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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> How much have you invested in Photography?
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 06/30/2006 02:27:47 PM · #1
I was just looking at what I have spent in hardware in the last 8 years in this hobby and I was shocked. I am small potatoes compaired to the majority of people here.

4 cameras thru the years, lens, printer, harddrive, extra batteries, cards, bags, ect. Without counting upgrade in computor, Photoshop, cost of film and processing (when I was using the N60) and so on.

I see at least $3300.00.
I still want bigger lens, additional extra hard drive, macro lens and
filters. Bigger and better bag and this and that and oh that too........

My question is "How much do you have in Photography"
 06/30/2006 02:39:28 PM · #2
maybe i'm parinoid
i don't think putting that kind of information out on the internet is good idea


06/30/2006 02:40:01 PM · #3
I'm scared to even think about it, but I'm sure of one thing:

I have a car. ('97 ford t-bird, excellent condition)
When I put my backpack in my car, the value of the whole package more than doubles...
 06/30/2006 02:42:46 PM · #4
Originally posted by ralphnev:
maybe i'm parinoid
i don't think putting that kind of information out on the internet is good idea


Ralph, one only needs to look at one's profile page and put 2+2, and there you go. E.g. you have:

Cameras:{see profile}

Lenses: {see profile}

and true, it may take me some time at b&h photo video, but I can figure out your photo net worth in 15 min...

No big deal me thinks.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 15:22:49.
 06/30/2006 02:44:07 PM · #5
Too darn much... but it is less expensive than some other hobbies! I probably have about $11k USD over the past 5 years, but I'm an admitted hardware hound.
 06/30/2006 02:46:59 PM · #6
A ballpark guess would be $15,000 in the last 2 years!!! (I have only been at this 2 years so I was starting from scratch.) That includes 2 camera bodies, L lenses, studio lighting set-up, 2 Photoshop upgrades and several more things.

BUT- When we sold our house we had cash in our pockets. I decided to invest, at that time, in my equipment so that we wouldn't have to finance it down the road. Rarely does a person have $9K cash they can lay down in one or two sittings so I wanted to do it while I could.

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 14:47:43.
 06/30/2006 02:47:07 PM · #7
My childrens' inheritance!
 06/30/2006 02:47:41 PM · #8
I'd say I have less invested in photography than I do in fishing equipment ... well, it's getting close.

In fact -- if anyone is interested in a 21' Cruisers lemme know :)

I look at it this way: you gotta spend your money on something!
 06/30/2006 02:52:47 PM · #9
Lets just say My wife always make sure I that I leave home without my American Express Card. haha
06/30/2006 02:53:04 PM · #10
I started writing a post doing the math, and I started to really feel some pain. I decided instead, to just say more than I possibly should have, but not as much as I COULD have.

There are 3 or 4 short term and several long term goals that I'd consider as a good Return on Investment and those are quite obtainable realistically. Only time will tell, but for now, my curve will be flat for a while. :)
 06/30/2006 02:55:33 PM · #11
Way less than I had in my last hobby. I finally had the second happiest day in a boaters life and sold it.
 06/30/2006 02:55:36 PM · #12
Originally posted by srdanz:
Originally posted by ralphnev:
maybe i'm parinoid
i don't think putting that kind of information out on the internet is good idea


Ralph, one only needs to look at one's profile page and put 2+2, and there you go. E.g. you have:
{Equip deleted}
and true, it may take me some time at b&h photo video, but I can figure out your photo net worth in 15 min...

No big deal me thinks.


my profile does not list everything i own that is related to photography
only my insurance agent knows that number (not even my spouse ;)
06/30/2006 03:00:18 PM · #13
Brown truck just arrived!!! Add $300 to my equipment list! :P
 06/30/2006 03:00:43 PM · #14
here's my transactions that i remember:
minolta dimage F300 - $420 (sold for $150)
canon 300D with lenses and flash - $800 (sold for $450)
canon 1D - $1450 (still have it and everything below)
canon thrifty fifty - $70
canon non-usm 100mm macro - $300
lensbaby - gift
flash cards - $100
tamron 17-35 - $450
tamron 28-75 - $278 (actually a gift (graduation))
canon 80-200L - $725
batteries - $40
20D - $825 (actually a gift (graduation))
550ex - $300

forgot the 20D :-x
(and the flash)

edit 2: totals to $5158

Message edited by author 2006-06-30 15:14:55.
 06/30/2006 03:04:30 PM · #15
About 4000$ here but photography gear (along with pretty much everything else) is much more expensive here in Iceland. My equipment could probably be bought for about 2800$ in the U.S.
 06/30/2006 03:06:49 PM · #16
Hmm...spent spent or invested spent? I have sample wedding albums, so that's spent spent. I have cameras, lenses, flash, etc and that's invested spent, as i can get most of that money back if needed.

Hmmm, close to $5 grand this year invested spent. Would like to invest $2 grand more (lens, computer, CS2, PWs). We'll see about that though.

Prolly 2 grand beyond this as well. But i'm a lightweight. I've got a friend...he's spent more than my total just this year alone. And the 1Dmk2n and 500 f4 were bought last year! Just for this year's vacation he bought a new backpack and a canon 300 f4 IS. (nice lens BTW)

And he keeps it all in a safe, so don't try stealin it!

But see I explain it to my wife this way - "Honey, think of all the money I'm saving us on film!"
 06/30/2006 03:12:19 PM · #17
Every spare cent I have. And probably my soul, too. Oh, and my life, let's not forget that. :-P
 06/30/2006 03:12:38 PM · #18
When I read the thread title, the first thing I thought about was TIME. In self-assignments alone, here at home, I'm on folder #215. The money matters too, as I leveraged my equipment ever upward and onward until at a comfortable space now. Would still like an ultra wide lens and a good macro lens. I spend money on workshops, like the one that produced these images. Besides the shoots, there was around 6 hrs a day of Photoshop instruction.
 06/30/2006 03:13:57 PM · #19
$25 for my DPC membership, and my boyfriend paid for that for me.

What I'd like to spend on it is a whole other story, but alas I don't have any money.
 06/30/2006 03:14:58 PM · #20
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
But see I explain it to my wife this way - "Honey, think of all the money I'm saving us on film!"


This is the argument I had to get the 300D and how I proved that I paid off the 300D so that it wasn't "as bad" to get the 30D. I'm running out of traction with this argument however, but I should be able to find another reason in the next 2-3 years before I feel I need to upgrade from the 30D. :)
 06/30/2006 03:20:35 PM · #21
my wife didnt get mad at me when I bought the camera. She thought great now we can take nice photos of our kids. She didnt get mad when I bought the macro lens she likes close up shots But for some reason when i brought home my 200-500mm she lost it. to date is is my most expensive lens actually cost more than the camrea body itself but worth it. She still fails to see my point on that lens but has recently bought me a new lens to add to my collection so She lost part of her case against me.
06/30/2006 03:25:23 PM · #22
Originally posted by json:
About 4000$ here but photography gear (along with pretty much everything else) is much more expensive here in Iceland. My equipment could probably be bought for about 2800$ in the U.S.


And now we know why Icelandic photographers are better!!! They spend more money!!!!
 06/30/2006 03:25:44 PM · #23
I didnt tell her about the 11-18 which i traded some old car parts + a few benjies to a friend for who ended up with two of them by accident he gave me a good deal.. But as long as my wife doesn't notice I figure it is best to stay that way. When she does notice. Ill point out that those old car parts she wanted out of the garage arent there anymore. hopefully i will win a pat on the back and be forgiven. :-)
06/30/2006 03:39:39 PM · #24
I would say a little more then $3,000 right now.

That includes the stuff for my darkroom, part of the cost of my new PC, my scanner, film and digital cameras, lenses, lighting, class and other incidentals.
 06/30/2006 03:42:17 PM · #25
A big pile-o-cash!

I am still adding to the pile. :-P
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