the never ending process of gear editing

...Joe, I'm guessing you have a compulsion regarding simplicity and tidiness... The simplicity removes the options that would otherwise become agonizing choices of gear to use for the occasion...

frighteningly accurate.


...I keep records in a computer database for each item of gear, with specs, commentary...me too!

i do like things simple and neat...

joe
 
Me on the other hand...where is my dratted Nokton, dammit?

or...

I don't remember buying that Nokton, how long have I had it?
 
you know joe... when i started focusing my "gear mania" towards developing and shooting projects it all sorted itself out very quickly. this is not to be mistaken as a snarky comment as i went through it (and about 300 camera/lens combinations). what works, what's logical, what's a good "team". buying, trying, selling.

recently i purged pretty much everything. put the money in the bank and started a full time documentary project. i occasionally go out and shoot an assignment but as a whole, i have used the money to buy myself about 6 months of full time shooting. i have whittled my gear down to what i deem absolutely needed and focus all that gear mania swirling around in my head on the project at hand. i don't know if i have learnt anything really but i spend WAY more time working on taking/developing/printing photo's since i have a focused, clear vision. it also came to mind tonight, as i was working on the project, that i find i head out the door with 1 body and a 28mm 99% of the time. once i start working i don't notice any limitations... it just all flows.

(yesterday i had to pack up the big, back breaker stealth reporter with multiple bodies, a few lenses, laptop, cards, flashes etc etc and it actually made me pine for 1 body and the 28mm.)

what's my point? i don't know really other than maybe a focused approach to shooting will alleviate some of that mania floating about in the noggin.
 
i talked to a pro i respect recently who said that he thinks it's a necessary part of photography and in the meantime, you come to find the tools you absolutely need, which i've done too.. M6 with a 50 cron, a pentax 645nii with 75mm - the other things i get and sell are almost like curios. the process to figure this out was annoying to me (not to mention expensive), but now the basic gear i have feels like it's worth more than the actual price i paid. valued--
 
Something happened recently that really made me think hard about what I actually need to shoot with for most occasions. I've recently sold my car and have been using my son's old Volvo wagon when I absolutely need four wheels ... otherwise I use my Vespa scooter which is incredibly cheap to run and creates no parking problems anywhere I go.

I've been travelling back and forth to the project I'm shooting at a local university about fifteen k's away and had been using the Volvo exclusively. Well one day the inevitable happened and my son needed the car more than I did on a day when I had to be at the uni shooting! The humble Vespa doesn't exactly cater to carrying a lot of gear so I spent the prior evening anguishing over what I could actually fit in my Lowpro back pack and what I would have to sacrifice to get by for the day.

I now use and prefer the scooter by choice, as parking it at the uni is far more convenient, and I discovered that what I actually needed fitted in the Lowpro with space to spare.

In the Lowpro is the followimg:

M2
R4A
15mm Heliar
25mm Biogon
35mm Nokton
50mm Hexanon
50mm Canon f1.2
75mm Heliar and occasionally a 90mm Summicron instead.
Half a dozen rolls of Tri-X
Light meter
Notebook and wallet etc

For natural light 35mm film photography there's really nothing I can't shoot with this setup. It's a compliment to the rangefinder system that such completion can take up so little space and it still does leave a few cameras sitting in the cupboard at home that seem to have become a little superfluous ... they are are now in severe danger of being recycled into MF gear!
 
maddoc said:
Interestingly for me, changing or "refining" gear only happens to me with M Leicas .... I have a Rolleiflex and also Hasselblad 500 C/M since quite a long time without the "need" to get a different / second body, camera or lens (in case of the Hasselblad). Only with Leicas ... :bang:

On the other hand, when I happen to come accross really good photos from a photographer, it usually turns out that he or she uses at most 2 cameras (sometimes 1x 120 and 1x 135) with two or three lenses ... Or in other words, the quality of the photos and the amount of gear seems to be inversely proportional ... 😱
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An interesting post!

Choice (too much?) breeds doubt... is there something 'better', would I be happier with 'something else'. Leica-M lens = lots of choice.

And, you're on the money with your second point read good photos. My photos suck (really) and no amount of 'gear' fixes that. My bank account proves this. A 'good' photographer is good despite gear and is, I presume, a lot less fixated about 'what' they use as opposed to 'how'.
 
Part of my joy in this hobby of mine has been the discovery and use of all the different stuff--or as much of it as I can afford, anyway. Now, I have a pretty good idea of what works for me and what doesn't so my "editing" is much simpler.
At the same time, because I am not trying to do anything more serious than have some fun, I do have the luxury of churning through all the gear.
I look at it this way: I am a chef and I own some indefinite number--15 or a few more--of "serious" kitchen knives. Some I bought and some were given to me. Of them, I use three every day and could cook very well with two. And because the job dictates what I need to use, I don't fret over knives; I either have the specific one or, rarely, I don't. If I don't and see an ongoing need for it, I'll buy one. If the need is temporary, I can usually borrow one. If not, then I make something else work.
Buying, selling,wanting or choosing or even obsessing over the gear isn't a problem, I think, unless it is getting in the way of enjoying the hobby.
I do go through periods where I will use one specific combination for a while and leave every thing else on the shelf. Currently that is the Bessa L and CV 21. Almost certainly after a few rolls, I will decide to use something else. In fact, I am thinking of seeing if I can get anything good from the L and my J-11. Very silly but it will be fun.

Dunno if any of this is helpful, joe, but try to keep seeing the fun in this shared avocation, ok?
Rob
 
I got interested in photography at age 18 and by 20 it was paying the bills. I started with a Canon rfdr body and 35/1.8 lens.The early 1960's was an era where you were kind of expected to be able to use a 4X5 view camera and know which swings and tilts should be used when. I bought a used Graphic View II with the center tilt. The Graphic View I had base tilt, a pain in the butt. I shot weddings and did public relations photography for a couple of local studios and a large public relations agency and they all wanted 120 usually in a twin lens reflex. I picked up an ancient Minolta Autocord followed by an old Roleiflex with an uncoated Tessar. A few years later I sold that and bought a Rollei T with a coated Tessar. I stil have the Rollei T and a different Autocord, both seldom used. Along the way way I've been through Leica IIIc's, Leica IIIf's, a few M2 and M3 bodies, an M4, a CL, and a Bessa L, settling on an M3, and a pair of M2's plus a Visoflex II. I've upgraded bit by bit over the years and currently have a 15mm Heliar, 21/3.4 Super-Angulon, 35 and 50mm Summicrons circa 1970, a late model 65 Elmar, 85/2 Nikkor, 90 Elmarit, 135 Elmarit, and a 400mm Tele-Astranar modified for Visoflex II.

I got into and out of the Leicaflex system.

I've been into and out of a Pentax thread mount assortment of bodies and lenses, Pentacon-Six bodies and lenses, Hasselblad 500C bodies and lenses, and Mamiya C bodies and lenses, and a Century Graphic with lenses from a 47.5.6 Super-Angulon to a 180/5.6 Rotelar.

I'm still using the same Omega B-22-XL enlarger, 80/5.6 Componon, and 50/2.8 Nikkor I bought new in the early sixties and a beat-to-crap 2 1/4x3 1/4 Kodak Precision enlarger I bought used maybe 5 years later.

I have zero desire to buy anything more, a really great feeling! For the past 3 or 4 years I've mostly been shooting with a Bessa L with a 15, but lately I've been trying to use an M3 with the 21 more (Damn, that weighs a TON incomparison), or else I carry the CL with the 40. Simple!
 
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rbiemer said:
I do go through periods where I will use one specific combination for a while and leave every thing else on the shelf. Currently that is the Bessa L and CV 21. Almost certainly after a few rolls, I will decide to use something else. In fact, I am thinking of seeing if I can get anything good from the L and my J-11. Very silly but it will be fun.
Click to expand...

Actually, that is the same what I do. Switching between different "set-ups", may it be different lenses, cameras or formats (135 or 120).

But the problem is that getting the best use out of only one single lens, one film, one developer (talking BW only) takes a couple of hundred rolls of film and years. Different situations, subjects etc., learning from failures takes lots of time, at least for me.... 😱 When I switch from a 35mm lens to a 50mm lens (or vice verse), I need at least one complete roll of film to get adopted to the different FoV, same for changing between BW and color....

Since I have rarely spent that time and effort to really get to know a certain lens, owning and "testing" it for a period of time was more or less waisted money (... and time) for me ... :bang: but sometimes real fun 😀

Time to sell some gear and concentrate more on photography ! 🙂
 
My therapist tells me nothing is a problem until it affects your life elsewhere in some negative manner 😉


For me, the problem is that I love getting stuff on ebay or at sales and I hate selling it. Classic hoarder notions. Am I sick in the head? It's not bankrupting me. But it does make my wife miserable, having so much junk laying around the house. Clutter doesn't bother me, but it drives her mad.

In terms of aquiring gear? My Hasselblad 500 system I've put together has really slowed my lust for most other cameras. I finally bought a Leica M2 last autumn, and that has also slowed me down a lot.

I still cruise ebay for good deals, but it's not nearly as tempting to bid since I have my M2 and my 503cx sitting at home.

I haven't lusted after any of the new digital cameras like the Canon 5D II or Nikon D700 like I probably would have in the past. I just love using my old film gear enough that I never feel like I'm missing out.

My advice if you think you have a problem? Try to save up your money and finally buy your dream items. For me, the ultimate goal was my Hasselblad kit and a Leica body. I don't really lust after Leica lenses since I realize how subtle the differences are for the large amounts of money you can wind up spending.

Many times I've bought cheaper cameras only to be disappointed that they aren't quite as nice as I'd hoped. In the case of the Hasselblad and Leica, they are every bit as nice as I'd dreamed, and nicer. I haven't picked up my Voigtlander R2A since I bought my M2.


Thank god half of me is very miserly. It keeps my hoarding half in check.


Another great way to kill your camera collecting is to force yourself into something necessary that costs a lot. I'm putting siding on my house this year. I imagine it'll quell most desires to purchase camera gear while I'm paying back my home equity loan.
 
back alley said:
i keep my gear in camera bags, ready to go.
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Go where, joe? what's your goal? maybe you need to settle that question first. If you know where you want to be image-wise, the gear *should* follow.

Otherwise, the gear then becomes the destination... 😱

... been there, done that, not satisfactory at all.
 
Doug said:
Yes, I'm ok owning infrequently used gear, doesn't bother me except when I can't find something.

...
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I resemble that.

I have been thinking seriously of getting rid of some of my gear. I have too much to use all of it all the time. Or even most of the time. That is if I had the time.

I have 4 main kits, and a lot of odds and ends. I have my Fujica, Yashica (FX 103), and Kiev kits in 35mm. and the Super Press 23 kit in MF. I also have an MF folder in each both the Kiev and Yashica kits. I seem to reach for the Kiev more and more. But although I try to keep it in the car with me, I seldom get to use it.

I'll be going on a trip to our left coast next week and am trying to decide if I should take a simple digital or the Kiev with a couple of lenses. Probably the digital P&S as I don't know if I will have time to photo anything or not. I expect to be working 10-12 hours a day. Not a pleasure trip for sure.

But back to Joe's point, what am I doing with all this stuff? I bought it with the expectation of using it. I just don't find time with my work schedule. Oh well. Joe, if you ever feel certain you have the gear issue figured out, please let me know. :bang: :bang:
 
I have the same first three lenses, Keith: 15/25/35. I worked out the focal length separation, how it fit in with what I shot, and planned the purchases.

Still wonder about 12/21/35, though, or 12/21/25/35...!
 
shadowfox said:
Go where, joe? what's your goal? maybe you need to settle that question first. If you know where you want to be image-wise, the gear *should* follow.

Otherwise, the gear then becomes the destination... 😱

... been there, done that, not satisfactory at all.
Click to expand...

if you look at my flickr, the goal seems clear to me...i document a very small area of the city i live in. i travel maybe 10 city blocks from 99th street to 109th street and one block on either side of the main drag of whyte avenue, here in my adopted home of edmonton. so maybe 30 or so blocks of real estate.
this is how i know that i don't need fast lenses or really long lenses. and how i am coming to the conclusion that i don't really need a 21 and a 25 lens. one wide will do nicely.
i know that i prefer to carry one body and one lens at a time but will on occasion carry a body and 2 lenses and less frequently 2 bodies and 2 or 3 lenses.
a domke f6 is all i need for any given day and most times a domke 5xb is good and sometimes even the 5xa.
i know i could be happy with just the zi and 35/2.8 if i had to live with a sparse kit but would miss the 21.
the 50 is a fast lens and i consider it a 'speciality' lens for it's sonnar rendition of the world. the 25 i would miss mostly because i know it's such a great optic and is more capable than i am so i like the challenge.
at 58, i know that i prefer to stay close to home, will never work for a newspaper, shoot a super model or have a studio again.

jeez, i think i just talked myself into the g1 and kit lens...😉

joe
 
back alley said:
if you look at my flickr, the goal seems clear to me...i document a very small area of the city i live in. i travel maybe 10 city blocks from 99th street to 109th street and one block on either side of the main drag of whyte avenue, here in my adopted home of edmonton. so maybe 30 or so blocks of real estate.
this is how i know that i don't need fast lenses or really long lenses. and how i am coming to the conclusion that i don't really need a 21 and a 25 lens. one wide will do nicely.
i know that i prefer to carry one body and one lens at a time but will on occasion carry a body and 2 lenses and less frequently 2 bodies and 2 or 3 lenses.
a domke f6 is all i need for any given day and most times a domke 5xb is good and sometimes even the 5xa.
i know i could be happy with just the zi and 35/2.8 if i had to live with a sparse kit but would miss the 21.
the 50 is a fast lens and i consider it a 'speciality' lens for it's sonnar rendition of the world. the 25 i would miss mostly because i know it's such a great optic and is more capable than i am so i like the challenge.
at 58, i know that i prefer to stay close to home, will never work for a newspaper, shoot a super model or have a studio again.

jeez, i think i just talked myself into the g1 and kit lens...😉

joe
Click to expand...

There you go, that's exactly what I meant.

By spelling out what you know to be your goal, you've setup your parameters. Only then you can decided that anything superfluous and "extra" becomes a distant "optional," something not worth agonizing over.

In the same situation, I'd be a happy camper with just a ZI and two lenses, and a bunch of film.

Actually I envy your focused goal. Mine is still cluttered with portfolios, Medium Format, Large Format, darkroom printing, and occasionally Polaroids 🙂
 
The worst part of having too much gear and then choosing just what you want to take with you on a shoot is that you need a collection of various size bags for schlepping the day's choice.
 
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