Step Back

[fuzzynormal]

Just decided to sell most of my camera gear. 

Figured better do it now in case the economy goes tits up in a few months. Also, it just felt like my current equipment was overkill for my projects.

Anyone else getting a tinge of ‘anti-g.a.s. With everything that’s going on?

My last 4 gigs were basically shot 30fps 4K with a single prime, and when looking at my lens/camera shelf it seemed like it was time for my unused stuff to get back into the world.

Plus, the sales will help me pay some credit card bills. 

Full disclosure: while the GH5 and G85 made an exit, a refurbished Em10iii popped up on eBay for less than $300. So, while it’s certainly downgrading, gear acquisition is still going on...

[heart0less]

In my case GAS intensity is usually inversely proportional to the amount of shooting I do, so the more I actually use my gear the less I want to upgrade it.
Sounds counterintuitive, but that’s the way it is.

If I’m grounded and have nothing to do, then I fantasize what piece of equipment would be nice to own, what would come in handy.
But then I just go shooting and forget about the whole ‘you-need-this’ thing.

It’s definitely in our heads and I think that by clearing our shelves,  we clear our minds of unnecessary fuss, too.

So – congrats on the decision, it’s a wise one if you feel good with yourself.

I think I’ll be letting go of one or two lenses, too..

[Kisaha]

From my cold dead hands!

I can't even let my AE-1 or Spotmatic go!

I fantasize ATEM mini pros and the such now.

I do a lot of different stuff, so I can't do with a couple of primes. I can do with a dozen of zooms and a few dozens of primes though!

[OliKMIA]

Yeah, I have a good collection of cameras and lenses but I always feel the urge to buy something more. Then I ask myself the following questions:

1. Do I really need this, what value is this new piece of equipment going to bring?
2. Can't my current gear perform most of the job already? Is this new piece of gear radically change my production speed and capacity?
3. Look at all the stuff you bought in the past and barely use now, is there a chance this new acquisition will end-up taking dust like the other one?

Most of the time, I realize that I don't really need the new fantasized gear. Just think about it for a few days before making an impulsive purchase.

For instance, my main cameras for timelapse are the Canon 6D (I got 3 of them) and I always hate the poor DR of this camera. I want to upgrade or switch to another brand. But then I realize that it would be costly and most importantly, I don't remember any project were DR was a major limiting factor for my creative vision or the customer need...

Also, 90% of the time my issue doesn't come from gear but from external factors, procrastination being a bit one! I'm currently producing a documentary and gear is the least of my concern. You can shoot great stuff with any mid-range stuff nowadays. I also use 20% of my gears 80% of the time. But sometime, the less used one are absolutely key to finish a project.
If anything, my next big spending will be my desktop workstation. It need a refresh and I eventually spend much more time behind my computer doing editing than behind a camera.

[Geoff CB]

2 hours ago, OliKMIA said:

If anything, my next big spending will be my desktop workstation. It need a refresh and I eventually spend much more time behind my computer doing editing than behind a camera.

Yup I use resolve and doing a lot of things in post right now, so I just bought a Radeon 7 (which is on steep discount right now) and I am I'm selling my RTX 2080. 

[thebrothersthre3]

Imma bout to upgrade my PC a bit. 

Selling some gear but also on the look out for cheap gear which I am sure will start to come up as people need cash. Kinda sad I know but it is what it is I soppose. 

[IronFilm]

19 hours ago, heart0less said:

In my case GAS intensity is usually inversely proportional to the amount of shooting I do, so the more I actually use my gear the less I want to upgrade it.
Sounds counterintuitive, but that’s the way it is.

I find that to be (broadly/roughly) true as well!

But reason I believe is simple: when I'm busy shooting, I'm literally too busy! No time to think about upgrades. 

The troubles start when I'm locked in at home, with time on my hands, and an internet connection....

 

[Inazuma]

Haha... I just bought a Leica.. I must be mad

[BTM_Pix]

3 minutes ago, Inazuma said:

Haha... I just bought a Leica.. I must be mad

That's the spirit !

Which one ?

[Inazuma]

3 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

That's the spirit !

Which one ?

[BTM_Pix]

Its a thing of beauty

[MrSMW]

Slightly smug, sold off most of my kit at the end of last year’s wedding season ahead of new bodies (XT4’s) and a change of glass.

Cancelled the pre-order a month or so back.

It now currently comes down to:

A: Will I get a limited season this year in which case I will get some used gear to see me through...grrr, now slightly less smug as some of that would be what I sold off.

B: No season this year but next looking OK so might invest in some gear with some longevity built in as intended.

Rule of thumb now is that unless it has an ‘eat by date’ on it and a full set of macros, I’m not buying it.

Just imagine if you had recently bought a GFX100 and the Worlds’ economies do crash?! Anyone know anyone like that?

[noone]

Amateur use only!

The now aging A7s is STILL the camera I have always wanted and it is staying for as long as it lives (still have my first A7s which i keep, thinking I will get fixed but it would probably cost more to fix than get another and would cost me just to see how much it would cost to fix).

My superzoom camera is a Fuji HS 30 EXR and i inherited it from my late Dad so it is staying put (sold my smaller canon superzoom when i got the Fuji).

My odd ball camera is also from my late Dad, a ancient Canon G10 and video is only VGA with little control and the camera is rubbish above ISO 400 but four control wheels in a P&S pants pocketable camera and an ND filter (simple one) ....Image quality as good as an old DSLR in many ways at base ISO.....such a fun camera (if i could cross breed it with my A7s I doubt I would ever want another camera though knowing my luck the pups would be the worst of both)...keeping out of sentiment (plus is just so much fun to use).

My small pocket camera (well I have a few mostly unused) is probably a little Nikon P&S but it and all the others are pretty much throw away and only one has even full HD the others just 720p ...due to some bargains and some surprise available money, i WILL get a better small camera preferably with a larger sensor and 4k and at least some video control in the next couple of months...which one though???

Underwater pocket camera is a crap little Panasonic but since I hardly use it no rush to replace and not worth selling.

Other pet film cameras can stay (another Spotmatic and FD film SLR) plus a Polaroid 600SE among them....that 600se COULD go at some point as they sell for silly money as do the lenses and I have not used it for ages (would love to stick a digital back on it though).

Lenses and after getting rid a of a lot over the last few years and adding/replacing/adding again I think I am set though do want to add a new AF portrait lens for FE.     Do not think i will get rid of any more now or add anything much with a core group of about 6 lenses.....Again, any portrait lens will likely be because others are selling but that will be a few months if I do.

Need a new on camera mic and i would not mind a portable sound recorder (last one died too long ago).

Oh and a EF to E speedbooster/focal reducer but only so I can try my 17mm tilt shift lens boosted FF to see if i get a much wider FF lens but it will need to be cheap.

If I lived in a larger city, i would get rid of a lot of camera "stuff" including some old unused lenses. 

 

[ntblowz]

Sold 40% of my equipment prior to lockdown, glad I did, cause money is certainly handy when it is in your bank at this situation we are today.

 

Still looking for R5/R6 later this year though.

[kye]

On 4/18/2020 at 3:08 PM, heart0less said:

In my case GAS intensity is usually inversely proportional to the amount of shooting I do, so the more I actually use my gear the less I want to upgrade it.

Absolutely agree on this one.

I think there's an element of focus - the more you shoot the more you shift your focus from equipment to composition and the things you think about when shooting.  

[noone]

It just dawned on me that NOTHING I own in photo/video currently is newer than about six years old!   (My current A7s was brand new a few months ago but would have still been made years ago) so would not get all that much for any of it.

 

[IronFilm]

12 hours ago, MrSMW said:

A: Will I get a limited season this year in which case I will get some used gear to see me through...grrr, now slightly less smug as some of that would be what I sold off.

Look on the upside, with the coming economic crash we're in, you should be able to buy back the gear in the future at an even cheaper price than you sold it in the past!

Also you've now got the option to "downgrade" to something even cheaper that is still good enough to "get the job done". Perhaps 2x Panasonic G85, one each for yourself and your second shooter, plus 2x G7 for the locked off shots. Bargains!

 

12 hours ago, MrSMW said:

Rule of thumb now is that unless it has an ‘eat by date’ on it and a full set of macros, I’m not buying it.

What do you mean by "a full set of macros"?

  

8 hours ago, ntblowz said:

Sold 40% of my equipment prior to lockdown

Amazing timing! What did you get rid of?

[User]

I'm  not going to step back... I'm going to stand back.

😉

[MrSMW]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

What do you mean by "a full set of macros"?

Protein, Carbs, Fats 🧐

Otherwise yes, maybe can buy 'back' some gear at pretty much what I sold it for...

I already regret selling my Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 so picking up another regardless, just not until closer to the time when any actual paid work happens. Going back to that and the Tamron 45mm f1.8 as my pair of video lenses as between them, that's a FF equiv focal range of 32-80mm (taking into account the APSC 1.5x crop and the XT3 4K 1.18 crop combined) plus that Tamron has OIS.

Probably a pair of XH1's for stills (kept my XT3 for video) but sitting on the fence right now whether as a stop gap for any jobs that do happen in 2020, just a single unit with a 16-55 zoom. I prefer to work with a pair of bodies and a set of primes, but that's more personal and makes zero difference to clients.

[kye]

42 minutes ago, MrSMW said:

Protein, Carbs, Fats 🧐

Otherwise yes, maybe can buy 'back' some gear at pretty much what I sold it for...

I already regret selling my Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 so picking up another regardless, just not until closer to the time when any actual paid work happens. Going back to that and the Tamron 45mm f1.8 as my pair of video lenses as between them, that's a FF equiv focal range of 32-80mm (taking into account the APSC 1.5x crop and the XT3 4K 1.18 crop combined) plus that Tamron has OIS.

Probably a pair of XH1's for stills (kept my XT3 for video) but sitting on the fence right now whether as a stop gap for any jobs that do happen in 2020, just a single unit with a 16-55 zoom. I prefer to work with a pair of bodies and a set of primes, but that's more personal and makes zero difference to clients.

32-80mm is a common range.  My three primes are 1) 35mm equivalent 2) 15mm equivalent and 3) 85mm equivalent.  and only the other day a wedding photographer released this video in which he says he uses two bodies, one has a 35mm and the other is an 85mm:

so that's a common range.