I bought some Kase drop in filters, the square/rectangle glass kind. Nice filters, very little cast in the NDs, nice CP filter, but too slow to get on/off for my liking. I still need to sell them.
Bought some of the magnetic filters to replace them and I like/use them a lot more.
The only failures I’ve had are on cheap umbrellas and light stands which you kind of have to expect going in.
The only thing I have that basically doesn’t work is a fisheye adapter lens. The lens itself is fine, but didn’t come with the correct thread adapter and I haven’t been able to track down the right diameter and thread pitch as yet. It’s low priority though, I just like it because its the same lens that was used for the HAL 9000 prop in 2001.
I’ve got a bunch of items that see exceptionally rare use because they basically don’t suit me any more though: a monopod, extension belows, a film loader, paterson tank, change bag, and a pistol grip tripod head that I don’t fancy much at all.
So no big heart-breakers thankfully - touch wood.
Well, I have a drone that’s barely gone up into the sky in the last 2 years, and I’ve only owned it for 2 years. They are fun toys but where I live you can’t really fly them in any kind of national/provincial/regional park or in the city over people, so I’m kind of restricted to where I can fly it. Plus, people hate them so I’m usually reluctant to fly it anywhere that people hike and go to enjoy the great outdoors. I still own it though, so maybe not a “short-lived” purchase. And it was a gift, so not a purchase either…
Sort of like the X-T20 I bought to have a small travel camera because my D7000 didn’t come on trips. Since I got the X-T20, the only reason the D7000 came out again was to generate a set of white balance fine tuning shots for someone.
…what categories did you guys run? We’re in Rok now (Rotax before that).
A Mir 37B/f2.8 to experiment with a reversed front element (lensbaby-like effects) together with a K-mount M42 adapter. Used it once, sits in the back of a drawer since.
I’m gonna get a ton of stick for this — and I deserve it! I bought a flash around four years ago, and I’ve never used it. I know; I need to get out and start shooting with it.
Many years ago, I asked the local photography store for a good low-light lens for my D7000. They recommended a 35mm f/1.8. I thought 35mm would be a bit tight for my tastes. Well, I bought it anyway, and it was too tight indeed. It went up on ebay before the end of the week. I have since bought two more 35mm APS-C lenses, and rediscovered the same thing.
A few years later, a lens I had ordered was to be delivered a week too late, so I looked for local offers to tide me over. I found a Fuji 15-45 power-zoom lens. Just as all the reviews had predicted, I didn’t get along with the power zoom, and sold it as soon as the other lens arrived. I have since bought and sold two more copies of the 15-45, and rediscovered the same thing.
It appears that I am not very good at learning from my mistakes. Thankfully, the difference between buying used and selling used is usually marginal, so I didn’t lose much money in these shenanigans.
@bastibe I have a 35mm and 50mm for my APS-C Fuji and they’ve started to feel “normal”, even though they are equivalent to 50mm and 75mm FoV in 35mm terms. If I went back to full frame, I’d probably find 35mm weirdly wide these days.
I had a cheap shoulder strap that was a Black Rapid knock-off, and the link didn’t last more than a couple of days with the weight of my camera and the 120-400 lens.
Fortunately I was in Brittany, which means harbours, which means ship chandlers, and the thing was quickly repaired with a shackle and a jib snaphook, that of course costed more than the original strap, but supported my gear for several years, until the shoulder padding disintegrated at which point I replaced it with the brand thing. But sometimes I regret the nautical snaphook, it was more practical and at least as trustable as a the BR link that only a paranoid could love.
I am (or I would have been - if my budget was not completely depleted).
We can touch bases - hopefully in 1-2 years (if you haven’t sold them by then) 
Unless you are a secret Santa 
I’ll reach out … It may take that long – the replacement order is a “special order” that’s been “processing” for weeks!
Which magnetic filters?
K&F Concept. I’ll get to see if they’re any good… On “Special Order” from B&H.
This one
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/750439-REG/Vello_OCS_C1_5_TTL_Off_Camera_Flash_Cord.html
I used this just few times and it broke - the connection to the camera completely fell apart.
The reason why I did not use it is - in theory it would work well - give an off camera flash without a stand.
In practice - once the flash is attached - it becomes very cumbersome to use it and put it away.
Maybe if you have a patient model (and I don’t) and you are not in a hurry (mostly I am) - so - not a good combination. But I am not buying another one of these.
The second one is similar like this
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1552957-REG/rogue_photographic_design_roguegel_ccv3_flash_gels_color_correction.html
Not exactly the same brand etc. I still have them around and may end up using the light orange at some point but … never really came around for that. A while back I watched a video where somebody was making the sky quite deep blue (or other color) by shooting with a filter and then color balancing to the model (and changing the color of the sky). Interesting idea but never quite worked.
The one use that may come handy (and I haven’t tried it) would be to warm the flash a bit when I am in a mixed lighting because majority of the lighting that I like is 2700 k and the flash is about 5000 k so - one thing to give it a try.
Third one
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1781523-REG/neewer_66602139_24_5_in_1_collapsible_round.html
Rarely used. Reason - if you try to use the stand (mine is actually worse) and it is outside - the smallest wind will make it fall down. So - I have to have weights (but I don’t). And I am not buying yet - because from what I am seeing - even with the weights it would still fall down. So - then I would have to add the weights to the list too (and yes - there was something about the budget gone with the wind too). The reflector is nice - providing you can use it at home or - if you have an assistant. My model/assistant grew up already and often is pretty bored with me fiddling with the camera. The reflector does not take much space and the stand is occupying sad space in the wardrobe often provoking the “is that needed” question from my wife.
Well - the thread is well worth it - “think before you buy” or “read before you buy”
This one that I also bought for my D7000 (AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G from Nikon)? I actually parked the whole camera, not just the lens. I had no problem with the lens, but when I went Fuji the Nikon was done.
I have a not-so-cheap camera strap ( Slide Lite Camera Strap | Peak Design Official Site ) that I basically never use. It’s built like a tank, like most Peak Design products, but it’s so stiff that it is constantly hitting buttons on the camera and making me miss shots I should have had. I’ve joined the ranks of all the photographers you see on YouTube with Peak Design anchors on their cameras but no straps.
I bought a cheap macro light to see if it would help with my snowflake photography. Turns out it just melts the subject, even at its lowest setting and in < 20℉ weather. At least I didn’t fork over the cash for a nice one.
I never even took a shot with it. I just watched the snowflakes melting in my EVF, took it off and put it back in the box. And there it sits.
Nothing wrong with a 50mm eq lens. As I grew more experienced, I learned when to use it, and still own one.
But back then, I was a beginner, and mostly photographing my toddler, where the 35 required a step back to get them to fill the frame. There often wasn’t room for a step back. More importantly, it required me to stop playing with them while I took the picture, which often destroyed the moment. That’s why I didn’t get along with the 35 back then.
It’s still not my favorite focal length. I prefer a Fuji 23, and a somewhat closer perspective. But to each their own! Come to think of it, it might be a good challenge for me to take out the 35 more.
Considering that all my photo gear put together is worth less than about a total of $1500, yes, that’s a lot of money for a lens from my perspective.
The great thing about photography is that while one can spend infinite amounts of money on equipment, at the same time it is possible to enjoy it on a budget.
Incidentally, I am now trying very hard to resist purchasing an Olympus E-M5 (“mark I”, the one from 2012). I had a chance to try it in a store and it is amazing for that much money.
I have an Op-Tech neck strap that’s really nice and comfortable – wide, stretchy, thick neoprene that effectively “reduces” weight very well. In fact when I was using a Norazza shoulder bag, I bought one for the bag as well. Now I have a Lowepro Flipside 450 backpack so the Ape Case went to my daughter, along with the strap. The neck strap is in a case in the closet, with other photo stuff I don’t / rarely use, but haven’t parted with yet.
I like the idea of a PD clip, but I like my L bracket more…
Offhand, I think if I total up everything I’ve spent on photography in the last ~20 years (including a workshop, sans additional travel / lodging) it might… might total $3k - $3.5k (USD). Maybe I’m fooling myself but I think not too much, even if so.
It’s not that I necessarily couldn’t spend more, in an absolute context but to my mind, if a purchase doesn’t make sense (for whatever reason), then I can’t “afford” it – even if the money is there. That’s largely why I’ve not spent more than I have (that, and fear of my wife, naturally! LOL).