The love of photography (now selling camera)

Gabbo

All about concentration and attention to detail. A hobby that brings peace to my soul... until I purchased my road bike in the summer - damm you Wiggo!

Ok, back in late March/early April I purchased brand new a Canon 550d. Went in and around London and took a few shots with it. Also fired some shots at Box Hill during the olympic road race and also at the time trial in Hampton Court. It's a fantastic piece of kit but unfortunately I don't want it any more.

Why? Because it's as expensive as cycling in some respects. I've got two lenses. The kit lens 18-55mm which I've barely used (came with the camera) and a 50mm lens aperture 1.8 (I think). Great lens the 50mm. Anyway, it's got a little scuff from where I knocked it against something (don't worry, these things are incredibly durable) and the serial number is beginning to rub off from where I've had the tripod attached. I'm looking to sell it but unsure what price is reasonable, so if anyone is interested please drop me a PM and we can discuss from thereon. The condition is excellent, and it functions perfectly. I've got a good camera bag and tripod too. Will also come fully boxed with cables. I'll try and upload some photos of it even though it's a bit difficult when the only camera is the one you are selling :-)

Many thanks

Giraffoto

Why sell? You've got the camera now, it runs on minimal amounts of electricity and printing your photos should be fairly cheap. If your hobby was collecting cameras, I'd agree it's expensive, but as it is you only need to shell out on a camera bag that's comfortable to carry on the bike.

Bozman

Keep it.
I thought about doing something similar, I've got a Canon slr and some L series lenses that I hardly use anymore but there's no point in selling because you'll get nothing for them, plus there may come a time when I start using it again.

GiantMike

I'll give you £50 for the 50mm lens. £1 per mm?

I'm just rediscovering my love for photography and I also have a 550D (which is a brilliant camera, BTW). Below is an example of what it can do, and this was with an inferior lens. Hand-held, natural lighting.

If you want some inspiration, this site runs competitions which will make you work harder than just pointing and shooting. As a non-member it's free to enter 1 comp a week.

Hoopdriver

Keep it - and use it to photograph your rides. I am a professional writer and photographer and over many years I too had fallen a little out of love with photography and with writing as well; it had all become work. And then last year I started writing and shooting for my own cycling blog - something I enjoyed - and suddenly a lot of the old pleasure came back. Work is still work, but now it is interspersed with something I enjoy, and I am finding myself enjoying work more too.

I am also enjoying my cycling more, now that I combine it with photography.

Give it a go. You've got the camera - that money is spent. Use the gear.

colsoop

Keep it !

The expensive bit is done - the kit you bought. It doesn't need to cost anymore money.

I regret selling my canon 40d plus several L series lenses.

daviesee

My stepson had a DSLR which he wasn't using much and thought the money would come in handy.
Sold it.
Then the wife was pregnant and now he has a son, and a daughter on the way.
He thought his phone would cut it. It doesn't, and he really, really regrets selling that camera now.
He is grateful for the shots that I get but I am far from being there all the time, and those times are precious.

It's not costing you anything now, so keep it.

GiantMike

daviesee wrote:

It's not costing you anything now, so keep it.

Not true. The opportunity cost (OC) of owning it is the value of whatever else you could buy with the funds raised. So, for example, if the OP wanted to spend the £400+ pounds he could get from selling the camera on a new laptop, the OC of owning the camera is a laptop.

OC works with time too. The OC of me typing this is 2 minutes of scratching my @rse. Once you start thinking about OC you can re-evaluate everything you do (as time and money are finite).

daviesee

GiantMike wrote:

daviesee wrote:

It's not costing you anything now, so keep it.

Not true. The opportunity cost (OC) of owning it is the value of whatever else you could buy with the funds raised. So, for example, if the OP wanted to spend the £400+ pounds he could get from selling the camera on a new laptop, the OC of owning the camera is a laptop.

OC works with time too. The OC of me typing this is 2 minutes of scratching my @rse. Once you start thinking about OC you can re-evaluate everything you do (as time and money are finite).

You could look at it that way.
Or you could look at it in the context of the rest of my post.
My stepson has missed some shots he would love to have but his phone wasn't capable. Can't put a price on that.

Gabbo

Thanks for the advice guys. Its true, I always go through phases but photography has been a long admiration that ive had. Come the summer it will come in handy. Once again, thank you for the wise words.

smoggysteve

I feel like I am reading my own story here. I bought a camera a few years ago. Nice Nikon 7000 plus a few lenses. Then I got more into my cycling and stopped craving more camera kit, lenses, filters, flashes. BUT, the amount of times I have been out on the road and passed a scene that I have cursed my luck for not having my camera with me to capture. I would be mad to sell my camera no matter how much I love cycling. There are days I still like to just go out on my hybrid with the wife and take my camera with me and just take pictures. If I still want to go out and rag myself for a few miles after I can.

Giraffoto

daviesee wrote:

. . . He thought his phone would cut it. It doesn't, . . .

. . .those times are precious. . .

An awful lot of phone cameras are just upscaled webcam sensors. I once told a colleague who was always showing me pictures on his phone, "you'll kick yourself in years to come when you realize how much of your little boy's toddler years can only be viewed on a 3" screen". He does.

GiantMike

Giraffoto wrote:

daviesee wrote:

. . . He thought his phone would cut it. It doesn't, . . .

. . .those times are precious. . .

An awful lot of phone cameras are just upscaled webcam sensors. I once told a colleague who was always showing me pictures on his phone, "you'll kick yourself in years to come when you realize how much of your little boy's toddler years can only be viewed on a 3" screen". He does.

52" plasma telly showing pictures from crappy sensor with limited dynamic range, behind a crappy lens, and processed to death so it loses a lot of the original detail.

graham.

I couldn't find a 'phone with a decent camera facility so I made my own!