How long, before admitting the reality

[Vick Ko]

How long do you have to own an LF kit, and NOT shoot it, before you admit that you aren't an LF photographer?

I own a wonderful kit. Sold off every lens except for three. I think it's been 2 years since I've used it. And I'm guessing that I only shot it once in the last 5 years.

I just bought another MF kit, and I'm hovering over the LF kit, thinking "sell it?"

In psychology, there is a term "cognitive dissonance". It roughly means "I'm not what I think I am ... similarly... I'm not what I want to be"

Your thoughts?

...Vick

[Darin Boville]

If it is an inexpensive kit just keep it in the closet. If $$$ then sell it and buy it again if you go back. LF stuff is certainly not going up in price...

-Darin

[BarryS]

I'm realizing the same thing about a beautiful Leica M3 kit I've had for a lot less time. Better to sell it and let someone use the equipment than have it collect dust.

[Flauvius]

Vick:

Just do it!

The more often you shot, and learn from your mistakes, the more you will enjoy what you are photographing. You will never discover your abilities unless you are willing to be consumed by your goals.

Psychological labels are nothing more than polite excuses for failure! Do not allow yourself to hold yourself back from anything in life. Just study, press on, and you will enjoy the process.

Just remember, winners do not have to make excuses for their successes.


Flauvius

[r.e.]

I'm realizing the same thing about a beautiful Leica M3 kit I've had for a lot less time. Better to sell it and let someone use the equipment than have it collect dust.

Funny, the M3 is the camera that I feel most comfortable with and use most. When Leica comes out with an M10 that has better ISO performance than the current M9, I will finally replace it. At that point, there's a pretty good chance that I'll sell my large format gear. The remaining question is whether the Mamiya 7II goes too.

Vick, I had a look at some of your prior posts. You are an engineer with a background in optics. You are a self-acknowledged camera collector. You like to tinker with them. You have a young family and limited time. Given that you have used the large format gear once in five years, here's my view. Keep one camera, the one that you actually use and feel most comfortable with, and sell the rest. In your case, this may require a 12 step programme, but it's the right decision

[Frank Petronio]

The best camera is money in the bank.

If I get nostalgic about a camera I'll get one of the numerous books about Leicas, or one of the neat old Linhof books. You can always get a $350 Leica IIIc and play with that ;-)

[Vaughn]

In about 1979 I finally admitted to the reality that I was trying to use my only camera -- a Rolleiflex -- like a view camera, so I have used view cameras ever since.

[Tim Meisburger]

Sell it all.

I have the opposite problem. How long do I shoot LF before I finally admit it is the only photography I enjoy, and start buying more expensive lenses and cameras, which I avoided because I worried I would get over it...

[Kimberly Anderson]

I sold a Nikkor 300 2.8 AF-S lens earlier this year and turned it into a Hassy 500/cm kit with two lenses and some other goodies. TOTALLY worth it.

Yes, I loved the 300, and used it for years, but over the past 5 years I was really only using it to shoot my daughter's softball games and that was really only 2-3 games. So, I thought I'd turn it into some gear that I'd use way more. I don't regret it at all.

[John NYC]

Bottom line is that if you feel like you don't want it anymore, sell it. You can always buy another LF kit on the used market.

I have bought and sold a bunch of stuff in the past few years and there are only two things I have seller's remorse on: my Hassy kit (actually just some parts of it) and a beautiful example of a 150mm APO Symmar, all of which went to forum members here! But if I really wanted similar items again, I could easily buy them right now in the used marketplace.