Too many cameras?

[ted_raper1]

<p>The other day I was doing some cleaning/maintenance on my cameras. My wife came in and noticed how many of them there were! Now, she's never nagged or anything, and didn't this time, but she did pose a question: how many cameras do you need? Here's my list and how I use each one:<br>

Nikon D200 - serious, real photography, gallery stuff<br>

Olympus EPL1 - serious, semi real photography when D200 isn't practical<br>

Sigma DP1S - fall photography<br>

Panasonic G1 - social photography<br>

Samsung EX1 - always with me camera<br>

Nikon F100 - film camera</p>

<p>So from my point of view, every camera has a different purpose and I pretty much need them all. I guess I could part with a couple (the DP1s and the G1 would probably be the ones) but I really would rather not.</p>

<p>How many cameras do you own, and how many cameras is too many?</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>Where's some photos? That would tell of us if this strategy works. I use one camera 90% of the time, a second one 10% of the time, and don't seem to have any problems getting what I want.</p>

[marc_rochkind]

I think you're a little short.

 

I see no full-frame digital, no medium-format film, no underwater camera. And not a single classic camera (e.g., Kine Exakta, Leicaflex, Olympus Pen).

 

Do you want me to send a note to your wife?

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>On last count - 11. Plus three for the wife. Can't answer the "too many" question but I might have crossed that line somewhere already.</p>

[derek_kennedy]

<p>crossed that line ages ago...havent counted in a while but its around 85 cameras.</p>

 

[sravan]

<p>I have five<br>

Canon 5D - My main "Real Photography"<br>

iPhone 4 - My always with me camera<br>

Canon Elan 7E - Film Camera (Didnt use it in the last five years!)<br>

Canon S2 IS - My general purpose camera (This is broke and needs a replacement looking at S95)<br>

Kodak something - 3 MP camera - won this for free in some conference raffle - used as a back up camera by my wife since the S2 IS broke!</p>

[starvy]

<p>Ted, I am really sorry to say that you don't have enough cameras. Buy a few more and irritate the wife a little more, and then we might sympathize ;)</p>

[craigd]

<p>I don't see too many cameras there, but I don't see the point of so many similar digital cameras. It seems to me that between the D200 and the E-PL1, plus a halfway decent cell phone camera, you should have sufficient digital versatility. I don't see what makes the Sigma particularly good for "fall photography", or the Panasonic better for "social photography", compared to the Nikon and Olympus cameras.</p>

<p>If I wanted to strip my own collection down to what I really need, as opposed to what I like to have fun with, I'd probably have one DSLR (and I actually do have only one), my cell phone (5 MP and surprisingly decent quality for such a thing), one 35mm film SLR, one 35mm film rangefinder (for more discreet, quieter shooting), and one medium format film camera, plus a reasonable selection of lenses, filters, and accessories. Instead I have somewhere around 25 cameras, most of them film, most of them 35mm, most of them SLRs, with a reasonable selection of lenses and accessories for each system, and a reasonable selection of filters for a few different thread sizes. I don't really need all this, since most of them do more or less the same things. Sometimes I want a particular lens for its special characteristics, which then requires me to select a camera that is compatible with it, but most of the time I choose a camera based on my mood and a general desire to give each of them some semi-regular exercise.</p>

[robertbanks]

<p>I only really shoot catwalk shows and fashion/beauty in the studio, occasionally fashion on location, and even rarer these days abstract/buildings/urban-nightscapes.<br>

So I have 3 main cameras that I use all the time:<br>

- 2x Nikon D3s - for shows, backstage and location<br>

- Nikon D3x - for studio, backstage and location<br>

For taking out and about:<br>

- Panasonic Lumix TZ8 (after my Nikon Coolpix was stolen)<br>

But I've still got my old cameras gathering dust:<br>

- Nikon D80 (occasional informal use or gets lent to friends)<br>

- Nikon F4 (not used for 2 years)<br>

- Nikon F3 (not used for a loooong time, but still love it)<br>

- Nettar (1950's 120 film, actually bought as a prop for a shoot!)</p>

<p>I'm sold on digital now, and would love to add a rangefinder (dream would be Leica M9) for street shots and a digital MF for studio (probably an old V series Hasselblad plus digital back because I like square format ;)</p>

<p>Of course you need the lenses and other accessories to make your cameras useful in whatever situations you shoot in.</p>

[Jeff Lear]

<blockquote>

<p>I don't see what makes the Sigma particularly good for "fall photography"</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Most likely, it's the unique Foveon sensor and how it handles the common hues of fall, primarily the red end of the color spectrum. I was a skeptic until I saw prints at the fair. If you know what to look for, it isn't difficult to tell the difference between those shot with a conventional CCD or CMOS sensor and those captured with the Foveon.</p>

<p>I've got 16 cameras, one digital and the rest film... no wife.</p>

[steve m smith]

<p>Yes. get rid of the first five on your list!</p>

<p>Seriously, don't worry until you get to around thirty... like some people I know.</p>

<p>No amount of cameras is too many but the number you have at any time is always one fewer than you need.</p>

[pge]

<p>You really didn't expect too many of us to say it was too much, did you? Your obsession is shared in this place.<br>

Nikon D700 - main camera<br>

Nikon D200 - vacation camera<br>

Pentax W90 - danger zone camera<br>

Hasselblad 500cm - get back to one day camera<br>

Nikon fe - paperweight camera<br>

Nikon D1 - retired camera<br>

iPhone - always have camera</p>

[lauren_macintosh]

<p>With me, if my late wife was still around I would simple ask "how many shoes do you need"</p>

[szrimaging]

<p>Nikon D7000 - Large Travel + main body<br>

Nikon D200 - Backup to D7000 + large bursts<br>

Nikon N80 - Film (which I haven't shot)<br>

Minolta XG-M - First SLR, sentimental and an awesome 50mm<br>

Panasonic LX3 - Compact, travel camera, not terribly satisfied<br>

Samsung Focus - Always with me, random shots, disapointing in amount of out of focus shots, but really quick upload to Facebook</p>

<p>Yeah, my collection is small. It will keep growing though. Thinking a m4/3 to replace the LX3.</p>

<p> </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Hmm. You're hardly started.<br>

I have only 3 Canon dSLRs to be sure, but something like 140 film cameras, including a number of Canon EOS film cameras.<br>

My late wife would have said, of each as I bought them, "and where are you going to PUT these cameras?"</p>

[MichaelChang]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"how many cameras is too many?"</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>For me, too many is when it becomes a chore to keep and maintain or when it is no longer an enjoyment, so the optimal number is "Too Many" minus one. </p>

[tom_mann1]

<p>You have a nice camera for fall, but where is the winterized body for cold weather, one to prevent the greens of spring from going iridescent, one to make the greens of spring go iridescent, a Lomo to capture the uncertainty of life, the Coke can camera for parties, the water pistol shaped like a camera (also for parties), etc? ;-)</p>

<p>Tom M</p>

<p>PS - I own a winterized, all mechanical Nikon, and both of the gag cameras mentioned above. I don't own a Lomo, but have an old Brownie that I'm sure could be pressed into service in place of the Lomo. I "take the 5th" on the rest of my collection, but, to be honest, 90% of my shots are taken on one of my 2 d700's, with the remainder on a little, relatively new Canon Elph P&S that was given to me as a gift.</p>

[mike_stemberg]

<p>I just shoot one camera at a time, so I'm doing fine.<br /> As someone famous said, 'the best and only camera that matters is the one in your hand'. :=)</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Relax rook, a handful of cameras for different purposes, including simply joy of use, is no worry, but I agree with you and Craig the Sigma and Panny don't much anything from a practical point of view. But who said you have to be practical all the time with a hobby. Cameras come in so many flavors it's fun to try out different ones time-to-time. I've got about 25 cameras of different types, film and digital, and just pick them up as my mood strikes me or, like you, for a specific task at hand, but I tend to use 5 of them more or less regularly as my go to shooters, all quite different. Recently:<br>

Canon 7D<br>

Olympus OM-2n<br>

Canon 7 Rangefinder<br>

Canon G9<br>

Mamiya Super 23 </p>

[richardsnow]

<p>Currently:<br>

1 DSLR (full frame)<br>

1 Point and shoot<br>

1 Wife's Point and shoot</p>

<p>The real question for me is:<br>

How many lenses for your DSLR is too many?<br>

Here's my list:<br>

24-70mm f/2.8<br>

70-200mm f/2.8<br>

35mm f/1.4<br>

50mm f/1.4<br>

85mm f/1.4<br>

105mm f/2<br>

300mm f/4</p>

<p>I think I'm about 3-4 lenses shy of my full kit:<br>

24mm f/1.4<br>

200mm-400mm f/4<br>

14-24mm f/2.8 (ordered)<br>

200mm f/2<br>

What do you think about that?</p>

<p>RS</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>We're talking about cameras here, right?</p>

<p>What is the meaning of this word "need?"</p>

[dave_s]

<p><em>As someone famous said, 'the best and only camera that matters is the one in your hand'. :=)</em><br>

<em></em> <br>

Minor White's reply, when asked what his favorite camera was: 'The one in my hand.' Maybe he wasn't the first.</p>

[pjmeade]

<p>My son, who sometimes acts as my assistant, thinks I have too many cameras at times. This was shot with a G10 that stays in my pocket. <br />In addition I've got an old fuji digital that gathers dust.<br>

My choice of phone has been based on the camera fitted and when the iPod touch 4 was introduced, I bought that because too.<br>

I'm just thinking of picking up some old film cameras at the moment.<br /><a title="Alexander by Peter Meade, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4963256598_7352fc7b29_z.jpg" alt="Alexander" width="426" height="640" /></a></p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>"Need" cameras?<br>

I've got a few, I need only one. The other ones fill niches, and technically I would be fine without them. Especially the cellphone one.<br>

Lenses.... far more tricky answer!</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>Ted,<br>

You can never have too many cameras. I have 28, - or maybe 30, I'm not quite sure - and I'm sure I need more - you know, to be sure I have one that's just right for the job and a couple of spares, in case it breaks down. If you can still get in to the house, you have space for a few more cameras.</p>