Gear Sale/Separation Anxiety?

[JohnDizzo15]

Just wondering if anyone else has coped with the feeling of anxiety when selling off a piece/several pieces of equipment.

Over the last several months, I have done a lot of reevaluation over what I actually need in the kit. And although I am far from being rid of enough stuff I don't use all that often, the few pieces I have parted ways with recently have caused somewhat of a mental struggle.

Sold recently: 50L, 24 tse, and now the 70-200 II.

Why I got rid of but still miss them:

I have a lot of other 50s, but that was the most regularly usable one for general purpose.

TSE was sold off because I generally reach for the 45 or 90 in most situations (just ran into a situation though where 24 would have been great). Still doesn't negate the fact that I almost never used it though.

The 70-200 was only getting used in the handful of gigs I do all year. Otherwise, it was gathering dust as I prefer my primes for anything tele (85II, 135, and 300). But something in the back of my mind still tells me I'm going to regret this one.

These self-debates over whether I made the right decision happen about once a day at least.

 

[Loswr]

I read posts by people expressing regret or in some cases re-buying lenses they've sold. I don't get it. I've sold a fair bit of gear, and had no regrets...

 

[JohnDizzo15]

I read posts by people expressing regret or in some cases re-buying lenses they've sold. I don't get it. I've sold a fair bit of gear, and had no regrets...

In the past, I've always sold things to swap out for something I knew would be more useful. These recent sales were a bit different in that they were just shed with nothing in return but some extra cheese.

Don't think the feeling is regret for me so much as concern over whether or not I will need them and not have them (although I know the times of need will be few). I have just been reminding myself that rental is always an option to cope. Lol.

 

[raptor3x]

I read posts by people expressing regret or in some cases re-buying lenses they've sold. I don't get it. I've sold a fair bit of gear, and had no regrets...

I experienced something like this when I sold my first 135L to get a 70-200ii. I've since bought another 135 but probably have taken a grand total of <50 shots with it.

 

[JohnDizzo15]

I read posts by people expressing regret or in some cases re-buying lenses they've sold. I don't get it. I've sold a fair bit of gear, and had no regrets...

I experienced something like this when I sold my first 135L to get a 70-200ii. I've since bought another 135 but probably have taken a grand total of <50 shots with it.

That is the one thing I will definitely keep myself in check about. I don't want to ever repurchase a lens that I previously sold. That would inherently involve me coming to the realization that I made a dumb move previously. lol.

 

[Dylan777]

No regret in selling cameras and lenses that I don't need.

 

[tron]

I may delay sale (by ... a few or many years) but when I sell I do not regret.
The reason is that I upgrade most of my sold items.

Up to now I have sold:

CANON: EOS 5D Mark II, EF16-35mm 1:2.8 L, EF28-70mm 1:3.5-4.5 II, EF28-70mm 1:2.8 L, EF35-70mm 1:3.5-4.5, EF100-300mm 1:5.6, EF20mm 1:2.8, EF28mm 1:2.8, EF1.4X II, EF2.0X II, Battery pack BG-E2N

SIGMA: 14mm 1:3.5, 400mm 1:5.6 APO, AF TELE-CONVERTER X1.4 FOR-CANON-AF

Tamron: AF TELE-CONVERTER 2X C-AF MC7

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I sell equipment that I do not use or plan to use. Occasionally, I rebuy, but only because its a killer deal.
The exception is my 40d's. I've had five of them. I sell them to upgrade or buy something else, but when another one popped up at a very low price, I buy it and use it again. I just sold number 5, and am planning to replace it with a 1G X II. I have a 1G X MK I, but it will not quite do what I want. The new one should be fine. I got enough out of the 40D to pay for the upgrade. Now, I'm holding on to my 15-85, but It will probably be sold soon. I think I'm thru buying APS-C DSLR's, and will stick to FF + the 1G X.

Of course, my track record of sticking to the plan is not great. If a wonderful 7D MK II comes along (unlikely), I might buy one.

 

[Aglet]

7d, 5d2, 70-200s of every type, 50/1.4s, 85/1.8, about 10 Rebels and various other Canon kit all punted from my inventory without any sorrow. Was relieved to be rid of my 5d2, waffled on the 7d but had to sell it while recovered value was still very good.
I won't sell my 40D, 60D or 100-400mm quite as readily tho.
I have a much harder time trying to think of parting with any of my ABC gear tho. Only sold a bit of underused Pentax gear with some anxiety, even tho I had duplicates. I'd sell more Pentax gear but it's at the bad part of its depreciation curve so I may as well get more years of use from it.
No Nikons have left the fold, neither have any Fuji or Olympus products, tho the latter will eventually get thinned out. I'm actually adding Fuji and Oly gear yet.
The more I have, the less I'm attached to any one piece.

 

[Max ☢]

If a lot of thinking went in the decision to sell the gear and if the counterpart (money or new gear) is more satifying, then there is no reason to regret the decision. Regrets will emerge only if something was not properly considered in the decision making process.

A year and half ago I decided to give my 450D and the collection of EF-S lenses to my brother as a Christmas gift while I moved to FF with a 6D and L lenses. This decision turned out to give me mixed feelings: the change in image quality and low light ISO was huge, this was a really fantastic step, but what I hadn't properly assessed in my decision is how camera/lens weight and size affect my shooting habits. The much larger 6D+L lenses caused me to use the gear much less than before, and as a consequence I missed a lot of photographic opportunities. What's the value of cutting-edge imagery if you can't take pictures as often?
The result is that I am now in the process of selling my L lenses and other accessories to fund my transition back towards an APS-C system (not Canon as I want the keep as much of the image quality as possible). So far I have sold the 17-40/4L, the 24/1.4LII and a speedlight EX 430 II, which have paid for a part of my new camera and two lenses, and I am definitely not looking back. the 50/1.2L, 35/2IS and the 70-300L/IS are next in line.

 

[Hjalmarg1]

No regrets after selling anything. It may have happened at the very first time but later when I defined what I needed and what to look for, no regrets at all.
Specially, most photographers consider a 50mm a must lens to have, I have bought and sold four and no regrets, including the 50L.

 

[Aglet]

No regrets after selling anything. It may have happened at the very first time but later when I defined what I needed and what to look for, no regrets at all.
Specially, most photographers consider a 50mm a must lens to have, I have bought and sold four and no regrets, including the 50L.

I DO regret selling my well-worn old 50/1.4 USM and keeping the new one in a box which turned out to be incapable of focusing properly. I really shoulda checked it out before making that decision, not well AFTER the warranty expired. :-[

 

[mackguyver]

I read posts by people expressing regret or in some cases re-buying lenses they've sold. I don't get it. I've sold a fair bit of gear, and had no regrets...

I've sold quite a bit, but I did end up missing the 50L and re-bought it. I'm glad I did, too, as I use it a lot. Sometimes you don't realize how much you missing something until it's no longer there to use.