Return On Investment

It all began innocently enough with one camera..a Nikon FE2. After relocating to California in late 2009, I picked up an inexpensive Nikon digital point and shoot camera to document my new surroundings. I had been away from serious photography for some time and that little digital camera reignited my interest in getting out and taking pictures.

Around the same time, I stumbled across a number of different photo blogs and saw that film photography was still alive among a small but dedicated group of hobbyists. Best of all, analog gear was cheap!

I had pretty much always been a Nikon guy, owning both a Nikon N90s and FM2 that I purchased new in the mid 1990s, so Nikon again became my focus as I researched used film cameras in 2010. I settled on the FE2, a small and well built aperture-priority SLR from the early 1980s.

I think I lucked out finding that FE2 because I really had no idea what I was doing at the point. The one I settled on looked brand new and when it arrived, everything worked. It was a constant companion for the next sixth months or so until the Nikon F2 bug bit me. I decided to sell the FE2 to fund the F2, so I put it on eBay for exactly what I paid for it. To my surprise, several buyers bid it up about $60 more than I paid for it!

I’ve gotten pretty good over the years at sniffing out good cameras on eBay and other online sources. Based on the seller’s photos, rating and even the words used in the description, my gut tells me go or no go. I think I have only purchased two bad pieces of equipment in all these years and on both of those occasions I chose not to listen to my intuition and got stung.

Unless it’s a camera I just cannot live without, I set a limit on what I will pay and stop there. I also expect that any camera I buy will need at least a basic CLA, so I factor that into what I am willing to invest.

I always buy a camera thinking that I will own it forever. Truth is, some cameras I just don’t bond with. Others, I love so much that I end up buying several copies just so I have a back up. And I never end up needing the back up. So, eventually, most of the gear I buy ends up back on eBay. And I am happy to say that in most every case, I have recouped my investment and in many instances, made money. Sometimes, so much it really surprised me! There are a few cameras that I’ve overpaid for because I just wanted one. And I have given a few very nice cameras away to good friends. But all in all, this hobby is self-sustaining. If I had the time, it might even be a little business.

Recently, I had a good long talk with myself and decided to go into serious downsizing mode. Get the collection down to a dozen or so cameras that give me the most joy and turn the rest into cash. I also had a lot of parts and accessories that I’ve collected over the years. One by one, little by little, it’s all going to new homes.

We may be at a sweet spot right now because my return on investment has been very good. I don’t think anyone is going to get rich buying and selling old cameras, but if you choose wisely, are willing to have gear serviced and take good care during use, you most likely won’t loose money. You might even make a few bucks. And that’s a pretty cool!