In the past year, I have interviewed more than 100 camera collectors, walked into their collections, and also walked into their emotional depths, explored their collecting experiences, and wrote articles, which had a great response
Some people say that this is equivalent to a high-end "census" of the camera collecting industry, and some people say that this kind of visit will also promote the cultural integration of the camera collection, which is a major event in the camera collecting industry.
But there are also different voices that are opposed to the camera collection and cannot even be understood.
among othersThe main thing is the uselessness of camera collections, these scrap copper and rotten iron are garbage, playing and collecting is a waste of money, they are all elderly people playing, not to mention that they are smashed in their hands, and the next generation does not like them after passing away, and they will be disposed of as garbage every second.
There are also some people who are slightly familiar with old cameras, and they directly say that they can't make money collecting cameras, except for a few domestic scarce cameras, most of the things in their hands have depreciated. Especially those industrialized Japanese cameras, which were bought at a large price in the early years, are now smashed in their hands, and they can't be sold, and they lose a lot. Anyway, it's not worth collecting old cameras.
Collecting old cameras, is it really a loss? Is it a big loss?
I summarize the people who have collected cameras over the years, there are roughly three types:
The first is people who are particularly fond of old cameras, camera culture, mechanical beauty, and optical charm;
The second is people who feel that the camera has taste, collectible significance, appreciation space, and can increase in value;
The third type is a person who enters the circle on a whim and sees others collecting and playing, or is bewitched by a certain article, and half-believes.
These three types of people,The firstMost resolutely, collecting cameras is a part of their life or life, they can't say that they don't care about the appreciation or depreciation of the camera, but their love for the camera itself is greater than the economic value, they have been enjoying the process of ownership;
The secondOn the one hand, I love the camera, on the other hand, I am confused by the depreciation of some collections, I feel that the collection of cameras has become a chicken rib, I can't lose it, I can't bear to stop, and in the face of others' doubts, the interest in collecting is also lost;
WhileThe thirdIn fact, people have been quietly "delisting" over the years, some have gradually disposed of their collections, some have changed careers, changed to play other games, or shelved them.
In fact, no matter what kind of person, are interested or love to collect cameras, initially not the main economic reasons, with the change of the times, the collection of cameras in both form and connotation have changed a lot, the most important of which is the value of the collection itself inflated or shrunk, some people will inevitably have inner ripples, and produce delisting or give up.
There is also an important factor in this, that is, some people are old, some people are not in good health, so there is a burden on the collection or to the age and link that should be handled, I also met several people in the interview, they said that when they encounter the right situation, they will sell or cooperate, and entrust the collection camera to someone who can be trusted.
However, there are a large number of camera collectors with a resolute attitude, they say that collecting cameras is already a part of life, play every day, check the information, listen to the sound of the shutter, feel that the days are steady, if these cameras are really gone, it seems that the biggest support in life is broken, despite their age, they still keep buying cameras, see what they like, will not easily let go.
In their eyes, collecting cameras is not about saving or accumulating wealth, but about the consumption of life and life, and a part of a happy life. The camera is their wealth, but also their spiritual support. There was once an old collector who had a unique camera in his hand, and some people wanted to buy it, but the old collector just didn't sell it: "What's the use of me asking for money, with these cameras, life is full."
Many outsiders can't understand this, or can't figure it out, is the camera really so fragrant?
A few years ago, I had a debate about what is the value of a collector's camera.
Some people say that the collection must take into account both knowledge and value, must bring happiness, but also maintain and increase value, all of which are indispensable, otherwise it is not worth playing, and one day you will regret it.
I said that many things in life are ungraspable, and it is human nature to want to win everything for a win-win situation, but few people do everything well in operation, and it depends on what is the Lord? What is Time?
If you can distinguish between the main and the secondary, and do the main thing well, it is success, which is a kind of gain, and there is no need to worry about some things that are lost.
In many collecting industries over the years: philately, antiques, calligraphy and painting, and even photography, which ones are not a mess?
On the contrary, the collection of cameras is better, there are ups and downs, the collection of domestic cameras has earned, the collection of European cameras has also earned, of course, some of the collection of ordinary road cameras and Japanese cameras have lost.
If you're afraid of falling, it's best not to play anything.
Okay, just don't play anything, okay?
No! Because this kind of plaything is the nature of life, and it is also to pay for happiness.
People say that "playthings are demoralized", but many people can't control themselves, why is that? That is human desire, human possession, intellectual curiosity, and inner satisfaction.
As the old saying goes: Food, clothing, and lust are the only ones who have the leisure to play and squander time. In fact, collecting and playing also belong to this category, the first thing to collect a camera is to have spare money, and the second is to have a leisure time.
Once people have leisure and comfort, they will pursue spirits other than material, such as playing mahjong, fishing, photography, dancing, and even drinking, all of which belong to the spiritual category and are a kind of pursuit other than material desires.
If a person lives, if there is no material guarantee, then it is a hard work; If there is a material guarantee and there is no spiritual pursuit, it is also living at a lower material level and lacking the spiritual happiness of life.
The collection of old cameras is very different from the collection of other items, first of all, the birth history of the camera is relatively short, only more than 180 years, people regard it as a tool and instrument used, rather than a cultural relic;
Secondly, the camera is the product of large-scale industrial production, with a large number and many similarities, especially the Japanese camera began to rise in the seventies, after grasping the initiative of camera manufacturing, a large number of low finished products and electronics, coupled with a large number of plastics, became industrial waste;
However, the camera is different from other ordinary folk collections, it has a strong scientific and technological content and manufacturing difficulty, and it cannot be copied, of course, it cannot be faked, and it cannot be shoddy. For camera collectors, there are also corresponding knowledge and knowledge requirements, which is not easy or easy to get started.
Collecting a camera requires a gradual process, a long time to admittance, and a certain amount of knowledge and insight, a certain knowledge of mechanics and optics, and an understanding of industrial processing and manufacturing technology.
Collecting a camera cannot simply be understood as a savings or investment for a lump sum deposit, but a real cultural consumption, which is a necessary expenditure in life.
Whether you gain or lose assets in this process, it will bring you additional income, bring about cognitive changes, increase new knowledge points, and even the accumulation of the width and thickness of life.
And the most important thing is irreplaceable happiness, to give you those full days in the years, the heart of satisfaction and pride in holding the old camera, and harvest a long-lasting feeling of cultural washing.