What would you do if you were my age?

At the age of 55 I downsized to move to Madhattan. Literally I my gal and I got rid of about 2/3rd's of our possesions. It was liberating to have less clutter and has proven to become a more carefree lifestyle s everything is more streamlined.

It seems I appreciate more what I have. BTW I still own more cameras than I need...

Cal
 
Calzone said:
...BTW I still own more cameras than I need...

Cal
Click to expand...

I believe that the enough cameras is a binary answer. You either have more or less. Just enough is an infinitesimally small value that it's impossible to get it right. Different for everyone, but so small that all most all of the combinations in the world of this camera or that won't add up to the perfect number.

B2 (;->
 
That's a really nice mix of camera gear, Huub. I can see your predicament, as I too am of that age, and can't seem to get all my stuff into the rotation. I've already boxed quite a bit of it up for sale, just trying to make a determination as to which way to go.

I may select certain pieces to sell here, take some down to a local consignment store, then dump the rest on KEH for a buyers credit later. Most of the P&S collection though will go back to the charity shops where they came from.

I've had my fun with them all (well, some were less fun than others), and without any heirs, it's all up to me to see they get put back into circulation. Just wish I lived in a more cosmopolitan area so they would find local homes.

PF
 
BillBingham2 said:
I believe that the enough cameras is a binary answer. You either have more or less. Just enough is an infinitesimally small value that it's impossible to get it right. Different for everyone, but so small that all most all of the combinations in the world of this camera or that won't add up to the perfect number.

B2 (;->
Click to expand...

B2,

How true. No perfect number. I hold onto some cameras as to avoid remorse, as once I sell it is unlikely that they will be replaced.

Even cameras that I seldom use, I hold onto because of possible future utility. Hard to speculate the future of where I might live, or what might become more important. All this gets compounded by the vulnerability of aging that is accompanied with more and more uncertainty as we age.

Cal
 
Have fun sellin em...or giving em awaaaayyyy.....!
Maybe keep the top 5 lenses...get an A7s...and some adapters...and you are in business...
I've got so much stuff I've bought in the last 30 years camerawise...and then there is my pops camera stuff too...and then the drums and cymbals...and the books..
So at 60 now..there isn't a day that goes by..that I don't contemplate my own release from the physical plane...and make it a point to try to ease my wifes responsibilities for all the stuff I've accumulated over the years..
That day is coming soon for me..but not today..
 
Having retired I am selling off my collection piece by piece. Little things and those of marginal interest go onto Ebay, more specialist and pricey things get sold through London dealers. I have even been known to send very nice things to Westlicht.

When using dealers some things I do on commission, knowing full well that that they will sell quite quickly and others, that may hang around on a shelf for an age, I sell direct to dealer (obviously for less).

For example late chrome Leica M lenses would go on commission, things like ordinary IIIc bodies would be sold direct and Leicaflex bodies would go to Ebay. It is more difficult to make generalisations like this about non Leitz stuff but apart from a Contax or two, a collection of Certo Dollinas and over a hundred movie cameras I haven't got much of that left!

Never regretted anything yet and the process, which I do a couple of times a year, goes to pay for other interests. It is quite enjoyable and one feels in control because, as others have said, you don't really need to do it.

I recommend it, it is fun and when on a pension, the money is useful too!
 
Since you are not in a rush, I'd sell piece-by-piece on Ebay with a reserve price that is at average Ebay prices and with the option to bundle shipping costs. Plenty of good photos and an honest description should get you maximum prices.
 
Roger Hicks said:
Dear David,

Very true. I'm not even sure where my ABLON ($150?) and ORAKO ($50-100) are. It's not so much the money as the idea of their being thrown away that worries me.

Then again, there's always ARSE and ELBOW, which can be hard to tell apart.

Cheers,

R.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I've been biting my tongue ever since I read that and it is getting painful, please don't feed me such irresistible lines...

Regards, David
 
I would only recommend selling if it will turn into something else, a nice trip or some other excuse to use your cameras.

I'm also unsure what the dynamic is like with your kids/grandkids. Knowing my parents, the best gift they could give to me is to enjoy their lives more.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Calzone said:
At the age of 55 I downsized to move to Madhattan. Literally I my gal and I got rid of about 2/3rd's of our possesions. It was liberating to have less clutter and has proven to become a more carefree lifestyle s everything is more streamlined.

It seems I appreciate more what I have. BTW I still own more cameras than I need...

Cal
Click to expand...

My wife and I are doing this now, we own a 3000 square foot house and live in maybe 1/3 of it, the rest is just full of "stuff". I am going through my "stuff" and putting aside the things I want to keep, everything else is going.

I have many cameras I will be selling over the next few months, I am only keeping those I will actually use in the future, the rest will go to someone else who will use them.
 
MikeMGB said:
My wife and I are doing this now, we own a 3000 square foot house and live in maybe 1/3 of it, the rest is just full of "stuff". I am going through my "stuff" and putting aside the things I want to keep, everything else is going.

I have many cameras I will be selling over the next few months, I am only keeping those I will actually use in the future, the rest will go to someone else who will use them.
Click to expand...

Mike,

I hoarded lots of stuff I collected over the decades. Stained glass that I found in the trash, old clothes to wear if I was painting a house or going to do an oil change on a car to wear and then throw out, and some friends acused me of single handedly downsizing an aerospace company because I had all these trick aircraft parts that I could use to build a car.

Anyways today I feel free and liberated from all this clutter that was in my life. Downsizing was the smartest thing I could do.

Only keep the stuff that you will continue to use the rest of your life, and as a consumer only buy goods that are meant to last, even if they are costly.

"I never knew anyone who had a complicated life that was happy." Culling down surely made life more simple.

Also know that it is best to have about a decade to plan out a retirement. If you don't plan you might not have one.

Wishing you all the best.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Mike,

I hoarded lots of stuff I collected over the decades. Stained glass that I found in the trash, old clothes to wear if I was painting a house or going to do an oil change on a car to wear and then throw out, and some friends acused me of single handedly downsizing an aerospace company because I had all these trick aircraft parts that I could use to build a car.

Anyways today I feel free and liberated from all this clutter that was in my life. Downsizing was the smartest thing I could do.

Only keep the stuff that you will continue to use the rest of your life, and as a consumer only buy goods that are meant to last, even if they are costly.

"I never knew anyone who had a complicated life that was happy." Culling down surely made life more simple.

Also know that it is best to have about a decade to plan out a retirement. If you don't plan you might not have one.

Wishing you all the best.

Cal
Click to expand...

We have "collected" a lot of stuff as well, most of it sits unused. We are culling, looking to move into a 900 square foot apartment next year while we truly plan for retirement and decide where our final house will be, we have 12 - 15 years before we do retire.

I'd rather get rid of the stuff myself now, that way I can see it go to someone who will use it, if I left it to my heirs most of it would probably go in a dumpster.
 
MikeMGB said:
We have "collected" a lot of stuff as well, most of it sits unused. We are culling, looking to move into a 900 square foot apartment next year while we truly plan for retirement and decide where our final house will be, we have 12 - 15 years before we do retire.

I'd rather get rid of the stuff myself now, that way I can see it go to someone who will use it, if I left it to my heirs most of it would probably go in a dumpster.
Click to expand...

Mike,

I am a gentrifier. Long Island City was a kinda run down place and kinda poor when we lived there. It made no sense to have a stoop sale, so we just put as much stuff in our front yard with a big "FREE" sign. Our neighborhood was so poor that by the time it got dark everything would be gone.

It really showed my gal and I how lucky we were. It made us really appreciate what we had, and we felt really good helping other people.

During that time I think it was Huricane Irene had destroyed so many lives where people and families lost everything. We decided to buy new furnishings because the stuff we had was a hodge podge of basically old stuff. We called the Salvation Army, but found out that it would take about six weeks for a pick-up because they are short handed.

It just so happened that I went to a Public Storage and told the girl what I was trying to do, and somehow tenderly I found out that the girl helping me was homeless, even though she was college educated and working full time. Anyways she came by my house and we reserved all her selections so she could hire a crew to put her furniture into Public Storage. She was saving all her money to get an apartment.

I would suggest trying to recycle your unused possessions. It took some extra work, but it really means a lot to less fortunate people. I learned a lot about my place in the world and how mucho lucky I am. You don't have to look very far to see the other side here in NYC.

Cal
 
giganova said:
But be careful and think about it really careful: my father is 78 and he just started photography again, with analog gear from his childhood!
Click to expand...

I never regret selling my stuff. One can always find more stuff to buy.

Many people ask me if I miss the stuff I used to have, and the answer is sure, but I don't miss the clutter in my life.

And as Cal says, give stuff away, or sell it really cheap, or even free on Craigslist.
 
nikonhswebmaster said:
I never regret selling my stuff. One can always find more stuff to buy.

Many people ask me if I miss the stuff I used to have, and the answer is sure, but I don't miss the clutter in my life.
Click to expand...

So far I do not have any remorse, but realize that much of my remaining "treasures" involves stuff that was difficult to find (rare), was bought at remarkable prices (deals of a lifetime), and would not be able to be easily replaced.

The original poster has a lot of gear, and not all of it could be easily replaced.

Some gear I sold, knowing it could be replaced easily, but I hold out on the gear that would be impossible or difficult to replace.

Cal
 
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