The curse of expensive equipment?

[Brian Atherton]

Ricnak’s post is pretty bang for me: “Make the most of what you have available to you and stop worrying about what other people think.”

I’m long over the – for me – pointlessness of responding to Leica-bashing by people who take great delight in goading about their perceived Leica elitism.

Two examples:

Back in the 70s/80s, when I was a working photo professional, one bloke who worked in the office and wasn’t ‘into’ photography, was forever banging on to me when he saw me with a camera “not another lens/camera… how much did that cost?” which rather made me smile, as he overlooked the irony of boasting to all and sundry at every opportunity to the point of boredom about his latest new fishing equipment acquisition that cost a lot more than any of my camera gear ever cost.

On a different tack were some of the members of a camera club I was involved with for a time, who spent more time trying impress each other with their latest camera or lens purchase, and making sure everyone knew what they paid for it, and who hardly ever showed any work.

 

[Vince Lupo]

On the contrary, many of them are horrible to drive. Stiff suspension, heavy short clutches, noisy, with uncomfortable seats, and unreliable. Its purely for status.

Obviously you've never driven a Cayman 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

On the contrary, many of them are horrible to drive. Stiff suspension, heavy short clutches, noisy, with uncomfortable seats, and unreliable. Its purely for status. .. .

A friend of mine had his new 911 delivered without seats so he could have leather Recaros installed. It certainly wasn't uncomfortable, noisy, horrible to drive or unreliable. He just liked fast cars and could afford them. His other car was a Maserati Ghibli which was rather less reliable.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Rodchenko]

My favourite car is an original Mini.

 

[Bruno Gracia]

My favourite car is an original Mini.

We share love 🙂

 

[mfogiel]

I think one should distinguish an "expensively embroidered" piece of equipment from a high quality/highly specialized/expensive equipment.
A gold plated camera with lizard skin would be in the first category, and is probably best left sitting behind a glass in your display box, while a Noctilux, like many other special lenses, would be in the second, and frankly I see nothing wrong with using one.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I think one should distinguish an "expensively embroidered" piece of equipment from a high quality/highly specialized/expensive equipment.
A gold plated camera with lizard skin would be in the first category, and is probably best left sitting behind a glass in your display box, while a Noctilux, like many other special lenses, would be in the second, and frankly I see nothing wrong with using one.

A beautiful analogy! I shall borrow it forthwith!

On an entirely separate note, who else finds it ironic that a picture of a Porsche has been posted unnecessarily big, so that we have to scroll from side to side to read posts that obey the rules?

Cheer,

R.

 

[Rodchenko]

That's an important distinction, mfogiel

 

[Vince Lupo]

On an entirely separate note, who else finds it ironic that a picture of a Porsche has been posted unnecessarily big, so that we have to scroll from side to side to read posts that obey the rules?

Cheer,

R.

Referring to my Porsche are we? Doesn't look big on my screens at all, even my iPhone (no side-to-side scrolling). Don't know what kind of screen you're using.....

 

[MikeAUS]

Referring to my Porsche are we? Doesn't look big on my screens at all, even my iPhone (no side-to-side scrolling). Don't know what kind of screen you're using.....

Fits easy on my screen about 60% no scrolling. You are exonerated from breaking the RFF rules in this case I believe, but tread carefully 😀

 

[jsrockit]

People have different priorities and different obligations in life. Those people who say you are wasting your money are viewing the matter through their life's lens. Traveling is great, but I've always been more interested in things I can use for the majority of my life... Meaning I can use a lens for the other 49-50 weeks of the year that I'm not traveling. I don't need a car in NYC. Also, people make varying amounts of cash and what is expensive to me may be cheap to someone else. That's just life.

 

[Johann Espiritu]

One of the "curses" is that it is impossible to "downgrade" your gear once you start to purchase the pricey stuff. I always ended up acquiring expensive gear ever since I started treating myself to the luxury. Any regrets? Not really!

 

[Vince Lupo]

Fits easy on my screen about 60% no scrolling. You are exonerated from breaking the RFF rules in this case I believe, but tread carefully 😀

Appreciate the blessing -- I need all I can get!

Interestingly, things may not be as expensive as they might appear (of course 'expensive' being a relative term), and the cost of running them can actually be quite low. At least that's been our experience.

 

[Corran]

It's called jealousy.

I don't have a Noct, nor do I think I ever will, because $10k is way more money than I would spend for one lens, especially when I have other options. Do I think less of you because you have one? Nah. If I wanted, I could sell $10k worth of my gear and get one, but I'd rather have the other stuff.

Personal choice is just that.

Personally, most of my best work has been done in my extremely boring small town. The trick was finding the right thing to shoot. It's not as easy but since I have 24/7 access it's fine. On the flip side, when I'm traveling, I don't have that inside knowledge of the area, and usually end up making mediocre photos (and the more I visit the same area, the better I get). So staying local isn't necessarily bad.

 

[Rayt]

I allocate a monthly budget for personal discretionary spending after I have paid for all the necessities for my family and then a large sum of cash for my wife. She handle the finances and I bring home the dough. If I choose to spend $10k on a Noctilux then why not. I don't have one but why not damn it! I have done my part and paid my dues. On the other hand I can't relate to people who feels they need to spend more than $20k for a new car. Priorities.

 

[cmc850]

a different take....

a different take....

This from the OP:
"stop creating bokehy mess and make real pictures"

Certainly an offensive statement meant to suggest that shallow-focus is some kind of parlor trick maybe - and might be an example of gear envy as, more and more, photography of the masses is done with tiny lenses, tiny sensors incapable of shallow depth.

That said, I think there may be a grain of truth in there, for me. Shallow focus is in a way like B&W - an alternate vision not directly related to the way we normally "see".

I do see lots of money and effort spent on this elusive "bokeh" - going back to when I started in photography 40 year ago, nobody called it that, nor, does it seem, was it so highly regarded. A whole school of thought was devoted to stopping down and seeing everything in the frame clearly.

A bit of a devil's advocate here, as I like experimenting with focus as much or more as anyone - but wondering about other's take on the pursuit of bokeh nirvana?

As for expensive gear, it's all relative - and people always spend their money where they get the most reward. Even if, for some, the reward is the status implied by the ownership of such goods. Oh well.

 

[Paul Jenkin]

I've owned all sorts of cheap, medium priced and expensive kit and I settle on what I like using best. It's totally subjective and why should some snob or anti-snob voice an opinion on how you spend your money or what kit you use? Moreover, why should you take any notice of what they say. If anyone pulls that sort of stunt on me, I tend to just walk away and leave them talking to themselves. Everyone's entitled to an opinion but, in my opinion, one's own opinion is the only one that merits listening to.

 

[NY_Dan]

When it comes to expensive equipment, or any equipment for the matter, very few will devout the time and passion or possess the talent to create anything special. So if one posts to a public forum regarding their 9k lens, and receive some bad replies, I suggest poster and responders have a "shoot-off." Each posting 3 of their best photos and see what's what.

Personally, if someone craves a piece of gear and has the resources to purchase it, more power to them. Even if all they shoot is their cat, the benefit to other photographers is that their purchases keep the manufacturers upon whom we all rely in business. And should they grow tired of their purchase it may become available to a shooter at a reduced price -- so everyone wins.

As for a Noct lens, my point of view is that a 1.4 should suffice. And if one can shoot wide open with a Noct and consistently get sharp photos in real situations of candid moments, I take my hat off to them. If the owner of such an expensive piece of glass can use it without worrying about damaging it -- that impresses me too. I like Mellencamp's song title: Nothin' Matters And What If It Did.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I respect OP's gear choice.
We have boat which we paid 15K new and using it few times per year.
For those money we could purchase one of those expensive lenses and digital Leica. And use it regularly for family pictures. Compact size camera, good quality images...
But some how my Canon 5D with 50L is much more practical for family pictures.
Is it more practical to travel with cheaper camera, lens set? Yes.
But pleasure of ownership isn't always practical 🙂

 

[willie_901]

I think that much of the antipathy is engendered by the way in which Leica products, among others, are over-enthusiastically touted by some users.

This is the second reason I refuse to use Leica products. Random events evolved such that I can buy them without consequence. If I had never found RFF or read other Leica-centric Forums I would probably have bought some.

At the same time I support YYV 146's decision to buy and use what makes him happy. Life is too short to compromise if you really don't need to. The facts here are clear. The Noctilux is an incredible tool and it's worth every penny. Insulting an aesthetic approach (the anti-bokeh rant) reflects a narrow minded and selfish mind.