too many cameras

[FrankS]

While one can never have too many 50mm lenses (IMO), one can have too many cameras. Some just sit and hardly ever or never get used. Some have film loaded of some long-forgotten type. In order to simplify this aspect of my life, I've recently sold off my FSU cameras, 2 Kievs and a Fed. Why shoot with a Kiev if I have a Contax (and another on the way) or a Fed, if I can choose from several Leica cameras? Why bother owning these expensive cameras and shoot with the FSU cameras? A couple of years ago I did a similar purge on fixed lens rangefinder cameras in favour of interchangeable lens rangefinders, though I still have a few of those because they may be smaller or offer auto-exposure modes.

Can one have too many cameras?

 

[laptoprob]

No Frank, one can only have too few hands and eyes...

 

[danielnorton]

I think so, I go through periods (just recently in fact) of accumulation, then realize I am not using some of my old stuff enough, and sometimes some of the new stuff and find it's time to purge.. My only problem is I hate getting rid of anything so sometimes the purging takes a while 😀

It's funny you should mention the never having too many 50's thing. I guess it was your post I read several months ago when I first joined the forum. At the time I thought you might be crazy 😉 I now own 4 50's and want more :angel:

 

[harry01562]

simple answer.... Yes

simple answer.... Yes

Unless one is a collector, it is easy to have too many cameras. I, for one, will admit now that I have too many. That really means too many to get use out of the ones that I would like to be shooting with, because there are too many choices. I own multiple Contax, Leica, and Canon's, all of which I enjoy shooting. I also own 5 TLR, including a Rollei 2.8f and 3.5e Xenotar, plus Speed/Crown Graphic, Busch 2x3 and Mamiya Press, all with 120 backs. That's in addition to a Arax/Kiev 645 that I like.

That's a lot of choice, before the RF's really get into the picture. Then there are 3... 3? Contax IIIa's, and a IIa, an M3 and IIIa and IIIf. And in the Canon's I shoot 2 7s's, and own a 7 and 7sZ, plus a P, VI-T/L, IVSB2, IIB, III, IIf + several others that don't get any time except shelf. That's when it gets ridiculous. Then there is a really pretty little Zorki 1, smooth as the IIIa, and a couple of Kiev's. And some others that don't see much daylight, at all.

This could almost get depressing, without a sense of humor. It's also not even considering lenses... which I own in fairly large numbers. And then there are the Canon SLR's, almost every model from the original Canonflex (all models) through the T-90. I'm thinking of others as I write. Frank has a point. I admit I'm a gearhead, and a sort-of collector, but I do like to use this stuff.

Simple answers? Needlepoint? Basketweaving?

Harry

 

[Andrew Sowerby]

Definitely. I often get bouts of G.A.S. but I find that 90% of the time I feel better about not giving in than buying another camera (maybe has to do with Protestant upbringing?).

One can never have too many rolls of film in the freezer, however. That's totally different! 🙂

 

[c.poulton]

I have a great system in place that automatically stops me aquiring too many cameras - its called a wife. 😉

 

[rover]

Unless one is a collector....

Harry

I have been much happier since I have given in to this fact. 😀

 

[FrankS]

Thanks for the replies so far. I was worried after posting that I may be coming across as elitist, as though FSU cameras were beneath me. Let me state that this is not the case. When using FSU cameras, they are not the weakest link in the chain, that would be my photographic skills. One of the things I love about this hobby, is that you never arrive anywhere, it is a constant journey of learning and growing.

 

[GeneW]

I edited down my collection after acquiring an M2 and IIIf, selling all my fixed-lens RF's and my FSU cam. But I found I missed them so have since picked up a QL17 GIII and Electro35. I prefer them to my Leicas as everyday carry-around cams. But I agree, too many cameras creates a juggling act. A fun one, though 😀

Gene

 

[dostacos]

While one can never have too many 50mm lenses (IMO), one can have too many cameras. Some just sit and hardly ever or never get used. Some have film loaded of some long-forgotten type. In order to simplify this aspect of my life, I've recently sold off my FSU cameras, 2 Kievs and a Fed. Why shoot with a Kiev if I have a Contax (and another on the way) or a Fed, if I can choose from several Leica cameras? Why bother owning these expensive cameras and shoot with the FSU cameras? A couple of years ago I did a similar purge on fixed lens rangefinder cameras in favour of interchangeable lens rangefinders, though I still have a few of those because they may be smaller or offer auto-exposure modes.

Can one have too many cameras?

well I don't think so....

then again I both shoot and collect, the day #2 son moves out his room becomes my office and a nice big display case holding my Pentax collection, the KIEV boat anchors, etc. 😀

 

[FrankS]

The fixed-lens RF and scale-focusing cameras I still have:
Konica Hexar AF
Rollei 35 TE
Minolta A5 (sticky shutter needs CLA)
Kodak Retinette 1a
Kodak Retina IIa
Agfa Optima 1035
Zeiss baby Ikonta
Akarette
Minolta A2 (sticky shutter needs CLA)

Still lots to play with.

 

[harmsr]

Frank,

I think you actually can have too many cameras or whatever the item is. Some here may think that I'm crazy by saying that.

My personal view on that is the more a person concentrates on perfecting the use of one or two items, the more likely he is to succeed in that endevour.

Best,

Ray

 

[Gid]

Frank,

I'm glad you have so many cameras - it makes my meagre 6 look decidedly modest. I am going to save your post so that I can show my better half how frugal I am 🙂

I think the answer is to own a camera shop. That way you get to buy, sell, trade, look at, polish, fondle, shoot test rolls ............... sounds like a tough job, but hey, someone's got to do it.

Gid

 

[FrankS]

And I'm glad to read that you bought your first Leica.

I'm not whining: boo hoo I have too many cameras, I'm looking at my cameras and saying, why bother with these when I have those. I'll get rid of these.

I'm down to 7 interchangeable lens RF cameras: 2 Contax mount, 1 LTM, and 4 M mount.

The SLR cameras are another story. In today's market, you have to basically give them away, so those I may as well keep, even though I barely use them anymore since getting hooked on RF cameras.

 

[BrianShaw]

Frank,

I think you actually can have too many cameras or whatever the item is. Some here may think that I'm crazy by saying that.

My personal view on that is the more a person concentrates on perfecting the use of one or two items, the more likely he is to succeed in that endevour.

Best,

Ray

I've been biting my tongue... but now that Ray said it... I'll say "I agree". But it depends on the individual's goal.

I don't have a problem with collecting... I have many collections, but I don't personally collect cameras. If that's what one want to do with their time/money, I say "go right ahead". Collecting has it's place; Shooting with cameras has it's place... it's just that some people seem to confuse the two aspects of photography and think that they are the same. Having more cameras doesn't necessarily make one a better photographer. But having more cameras, as in a collection with a theme, can very well make a photographer a more knowledgable photo-historian. And it also gives that person the tools for experimentation and future growth/failure... all of which are important in their own ways.

In the end Frank, you must answer the question for yourself. Nobody here can answer it for you. But here's my opinion: you can only have too many cameras if having too many is interfering with your life/photographic goals. If you're happy, it's okay; if you're not happy, you might have too many... or just the wrong cameras!

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Three Leicas, two Nikons, one Canonet, two medium-format cameras and a baby Yashica.

That's just right to me... because there was one time when I really had too many cameras.

So, yes Frank, one can have too many. Now... is that really bad? I though it'd only cause a storage problem.

 

[physiognomy]

Frank et al,

I too have thought about this question from time to time... especially when I dump out one of my bags when looking for something & see how much camera stuff I really have. Nothing compared to some I know, but I do have more well loved cameras than I regularly use. This thread gave me a laugh because only just an hour ago I found my FED 5B (with 1/2 exposed film) in the bottom of my messenger bag... It wasn't exactly lost, just temporarily forgotten about! I must admit that I have been pretty busy with school lately and haven't played with my cameras as much as I would like...

Harry's quote fits well with me "I admit I'm a gearhead, and a sort-of collector, but I do like to use this stuff." ... I guess that's what it comes down to... how you feel about your posessions & what they mean to you. I'm fairly new to photography & RF's in particular, but I enjoy all the gear I have & wouldn't part with most of it - including the five russian 50mm's I own!

Peter

 

[enochRoot]

i go back and forth. i too have collections, and cameras are normally not one of them. from time to time though, i have amassed a decent number of cameras (not in line w/ some of you guys, but 3 or 4 of the same format). in theory there is nothing wrong with it, but in *practice* (for me at least)...you can own too many. for some reason, i get attached to a camera, and will only shoot with that. so anything passed 1 camera per format is too many for me. just they way i am. invariably i grab the same camera every time i leave the house. if i didn't collect other things, i would probably be more open to keeping a lot of cameras around. but since i collect records (and to a degree...vintage audio), i try to remain strong...but it's a struggle. i'm just so attracted to fine mechanical engineering!

 

[peter_n]

The most cameras that I had prior to buying my first RF almost 3 years ago was three, all Nikon SLRs. I used them all and they all took the same lenses. When I joined RFF I had one camera body, a Leica M6TTL. Now I have five, two Leica M7s and the M6TTL, a Canonet QL-17 and a Bessa L, and I use them all and they all take (more or less) the same lenses except the Canonet which is selfish and doesn't share its lens. 😉 I think I'm sticking with what I've got as I don't need any more. As far as I know I'm not a collector but I have bought and sold quite a number of lenses as I figure out what I want. I have not sold any of the bodies however and I don't intend to.

 

[back alley]

"...At the time I thought you might be crazy..."

you were not alone...😉
j/k

actually, i am not comfortable with the idea of being a collector.
i have no other collections and frankly i am too poor to invest and own them.

i have that great zi because of you guys. i have the 25zm because i sold off much of the canon collection. it was a scarey move for me as i had a fair amount of my 'camera identity' tied into that gear. it proved to be a good move as i use the 25 more than i was using some of that collection.
i also have the m3 because i traded off a bit of the canon gear too.

it's funny that i could own 3 canon p's and feel ok but having 3 different bodies now bothers me. there are times when it takes all my willpower not to put the p up for sale, especially now that i have agreed to buy that leica cl. 4 bodies...

i love the oly 35rc and have 2 of them. i never use them anymore and i feel kinda bad about it. and i always want to buy more. seeing them here for sale lately - it was all i could do not to buy them. kinda crazy...

too much gear makes me crazy.
i accumulate it, feel uncomfortable, sell it all and then start again...that's been my m.o.

my therapist thanks you all for this self revealing opportunity 😉

joe