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Archive 2017 · Justifying gear costs...

  
 
OntheRez
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Justifying gear costs...


freetime101 wrote:
Here's how to justify the cost of that new camera to yourself - how many shots did you take with your last camera?

You see, digital cameras are a one-time cost - you pay for the body but the images are free (shutter life aside). When shooting film, you pay for the body, then again for each and every shot you take.

Now let's say the average price of film is £5. You can get it cheaper but there's processing etc to pay for too.

The 1DxII is about £4800 now, or 960 rolls of film. With 36 exposures per roll that's
...Show more

Yeah. Can remember - while at university - trying to decide to buy bulk film and eat Ramen, or not and eat eggs. Those were definitely "the good old days." I finally got the cash - well after I was actually making some money - to ante up for a 20D. No film cost and amazing ability to process so as to get the best image. I lived on used bodies while selling off the old one. When I got my hands on a well used 1D IIn, I thought, "This is a real camera." I finally bought my first new camera - the 1Dx II. I desperately needed higher ISO.

My grand-father once told me, "Don't buy cheap tools, you'll have to buy them twice." Amazing how much smarter he got over the years. I'm a master carpenter. Yes, I can buy a cheap Home Depot hammer, fiberglass handle, 24 oz. Or I can shell out for titanium 17 oz Stiletto at 3x the cost that has much more power. Believe me when I say my wrist loves me.

Buy the tool you need - if you can. Don't look back.



Jul 11, 2017 at 11:04 AM
Mickey
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Justifying gear costs...


The only justification I need is "I want it". Now whether or not I can make that happen is an entirely different matter.


Jul 11, 2017 at 11:39 AM
Tony B
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Justifying gear costs...


The day I have to justify gear costs is the day I'll give up photography.



Jul 11, 2017 at 06:17 PM
Herb
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Justifying gear costs...


riokid wrote:
I will be turning 70 soon. At 100K clicks per year, I will be dead before I can justify my equipment that way.

I justified my gears by telling my kids that I am spending their inheritance


That's exactly what I tell my kids! I will be 62 soon....



Jul 11, 2017 at 09:03 PM
Bsmooth
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Justifying gear costs...


I'm not sure justification is the right word here, maybe satisfaction? Does what I currently have do what I want, do I have fun doing it. Can I get by with what I have to do what I want?
They say If you love what you do, then you have at least satisfied in some way what you are doing.
I'm sure we've all been in certain situations where we ask ourselves what am I doing here. Why am I standing in the middle of a field or marsh getting eaten alive, while everyone else is down at the beach? Am I a photographer, what qualifies that? I really don't know.
But at the end of the day, when I'm going over all the shots I took,and maybe one or two really stand out, thats enough at least to me. It brings me enjoyment.
Problem is all that doesn't mean a whole lot to my significant other, and in general thats what justifies a new purchase of equipment to me.



Jul 12, 2017 at 09:12 AM
dmacmillan
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Justifying gear costs...


When I was a full time professional photographer, every piece of equipment had to earn its keep. I didn't want money tied up in expensive items, like super telephoto lenses, that didn't get used for a job but once or twice a year. Those items would be rented and the customer charged for the rental. I think enthusiasts would be surprised at how sparse a frugal pro's camera kit could be.

One of the reasons I changed careers was to be able to buy what I wanted without any concern about return on investment. I rarely shoot with my 4x5 Sinar, but I have it because it's such nice gear and I do like to shoot with it in occasion.

Still, there are limits. As much as I'd love to own a Canon 200mm f2.0, I just don't want to tie up that much money on a lens with limited applications considering the kind of photography I like. The same goes for the Leica M10, it's just too expensive for technology that's already outdated. I can crank a ton of film through my M3 for far less money.



Jul 12, 2017 at 10:28 AM
shutterbug guy
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Justifying gear costs...


When carefully and successfully completed all it takes is just one shot, the money shot.

All else doesn't matter at this point.

When I attend a photography class, excursion, etc., this is my attitude. If I can get that one shot that is awesome, it's worth the cost no matter what it might have been.



Jul 12, 2017 at 11:10 AM
Tony B
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Justifying gear costs...


As a professional I bought what I wanted. After tax write down 99% of gear could be sold for a profit, 1% its book value. Purchasing wisely I could obtain 100% write down in the first year. That is the accountant in me.
Bearing in mind any profit over book value is income earned. Obviously offset by the next purchase. This applies to any business.



Jul 12, 2017 at 05:48 PM
dhachey
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Justifying gear costs...


freetime101 wrote:
Here's how to justify the cost of that new camera to yourself - how many shots did you take with your last camera?

You see, digital cameras are a one-time cost - you pay for the body but the images are free (shutter life aside). When shooting film, you pay for the body, then again for each and every shot you take.

Now let's say the average price of film is £5. You can get it cheaper but there's processing etc to pay for too.

The 1DxII is about £4800 now, or 960 rolls of film. With 36 exposures per roll that's
...Show more

Why are you even thinking like this? Do you need it (want it)? Can you afford it? If the answer is yes to both, then get it.



Jul 14, 2017 at 09:36 PM
scalesusa
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Justifying gear costs...


I tend to keep a camera for 5 years or less and sell it before I lose too much in Depreciation. My 5D MK III cost me $200 a year in depreciation.

Lenses, I keep much longer, and depreciation is less.

I have a small business which buys the equipment needed to photograph my products.



Jul 17, 2017 at 09:49 AM
panos.v
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Justifying gear costs...


freetime101 wrote:
Here's how to justify the cost of that new camera to yourself - how many shots did you take with your last camera?

You see, digital cameras are a one-time cost - you pay for the body but the images are free (shutter life aside). When shooting film, you pay for the body, then again for each and every shot you take.

Now let's say the average price of film is £5. You can get it cheaper but there's processing etc to pay for too.

The 1DxII is about £4800 now, or 960 rolls of film. With 36 exposures per roll that's
...Show more

You left something out there in your calculation. Time.

Here's how it works out for me. I have averaged 8 rolls of film a month for the last 3 years ("since records begun", before that I didn't count). That's 360 shots. It is also about £150 in film and processing (proper processing, so when I get them back apart from cull and straighten I have nothing else to do). That's £1800 for 3456 shots. The cost of 35mm camera bodies is negligible today (unless you shoot Leica, a Nikon F6, or some other collectible stuff, which I don't).

Alternatively I could go back to shooting digital. That would be an average 20000 shots/year (since records begun and ended). My problem with those 20000 shots is that I would start by paying £2000 for the privilege (the camera). Assuming I post process 1/4 of those photos and assuming I would spend 30 seconds with each, that is 41 hours of my life that year.

Contrast that to the editing time for the 3456 shots, just a cull and maybe 5 seconds to straighten. So assuming 1/2 of those processed that's 2.4 hours. So my net deficit film vs digital is: £200 and 38.6 hours. The £200 we scrap as the cost of the film body. That leaves the time. Those 38.6 hours are anything between £258 (if you're on minimum wage) to 4 figures. I am not on minimum wage, as such it is more economical to shoot film.

The above is lightly hearted and humorous, so take it as such.

Then again, we could just not shoot anything and thus waste neither time nor money. We would have more time to savour the moment than hiding behind a piece of plastic, electronics, glass and metal.



Jul 17, 2017 at 04:07 PM
Sjjindra
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · Justifying gear costs...


When you spell it all out to your wife and she knods her head and says to buy it, then you know your justification was sound.


Jul 17, 2017 at 04:20 PM
Jefferson
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · Justifying gear costs...


.. Too much is never enough ..

Jefferson



Jul 17, 2017 at 05:25 PM
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