Am I just a "Camera Collector"?

Hi everyone,

I fell in love with cameras since I was in primary school. I used to go to

camera shops everyday to dream about purchasing certain models. The biggest

dream for me was to own a Minox 35 one day.(I am now 30 years old and finally I

own a Minox!)

I used to take many photos, stupid ones including our house's bathroom's toilet

tub. : )

I've done photography in high school time as a subject which I gained a

scholarship by the time of my graduation.

These days, I am into miniature cams and all my collection, which is very small,

includes Minox 35 GT, Lomo , Rollei 35 and a Pental EE3. But the problem is

that I don't take so many photos these days with the cams I have! They usually

just sit inside of my wardrobe and wait for me to take them outdoor on weekends.

But I am still very keen on looking for these cameras on internet auction sites.

I feel like I just love cameras because of how they are knit in their

technologies rather than a passion for photography.

I am little confused here.

Would anyone have a similar experience?

Regards

Yes...

I have about ten cameras, difficult to use them all, but still, I spend time firing them every 2 weeks, and they take turn (about every 2 months)to take a walk loaded with a film.

I would not like to see them sitting on a shelf (actually, they are in a dry cabinet). The fun is to use them.

Especially if your cameras are small, take them with you to work, to the supermarket, whatever, you might find a good opportunity to use them.

If you don't use them then you're just a collector. There's nothing

wrong with that as long as it makes you happy. I think I have 14

cameras. 3 of them get used at least once a week to take a hundred or

so shots. 3 of them get used when I'm in the mood. The others are

things I just felt like buying or I didn't end up using it as much as I

thought and just decided to keep.

Ginon,

Many people collect cameras and their is nothing wrong with it. If you have a passion for finding and collecting miniature cameras have fun with it. If you like taking the occasional picture all the better. I think that many of us have a collection of cameras. In addition to my DSLR and medium format cameras that I shoot almost every day I have a bunch of old non working medium format cameras, toy caemras, and just old cameras that I think are cool.

If you are going to collect cameras then think about a theme and a budget. Unless you have an infinite budget and infinite space even the smallest of cameras soon fill up shelf space and boxes.

One Minox owner inherited his Minox from a relative. It was a camera made in the same year he was born. He then simply set out to get all the accessories and models appropriate for that year. Even that takes some hunting.

One collector likes the packaging and style of the 1950s Minox cameras and accessories and has perhaps the most complete samples from that period.

An Italian camera dealer has a huge number of Minox Rigas. Many must be duplicates as I don't think there are so many variations.

One collector seems to collect serial numbers as he bids on every Minox camera of that type. I am not sure how many there are and the Minox lens B is not often listed accurately.

Although it is easy and now not too expensive to get one of each model of the Minox cameras there are over 160 variations in 8x11 and hundreds of accessories. Even the 35mm range has at least 24 models.

One well known author of articles on miniature cameras seems to be collecting cameras with a gold finish. There are a huge number of these and they do not all look good after years of storage. The MDC in gold is easily marked and may be very difficult to polish up as it is coated.

If collecting wait for samples that are mint and originally packaged. This may take longer but is more rewarding and when re-sold will retain a higher value. With Minox this is possible, although harder for Minox A and Riga than later models. All 35mm cameras are frequently listed with cases and box. If you look for Rollei 35 cameras then the cameras are common, expensive and very rarely with box.

Watch the bidding prices at auction and limit your bids. There is always another sample turning up next week when the price may be much lower. Some cameras sell for roughly what they have over the past 7 years. Many sell for a small fraction of the peak price in that period. Do not think of collecting these as an investment. Even the very rare cameras are being resold for much less than they where years ago in the Christies auctions.

Gerald