Re: "Collecting" vs. "Owing and not using"

[fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dr. George A. Themelis)]

Let me add a note to my previous posting.  

It is very convenient to accuse "collectors" for holding onto useful
equipment and driving prices up.  And yet I challenge us to look around 
and see how many pieces of 3-d equipment we own and how many we actually 
use...

The same old story happens again and again.  We first start with a lowly
Realist 3.5 camera and a plastic viewer.  We then look for a better
viewer, say a red-button.  Now we need yet another viewer... you know, you
can never have too many viewers around... How about a sequential viewer? 
Yes, definitely, a sequential viewer is what we need.  But is the Realist
3.5 the best camera we can have?  How about a Revere, TDC Colorist, Kodak? 
Some experts speak highly for the TDC Vivid.  We have to have one of those
too.  Even for the die-hard Realist users we have the 2.8, 2.8 Ektar
lenses, 2.8 German lenses and, of course, the Custom.  Let's talk about
accessories now... We need a case for sure... And a pair of filters.  These
are a nessecity.  How about wide-angle attachments, custom polarizers,
sun-shades?  We have to have everything or our photography (what
photography? no money left for film and processing) will be disadvantaged...

I think most "users" are more collectors than users but they will never
admit it.  I am sure that there are people around with a couple of VM
cutters ("just in case one breaks"), cameras, viewers, and plenty of unused
accessories.  These are the ones who are driving the prices up.  Just ask
Dalia.  Whenever she gets a "collection" to sell from a known stereo
photographer ("user") ask how many cameras she gets...

I understand collecting images... But collecting cameras and accessories
just in case we ever need them is an entirely different issue...

I personally own one Realist ("if it breaks I'll buy a new one") camera (no
case - it gets in the way) and two viewers... That's all I need.

George Themelis


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