No, not to you lot, but to a bunch of cameras.
I recently decided to whittle down the number of cameras that I have. I seem to enjoy acquiring cameras almost as much as shooting with them. I really do get a kick out of going over a newly acquired camera, figuring out its features, its quirks and then seeing the results I get with them. Over the past few years I've accumulated so many cameras that many of them lay on a shelf unused, a state of being for cameras that I dislike. I think functioning cameras should be used. Not hoarded away or only displayed like Uncle Burts ashes up on the mantle. I think of myself as a photographer, not a collector. If a piece of gear sits unused for over a year or two, then I probably don't need it. The thought of downsizing had been banging around in my head for a little while, but I had no impetus to do anything about it.
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine announced that he was organizing a photo gear swap/sale/trade event (never mind the redundancy of swap and trade, that's what he titled it so we'll go with it) and that was the kick in the ass I needed to start the process of deciding what to keep and what to get rid of. I've never been highly money-motivated but the idea of trading is appealing to me and even if I do wind up selling some gear a little cash in pocket can't hurt (film ain't free, now is it?).
I had been, and still am, a bit Polaroid obsessed. I had actively tried to get one of each model of Polaroid Land Camera, a feat at which I did not succeed. That, coupled with my inability to pass up a bargain on a Land Camera, led to over thirty of them amongst all my gear. I've sold a few and given a few away as gifts to friends who are also photographers, but still too many remain.
I also love 35mm, medium and large format as well as pinhole photography too. All it took was hearing or reading someone else wax rhapsodic or at times moronic about a camera and off I went to research it. If the camera seemed like something I wanted I would hunt around the usual spots to see if a bargain could be had. This also helped lead to my current state of too many cameras.
Deciding which cameras to trade or sell wasn't easy. It was easier to go about it by figuring which cameras to keep. My Crown Graphic is staying as was all it's lenses and accessories. I will keep ten Land Cameras (I know, I know that's a lot but I'm taking baby steps in the Land Camera diminishment department) . I'll also keep one SX-70 and one or two 600 format Polaroids as well as a Spectra. 35mm cameras were easy enough to decide on. I'll keep my Leica SLR, my Canon AE1, my father's old Pentax Spotmatic and my K1000. As for 35mm rangefinders I am going to concentrate on my Olympus 35, Rollei 35, Werra 1, Petri Racer and one Canonet GL17 GIII. I'm also keeping both of my Exas as I really enjoy using them. For Medium format I'll hold on to my Yashica D, Ciroflex TLR, Kiev 88 and a Holga. Once I made those decisions getting everything else ready for the sale wasn't too tough.
Now this isn't a promise to not acquire any new gear, I heard there were going to be some 8x10s at the event, but it is an effort to divest myself of unused cameras and hopefully put them into hands where they will be used and appreciated. I'm sure I won't trade or sell everything, in fact I don't know if anyone will be interested in what I'll have to offer but at the very least I've convinced my self that it's time to get rid of a bunch of stuff.
