Obsession: camera collecting

Post Reply New Topic

I'm a camera and photography nut, and have been ever since I started photography class last year. I've developed an especially deep love for vintage (film) Pentax gear, especially pre-autofocus.

Here's the situation: I've got my dad's Pentax K1000 that I'm using for photo class (and that I love to death.) He expects me to give it back when the class is over (he loves the K1000 too- they do that to people! ), and I probably will- I hope to have acquired my own Pentax by then.

It just so happens that there's a great Spotmatic II and lens combo for cheap on eBay at the moment. It says that the light meter is untested, I know, but it probably works (and it's a cheap fix if it doesn't). I'm deeply tempted to bid on it.

Here's the problem, though: I'm afraid that should I bid on and win the camera, I will start buying photo gear right and left. (It's that slippery slope all over again.) Do you guys think I should bid on it, or not?

(I'd also like to get my own darkroom, but that's a topic for another thread.)

Bid on it!

I know how you feel though. I bought a Canon EOS 400d and then I almost bought a digital Leica and then an old Kodak Duaflex 2 for pinhole experimentation but I managed to restrain myself.

I think if you have 2 cameras that's fine! Yes it may be a slippery slope, but you can resist the rest!

I'm a photography nut too and have been for quite some time - I'm an amateur street photographer mainly.

I shoot regularly and have:

Kodak CX6445
Fujifilm FinePix F31fd
Canon PowerShot A640
Canon EOS 400D (never use it though)

I have a Flickr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lancashire.

It took me a while before I used my Canon too. I still don't really know how to use it manually but I mainly use it for animation so it doesn't matter about the lighting when I have photoshop to fix my mistakes

It's been years ago, but I was hooked on camera collecting for awhile.
When I look at prices nowadays, they've fallen quite a bit. (Not many people interested in film cameras.)
Careful of that impulse to collect ! !!
It can get you into lots of trouble. Like having too many collectibles, and not enough cash.
(I still have my Minox somewhere.)