Stuff you wish you'd never bought...

[jonjdoe]

A used Tokina 28-300mm f/4.0-6.3 that was so CHEAP I couldn't pass it up. I'd pay to have it hauled away! Needs 3 hands to hold the creep (translate, slam from one end to the other).....300mm sucked me in.

[rpcrowe]

Lowepro rolling carry-on camera case which I purchased for my China trip. I then found that, empty, it weighed almost as much as the total carry-on weight allowance for domestic China airlines on which I flew for five flights within China. So much for research!

I used the Lowepro Mini Trekker which I already had.

In the Navy we used to say Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance...

[ktuli]

I purchased a Sealife DC1200 Elite package (thankfully the deal I got on it was below retail price), and before it had even had a chance to hit the water on a dive trip, I replaced it with the Ikelite housing and strobes for my Canon 7D. To date, the biggest thing the Sealife has done is some videos while strapped to the front of my kayak (not even white water stuff!). It has been lugged on two separate dive trips, and has only been in the water once the entire time!

It is a decent little rig, but it doesn't compare to the SLR rig, so it is likely to never see much use. So if anyone wants to offer me a decent price for it, I'll probably jump at the opportunity. Good way to get into UW photography.

- Bill

[PepperT]

A camera! I could retire quite comfortably if I had the money I've spent on everything I've bought since. I'm just kidding of course.

[Dr Bob]

WOW. That's reassuring!! I thought I was the only one who was foolish enough to buy a cheap, shaky tripod.

Dr Bob

[Daisy Mae]

WOW. That's reassuring!! I thought I was the only one who was foolish enough to buy a cheap, shaky tripod.

Dr Bob

Nope...we all have one...sadly I have two.

[FrankMi]

Nope...we all have one...sadly I have two.

LOL! I have three! My wife buys them at yard sales for from $3 to $5 each. I use them to hold clamp-on lighting.

[Daisy Mae]

LOL! I have three! My wife buys them at yard sales for from $3 to $5 each. I use them to hold clamp-on lighting.

Now there's an idea! Thanks Frank.

[Black Pearl]

But, how do you manage to drink the wine?

One decants the wine first dear chap

[Goldcoastgolfer]

A camera! I could retire quite comfortably if I had the money I've spent on everything I've bought since. I'm just kidding of course.

Here I was thinking I was the only one in that camp - I'm sure I'll be retiring a few years later now because of this new hobby!

Seriously - nothing yet - way too much good advice here

Non-photography purchases - laptops, golf clubs, kids toys, cars, the piano - I think the list is endless!

[Kris V]

Visioneer slide/negtive scanner. They never updated their drivers, so, once I moved from Windows 98 to XP, it became an expensive door stopper. (It's still sitting in a closet somewhere).
Wireless mice: each and everyone I had (4 I believe) lasted about 3-4 months. ( no, it was not a dead battery, in case you're wondering - the critters simply died). Now I use a mouse that actually has a tail!
HP all-in-one office Jet: I spend more on cartridges in a year that the cost of the unit.
Mini-tripod: Flips over when I try to put my Kodak Z8612 on it. Totally worthless p.o.s.

[rob marshall]

The cheap bottle of wine I took to a very smart dinner party in 1984.

[Ricco]

My wife bought me a Gorillapod. I think I've used it once.

Does that count?

[Glenn NK]

A month ago - new computer:

i7 3.4 G, two 7200 rpm 500 GB HDD's, 16 GB RAM, 700 watt power supply, high speed video card and complete with Windows 7.

Discovered after I had it built that I can't use any of my software (required for structural engineering), can't install my high end PCI sound card (it won't fit because the video card is too big) and the only other slots are PCIe.



Fortunately it's really fast with Lightroom. Other than Lightroom, it's useless for me - really.

This is probably more expensive than any of the above confessions (approx $1500).

Could have had most of a EF 70-300 IS L lens. Double damn.

Maybe I can remove the video card so the sound card will fit, then it can be used for music.

Anybody want a really good video card? Would make an anchor for a model boat.

Glenn

[Dave Humphries]

Non-photography purchases - laptops, golf clubs, kids toys, cars, the piano - I think the list is endless!

Certainly is if you expand to all the things parents buy their kids because they ask and you hope they'll make something of it.

[Dave Humphries]

My wife bought me a Gorillapod. I think I've used it once.

I'm actually thinking of getting one - for a new P&S

[herbert]

I bought an Olympus mu tough. One of those go anywhere, waterproof, shockproof cameras for sports action junkies. I had it 3 days before I lost it snowboarding. Not sure how, it just was not in my pocket at the end of the day.

I'll not buy one of those again. I don't think photo gear and actions sports should be so readily encouraged. If I still had it I think I would have broken it in some other way 100 times over.

[Poaceae]

Now the important question - how many of these items were re-gifted for friends who were just starting in photography?

[The Blue Boy]

John,

Now the important question - how many of these items were re-gifted for friends who were just starting in photography?

I laughed at that!

I'm blown away by the reaction to this thread.

I really hope that newcomers to photography take note of the (costly) mistakes we've all made.

Tripod straps anyone?

[jonjdoe]

My niece needs a lens for her Canon, I'm wrapping it in Xmas paper as we speak!