To part with unused gear or not....

<p>I was talking with a friend the other day and he indicated that he still has every lens he has ever purchased. Even if he no longer uses them - he keeps. </p>

<p>Contrasting that with people like me who tend to go through my lens inventory periodically and get rid of under-performers - not necessiarly from a technical sense - although that may factor into their non-usage- but more from a "gee I haven't used this lens for a year - time to sell..." view. </p>

<p>Which camp are you in? Sell under performers or keep just in case you need it someday?</p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

<p>I keep only what I actually put to use. When I need anything -- there is always the big internet auction site...</p>

<p>I tend to keep...</p>

I give or trade away kit I don't use.

<p>I threaten to sell but end up keeping.</p>

I sell them. I kept trying different lenses until I have the 4 that I really like. I have ones that cover all ranges and are all sharp. The only way I'll add to these is if one of them goes bad or something happens to it.

<p>I tend to keep but now that I have a 5x4 enlarger and a couple of 5x4 cameras I am thinking of selling my three lens RB67 kit..... I probably won't though!</p>

Interesting question I hadn't thought about it until now..

 

 

Anything not being used gets sold, to fund something that will be used. At least that is the plan..

<p>I'm solidly in both camps. Some of my unused/rarely used gear gets sold and some is being kept. I shoot primarily with Nikon - and every piece of gear I still own is being used regularly; some more than others. Except for the only film Nikon I kept (of about 10) - a 30-year old F3 that likely will never have another film run through it. I inherited two Leica rangefinders and two Rolleiflex medium format cameras that won't see much use but that I can't bring myself to sell. Didn't have any inhibitions to get rid off all the Leica SLR gear though.</p>

<p>Unused tools are wasted.</p>

<p>I used to have to sell a camera or lens in order to be able to buy a new one. I had no choice. Now I have the option of keeping or selling no longer used gear. I collect cameras, so now I keep all cameras but generally sell lenses.</p>

<p>I sell what I can sell for a good price and keep what I like. The rest go garbage</p>

<p>Typically after I sell a particular lens, I find a use for it, and wish I hadn't sold it, especially the higher quality lenses. </p>

<p>I keep saying that someday I will sell something.</p>

<p>But not yet, not yet.</p>

<p>My central criteria for acquiring or relinquishing gear is based on whether having it provides good or better results or results I could not achieve at all previously. As to the original question, provides means actually provides as opposed to might provide. If gear is not being used and probably will not be, it provides nothing and is sold or traded. Often to obtain gear that will provide desired results.</p>

<p>I keep gear just to have gear as the half inch of dust can attest to.</p>

<p>I tend to sell unused equipment that hasn't been used much, especially if I'm wanting something else. About 50% of the time, I later regret selling a piece of equipment. I just can't win.</p>

<p>It depends. Some I keep, some I sell....</p>

<p>Just before the prices fell completely thru the floor on used film gear, I sold most of mine off. I really didn't own anything that I can't replace, so out it went. Of course all of sentimental Nikon gear that I've owned since high school, remains.</p>

<p>So far I've been able to pass along unused equipment to my children, and consequently we get good photo updates on their lives; and on our grandchildren so that's worked out well. </p>

<p>I sell because I’m searching. I was out of the photography loop a long time so I kinda/sorta had to start all over. Didn’t even own a camera when I got bitten again 3 years ago. Since then, I’ve been buying/trying/learning/selling/buying to find “my” equipment and genre niche. I now have one DSLR, one film camera, one regular flash, one ring flash, one 2x teleconverter, one tripod, and 7 lenses, all of which I’m confident I will never sell and will use frequently. And as a result, I will be listing about 6 lenses and one film camera on the auction site in a week or so. Then, I continue my search for a nice, budget-friendly Series 1 because I’m a Vivitar junkie and MUST have one. And I want either an 85mm or a really nice 135mm. Once I have those, I’m done. Nearly all of it will fit in my Flipside 200 so all I have to do is grab it and go have fun! Because with all this equipment searching, I’m not having much!</p>

<p>What a timely question. Just earlier today I brought our long unused Pentax K1000 to my wife and inquired (again), "Stay, or go?" She shrugged and grinned, then asked (paraphrasing), "What if the digital photography world suddenly didn't exist anymore?" I said, "Good point." Back into the closet it went. In the not so distant future I'll send it out for a CLA. I told her lots of film shooters stop at the negative stage and then have those digitally scanned. "Hmmm..." she wondered aloud, nodding her head positively. She won't touch the fancy-schmancy digital slr stuff, and after a 25 year hiatus she may just pick up that old camera again.</p>

<p>I figure money will disappear with nothing to show for. Might as well have something to look at and play with. Once a year.</p>

<p>I give away what I don't use. When I bought my first digital camera (Nikon D80), I gave away all my film gear including lenses, filters and cameras. I seem to aways find someone who can use some equipment.</p>

I keep my film cameras as an investment. I figure that once everyone gets over this digital fad, they will be worth big bucks.