Please help me stop buying cameras and lenses

My experience is pretty much the same as Steve M's. And I'd recommend something similar to what Steve says.

Its been my experience that its difficult to get out of the seemingly never-ending gear-buying cycle until I was able to force myself to try to make pictures I like and to stay focused on this goal. I've found that I'm happiest when I have only one camera and one lens for a substantial amount of time (i.e.: enough time to really learn what images I'm good at creating and that I'm proud of, and enough time to learn what the camera and lens are capable of). You might want to read Mike Johnston's blog post about using one camera and one lens for a year: http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2009/05/a-leica-year.html

Mike's thoughts in that post might seem a bit extreme, but I think the idea is a good one... spend your time making a lot of pictures. Gear-hunting just delays that, IMHO of course. Good luck with your decisions and may they come quickly and painlessly. 🙂
 
Valdas,

Slim down to one body and two lenses for each brand.
That way you end up with 3 cameras and 5 lenses instead of 5 bodies and 13 lenses.

That's already a lot of selling, see how you feel once you've accomplished that. And you are no less equipped should something interesting comes along.

To commiserate with you, I am in the middle of slimming down my Oly, Contax, and Nikon gears also 😀
 
Sell it all and start again. Think of the joy the hunt and acquisition will bring. Then, sell it all and start again. As long as you don't buy junk at high prices you will create an everlasting pleasure loop. Accept that you have chronic GAS and enjoy it. 😀
 
Seriously only obsess over gear that you know has a long-long term future that you might keep and be happy with the rest of your life.

This prevents selling, and the logic is don't ever buy any gear that you don't plan on keeping like its treasure.

Roger's point of upgrading your standards also bodes well. I always tend to buy used equipment for value, but I also hold out for remarkably good condition and or rarity that makes me treasure my gear more and making it less likely I will ever sell.

Also consider that at one point you will have more gear than you accually need, but with ownership comes the responsibility and liability of maintenance. By maintenance I mean using all the gear you own so that it does not get neglected and gummed up.

I'm at that point now, and it is seriously hard to cycle through all my gear, because I am trying to avoid having any shelf queens.

Recently I performed an exercise and imagined that I got an insurance check for all my gear at full replacement costs that include inflated value. I asked myself what I would buy and discovered that I need only 4 complete cameras and no extra lenses outa all the gear I own that I tend to use for 90% of my shooting.

Anyways there's a lot to obsess about. LOL.

Cal
 
Don't get me wrong - I don't only buy (or sell), I also shoot (you can have a loot at my gallery). Since somebody asked what is the real problem I will try to clarify - I regret that I cannot use all the gear I have often enough. I was shooting with Nikon for 2 months, others were on the shelf, now it is Oly turn, Contax and Nikon are now sitting on the shelf doing nothin...

But you have so many valid points in your posts and those valid points are so contradicting....
 
Cal,

While I have liquidated much of my “Stuff” I still have a few cameras (4x5) that I have not used in many years. Like many folks I’ve had Olys, some FSU stuff, Leicas, Nikons and things but now, other than some father hand-me-downs I’ve got a plain prism F2 and a Nikkormat FT3 (that my oldest is using currently), an a GRD III that takes the place held by RFs.

I’ve come to love less more than what was for me excess. It’s a wonderful journey that has as many paths as folks on RFF. I still look at a black OM-1 and wonder, an 85/2, 35/2, and 180/2.8 would be such a sweat little kit. The hunt is fun, such fun some folks can not say no to it. I’ve hunted and found some great things over the years and I’ve loved using them.

For me there is no single camera that is perfect for every shot. I’m OK with that as there are shots that I come across that I know I cannot get with what I have and that’s acceptable. Perhaps my level of acceptable frustration is higher than most.

The systems I was at before I started to feel the pain in letting go were one world-class body for each system (RF and SLR) and three lenses for each. My RF did wide and normal, SLR was long and longer, with one lens on each for backup. I figured the odds of either body going down with my usage were so small carrying backup (again, I’m not making money with them these days) was silly.

That worked well for me for several years.

The answer can be found, yours is within you. Remember, these are just things (ok, wonderful things) that if you sell you can replace. It may cost you more (ok, it will cost you more) but you can replace them.

Perhaps you cutback to a small set like I had, maybe with a MF option too. Then take the funds to buy, try and test cameras to replace your choice in one of the three systems.

Enjoy the journey and keep us up to date on your path and discoveries.

B2
 
I had the same problem, I also thought to keep one system only, but convinced myself they do different things 😀

Here's what I did - I borrowed the R7 to a friend. After a week I was dying to have it back.
Same with the Leica III.
Keep them, just shoot with all more often.
Now I shoot the M2 every day, the R7 on weekend and low light situation, the Barnack 2-3 times a week just to keep it going or when I feel Summar, but it's always in my bag with the M2.
Regards,
 
Sell it all. Own one camera and one lens and force yourself to shoot for several weeks or months. See if you enjoy it, if you improve.

If not, then what you really like is collecting. Nothing wrong with that. But then be a smart collector and do it seriously, with a purpose, a theme, a credo or something. Whether it is cameras, fountain pens, stamps.... you can structure a collection around an idea rather than just buying random old junk. Heck if I wanted to collect cameras as objects then I'd do mostly pre-WWII rollfilm or only Italian-made, something like that.
 
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Frank Version Two said:
Sell it all. Own one camera and one lens and force yourself to shoot for several weeks or months. See if you enjoy it, if you improve.

If not, then what you really like is collecting. Nothing wrong with that. But then be a smart collector and do it seriously, with a purpose, a theme, a credo or something. Whether it is cameras, fountain pens, stamps.... you can structure a collection around an idea rather than just buying random old junk. Heck if I wanted to collect cameras as objects then I'd do mostly pre-WWII rollfilm or only Italian-made, something like that.
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Nope, just collecting will not work for me, I know this. And I think I shoot as much as I can considering that photography is just a hobby and I have a "day time job" (I don't go anywhere without a camera, I must have at least my xa2 in my pocket). Maybe time (lack of it) is my real problem...
 
ferider said:
I came to the same conclusion. The next logical step, however, is to realize that spending time on internet forums is worse than having too much gear .... 🙄
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I do it either at work (hush hush) or when it's too dark and too late too shoot 🙂
 
Frank Version Two said:
Sell it all. Own one camera and one lens and force yourself to shoot for several weeks or months. See if you enjoy it, if you improve.

If not, then what you really like is collecting. Nothing wrong with that. But then be a smart collector and do it seriously, with a purpose, a theme, a credo or something. Whether it is cameras, fountain pens, stamps.... you can structure a collection around an idea rather than just buying random old junk. Heck if I wanted to collect cameras as objects then I'd do mostly pre-WWII rollfilm or only Italian-made, something like that.
Click to expand...

Dear Frank,

Ummm... No. I have several different outfits that do several different things. And they all earn me money from time to time.

One camera and one lens may be OK for some amateurs, or conceivably, for a very, very few professionals who take only one kind of picture and like to live dangerously. Otherwise... No.

Cheers,

R.
 
I don't think any one of us are going to be able to tell you what equipment to keep...tastes differ. Pick YOUR favorite SLR system that you currently have and sell the rest. It may leave a bitter taste in your mouth in the short term, but I bet you don't miss them at all in a years time.

As far as the whole buying and selling addiction is concerned, I honestly think that the best thing that you can do to stop your addiction is unplug your computer. Ebay and internet forum classifieds are bad news if you have a weak will. I'm seriously thinking about unplugging for awhile - too much life and money are wasted surfing the net.
 
If you really want to solve the problem, you will find a way. You will just do it. Until that time, you will pass the responsibility to all the folks answering, not able to give THE answer to make you stop. So far you are just an addict - but buying gear is much better than buying drugs...;-))
 
Frank Version Two said:
Sell it all. Own one camera and one lens and force yourself to shoot for several weeks or months. See if you enjoy it, if you improve.

If not, then what you really like is collecting.
Click to expand...

I'm with Roger on this one - if that were true, professionals were easy to spot by owning only one camera and lens. But that is true for none that I know, indeed most of them are gear sluts - certainly different from RFF as formats are a primary concern while nobody talks RF/SLR or bokeh, but everyone seems to have some four or five active camera systems, plus an impressive attic full of past relics.

FWIW, I know one or two that own no camera at all - but none of these would rent a studio that only has one camera and one lens...
 
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OK I won't beat him up for owning more than one camera but having three different SLR systems is a bit redundant. I mean live large and own a few cameras but why not spread their capabilities out? ....say a 35mm SLR and RF kit, a Medium format SLR system, a classic 120 folder or TLR... that sort of thing.

But I still say sell all that junk and start over, obviously you enjoy the hunt so just set a budget, whether it's $200 or $10,000, and keep your gear within that limit. Then if you want something new, something old has to go.

By all means, buy that Alpa with the Phase back and a new M9 ;-p

Imposing a few rules helps.... Fascist artist I know....
 
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BillBingham2 said:
Cal,

While I have liquidated much of my “Stuff” I still have a few cameras (4x5) that I have not used in many years. Like many folks I’ve had Olys, some FSU stuff, Leicas, Nikons and things but now, other than some father hand-me-downs I’ve got a plain prism F2 and a Nikkormat FT3 (that my oldest is using currently), an a GRD III that takes the place held by RFs.

I’ve come to love less more than what was for me excess. It’s a wonderful journey that has as many paths as folks on RFF. I still look at a black OM-1 and wonder, an 85/2, 35/2, and 180/2.8 would be such a sweat little kit. The hunt is fun, such fun some folks can not say no to it. I’ve hunted and found some great things over the years and I’ve loved using them.

For me there is no single camera that is perfect for every shot. I’m OK with that as there are shots that I come across that I know I cannot get with what I have and that’s acceptable. Perhaps my level of acceptable frustration is higher than most.

The systems I was at before I started to feel the pain in letting go were one world-class body for each system (RF and SLR) and three lenses for each. My RF did wide and normal, SLR was long and longer, with one lens on each for backup. I figured the odds of either body going down with my usage were so small carrying backup (again, I’m not making money with them these days) was silly.

That worked well for me for several years.

The answer can be found, yours is within you. Remember, these are just things (ok, wonderful things) that if you sell you can replace. It may cost you more (ok, it will cost you more) but you can replace them.

Perhaps you cutback to a small set like I had, maybe with a MF option too. Then take the funds to buy, try and test cameras to replace your choice in one of the three systems.

Enjoy the journey and keep us up to date on your path and discoveries.

B2
Click to expand...

Bill,

Thanks for your wisdom; and you are correct, it has been a great-great journey that involves thoughtful self exploration. My interaction with the world photographically has become a visual journal, and it has been great to share this experiance on this forum.

I'm getting old, and I want to avoid any regret, but at this time I am still growing and feel that it might be premature to sell any cameras or lenses yet. I also am fortunate to be able to afford holding onto all my treasures, but I know one day I will cull down. Less is more for sure.

At the age of 53 my girlfriend and I are downsizing into a new lifestyle we call pre-retirement. We will move from a rather spacious run-down row house we now rent in Queens to a luxury rental in Spanish Harlem that is only a one bedroom. In the process we have given away much of our belongings to good causes and to help others less fortunate because we know we are very lucky.

I identify myself as a slacker, because I don't know of anyone that has a complicated life that is happy. I'm looking forward to exploring yet another NYC neighborhood that I don't really belong in. Perhaps I will gain the fluency I once enjoyed Speaking and reading Spanish.

As you see photography is fully intergrated into my life.

Cal
 
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