On keeping your camera pristine?

[mrdawkins]

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Are you hell-bent on keeping your camera pristine, and if so, does this get in the way of your photographic aspirations; or do you like the more authentic look and actually like to see a few scuff marks/dings on the camera?

 

I ask because I’m sure that there are many photographers – including myself – who go to extraordinary lengths to protect their cameras from damage in order that it will attract maximum resale value when the next bit of new kit comes out. In fact I have done this myself. I recently sold an EP1 which had a few dings and found it extremely difficult to sell; eventually almost giving it away.

 

So whatever happened to the authentic look – if there is such a thing? Should I scrape my X1 on the floor and have done with so that I can get on throwing it on the car seat; chucking it in a rucksack; dumping it in a draw without fear of the smallest of dings?

And having said all this the postman has literally just delivered my Luigi case – in black

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[phancj]

I would the do the minimum which is to have a screen protector, and now I tend to put on a "always-On" wrap. It stays on to protect the X1 but can be "unwrapped" and does not affect functionality or use. other than that I use the cam without inhibitions, and my X1 has sustained some injuries haha...

 

I think if you are over-protective then you lose the joy of use of any gadget at the same time I would not deliberately try to put battle scars on it for fun.

 

Overall I would say I am always careful the first week or two after the first scratch what the heck??!!

Edited September 18, 2010 by andybarton

[57andrew]

Overall I would say I am always careful the first week or two after the first scratch what the heck??!!

 

I am in the same category. I start off with good intentions but hell, then I use the darn thing and I can't be worrying about "pristinity" (if there is such a word, which I doubt) when I am in the field. I don't normally resell so I worry less and the kit quickly becomes part of my life. That said, I dropped my M3 once and discovered they don't bounce much. Expensive lesson.

 

I read an article by David duChemin recently which made me chuckle on how he treats his equipment. Worth a read. It made me feel better!

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[mrdawkins]

Thanks for that article.

 

And of course there is Garry Winogrand's M4 Leica M4 Garry Winogrand

[Danielsan]

. I don't normally resell so I worry less

 

you never sell your older digital cameras? what do u do with all the older generation cameras? i need only one camera, the current model. i sold all the 1,3MP cameras frim for 15 years and also newer ones, they just collect dust. i will sell the X1 in a year or so and get the X2 if its released until then the x1 has still a bit of value and i can use this money to get the X2. if i would wait 6 years i would probably get only a few bucks for the x1.

[57andrew]

Danielsan, they don't have much of a trade in value. I have given some away and others are indeed just sitting gathering dust. I have a 30D, 40D, 1D mk III, iD mk IV and 7D as well as 2 small P&Ss, 2 Leicas, a couple of old film Canon bodies and probably others I have forgotten. Some are still in active use, of course!

[RichardM8]

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I traded in my - pristine - Canon 40D with 2 lenses to buy the X1. Turned out they still had more value than I expected. My Leica dealer said that the good resale value was 'cos it all looked like new. 'That sells so much quicker'...

 

So besides the fact that I am very careful with my cameras, I saw this reflected in the resale value too. Nice...

[r28551]

I got a half case from Leicatime Luigi Crescenzi : leica cameras leica compur mp elmar 250 reporter leicavit. Looks stunning on the X1 and protects the camera nicely.

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[jorismichielsen]

Should I scrape my X1 on the floor and have done with so that I can get on throwing it on the car seat; chucking it in a rucksack; dumping it in a draw without fear of the smallest of dings?

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No no! you can not do that!

The grey top and bottom of the camera are extremely fragile. If not for reselling purpose, throwing, chucking and dumping could seriously damage the camera and its functions f.e. the popping-up flash. I've even never dumped, thrown or chucked my X1 and still the grey plate is crushed affecting the flash to pop-up. No other scratches or so, but Leica considers this as if the camera smashed on the floor and hence the guarantee does not cover the repair.

[jsrockit]

I don't use any protection....I go bareback with my X1.