# How much is your camera gear worth?



## AJ (Dec 12, 2016)

This thread
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=31444.0
got me thinking: how much is your camera gear worth?

I'm curious about people's priorities.


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## Hector1970 (Dec 14, 2016)

It's about 10 times what I told my wife that it cost.


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## ninjapeps (Dec 14, 2016)

Possibly more than my car but given that it's a rather common 15-year-old model and bought secondhand, it probably isn't worth all that much.


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## tron (Dec 14, 2016)

Hector1970 said:


> It's about 10 times what I told my wife that it cost.


Well, let's hope that your wife does not have an account on Canonrumors ;D ;D ;D


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## Don Haines (Dec 14, 2016)

ninjapeps said:


> Possibly more than my car but given that it's a rather common 15-year-old model and bought secondhand, it probably isn't worth all that much.


With my car being 10 years old and with 375,000 kilometers on it, every time I order pizza it is worth more than my car..... but hey, it keeps running reliably so let's keep on rolling....


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## Ozarker (Dec 14, 2016)

Don Haines said:


> ninjapeps said:
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> > Possibly more than my car but given that it's a rather common 15-year-old model and bought secondhand, it probably isn't worth all that much.
> ...



You know, Don, you could take on delivering pizza part time to buy more gear.


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## Ryananthony (Dec 14, 2016)

CanonFanBoy said:


> Don Haines said:
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You might even get your future pizza purchases for free too. Sounds like a win win.


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## Ozarker (Dec 14, 2016)

Ryananthony said:


> CanonFanBoy said:
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> > Don Haines said:
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That employee discount goes a long way, not to mention how dressy the old 4 wheeled beast will look with the sign on the top.  All in good fun Don. I am absolutely sure my old Suburban hooptie looks worse than yours. Different colored doors and hood, broken door handles, and my "Free Candy" sign needs a refresh as does the truck sleeper mattress in the back. At least I have "L" lenses. The sacrifices we make.


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## Don Haines (Dec 14, 2016)

CanonFanBoy said:


> Ryananthony said:
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I used to have an old chevy, rusted, door locks wouldn't work, radio broken..... the perfect canoe trip car  On one trip, I parked it at the access point, between a BMW and a Mercedes, and set off on a canoe trip. While I was gone, the car thieves came and stole a couple dozen cars from the lot.... and left mine


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## ethanz (Dec 14, 2016)

Then the question is, do you keep your camera gear that is worth more than the car in the car?


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## unfocused (Dec 14, 2016)

Hector1970 said:


> It's about 10 times what I told my wife that it cost.



I've been there. 

Now, I have to make full disclosure. I'm earning a significant part of my income from photography, which means she sees everything when we prepare taxes. Still, here are a few handy tips:

Always tell your spouse about at least one white lens. If you are careful, you can go a long time with your partner thinking you have just two lenses, a white one and a black one.

You can redirect Fed Ex packages to the Fed Ex/Kinkos office for pickup at your convenience. No tell-tale boxes or notes showing up on the doorstep when you are not at home.

The best answer to: Is that a new lens/camera? is "No, I bought this one quite awhile back, you probably just never noticed."

Tell your partner, "I'm thinking about getting xxx." That way you can gauge the reaction and prepare yourself. After you've ordered it, don't call attention to it for as long as possible. When he/she finally notices, you just nonchalantly say, "Oh this. Don't you remember, we talked about this months ago?" 

Don't ever let a birthday, holiday or anniversary go by without a nice piece of jewelry as a gift. It will build up credit that you can cash in later. 

But the best strategy is to get your spouse interested in photography. The downside there is you'll lose custody of the 100-400 II when shooting birds. Oh...and...it won't be long before her shots are better than yours.


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## scyrene (Dec 14, 2016)

N/a. I own none of those things. But in total it would be about the price of an average car. Houses in Britain are ridiculously expensive, it would be hard to exceed even the average national value!


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## Click (Dec 14, 2016)

Hector1970 said:


> It's about 10 times what I told my wife that it cost.



;D LOL Same here.


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## jhpeterson (Dec 14, 2016)

Heck, one of my bikes is worth more than my (still reliable, rust-free and 35 MPG) car. And I've got three of them.
As for my gear, it probably would get me a decent house. It's just that I already live in an even better one.


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## Ryananthony (Dec 14, 2016)

unfocused said:


> Hector1970 said:
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> > It's about 10 times what I told my wife that it cost.
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That's funny, but also kind of unfortunate. Perhaps I'm just lucky. When I mentioned purchasing my 1dx, she replied "that's the one you have have been wanting for a while right? You should probably buy it." And just last night a noticed a 400 2.8 IS for sale on the local craigslit. I brought it to her attention and she told me, "if you can afford it, it would be good for shooting the sports you want too"

But perhaps this has all been a part of my tactic, talk about your future purchase wants so much, then when it comes the time you can afford it, she will be begging you to buy it, just so you will shut about wanting it


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## Boyer U. Klum-Cey (Dec 15, 2016)

My bike was stolen many years ago. However, I was led to believe that it rested in The Basement of The Alamo. Knott tru!

All seriousness aside, my camera stuff value exceeds what I paid for at least my 1st five cars(including a used hearse, a no longer compliant ambulance, various AMC products, and stuff with Lucas Electric(The Prince of Darkness) in total. Good to be olde, eh?


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## YuengLinger (Dec 15, 2016)

I'm curious about a post that seems like a phishing scam.


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## JMZawodny (Dec 15, 2016)

A 1Dx2, 3 Big Whites, a little white, and several more latest gen L lenses and it isn't hard to end up with a total more than many new cars cost.


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## pulsarman (Dec 15, 2016)

"But perhaps this has all been a part of my tactic, talk about your future purchase wants so much, then when it comes the time you can afford it, she will be begging you to buy it, just so you will shut about wanting it " 

Either that or she's planning something even bigger!


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## c.d.embrey (Dec 15, 2016)

I'm retired now, but when I was working I usually rented. That way I always had the latest gear. A case in point—I went to pick-up the 5D2 I'd reserved, but when I walked in the door I was asked if I'd rather rent their first 5D3, that had came in that morning.

What I have now is a 40D that I bought in 2007, an EF-s 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (2006), an FE 85mm f/1.8 (2006) and an EF 50mm f/1.8 Mk2 (2010 ?). Not worth much, maybe less than a bicycle


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## meywd (Dec 15, 2016)

well, no bike here, no car either, and no house (rent) so its worth more than all combined 8)


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## jolyonralph (Dec 15, 2016)

To be fair, my iPhone is worth more than my car.


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## Ozarker (Dec 15, 2016)

Don Haines said:


> CanonFanBoy said:
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That's what I'm talking about! Nothing like disappointing the car thieves. I take mine out on old BLM roads sometimes 100 miles from any town and with no cell service. Never know who there is to run into out there. First line of defense? 1. Look like a member of some desert death cult. 2. Drive the hooptie. 3. Carry guns.


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## AvTvM (Dec 15, 2016)

Well, my EOS M (1st gen) + extensive EF-M lens collection today's worth is a lot less than my bike, probably even less than my scooter. 

The mirrorslapper stuff? If I sold it today maybe a decent bike if I were lucky. 
But if I had to buy it new at today's Canon list price? A Rolls Royce, for sure! ;D


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## LordofTackle (Dec 16, 2016)

CanonFanBoy said:


> That's what I'm talking about! Nothing like disappointing the car thieves. I take mine out on old BLM roads sometimes 100 miles from any town and with no cell service. Never know who there is to run into out there. First line of defense? 1. Look like a member of some desert death cult. 2. Drive the hooptie. 3. Carry guns.



That's a pretty nice picture with the setting sun, I like it 

And, asking as a non-native speaker, what is a "hooptie"??

-Sebastian


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## JMZawodny (Dec 16, 2016)

LordofTackle said:


> CanonFanBoy said:
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> > That's what I'm talking about! Nothing like disappointing the car thieves. I take mine out on old BLM roads sometimes 100 miles from any town and with no cell service. Never know who there is to run into out there. First line of defense? 1. Look like a member of some desert death cult. 2. Drive the hooptie. 3. Carry guns.
> ...



+1

And, asking as a native speaker, what is a "hooptie"???


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## neuroanatomist (Dec 16, 2016)

JMZawodny said:


> LordofTackle said:
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https://lmgtfy.com/?q=hooptie


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## Vern (Dec 16, 2016)

Ryananthony said:


> unfocused said:
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my wife is supportive of my hobby, but my advice if yours is not would be to find a friend with a more expensive hobby and point out how cheap camera gear is compared to airplanes or sports cars.


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## dickgrafixstop (Dec 17, 2016)

Nowhere near what I paid for it - but then that doesn't factor in the entertainment value. Now talk about throwing cold water on a great idea - I told my wife about a great deal on a 300mm F2.8 IS, she frowned and then said "I guess that's about the amount a divorce lawyer would want as a retainer......"


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## ethanz (Dec 17, 2016)

See then you spin it as, if I buy the lens, then I don't have the money to spend on a divorce lawyer. So don't worry babe, I'm not going anywhere.


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## Eldar (Dec 17, 2016)

Photography gear is like sail boats. If you calculate the cost/trip (cost/image ... worth having I might add ...), you could not justify it and you´d sell it the next day. To me it is sunk cost and I am to let it remain that way (the boat is still floating though :)


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## Antono Refa (Dec 17, 2016)

I own neither a bike nor a car.

My gear is worth less than 10% of my apartment.

What option do I choose?


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## Ozarker (Dec 17, 2016)

LordofTackle said:


> CanonFanBoy said:
> 
> 
> > That's what I'm talking about! Nothing like disappointing the car thieves. I take mine out on old BLM roads sometimes 100 miles from any town and with no cell service. Never know who there is to run into out there. First line of defense? 1. Look like a member of some desert death cult. 2. Drive the hooptie. 3. Carry guns.
> ...



Slang for an old dilapidated car. Piece of junk car.


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## MikeT (Dec 17, 2016)

Eldar said:


> Photography gear is like sail boats. If you calculate the cost/trip (cost/image ... worth having I might add ...), you could not justify it and you´d sell it the next day.



Eldar, I prefer to think of the true cost of my equipment as the amount I paid for it minus the amount I am able to collect when I sell it. Therefore, I cannot know the cost per image until I sell my gear, and the longer I wait to do so, the lower that cost per image will be!

I find the stories about spouses entertaining, so I will share mine... I was an avid photographer when I was young, but dropped the hobby when my children came along. After the kids left home, I had a growing yearning to get back into the hobby. My wife knew that I wanted to get back into photography and asked why I didn't. I honestly told her that it would be very expensive to get good gear, and I could not justify the cost. At the time, she was managing a local country club, so she asked me if I would take pictures for the country club's marketing, events, etc. if I were to get the gear. I agreed, of course, and she told me to get whatever I wanted. Really. She has never asked what anything cost, and I haven't volunteered that info (but it's many times the car value). Over the past 3 years I have taken thousands of pics at club events and tournaments, generated the marketing material they have needed, and had a blast doing it all. Best deal I've ever struck... well, other than getting my wife to marry me.


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## Don Haines (Dec 17, 2016)

MikeT said:


> Eldar said:
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> > Photography gear is like sail boats. If you calculate the cost/trip (cost/image ... worth having I might add ...), you could not justify it and you´d sell it the next day.
> ...


The true cost of your equipment? Doesn't matter. What does matter is the true value of your equipment and that seems to be happiness and time together. BRAVO!


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## Larsskv (Dec 17, 2016)

Eldar said:


> Photography gear is like sail boats. If you calculate the cost/trip (cost/image ... worth having I might add ...), you could not justify it and you´d sell it the next day. To me it is sunk cost and I am to let it remain that way (the boat is still floating though :)



Cost/image ratio is (as you imply!) irrelevant to me. I enjoy my equipment when I am using it, and when I am thinking about using it. Do I need my equipment to produce the images I take? Not really. Most people wouldn't see/care about the difference of the results I get, and what I could have achieved with gear thar cost 1/10 of what I use. But having great equipment inspires me to take more photos, and in the end that results in better pictures.


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