My big equipment edit..... rev GAS

[vpwphoto]

I'm only 45 and and admitted GAS infected sort.
In the past year for whatever reason I have been reflecting and paring down my considerable stash.
Perhaps it is just that I know when I die my wife would get ripped off selling the stuff.

I make 90% of my living with this.
D700, 105 f1.8 AIS and 18-35mm AF Nikkors.

I shoot the other 5% with everything from a fisheye to a 300mm f2.8

My Hasselblad and Leaf Aptus do the other 5%.

My Sinar System has not been used to make a dime in 2 years.

SOOO
...
I sold all my Rangefinder gear last year except a Fed 3 and Leica 2.0 , 50mm.
I sold my Shen Hao 4x5 and lenses.

Contemplating selling the whole Sinar kit.... just what if I am asked to photograph something great one day!?!
Thought about selling the Hasselbald 50mm FLE will keep the 80 and 150 till death or at least till starvation.
I bought a Toyo 5x7 half plate camera as a back up for the Sinar's possible sale.
Shall I keep the F100 or the FE2?
Nikonos kit stays.... even thought I am a professed SLR shooter.
Keeping the Anthony 8x10 and Vitax.... I have big plans for it.

I have a collection of Ikons and TLRs that will go too.

[Mark Crabtree]

When film camera prices were bottoming out (bodies still are, lenses are back up) it was hard for me to resist buying the stuff I'd wanted years ago, but couldn't afford. I didn't put any effort into it, but now have a whole drawer full of old Nikon gear. I love that stuff. Old prism F bodies are incredible. The lenses are incredible. The trouble is I've had a Leica M2 for decades that does nearly everything I want (99% w/35mm to 50mm), and better than the Nikon.

I end up wasting a tremendous amount of time messing around with the Nikon stuff. I probably should just get the Nikons out of here (reducing the quantity is probably more realistic), but they are so nice (it is hopeless).

Pro work is different. I do make money with film, but only with a Cirkut Camera and the occasional gallery sale. Everything else is digital. If it gets use I keep it. I traded for a cheap 70-300 zoom this year that I have no real interest in, but will let me do a few pictures a year for a client, so it stays.

It is good to see you are getting a handle on this. I've made little progress so far and temptation appears constantly. I did send a big box of stuff to an APUG'er who bought a camera from me. He works at a school that can put it to use. That was very liberating, but I need a follow up treatment.

[jnanian]

vpwphoto

i agree with martin crabtree ... no use hanging onto stuff that takes up space
doesn't get used ever and maybe someone else could put to use ...

but ...

does your toyo whole plate camera have the movements you may need to shoot architecture or table top stuff?
is there a reducing back so you can shoot 4x5 instead of 6.5x8x5 / 5x7 ?
if you are going to use it as a back up for your sinar i'd worry about the format ...

i have a toyo cx that i use for my 2-4x a year film based architectural-work and had thought of
selling it and using my 5x7 instead with a reducing - thing, but i realized that
the toyo was more "flexible" took less time to set up had a bag bellows so i can use a wide ( 65mm ) lens &c.
i'd sell it ( like you are thinking) if there was a pro-shop near me that rented 4x5 gear ... closest one now is 1.5 miles away

while i think it is good to clean-shop sometimes and sell things you don't need,
the sinar is a work of art, and it is versatile ... and maybe more useful than the toyo in some situations ...
( if the back is rigid or doesn't afford movements / allow you to reduce to a small negative ).


tlrs + ikons will sell light hot cakes !

have fun with your sell-off

[vpwphoto]

The Sinar is just sitting there year after year.

Seriously I think I could sell it ALL and shoot with the D700 55 micro, 105 1.8 and that 18-35 zoom.
The D700 I don't even need strobes for much.

No the Toyo doesn't do much, yes I have 4x5 and rollfilm backs for it.

[jnanian]

makes more sense to sell it all
i am sure someone will buy it up ...

makes no sense having stuff that doesn't, even use for fun ..

the toyo is nice, and ilford sells 6x8 format film, and paper negatives
that size are really nice to contact print as well ...

[vpwphoto]

Here is my much whittled down keep list for one reason or another.

Blad system (50,80,150, 1.4converter, 3 backs, 500cm, and 500elx).
Nikon system too much to list both digital and film 10.5mm to 300 f2.8
Nikonos system 20,35,80... don't ask.. I just like it and do use it once or twice a summer never know when that mermaid will show up!
Toyo 5x7 metal field.. some lenses.
Still on the fence about the Sinar system.
Big Anthony 8x10 studio with 5x7 slide back and 13" Vitax.
Fed clone an Leica 50 2.0... gotta have some Leica glass.
My sub-mini friends... Minolta 16 and Yashica Atoran.. don't ask, but they are easy to hide. (PS I just bought these).
I think everything else I have collected is going..
... except my venerable AE-1 that started it all for me in 1982... my first modern camera... I also will not part with my dad's Ansco Regent 35mm folder I used before the AE-1 came along.