I understand and generally agree with your ideas. I like to think of
myself as a user more than a collector. That's not strictly true
anymore, but it's all a series of accidents, I swear :-) .
My history is quite different from yours. I never had any real interest
in making money from photography. I think I got paid $20 back in the 60s
for a shot used on the cover of a tiny, obscure magazine and my wedding
present to a sister in-law was photographing her wedding and that's
about the exent of my commercial eperience. So there has never been any
issue of photography equipment 'earning its keep' in an economic sense,
but only in an enjoyment and satisfaction sense, where the criteria are
quite different.
I was really interested in photography when I was younger, starting with
a Brownie when I was about 5. In High School and College, I mostly used
my dad's Topc*n Super D and later, Nik*n Ftn. Eventually I got my own
Ftn, but could only afford a 50mm lens, so I still had to borrow dad's
other 55mm micro nikkor and 200/4. Shortly after the OM-1 came out, I
got rid of the Nik*n and bought a pre-MD OM-1 with 50/1.8, then a black
(I'd always wanted a black camera) OM-2n. During this early Oly phase, I
also acquired a 35-70/3.6, T32, Vivitar 28/2.8 and Tokina RMC 80-200/4.
That was my Oly kit for over 20 years. My life got pretty busy during
that time and I didn't have time for photography other than recording
family events and a few trips. After I was lucky enough to retire early
in early 2000, I started picking up my old interest in photography,
bought a handful of things, then discovered the 'Bay and then this list.
Wow! Here were all the things I'd wanted before, but couldn't afford
and/or didn't have time to use. And a whole bunch of cool stuff I didn't
even know about 'cause I hadn't been paying attention to the field for
so long. And now I could afford a lot of it! So I went on a bit of a
buying spree. Still, I wasn't trying to collect, just looking for nice
clean stuff to use, not perfect stuff to stash away. But now I could try
out different equipment for particular uses and find what worked best
for me. All perfectly sensible but for one thing. I don't much like the
hassle of selling. I've sold a handful of things to list members, mostly
in response to WTB posts, but that's about all. And I can't really
complain about how my indolence has hurt me, because my motly collection
of camera stuff has done much better in the last couple of years than my
official investments.
And the guys on this list are no help! I've got a 135/4.5, Tamron 90/2.5
and Kiron 105/2.8 all for pretty much the same use and some of you are
encouraging me add the fabulous 90/2 to the crowd. Even with all that, I
only have 2 of the 'F2.0s', 28/2 and 85/2, and I don't have a 28/3.5 or
28/2.8. In fact the only duplicate Zuiko focal length lenses I have are
the bunch of 50mms that come originally as lens caps on bodies and then
seem to breed in the drawer and two 24/2.8s, one of which I have
metioned as for sale several times on the list with no takers so far. I
think you need a nice clean, but not mint, silvernose 24/2.8, Schnozz :-)
And the OM-4(Ti) thing is just an accident ;-) . When I first started
upgrading my Oly gear, the first 4 things I bought on the 'Bay were the
24/2.8 silvernose just mentioned, the black OM4-Ti, an Om-4 with T
circuit and a Vivitar 19-35/3.5-4.5. Perfectly sensible, just upgrading
from an old OM-1 now in need of new foam and prism and an OM-2n and
adding some WA capability. Then, a few months ago, really nice 4Ti
bodies started going for much more than I paid for mine and a properly
enabling list member had a nice 4 with T circuit at an attractive price
- oops!
Oh well, let's just say I don't need no stinkeen' excuses :-D
Moose
AG Schnozz wrote:
Moose wrote:
My black Ti is so nice that it doesn't go out much, esp since
the prices on really clean ones seem to have gone a bit crazy.
Am I missing something here? I suppose it's possible to have SO
MANY cameras to specialize them. This one is for abuse
situations, this one is for the studio only--but let's be very
careful to not get tripod marks on the bottom plate...
I used to be that way. Maybe for a minute or two. Then gave up
when I considered that I bought the equipment as a tool, not as
an investment. Sure, there's always residual value, but my
cameras have earned me much more money while getting dinged than
what potential value gain there is in keeping it NIB.
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|