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Repeat Purchase Madness

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I was wondering whether I was alone in being a serial lens purchaser? For example, over the last five years or so I've bought 2x Noctiluxes, 4x 35 'cron ASPH (don't ask ...), 2x 50 'cron, and I suspect it's only a matter of time before I buy another WATE ... The madness isn't just with Leica equipment though as I've also been through 2x Mamiya 645 AFD's, bought/sold 2x Nikon 28/1.4, 2x 35/2, 2x 17-35/2.8. G1 & 14-45 & 45-200 -> GF-1 14-45 & 45-200 and then sold again.

Now some of this has been due to expediency to trade/sell certain equipment and then buy another at some point later, but I also recognize it's the road to madness. :ROTFL:

I'm sure I'm not the worst - what's your story?

Mods: Maybe this would be best moved to the Sunset Bar forum ...
 

otumay

New member
What a nice subject! Wait for the economical crisis to end please, I shall join you promptly...
Osman
 

Peter Leyenaar

New member
I was wondering whether I was alone in being a serial lens purchaser? For example, over the last five years or so I've bought 2x Noctiluxes, 4x 35 'cron ASPH (don't ask ...), 2x 50 'cron, and I suspect it's only a matter of time before I buy another WATE ... The madness isn't just with Leica equipment though as I've also been through 2x Mamiya 645 AFD's, bought/sold 2x Nikon 28/1.4, 2x 35/2, 2x 17-35/2.8. G1 & 14-45 & 45-200 -> GF-1 14-45 & 45-200 and then sold again.

...
There are many aspects to photography, equipment obsession is one, looking for the holy grail.
Others photograph professionally, for documentary purposes, for fine art, for family and friends, etc..

For example, I have a friend who knows very little about the technical aspects of photography (was unaware of the crop factor until I told him), yet he is an outstanding wildlife photographer , he has "the eye" and knows wild life habitat and knows how to stalk it, his equipment is D300, 200-400, f2.8 , a solid tripod and Adobe Photoshop, he doesn't see the need for more equipment.

I also have been equipment obsessed at times, however, not to your extend although I fully understand the urge or desire to obtain fine photographic equipment such as Leica lenses.
I am no longer too interested in Leica equipment, in film days, they were at the apex of equipment , along with Zeiss and Hasselblad and some others.

Digital Leica doesn't interest me anymore, I did have a M8 and sold it after 2 years of use, there is too much equipment out there that does a better job, at a lesser price.

It appears that the X1 is not well received and probably will go the way of the DP1

The point of all this is that people enjoy photography in different ways,
if equipment is your enjoyment , by all means, go for it, if I had your budget, I probably would be buying a lot more stuff.

Best Regards

Peter
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Perhaps I wasn't clear - it's not that I own multiple copies of the lens at once, more the fact that I'll buy a particular lens and use it for a while (quite a while actually), then sell it but subsequently end up replacing it again in the future ...
 

yongfei

New member
My questions is: do you actually make money or break even out of those deals? It seems some camera/lens prices are going up in recent years. So it may just like trade stocks. So if you buy everything brand new, this multiple trading could be a problem. Otherwise, it will just cost some eBay time, but not real money. Safer than putting the money into stocks.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
My questions is: do you actually make money or break even out of those deals? It seems some camera/lens prices are going up in recent years. So it may just like trade stocks. So if you buy everything brand new, this multiple trading could be a problem. Otherwise, it will just cost some eBay time, but not real money. Safer than putting the money into stocks.
Interesting question - I've made money on some (Noctilux/Nikon 28/1.4), bartered/traded some others to get what I wanted ('crons), and lost some when rationalizing out of a system that I never fully 'felt the love' about (plastic Panasonic gear).

Thinking about it also there has also been the crop factor issue too - some lenses I had with my M6/M7 worked well (35 'cron), yet weren't so ideal on the M8 (Noctilux/50 'lux), and so used as collatoral to get what were the more comfortable focal lengths (28 'cron, 75 'cron for example on M8/M8.2). With the transition back to full frame, certain focal lengths and lenses have become more useful again (Noctilux #2, 50 'lux #2, 35 'cron #4!!) etc.
 
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biglouis

Well-known member
The bane of my life. I am on my second Elmar 50/2.8 having unwisely sold the first and yesterday I bought my second 90/2.8, again having thoughtlessly disposed of one a year or so ago. What goes around comes around... not too sure I won't buy my second 24/2.8 because I miss my old one, although I am contemplating a 21/28 instead.
 

lmr

Member
Graham... Yes... it is rather common... Folks, buy, they are happy using it, found something else, sold it, regretted selling it (Seller's remorse), bought another copy of what you started off with (Sometimes regret buying it again). But none the less... do it all over again with another focal length. :) Sometime, we do it a few times with the same stuff... & worst of all, enjoying it... :)

It is normal. You are not alone.

My problem is... I try not to sell my Leica stuff... I know I will have seller's remorse... I can handle buyer's remorse, but seller's remorse?... you can not ask for it back. :(

Robert.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I've bought and sold tons of gear over the years. Sometimes the same items come back again, but generally when I sell off something expensive and re-buy it later, the "later" means possibly several to many years when conditions and needs have changed considerably. I try not to buy anything frivolously, and I try to sell anything that hasn't been used enough to pay its rent with due care and thought to avoid losing money unnecessarily.

I have never regretted selling or buying anything. It's just gear to do a job.
 

bensonga

Well-known member
I did this once in the mid-90s.....sold off my complete Pentax 67 kit. A year later I was back in the market, putting together the same system all over again. Only good thing was that I eventually replaced the older 300/f4 I had owned in the first kit with the latest 300/f4 EDIF lens.

Promised myself then and there I would not sell any of my gear unless, for financial reasons, I absolutely had no choice. Thankfully, I've been fortunate enough over the years to keep that promise to myself. Only problem now is finding space for it all. :eek:

I bought my first Leica, an R8 with motordrive and four beautiful R lenses earlier this year....with any luck, I'll still have them 20+ years from now. Maybe add a few more lenses along the way. :thumbs:

Gary
 
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Peter Leyenaar

New member
I bought my first Leica, an R8 with motordrive and four beautiful R lenses earlier this year....with any luck, I'll still have them 20+ years from now. Maybe add a few more lenses along the way. :thumbs:

Gary
The R8 is a great camera and so are the Leica R lenses, however,
will there still be film 20+ years from now ?
 

Steve Fines

Member
Hey Graham,

Not to perpetuate the cycle, but have a black 35 cron asph laying around? :)

I bought (and sold) the Zeiss 21 three times. But never four.
 
N

nightfire

Guest
The R8 is a great camera and so are the Leica R lenses, however,
will there still be film 20+ years from now ?
If not, we'll make it ourselves. We'll spend our entire free time cutting plastic foil to size, punching handmade sprocket holes, cooking up obscure emulsions and mixing coffee developers, but film will never die! :toocool:
 

gogopix

Subscriber
I must say, I take a page from Warren Buffet - on lenses, not stock!
I have over 50 lenses and have only sold one, a 50mm Hassey CF that I sold to someone in Australia and bought foto-z's 50mm 2.8 F Hassey (a MONSTER BTW ) for speed since I only use on a Contax (actually have over 10 Hassey mount lenses and no camera!)

A year later, I bought the SAME ONE back for the same price!

So, ONE repeat purchase . Does that get me in the club? :-0

Victor
 

bensonga

Well-known member
The R8 is a great camera and so are the Leica R lenses, however,
will there still be film 20+ years from now ?
I hope so, but if not, I'll still be using those R lenses on a digital body of some sort (I'm currently waiting for the Panny Leica R to micro 4/3 adapter I ordered to arrive).

The R8 body with the motordrive is such a beauty.....I'll keep it just to fondle and admire, even if film went the way of the dinosaurs.

Besides.....I'm sure that SOMEDAY, the folks at Leica will come to their senses and build that digital R10. :deadhorse:

Gary
 

Lloyd

Active member
I've certainly been guilty. I've bought and sold 3 CV 50/1.5 Noktons in the past 3 years, several 35 Crons, a couple of 50 Crons, a number of 90mm Leica lenses, and a number of Nikon cameras and lenses... both film and digital. For example, I owned, then sold then re-owned 4 Nikon D2h bodies (wish I still had one, for that matter). :wtf:

BTW Peter, ask your wildlife photographer friend if he can help me find a 200-400 2.8. I'd love to have one, mine's only f4 :D
 

bensonga

Well-known member
I gotta say....I don't understand why? I guess it's just not in my nature/personality/whatever. Once was enough for me. I don't want to feel that "seller's remorse" again. I just hate the thought of parting with any of the lenses or cameras I've spent time looking for and finally acquiring. Sell the Sinar P I bought from Don Hutton? Never! :D

Gary
 

darkspark

New member
I think I understand the addiction (I admit I have it as well :) ) of seeking the holy grail... the best lenses I can own, and use...

But a quick question out of curiosity: I understand the logic of buying a lens the second time (because you miss or regret selling a lens that you used to have from buying it the first time), but what happens on the third time buying?? Wouldn't you kind of know that the lens isn't for you when you sell it the second time round? It's troublesome the 3rd and 4th time getting the same lens again and again :D

(Ok, I understand the 4th time, since you mentioned going back to full frame... but what was the story for the 3rd 35cron? :p )
 
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