[WPRESTO]

When I get a new lens I want to try it to see what it can do with a variety of subjects. That helps me overcome inertia (one of those things scientists never should have discovered) and gets me up and out taking pictures, which is good. That's what I tell myself, that's what I tell M.

[Perfessor5646]

This is just since mid-2017 when I decided to ditch Sony and double down on Pentax. (The Q7s and six Q lenses since January 1st, 2019.) I can’t wait for decent weather to take some of these LTDs out.

There is a lot of overlap and redundancy in the photo so I have to agree with the poster who said it’s not the buying, it’s the keeping.

NOT ONLY PHOTOGRAPHY SIDEBAR: I just ordered eight 1/144 scale WWII German halftracks for use in a table top war game I haven’t played in 3 years.

Edit: Ordered four 1/144 scale M4A3(76) Shermans and two more half tracks today. Hard to find them at reasonable prices.

[Wheatfield]

I found myself in the position where I finally conquered my desire to buy lenses. I literally don't want anything. I am even surprised.

That is, I didn't want anything until a couple of days ago when I decided that I want a Contax G1 with Zeiss 45 f2. Why? I don't know. It doesn't make any sense. I tried a rangefinder and it didn't work for me. I also have the 43 limited which by most accounts matches the zeiss and is even sharper wide open. So why do I want it? I don't know, but I do.

Do you ever find yourself in this situation? What do you do?

I often find myself in this position, and generally I put up token resistance and then give in.

[aslyfox]

I firmly believe that, since the wife has been very nice to me, I now have all the cameras and lenses that I want or need

( check profile if interested in what I have acquired since 2016 )

however, I have been wrong before and if that certain lens comes to my attention at a certain price -

my belief is subject to immediate revision

[catfishjohn]

This is just since mid-2017 when I decided to ditch Sony and double down on Pentax. (The Q7s and six Q lenses since January 1st, 2019.) I can’t wait for decent weather to take some of these LTDs out.

There is a lot of overlap and redundancy in the photo so I have to agree with the poster who said it’s not the buying, it’s the keeping.

NOT ONLY PHOTOGRAPHY SIDEBAR: I just ordered eight 1/144 scale WWII German halftracks for use in a table top war game I haven’t played in 3 years.

Edit: Ordered four 1/144 scale M4A3(76) Shermans and two more half tracks today. Hard to find them at reasonable prices.

Trust me, your not even 30% crazy. Maybe toxic overexposure is a cure. Buy more.

[clickclick]

I wrestle with this. Last time I went to count lenses, it was something over 50. The problem is I bought them for different reasons, and they still fit that. For example, I have two Takumar 3.5/135. One is SMC, and one is not. How else could I see what the SMC coatings really would do? Now I know when I buy vintage lenses, get the SMC variant. Should I sell the other one? Perhaps, but then the collection would be missing a piece and is it really worth the time and effort to maybe clear $15-20 bucks after eBay charges etc. when I could just keep it? I have two 15 Limiteds - SMC and HD. The HD does better on contrast and pop on a nice sunny day, but the starbursts on the SMC are fantastic! How could I sell either? So, it's easy for non-believers to cast dispersion upon all these flavors and piles of glass, but for those who have seen the light, it makes perfect sense. Lots of fun and enjoyment in seeking out different lenses and seeing what they and you can do. If they cease to deliver pleasure and represent opportunity cost, cut them loose, otherwise, as long as you get enjoyment out of them and still have food on the table, kick back and smile. Life's too short to get too bent on some of this stuff.

[monochrome]

I wrestle with this. Last time I went to count lenses, it was something over 50. The problem is I bought them for different reasons, and they still fit that. For example, I have two Takumar 3.5/135. One is SMC, and one is not. How else could I see what the SMC coatings really would do? Now I know when I buy vintage lenses, get the SMC variant. Should I sell the other one? Perhaps, but then the collection would be missing a piece and is it really worth the time and effort to maybe clear $15-20 bucks after eBay charges etc. when I could just keep it? I have two 15 Limiteds - SMC and HD. The HD does better on contrast and pop on a nice sunny day, but the starbursts on the SMC are fantastic! How could I sell either? So, it's easy for non-believers to cast dispersion upon all these flavors and piles of glass, but for those who have seen the light, it makes perfect sense. Lots of fun and enjoyment in seeking out different lenses and seeing what they and you can do. If they cease to deliver pleasure and represent opportunity cost, cut them loose, otherwise, as long as you get enjoyment out of them and still have food on the table, kick back and smile. Life's too short to get too bent on some of this stuff.

I have recently started making choices and enforcing them. Sometimes hard reality is I must give up something, and that’s the choice.

• I want to collect all the K prime lenses. | I don’t need an M or A variant for any focal length, so sell all M and A lenses.| I lose the M150/3.5
• I like the HD coating on DA Limited lenses. I don’t need the SMC variants, so sell them | I lose the SMC DA15.
• I like 70’s film cameras. I don’t need film bodies with exposure automation, so sell them | I lose a few e.g. the SuperPROGRAM (and MZ-S).
• I like S-body film cameras and early Asahi cameras. | I have K-mount variants of m42 S bodies, so sell them | I lose the chrome ESII and the SP-F,
• I like the 50’s bodies. | I don’t use them (except the SV and AP), so sell them | I lose some collectible early S bodies.
• I like owning Asahiflex bodies. | I can’t see into the waist level finder to focus them, so sell them. | I lose collectible cameras
• I really like the new DFA(*) lenses | They’re too heavy for me to handle comfortably, so sell them and use K-1 for manual lenses (that was always the plan). | I lose the cool new lenses (and I’m keeping the Fat Fifty, Rules Damned. It is called a choice for a reason).

I can get it down to 7 film cameras, 2 digital cameras and about 30 lenses.

---

Last edited by monochrome; 02-22-2019 at 05:16 PM.

[Wheatfield]

I have recently started making choices and enforcing them. Sometimes hard reality is I must give up something, and that’s the choice.

• I want to collect all the K prime lenses. | I don’t need an M or A variant for any focal length, so sell all M and A lenses.| I lose the M150/3.5
• I like the HD coating on DA Limited lenses. I don’t need the SMC variants, so sell them | I lose the SMC DA15.
• I like 70’s film cameras. I don’t need film bodies with exposure automation, so sell them | I lose a few e.g. the SuperPROGRAM (and MZ-S).
• I like S-body film cameras and early Asahi cameras. | I have K-mount variants of m42 S bodies, so sell them | I lose the chrome ESII and the SP-F,
• I like the 50’s bodies. | I don’t use them (except the SV and AP), so sell them | I lose some collectible early S bodies.
• I like owning Asahiflex bodies. | I can’t see into the waist level finder to focus them, so sell them. | I lose collectible cameras
• I really like the new DFA(*) lenses | They’re too heavy for me to handle comfortably, so sell them and use K-1 for manual lenses (that was always the plan). | I lose the cool new lenses (and I’m keeping the Fat Fifty, Rules Damned. It is called a choice for a reason).

I can get it down to 7 film cameras, 2 digital cameras and about 30 lenses.

I'm proud of you.

[photoptimist]

I have recently started making choices and enforcing them. Sometimes hard reality is I must give up something, and that’s the choice.

• I want to collect all the K prime lenses. | I don’t need an M or A variant for any focal length, so sell all M and A lenses.| I lose the M150/3.5
• I like the HD coating on DA Limited lenses. I don’t need the SMC variants, so sell them | I lose the SMC DA15.
• I like 70’s film cameras. I don’t need film bodies with exposure automation, so sell them | I lose a few e.g. the SuperPROGRAM (and MZ-S).
• I like S-body film cameras and early Asahi cameras. | I have K-mount variants of m42 S bodies, so sell them | I lose the chrome ESII and the SP-F,
• I like the 50’s bodies. | I don’t use them (except the SV and AP), so sell them | I lose some collectible early S bodies.
• I like owning Asahiflex bodies. | I can’t see into the waist level finder to focus them, so sell them. | I lose collectible cameras
• I really like the new DFA(*) lenses | They’re too heavy for me to handle comfortably, so sell them and use K-1 for manual lenses (that was always the plan). | I lose the cool new lenses (and I’m keeping the Fat Fifty, Rules Damned. It is called a choice for a reason).

I can get it down to 7 film cameras, 2 digital cameras and about 30 lenses.

Harsh, dude!!!

Sure, liking certain cameras and lenses might push LBA in a certain direction but what's with the "I lose, I lose, I lose,......." mantra. I can almost see you flagellating yourself with a SuperPROGRAM on one of those 70s groovy hippy camera straps.

I'm weeping for your decimated collection!

[monochrome]

Harsh, dude!!!

Sure, liking certain cameras and lenses might push LBA in a certain direction but what's with the "I lose, I lose, I lose,......." mantra. I can almost see you flagellating yourself with a SuperPROGRAM on one of those 70s groovy hippy camera straps.

I'm weeping for your decimated collection!

To a lens buying addict, letting go of something is a loss, but let’s not elevate it to a spiritual experience of self denial. They’re just lenses and I have too many. :0

[Fcsnt54]

I had a bad case of G.A.S., but I'm passing it tomorrow...haha. all seriousness though, I realized I'm over saturated with gear so tomorrow I'm having a fire sale. If they haven't been used in months, I don't have a reason for using them, and they don't have sentimental value, they have to go...

[Perfessor5646]

It used to be that everything I’ve ever purchased was awesome right up until it’s not. Then I couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. But I don’t have the energy nor the desire to deal with e-Bay or Craigslist as a seller anymore.

Fortunately, I’m at a place now where I do not need to sell something in order to buy something else. (Within reason, of course.) Even though I deacquisitioned most of my firearms to fund my return to photography, I didn’t need to. I was just done with recreational and competitive shooting. It ceased to be awesome. I sold them on consignment through a local FFL or to immediate family so I wouldn’t have to seek out and deal directly with strangers wanting lethal weapons. (Yes, I made my sons go through a legal transfer process including a background check because these were interstate transactions. I have an acquaintance who got crossways with the ATF and it got UGLY.)

Guitars, games and photogear don’t carry the gravitas of selling firearms but still it’s a hassle finding buyers unless one finds a marketplace dedicated to that particular item. I will use the marketplace here if I determine the overlap and redundancy of my collection warrants trimming.

That said, I’ve started jonesin’ for the 20-40mm Ltd even though I have the 21 Ltd, 35 2.4, 35 macro Ltd, 40mm XS and an 18-135 and 16-85 that all cover that range.

[clickclick]

I find it easy (and fun) to get into hunt mode. That's a part of the LBA that keeps it exciting. Kinda fun to decide you're after a specific lens at the "right" price, especially if it's one that's harder to find. Snagging my 3.5/15 with the aspherical element from a really nice seller in the Czech Republic comes to mind as one of those transactions that keeps you wanting more. Methinks there must be a dopamine connection to LBA in here.

[monochrome]

I find it easy (and fun) to get into hunt mode. That's a part of the LBA that keeps it exciting. Kinda fun to decide you're after a specific lens at the "right" price, especially if it's one that's harder to find. Snagging my 3.5/15 with the aspherical element from a really nice seller in the Czech Republic comes to mind as one of those transactions that keeps you wanting more. Methinks there must be a dopamine connection to LBA in here.

I’m following that same lens but the price and seller location feel wrong. While the temptation is strong I haven’t caved

[clickclick]

I’m following that same lens but the price and seller location feel wrong. While the temptation is strong I haven’t caved

I sat out some auctions because I wasn't comfortable with where they were originating. I sent some questions on the one I did get, and started getting real pictures and communication back that made me feel good about the other end, but still always have logistic concerns when coming such distances and not knowing how different postal systems and so on will mesh.