Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => The Coffee Corner => Topic started by: MorganAdam on September 12, 2008, 05:54:19 pm

Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: MorganAdam on September 12, 2008, 05:54:19 pm
Does everyone keep all their lens, printer and camera boxes? Are you less of a man/woman/photographer without them?

If you're in a small NYC apartment could you give them up? Does doing so affect the possible resale value?

More importantly, is there an emotional attachment to them? The cardboard may be the same wrapped around a $15 Salad Shooter, but do we treasure it more when it came with a $2000 lens inside?

I have spent 48 hours contemplating these questions, and must return to actually taking photos sometime in the near future. Please help me on this journey.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: dalethorn on September 12, 2008, 11:17:25 pm
Quote
Does everyone keep all their lens, printer and camera boxes? Are you less of a man/woman/photographer without them?
If you're in a small NYC apartment could you give them up? Does doing so affect the possible resale value?
More importantly, is there an emotional attachment to them? The cardboard may be the same wrapped around a $15 Salad Shooter, but do we treasure it more when it came with a $2000 lens inside?
I have spent 48 hours contemplating these questions, and must return to actually taking photos sometime in the near future. Please help me on this journey.
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I've always kept the boxes.  If you have some cutting skills, you should be able to flatten most of them and get one of those clothing compressors to thin the pile to an acceptable size.  Restoring them to normal should be fairly easy with some multi-color tape and possibly some glue.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Nill Toulme on September 12, 2008, 11:33:22 pm
They do seem to have value at resale time.

Nill
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: picnic on September 13, 2008, 10:31:35 am
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They do seem to have value at resale time.

Nill
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I did end up reselling old bodies and  a couple of lenses and the boxes probably helped along with all the other 'stuff'.  OTOH--I became inundated with printer boxes, etc.  I just cleaned out--I knew I would never sell any printers.  I still keep my 5D box in case I decide at some point to send in for shutter repair, but know I will never resell it--plan to keep it until it goes belly up.  I'm going to throw out the box for the used 400D I recently bought since that's another I know I won't sell, but maybe just pass on at some point.  Then--there are those neat boxes the Ipods come in that Apple says "put on your shelf as 'art'"  esp. the Nano boxes (at least they are little--and 'cute' LOL).

BUT--if I was in a NYC apt. instead of on 20 acres with barn, studio, attic, etc. for storage (probably more a curse than a blessing though)--- I would have to come to terms with the issue I think.  I know this was written with tongue in cheek (OP), but it IS a dilemma--what to keep.  My advise would be current camera body, any 'iffy' lens and either flatten the rest or get rid of them.

Diane
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Petrjay on September 13, 2008, 11:27:18 am
You're kidding right? With cameras, lenses, backpacks, printers, computers, tripods, storage cabinets, bookcases and assorted paraphernalia of every possible description, who the heck has room for empty boxes? I've already had to move my fly tying area to the garage, which, my wife informs me, is also where I'll be residing should I be foolish enough to acquire one more piece of gear without discarding its predecessor.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Ray on September 13, 2008, 11:41:31 am
I once came across a thread in a Canon EOS forum, which had a record breaking number of posts devoted to pictures of empty boxes. It seems a lot of folks treasure their empty boxes.

Pure materialism!
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Rob C on September 13, 2008, 03:01:36 pm
Ray, you old punster you! (Or would you be a double-entendrerer instead?)

Actually, when I traded in my previous camera stuff, I was always asked by the dealer if I had the boxes. These seem to make for better value for the selling photographer. I suppose it might be because of the Leica complex, where some never leave the box - it is never opened - and so the collector part of photography comes into its own.

We have some strange bedfellows, do we not?

Rob C
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: dalethorn on September 14, 2008, 08:20:09 am
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Actually, when I traded in my previous camera stuff, I was always asked by the dealer if I had the boxes. These seem to make for better value for the selling photographer. I suppose it might be because of the Leica complex, where some never leave the box - it is never opened - and so the collector part of photography comes into its own.
Rob C
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When I traded in my M6, after not using it for a long time, the receiving expert tried the different settings and found some were sticking due to corrosion.  I had never used the camera anywhere damp or wet.  Which leads me to ask - are those collector cams always assured to be as clean on the inside as they are on the outside?  From what I hear, the gel pacs are supposed to be changed at intervals.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Rob C on September 14, 2008, 03:04:30 pm
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When I traded in my M6, after not using it for a long time, the receiving expert tried the different settings and found some were sticking due to corrosion.  I had never used the camera anywhere damp or wet.  Which leads me to ask - are those collector cams always assured to be as clean on the inside as they are on the outside?  From what I hear, the gel pacs are supposed to be changed at intervals.
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Just for informationĀ“s sake: silica gel can be put into an oven, heated up and re-used again. Once the moisture has gone, itĀ“s just as good as new.

Rob C
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: rvanr on September 15, 2008, 06:51:52 am
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Does everyone keep all their lens, printer and camera boxes? Are you less of a man/woman/photographer without them?
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Keeping empty boxes causes my house to be too small. I always intend to keep them just for a few days, to make sure the item works properly and I don't have to send it back immediately. Often they migrate to the cellar or attic and then get forgotten about. I need to have another big box bonfire.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Geoff Wittig on September 15, 2008, 08:39:24 am
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Does everyone keep all their lens, printer and camera boxes? Are you less of a man/woman/photographer without them?

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If you have the space, I've found two reasons to hang on to the boxes. Mine were parked in the attic for years

1) I boxed up and sold an extensive Pentax 35 mm system to pay for my first digital SLR system (the original Eos-1Ds). Since I packed everything up in the original boxes, I got a (somewhat) better price for everything. In retrospect of course I should have put everything out on E-bay one item at a time if I wanted top dollar, but the time and anxiety involved didn't seem worth it.

2) I recently packed up that Eos-1Ds in its original box and shipped it cross country for infra-red conversion. It came back in the same box in perfect condition. Cameras certainly travel best in their original protective packaging.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: MorganAdam on September 15, 2008, 09:42:30 pm
As a first step towards liberation, I centered my attention on the Epson 3800 box taking up a great chunk of the bedroom closet. As a previous poster mentioned, I'm less likely to sell a printer when it's finished... no one's exactly banging down my door for the old 2200 now, so I imagine the same will hold true for the 3800 a few years from now. And the lens boxes seem small and cute by comparison.

So I am face to face with the monster on the bedroom floor, imagining every situation where I will desperately need that box months from now. The fear and freedom are in a deadlock. I grab a knife and slit open the tape holding the bottom and sides together and deconstruct the box. It has now lost all allure. Just a flat pile of useless cardboard. It is easy to dispose of now.

On the elevator ride back up, it occurs to me that I might have just stored the flattened box; thus taking up less space. I console myself with Lagavulin and eventually make peace with my decision.
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: Rob C on September 16, 2008, 05:29:17 am
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I console myself with Lagavulin and eventually make peace with my decision.
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A good decicsion, for a printer box, but is Lagavulin a fine malt or just a popper?


Rob C
Title: Boxes Boxes Boxes
Post by: MorganAdam on September 16, 2008, 02:40:12 pm
Lagavulin is a fine malt; a 16 yr old single malt scotch from the island of Islay. For those new to single malts, it's a little different than the Macallan type. More smoky taste; sea water and peat.

It also happens to come in a nice box.