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Less is more. Get one nice used lens and camera and make it work. See if you can find a lens that takes the same filters as your 35 mm gear etc. Make it a challenge. Whatever you do, have fun!
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I fell in love with the beauty of the 4x5 Tachihara and picked one up new while in Midwest Photo in Columbus Ohio but all my lenses, film holders and such all came one at a time used.
Currently I have been harvesting the unused supplies from our local college's photo students taking a large format class, so many are so locked into using digital cameras that their boxes of 4x5 TX320 and TX400 only had 2 to 15 plates used out of them and I offer pennies on the dollar to them and they take it. No one purchased their own 4x5 camera but many did buy brand new film holders and that is a boom business buying them. Their grades suffered from handing in digital prints rahter than actual silver prints. I took the class and handed in mounted contract prints.
Lee
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Interesting. I'm starting to get a little more excited about this re-outfitting mission.
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 Originally Posted by Nicholas Lindan
Darkroom timers, however, should always be purchased new...
Yeah, don't think I didn't check eBay before I sent you my money.  The good news is, people tend to hold on to quality gear.
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Over the past few decades I've accumulated many pieces of LF equipment. All were used. It's protection against depreciation. The only new equipment in 4 decades has been digital for casual use. That really depreciates, while quality LF gear sometimes brings more money than several years ago. If you buy a new camera to use, it becomes a less valuable used camera. This old tightwad would rather someone else take that loss.
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Go ahead and buy NEW equipment, just remember that after only one day it becomes USED equipment. If the costs bother you, start with a brand new pin hole camera.
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Originally Posted by railwayman3
Well, if you must have new LF equipment costing $10,000, you just have to find the $$. If you don't have $10,000, I guess you just have to compromise, be satisfied and live with it....or take up fishing. 
And spend the ten grand on a boat, motor, poles, etc.
I do use a digital device in my photographic pursuits when necessary.
When someone rags on me for using film, I use a middle digit, upraised.
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Go for it, buy new then sell it all in the for sale area! I'll be looking for some never used or used only once.
Really though it's up to you what you buy. There isn't anything wrong with new. It does keep the manufactures in business.
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If your gear habits are such that you keep your equipment in pristine condition, with nary a mark or blemish, you may find it difficult to find used equipment in equivalent condition, and still be required to pay a premium for such quality. So ask yourself if you're the worker bee who manhandles gear, or the esthetic artiste type who babies them.
When buying used you have to deal with inaccurate descriptions, return policies, and seller reputations. You just have to be a bit more careful. If you are meticulous about your gear, I'm sure you will be able to find it used, and sometimes at a decent priced, but it will take time and diligence.
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Let me ask you a question if I may. Do you buy new cars or used cars? That's your answer.
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