What do you do "between cameras"?

[Sabarika]

So I'm going absolutely batsh*t insane because, well, I don't have a camera any more.

Who here has or is going through a time between cameras? I moved from KY to NC and it cost and arm and a leg, so after it was taken care of I thought I'd be crafty and sell my Nikon setup to buy Canon equipment. Well, as it went, everything that could happen when you have money saved up DID happen and lo--! I used every last dime I made on my Nikon sale ($1600!!) to pay errant bills and stitches for my dog.
Go figure.

It's been over 2 months and reading these forums has given me the itchiest shutter-finger EVER - and I can't afford a new camera yet!

I've taken to shooting with my.. ugh.. phone camera. It sickens me. No flash. No focus. NOTHING.

How do you DO it?! Here I am, seeing an opportunity with every new place I go to take some amazing shots, and I'm empty-handed!

I had to post, this is driving me NUTS. All these techniques I've learned and nothing to test my knowledge with!

Where's my winning lottery ticket when I need it?

[deltroid]

I can feel your pain completely. I'm cameraless since July 21st, since my camera died in my hands that day...

I went through a month of discussions with CPS (extended warranty company) until I got turned down and had to order the service to fix my camera for USD 400.00, outta my own pocket...

In the meantime, I try not to think about it too much, or else I'll go nuts, because it seems that now that I do NOT have a camera, it's when the skies are "bluer", there's nicer wheather for me to shoot, I see more interesting stuff around me...but I can do anything about it!

Hang in there...you'll be back in the scene soon enough.

I would suggest not visiting this forum while you don't have your gear, but I'd be a hypocrite, since this forum drives me a little crazier every day looking at such great pictures and not being able to share anything...

Good luck!

[Mum2J&M]

I actually sold my Nikon D80 to return to Canon myself. I was cameraless for awhile. And to be honest, it was a relief... for awhile anyway. I think you are always going to see things you miss even when you have a camera. Seems I've always got the wrong lens, thought I wouldn't need the camera, etc. Perhaps make a note of these things for when you get your camera? Might help to have a list to remember them by and it can get you thinking about how you want to photograph them, etc. You could also use this time on reading-up in new photography books and practicing post-processing. That helped me. I also remember thinking I had an advantage not having gear because I had choices to make about equipment and that was exciting in itself. You could always rent something if you go crazy.

[Village_Idiot]

Use a backup?

[JWright]

There hasn't been a time since 1966 that I haven't been without a camera. There are some things I just won't do and selling off all my gear is one of them. It's kinda like motorcycles... I haven't been without one since I bought my first one in 1975.

[Sabarika]

:P It was my camera, or my hearse, and dear lord... I'll part with my camera any day than give up my ride. :P Besides, good working cameras are much easier to find and MUCH more affordable!

Thanks for the response. :D It's definitely given me time to read TONS and TONS of articles and do some much-needed PP practice - it's just so frustrating to see what I'm missing out on! Then again I'm kind of glad I don't have one, Canon just released 2 new cameras and that means the one I want will go down in price. WOO!

[Mum2J&M]

There ya go. Keep thinking positive... ;)

[DocFrankenstein]

You poor guy with one camera.

I have... 9 cameras. I just need one more to round up the collection. :rolleyes:

[-spam-]

I was digital cameraless for a week. I just shot 10 rolls of film through my 35mm SLR and 3 rolls through my yashica.

Still have to get it all developed though :-|

[tim]

I have a camera in my pocket everywhere I go - my phone's not too bad. Sure the digital noise is MASSIVE, but it's usable.

I only pick up a camera if i'm paid now, it's too much like work to do it when i'm not being paid. The only time I take a photo when i'm not paid is to take a photo of my girlfriend or sometimes friends if we're at a party or something. I like the photo taking part but i'm sick of post processing.

[Nick C.]

I know exactly how you feel. I was deprived for 3 months after selling one to upgrade. It's certainly not fun. I'm sure you're creative side becomes hyperactive when you're without a camera because I'd often see something that I would think would make a great picture. But, alas, there be nothing to capture it with :(.

If you do come across things like that, along with new techniques and such, make a note to come back and shoot it (if possible) when you finally get a camera again. By the time you have that shutter button back under your hot little index finger you'll have a list with plenty to keep you busy and you'll forget all about the agonising, thumb-twiddling nothingness that you endured for all those months.

And keep hanging around here of course. You can use the forums as sort of a photographic patch to release smaller, controlled measures of photo pleasure into the system while working through the otherwise cold-turkey period. Be sure not to overdose though (risk of this is particularly elevated in or around the body/lenses forums) or you may find yourself going downright mad. You'll know you've hit rock-bottom when you start making your own SLR out of an empty tissue box and toilet-roll cylinder.

I wish you good luck!

[cdifoto]

No such thing as "between cameras" for me...

You can pick up a P&S on the cheap these days. I'm still considering one since it takes the pain in the arse away from grabbing snaps at family get togethers.

[Sabarika]

No such thing as "between cameras" for me...

You can pick up a P&S on the cheap these days. I'm still considering one since it takes the pain in the arse away from grabbing snaps at family get togethers.
Gracias, gracias everyone!
I had a P&S that I gave to a friend when I moved, my old Kodak EasyShare DX7630, and I wish I hadn't. It had Coke spilled in it and I went in and painstakingly cleaned the entire thing out once, and when I put the cover back on I screwed up the zoom trigger so it zoomed out but not back in. Such an easy fix, yet I had a dSLR so I was like, "I don't need this!"

Now, I do. 9.9;

There's a good chance I'll explode with photo-y goodness when I return. I already have so much PP practice it's driving me insane, I can show a comparison from November and June/July:
original: http://www.spiralingdreams.com/albums/album01/original.thumb.jpg (http://www.spiralingdreams.com/albums/album01/original.jpg) NOVEMBER:http://www.spiralingdreams.com/albums/album01/manipulation.thumb.jpg (http://www.spiralingdreams.com/albums/album01/manipulation.jpg)JUNE/JULY:http://www.spiralingdreams.com/albums/album01/Edits_004.thumb.jpg (http://www.spiralingdreams.com/albums/album01/Edits_004.jpg)

[Jon]

I try not to let such a catastrophe happen. OTOH, if Ann gets really fed up with all the photo equipment buildup, I may learn the hard way!

[Lani Kai]

I'll do whatever it takes to avoid such predicaments.

[beefykoala]

www.freecycle.org

It's the best site ever, I got a very nice film SLR and lenses all for FREE as the woman was upgrading to digital and it's so neat!

[Lani Kai]

I'll do whatever it takes to avoid such predicaments.
So the day after I said that, the meter on my 1D Mark II died. I guess I'm still not completely camera-less as I have a Yashica Mat, Rollei 35T, and a Fuji P&S. Still inconvenient though...