Can't remember why............

[soupdragon]

I do photography?

I sat thinking the other evening why on earth I take pictures?
I'm not a pro and I hardly ever revisit old shots.

Perhaps it's time to sell up and buy the latest I-phone.

 

[ecoleman]

I do photography?

I sat thinking the other evening why on earth I take pictures?
I'm not a pro and I hardly ever revisit old shots.

Perhaps it's time to sell up and buy the latest I-phone.

Just lately I have been asking myself that exact same question.
Maybe because it's been a long summer with good images few and far between. Also because I'm unfit, overweight and my kit weighs a ton, I struggle to get out of bed very early and I hate the cold.

Saying that, once I am up and out and about, I love it. Even if I come home with nothing.
I work from home so a lot of my life is spend in and around the house. Photography forces me to get out, enjoy the countryside / coastline and forget about the daily grind of work.

 

[soupdragon]

Just lately I have been asking myself that exact same question.
Maybe because it's been a long summer with good images few and far between. Also because I'm unfit, overweight and my kit weighs a ton, I struggle to get out of bed very early and I hate the cold.

Saying that, once I am up and out and about, I love it. Even if I come home with nothing.
I work from home so a lot of my life is spend in and around the house. Photography forces me to get out, enjoy the countryside / coastline and forget about the daily grind of work.

Unfit and fat pretty much sums me up.
I just sold my 1dx2 to a forum member as I can no longer drag the thing round with a fudging great white lens on.

Once I get out somewhere it's a bit more fun but in truth I still don't know why I take a camera.

I was at the mach loop this year and I never saw an aircraft without looking through the viewfinder. Wish I'd left it in the car and enjoyed the show.

 

[ecoleman]

Unfit and fat pretty much sums me up.
I just sold my 1dx2 to a forum member as I can no longer drag the thing round with a fudging great white lens on.

Once I get out somewhere it's a bit more fun but in truth I still don't know why I take a camera.

I was at the mach loop this year and I never saw an aircraft without looking through the viewfinder. Wish I'd left it in the car and enjoyed the show.

I wish I could get up to the loop. It's only 50 miles away but nothing flies over the weekend and I can't get away from work during the week.
Would make a nice change from landscapes.

 

[soupdragon]

I wish I could get up to the loop. It's only 50 miles away but nothing flies over the weekend and I can't get away from work during the week.
Would make a nice change from landscapes.

Do yourself a favour and leave your camera at home (not really) but you do miss a lot squinting at a viewfinder..
Next time I go I'll just enjoy the fly pasts.

 

[the black fox]

well my problem stems from a touch of overweight plus high B.P but mainly galloping old age seizing up my body . so I sold all my canon gear and invested in micro four thirds gear , same quality , same or longer reach , and light as a feather cameras and lenses . it works and the wife has swopped to it to and we both actually feel like going out again

 

[soupdragon]

well my problem stems from a touch of overweight plus high B.P but mainly galloping old age seizing up my body . so I sold all my canon gear and invested in micro four thirds gear , same quality , same or longer reach , and light as a feather cameras and lenses . it works and the wife has swopped to it to and we both actually feel like going out again

I'm considering a more portable solution.
My 7d2 + grip + lens is still to heavy if I were honest.

 

[the black fox]

I'm considering a more portable solution.
My 7d2 + grip + lens is still to heavy if I were honest.

I now use a Panasonic g80 and a Leica 100-400 combo , got quiet a few sample shots in various sections on here , with a 2x crop factor it gives more than adequate reach with good close focus capabilities , and all up weight camera and lens is less than 1.5 kg

 

[soupdragon]

I now use a Panasonic g80 and a Leica 100-400 combo , got quiet a few sample shots in various sections on here , with a 2x crop factor it gives more than adequate reach with good close focus capabilities , and all up weight camera and lens is less than 1.5 kg

I may jump ship to one of the mirrorless systems, they seem much lighter.
By all accounts Sony are quite good.

That said, I may wind up with a shirt pocket sized p&s.

 

[ecoleman]

I may jump ship to one of the mirrorless systems, they seem much lighter.
By all accounts Sony are quite good.

That said, I may wind up with a shirt pocket sized p&s.

I looked into mirrorless before buying the 5D4 and to be honest, there isn't that much of a weight saving. Certainly not enough to entice me to sell up all my Canon gear and buy everything from scratch again by a different manufacturer.

 

[Cagey75]

I looked into mirrorless before buying the 5D4 and to be honest, there isn't that much of a weight saving. Certainly not enough to entice me to sell up all my Canon gear and buy everything from scratch again by a different manufacturer.

There's a huge weight saving in your bag overall, it's not just about the body and lens attached at the time. I went from carting about 10Kg worth of gear in the bag to less than half of that. I would say that's pretty significant, especially if you don't drive everywhere, but cycle or walk and you're out there for hours.

For me photography isn't all about the gear, it's nice to have gear you enjoy using, but it's more about the overall experience. Just being out in the fresh air, experiencing nature, visiting places you may never have bothered to check if you weren't after a nice image. I've learned a lot about wildlife, plants, geography and history through photography. I like to do a little research on the area/plant/animal I've just photographed, so not only am I getting out more, I'm learning along the way.

It's like any other hobby though, if it becomes stale, just step away from it for a while. I did for almost 2 years, just lost the urge, sold off all that hefty gear and stopped worrying about the latest tech or trying to keep up with anyone else. In my own time, when the feeling returned [and it always does!] I bought into much lighter gear and promised myself I'd not stress over how many images I would take, or where I would go to take them, or what 'style' I was after. I just let it happen, whenever the mood takes me I can grab the bag, jump on the bike, or a bus, or a train ... and just go have some 'me' time I also really enjoy the post processing side of it, it's almost as important. I find it very therapeutic. I'm sure the average pro doesn't, it's more like a chore I'd imagine. But for us enthusiasts we're not forced to meet deadlines. Just do it at your leisure.

 

[soupdragon]

There's a huge weight saving in your bag overall, it's not just about the body and lens attached at the time. I went from carting about 10Kg worth of gear in the bag to less than half of that. I would say that's pretty significant, especially if you don't drive everywhere, but cycle or walk and you're out there for hours.

For me photography isn't all about the gear, it's nice to have gear you enjoy using, but it's more about the overall experience. Just being out in the fresh air, experiencing nature, visiting places you may never have bothered to check if you weren't after a nice image. I've learned a lot about wildlife, plants, geography and history through photography. I like to do a little research on the area/plant/animal I've just photographed, so not only am I getting out more, I'm learning along the way.

It's like any other hobby though, if it becomes stale, just step away from it for a while. I did for almost 2 years, just lost the urge, sold off all that hefty gear and stopped worrying about the latest tech or trying to keep up with anyone else. In my own time, when the feeling returned [and it always does!] I bought into much lighter gear and promised myself I'd not stress over how many images I would take, or where I would go to take them, or what 'style' I was after. I just let it happen, whenever the mood takes me I can grab the bag, jump on the bike, or a bus, or a train ... and just go have some 'me' time I also really enjoy the post processing side of it, it's almost as important. I find it very therapeutic. I'm sure the average pro doesn't, it's more like a chore I'd imagine. But for us enthusiasts we're not forced to meet deadlines. Just do it at your leisure.

You nailed it with "Lost the urge"

 

[Cagey75]

You nailed it with "Lost the urge"

I know the feeling only too well. I've had it happen with all sorts over the years, inc photography. I bought some pretty expensive gear when I had a lot of money to spare a while back. I thought, 'this is it, my photography is going to be soooo good ... I can do pro work now too!' - and I did for a while, and I was getting out more, but over time it faded. And the gear was sat there, gathering dust, teasing me - I began to hate it. The thought of lugging it about was a chore, I had been forcing myself to make use of it just because ... and that's never a good thing. I finally gave in and put it all up for sale, and I've never regretted it really. Now I am a firm believer in old cliches like "a change is as a good as a rest" - If I get bored, even in the slightest, I'll move on to something different. I have no trouble switching gear, or changing to a different software or trying new locations if it feels fresh and new. I also have no trouble with taking breaks from anything that begins to bore me. Why torture yourself? Maybe take a couple of weeks out, and see if that mojo don't return?

 

[bass_junkie83]

There might not be a huge size/weight saving, but it is definitely there assuming you don't go FF mirrorless.
I am currently getting rid of all my canon gear as it just wasn't getting used. My excuse that having a 3 year old daughter to keep up with isn't easy with a large camera swinging round my neck.

I have just moved to Fuji and found this morning I can get the new camera in my commute bag which I was never able to do before, a 5D and 24-105 was just too much along with everything else I have to carry for work. That in itself is already re-igniting my interest in photography.
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/st-pauls-at-first-light.685589/

 

[Cagey75]

There might not be a huge size/weight saving, but it is definitely there assuming you don't go FF mirrorless.
I am currently getting rid of all my canon gear as it just wasn't getting used. My excuse that having a 3 year old daughter to keep up with isn't easy with a large camera swinging round my neck.

I have just moved to Fuji and found this morning I can get the new camera in my commute bag which I was never able to do before, a 5D and 24-105 was just too much along with everything else I have to carry for work. That in itself is already re-igniting my interest in photography.
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/st-pauls-at-first-light.685589/

It was Fuji that lured me back into photography too. I'd been shooting Nikon cameras for a decade and I was just bored ... I had no love for the gear, it really was just lumps of cumbersome metal and plastic by the end. I was looking into compact cameras when I came across reviews on the X-T1, and I was attracted to it right away. I used a good chunk of the money from selling off the Nikon stuff to get me an X-T1, battery grip, 27mm 2.8 and 55-200, I also bought some adapters and began messing about with old vintage lenses. Later I switched out the 27 and got the excellent 35 1.4 and that became almost super-glued to the camera. I also was lucky enough to win an Xpro1 online. It was fun again! And that lot was much lighter in a bag than my old Nikon gear. It was , for me at least, more pleasurable to use. It was more discreet, I no longer stood out like some odd paparazzi. One of the things I got really tired of when using FF was people stopping to ask me to take their picture because they assumed I worked for a newspaper or local web page ... just because I had a large camera. Or the funny looks you'd get in local parks, as if you were there to shoot their children, when you were more interested in the beautiful woodland that they in fact, were ruining for you!

 

[soupdragon]

I know the feeling only too well. I've had it happen with all sorts over the years, inc photography. I bought some pretty expensive gear when I had a lot of money to spare a while back. I thought, 'this is it, my photography is going to be soooo good ... I can do pro work now too!' - and I did for a while, and I was getting out more, but over time it faded. And the gear was sat there, gathering dust, teasing me - I began to hate it. The thought of lugging it about was a chore, I had been forcing myself to make use of it just because ... and that's never a good thing. I finally gave in and put it all up for sale, and I've never regretted it really. Now I am a firm believer in old cliches like "a change is as a good as a rest" - If I get bored, even in the slightest, I'll move on to something different. I have no trouble switching gear, or changing to a different software or trying new locations if it feels fresh and new. I also have no trouble with taking breaks from anything that begins to bore me. Why torture yourself? Maybe take a couple of weeks out, and see if that mojo don't return?

Once again your comments strike a chord.
I just sold my 1dx2, 85mm 1.4 and my 100-400 mk2 and am now down to a 72d, 85 1.2 and 70-200 2.8 + converter.
Guess what, it's just in a smaller bag still gathering dust and not used for nearly 4 months.

I also hate the fact that I lose so much money every time I sell/trade gear.

I could never be a pro photographer, the boredom would finish me off.

 

[soupdragon]

It was Fuji that lured me back into photography too. I'd been shooting Nikon cameras for a decade and I was just bored ... I had no love for the gear, it really was just lumps of cumbersome metal and plastic by the end. I was looking into compact cameras when I came across reviews on the X-T1, and I was attracted to it right away. I used a good chunk of the money from selling off the Nikon stuff to get me an X-T1, battery grip, 27mm 2.8 and 55-200, I also bought some adapters and began messing about with old vintage lenses. Later I switched out the 27 and got the excellent 35 1.4 and that became almost super-glued to the camera. I also was lucky enough to win an Xpro1 online. It was fun again! And that lot was much lighter in a bag than my old Nikon gear. It was , for me at least, more pleasurable to use. It was more discreet, I no longer stood out like some odd paparazzi. One of the things I got really tired of when using FF was people stopping to ask me to take their picture because they assumed I worked for a newspaper or local web page ... just because I had a large camera. Or the funny looks you'd get in local parks, as if you were there to shoot their children, when you were more interested in the beautiful woodland that they in fact, were ruining for you!

More good points but you did with the Fuji what I do with all systems.
"Nice camera for the price."
"Oooo, needs a grip"
"Gotta get a descent lens"
"Could use a bigger memory card"
"I'll need a bag to keep it all in"

And it goes on (for me anyway). Before you know it you have another load of stuff gathering dust.

I have enough spare camera bags to open a store.

 

[soupdragon]

I even went back to film which was terrifically exciting for about three weeks.
I spent thousands on Hasselblad gear and a scanner not to mention the inordinate cost of film and chemicals.

I must have lost over £3000 pound on that lot in the space of a month.

 

[the black fox]

can I suggest knitting or origami dont go down the model boats path the price of matches these days is extortinate

 

[soupdragon]

can I suggest knitting or origami dont go down the model boats path the price of matches these days is extortinate

I had considered turning my hand to the wheel of the potter or perhaps basket weaving.
Although self flagellation is still an option.

 

[the black fox]

Although self flagellation is still an option.

tis good though

 

[Cagey75]

More good points but you did with the Fuji what I do with all systems.
"Nice camera for the price."
"Oooo, needs a grip"
"Gotta get a descent lens"
"Could use a bigger memory card"
"I'll need a bag to keep it all in"

And it goes on (for me anyway). Before you know it you have another load of stuff gathering dust.

I have enough spare camera bags to open a store.

Well, the Fuji kit was a lot cheaper than the FF gear I sold to buy it. I paid some big bills first, bought other stuff for the house, and only then bought the camera gear. This was after a long period of lack of interest, so my priorities were more realistic. Since then I haven't really lost much by selling on gear, I'm pretty savvy when it comes to maximizing what I can get for as little as possible.

I moved on from Fuji to M43 because I fancied trying out IBIS, not sure if it was the greatest idea because now I don't think I can do without it

 

[Nod]

X-H1?

 

[Cagey75]

X-H1?

Aye, that wasn't out at the time, and when it arrived it was too pricey for me to switch back. It was a year too late for me. It's very affordable, and tempting now though!