Anyone else sick enough to track their photography spending?

[Code]

I started this when I got my first DSLR in 07.. It is depressing and I maintain it only as a reality check when I want to spend more (like the $800 I want to spend on a Sigma 70-200/2.8 HSM) because I have to remind myself that it's just a hobby (I've really spent almost $5K?!?!?). I would go so far as to call this spreadsheet pure evil.

 

[Gdad]

Good Lord no- I would not want any part of such a spreadsheet. Why don't you expand your spreadsheet and take the resale value of your entire photography 'investment' and compare it to your 401K over the same period and see if you feel any better.

BTW- I have spent $46 on a plastic camera and $22 on 5 rolls of 120 T-Max 400 so far this month- that's as far back as I can remember.

 

[Gdad]

I forgot to add- Go buy something at B&H for $116.03 right now.

 

[YesDear]

I agree with Jeff! My luck, I would do the spreadsheet, DW would find it and then she would be planning a service for me and I would not get to take anymore pictures!

 

[KarenAylwood]

I've done a rough estimate in my head before...

Canon XSi w/ beginner kit- $780
18-200mm lens - $600 (gift)
100mm macro lens- $500 (gift)
Sigma 30mm f/1.4- $326
Gorillapod - $30
Tripod- $10 (it's a baby one)
camera bag- $40
another camera bag- $50
memory cards- $30 I think?
580EX II flash- $420
flash cord - $70
remote cable- $30
Photography classes (2 semesters) - $600
Supplies for class - $100
Smugmug acct- $20

So that's about $3600 worth of stuff, $2500 of which I've actually spent.

And I've got plans to buy (before our trip in September):
Crumpler 5MDH ($80)
Polarizing filter & 72-77 converter ($200)
Memory cards (2 x 4GB) - ($20-$30)

Oh and the 24-105mm f/4.0L within the next year... that'd be another $1200

This is over what's been almost a year. I bought my camera in late August of 2008.

It's a hobby! Things could be worse. I know people who are into hunting and fishing that also spend thousands... I just keep telling myself that this stuff will last a long time and can be used all year round. Now if only I could just stop myself from wanting something else everytime I buy something!

 

[wenrob]

No way, I prefer to stay in a state of denial, thank you very much!

OT: Look how big your boys are already! They're adorable.

 

[ssanders79]

For some strange reason I feel compelled to create a spreadsheet... I have to look for some receipts....

 

[oogieboogieman]

Spreadsheet!? HECK NO!!! I'm the one dumb enough who forgets to check and delete emails that has a confirmation number for a lens purchase.

I will never leave that kind of evidence where my wife can and will find it.

 

[boBQuincy]

The current Canon Xsi is my fourth dSLR. If I go back only as far as my first dSLR in late 2001 the list gets long and very expensive!

If I look at the expense per hour of fun I have had it gets a lot cheaper!

 

[Chikabowa]

I'm so lucky... My hubby buys me stuff and never says "boo" about me purchasing anything. Do I want to add it all up? No... it's in the $20K range I'm sure (buying stuff since we moved to a DSLR in 2004).

But he is as bad as I am.

Last night, he told me that if Nikon releases a D4, that he will put off the trip to Germany he has been planning for the last 2.5 years until 2012 in order to buy it. I love him... and his gadget obsession...

 

[Quicklabs]

Oh, I would NEVER do that! Same way with showing my dogs. I don't want to know the price of a ribbon, either. I have lots of opportunity to practice repression.

 

[mabas9395]

1) I noticed you didn't have any software listed. Do you only use the free software that came with your camera or have you splurged and bought Lightroom or Photoshop or anything!

2) If you added some serial numbers to the larger purchases, that would be a good document for insurance purposes.

3) The real question is not how much you've spent, but whether your wife has spent more than you on her hobbies. Then you can know whoes turn it is to buy the next toy (but if she's into scrapbooking then she should absorb a portion of your gear costs).

 

[WVDisGeek]

Unfortunately, the accountant in me must admit to similar insanity. I did it mainly for insurance purposes (did I mention I used to be an insurance agent?) and it started to scare me....

I tend to open the spreadsheet really quickly, key the new addition and just as quickly close the spreadsheet before the total has time to register in my mind....

Denial is not just a river in Egypt, it is how I justify my hobby!!!!

 

[YesDear]

I want to see how Ms Ann from New Jersey responds!!!

 

[MoonFaerie]

Well I do, but I'm in business. I need to track expenses.

Even if I wasn't, I'd still keep decent enough records for insurance purposes.

 

[CharacterFan]

I've got my dSLR in May

$400 for Penatx K100d Super, 18-55mm Pentax kit lens, a book about camera filters for camera
$15 on a 8gb class 6 SD card
$25 for a 28-80mm Sigma lens with Macro
$20 for 20 sets of batteries for camera
$40 for 70-210 manual focus lens
$20 for a lens I don't remember (DFi bought it off ebay and I've never looked at it)
$50 for a Lowepro fastpack 250
$20 for a camera remote and external flash
and just today:
$110 for a broken pentax 35mm slr, a 28-200 sigma, a sigma 28-105 f2.8 lens, 6 hoya filters, bag, and other stuffs

Grand Total so far about $700. I still have a couple of lenses on my wishlist that I'll get for myself at Christmas, and if I find a good deal on ebay who know what I'll end up with. Still haven't paid retail for anything which makes me really happy. (and a big help from Wolf Camera closing so many stores in my area)

 

[annnewjerz]

I want to see how Ms Ann from New Jersey responds!!!

I don't keep any such records...at least not anywhere that DH would be able to find them. We'll just say it's less than 5k and more than 3.........

...............................

in less than a year.......

................................

Seeing the totals you all have listed actually makes me not feel so bad anymore.

 

[Code]

I agree with Jeff! My luck, I would do the spreadsheet, DW would find it and then she would be planning a service for me and I would not get to take anymore pictures!

My wife hasn't seen this. She has a general idea of what I've spent, though. But if you hate me, send her a link to this.

Why don't you expand your spreadsheet and take the resale value of your entire photography 'investment' and compare it to your 401K over the same period and see if you feel any better.

If only I had any lenses I didn't intend to keep

OT: Look how big your boys are already! They're adorable.

For some strange reason I feel compelled to create a spreadsheet... I have to look for some receipts....

This is the path to the dark side.

1) I noticed you didn't have any software listed. Do you only use the free software that came with your camera or have you splurged and bought Lightroom or Photoshop or anything!

2) If you added some serial numbers to the larger purchases, that would be a good document for insurance purposes.

Good point about adding the software expenses, and serial numbers!

We'll just say it's less than 5k and more than 3.........

...............................

in less than a year.......

................................

I'm at almost 5k in just over 2 years, I think you'll probably catch up

 

[DawnM]

Unfortunately DH is an accountant so as soon as he sees something "new" the first words out of his mouth are, "How much did THAT cost?"

Sigh.

Dawn

PS: Let's see.....I bought the Canon D40 with the IS lens for $1200 last year. I got a kata bag for around $80. Memory card, $50 (I think). I now want a new lens and a G10 to carry around with me for Christmas. My guess is that I will need to choose one or the other.

I agree with Jeff! My luck, I would do the spreadsheet, DW would find it and then she would be planning a service for me and I would not get to take anymore pictures!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'll admit, it's more than I intended.

But part of it's my own fault in that I bought a lot of things not knowing what I was doing and changed my mind a bit as I went along. Like with camera bags (bought a Slingshot, then a Crumpler, now keeping my eyes open for a bigger Slingshot, etc); external flashes; even lenses (I like all the ones I bought, but had I known better, I might have bypassed the kit lenses). Live and learn. I have bought a lot of good stuff used off Craigslist, so I don't feel too, too badly about it.

I prepared as much as I possibly could have, but it's kind of natural your tastes evolve as you move forward.

Now tracking time I've spent learning and working on pictures would really blow my mind.

BTW, Code, love seeing all the pictures of your adorable boys. All 3 of them look just like you! (Are they identical?)