hoping to find that cloth somewhere. It bothers me that I’ve had it since 1987 and that I might have lost it.

A psychological problem surely.

 

[hap]

The “spooky action at a distance” in my case is probably a psychological problem - a tendency to infuse human emotions into “inanimate” objects. For example, if I’ve had a camera for 40 years and also some object also associated with that camera, I feel that since I’ve had both the camera and this other object together with me for so long, then it is some sort of “abandonment” if I got rid of the other object.

Here’s a good example: when I bought a new Canon AE-1 Program in 1987, I also bought a Tokina ATX 35-200 lens with it. With that lens came a nice blue cleaning cloth that had “Tokina” written on it. I kept that cloth in my nice camera bag. Well, a few years ago, that cloth went missing. I’m hoping I didn’t accidentally lose it in a park while making photos. I’ve been searching my whole house hoping to find that cloth somewhere. It bothers me that I’ve had it since 1987 and that I might have lost it.

A psychological problem surely.

Then the box should have the store name and price tag on it with the bar code.

 

[seany65]

I've found so many boxes for things I've sold because I'm a moron and don't think to include the box that I've lovingly saved in another box so it doesn't get damaged in the storage...

You could always sell the boxes: There's a box for a Rolleiflex SL26 on ebay listed at £72+£25 postage, so if you have some boxes that you could persuade some mad idiot (I was going to say: "...if you could persuade someone who has more money than sense..." but I've got 5p in my pocket and I've STILL got more money than sense) to buy them you'll be "quids in".

 

[JeffS7444]

...beautiful Nikon F3/T camera box
...“That was a nice box”
...Some [lens caps] are nice
...very nice, pristine, original case.
...Too nice to throw away
...[Tokina] lens came a nice blue cleaning cloth
...I kept that cloth in my nice camera bag

If I had such powerfully positive vibes about with my stuff, I imagine that I'd have a difficult time parting with it too!

 

[Rob-F]

about 1961 or so I threw out the box my new Leica M2 came in. I wish I hadn't. I wish I still had that box. I still think about it.