[EMAIL PROTECTED] Vic wrote: > How many people here think spending $200-$500 on a good used > camera is a good > investment and at what point do they start to become bad investments..
I expect my wife would say they are a bad investment the moment they come into the house :-( On a serious note, I try to buy a good condition camera and look after it, and I think I could make a small amount on each camera, if I made the decision to sell. I have started to do a lot more photography in the last two years than the previous eighteen, and extra bodies give me the ability of having different film on tap, for the same scene. I like forest/landscape pictures and often take slide film, but have another body with b&w as I believe this film gives a timeless image. > > Let me explain. I bought my first LX, I don't know maybe 20 years ago. I > still have it. Still use it, still love it. I've since acquired 3 > more, all > used all reasonably priced. Then I picked up a PZ1 used at a reasonable > price. I think so far they've been good investments. I'm sure I > could get my > money back if I went to sell them. But if I continue to buy > cameras, sooner > or later the investment value vs the amount of time the cameras > are used gets > smaller... not as small as my mutual funds lately, but still, less, let's > say, productive.... A lot of us have (what some would say) a > little obsession > about collecting bodies. (Let's not even talk about lenses). I understand that, I bought my first MX over two decades ago, and I like the fact I don't need to think about using it, having owned and used it so long. I look upon cameras like artwork, if I like it it is OK. Money is an issue, but if it is the bottom line, there are better things to put cash into. But, what if you take a great picture which someone wants to pay you for? It depends how you use your camera and what you want out of it. > > I think there are a lot worse ways to spend our money. But let's face it, > nobody spends money like a photographer on a mission with change in their > pockets. > What do you think? There are plenty of people who buy cameras for their collection case and good luck to them. I can at least say that all mine are used on a regular basis, but I see the need to sell one (but buy two more!). Malcolm
