The official "don't waste your money" thread

[AlbertP]

Help everyone on PhotoCamel save some money.

What item, for you, has been the biggest photographic waste of money you've ever purchased?

I'll start: A small tabletop tripod that consists of three bendable legs and a screw mount for the camera. I have never used it because I could never get a camera to sit still on the thing, thanks to its bendable legs, but I forgot to return it. 25 dollars blown.

Plus I've never used or needed a tabletop tripod in reality. It seems to me to be a gadget waiting for a purpose. Other things work better.

Anyway, too expensive to chuck. Too useless to use.

[paulhodson]

My 10D - cos now I want a 20D or (really) a 5D. Paid £1,250 for the 10D - and now it's worth

[PhotoJoe]

Thanks Albert. Gheez! I sit here looking through drawers at all the stuff that seemed awesome, but then I bought it and never used it. The list is longer than I thought.

My #1 blunder was me Mamiya 645afD and both zoom lenses. I did not expect the Canon's to get to 17mp as quickly as they did. Bought the system so I could mount a pro back on it. Then Canon starts cranking out really cool cameras. Sold the 645 outfit having run about 20 rolls of 220 through it, and never bought the pro back for it.

Ooooops.

[SensorDust]

I bought a Tripod bag because it seemed to make sense when I purchased my tripod. Well, the tripod gets used mostly at home when I shoot portraits. To be honest, the tripod has not been out of the house yet. But at least it is being used. The tripod bag, on the other hand...

I would say, if you are sure you need a tripod bag by all means get one. Most likely you can find a way to move a tripod without a bag for carrying it...

[hartcons]

Originally Posted by SensorDust

I bought a Tripod bag because it seemed to make sense when I purchased my tripod. Well, the tripod gets used mostly at home when I shoot portraits. To be honest, the tripod has not been out of the house yet. But at least it is being used. The tripod bag, on the other hand...

maybe you could fill it with rocks and hang it from underneath the tripod?

[CI Photography]

Bought a bran new canon EOS 3 35MM the week before I started my advanced photography class. What a waist. Great camera, but as soon as the class was done that sucker had to go. Digital all the way.

Joe

[SensorDust]

Originally Posted by hartcons

maybe you could fill it with rocks and hang it from underneath the tripod?

Actually, if I used the tripod outside, on a windy day... Thanks, that is a great suggestion... Got to do more nature photography...

[badpickev]

for me its those cokin filters. i have 25 of them, never used one. but i keep buying . maybe if i get a few rings that fit my lenses, but then again, i doubt it.

[Mr. Pickles]

My biggest waste of money, whcih was a savings of money too, but caused more trouble than it was worth.....

Non-Canon paper for my Canon printer.

I got it to work, but I wasted 5 to 7 sheets of it doing it.

[ditto1958]

An Olympus Stylus Epic (mju outside of U.S.). This camera has always gotten rave reviews. I have never been happy with mine. I thought my old XA-2 was much better and I have often thought of getting another one from ebay. I don't think there is anything wrong with my Stylus, but I just have never gotten consistently good results with it.

[hartcons]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

My biggest waste of money, whcih was a savings of money too, but caused more trouble than it was worth.....

Non-Canon paper for my Canon printer.

I got it to work, but I wasted 5 to 7 sheets of it doing it.

I wasted $1 on some off-brand inkjet paper at Dollar Tree. It was really slippery to begin with and then the ink didn't dry and there was horrible smearing everywhere. In hindsight maybe I should have put the printer on regular paper setting to reduce the amount of ink being delivered. Back to my trusty Epson paper.

[EMSbyDay]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

My biggest waste of money, whcih was a savings of money too, but caused more trouble than it was worth.....

Non-Canon paper for my Canon printer.

I got it to work, but I wasted 5 to 7 sheets of it doing it.

I have actually had good results from the "Staples/Buisness Depot" regular glossy photo paper on my i9900. Paper is a little thin but colours are good.

[Gods Eyes]

Originally Posted by paulhodson

My 10D - cos now I want a 20D or (really) a 5D. Paid £1,250 for the 10D - and now it's worth

Do you know what that would be in dollars?

[llpoolej]

The Minolta Maxxum QTsi 35mm auto camera. I used it once. What a waste. Needs to meet Ebay
Non epson paper for my epson printer.
cheap tripods. Have three of those. What a waste!

[mawz]

UV Filters. I don't shoot landscapes, so haze isn't an issue. And they're useless for anything else (Lens Protection? Be careful, use a hood).

Nikon F65. First Camera I bought when I got back in to Photography. Used for a few months then dropped in favour of the FA I picked up. Crap AF, poor viewfinder, setting aperture is a pain, no manual ISO. Otherwise it was a decent layout.

Nikkor 28-80G. Ditched quickly for an even cheaper Sigma 28-70. Why? Better MF ring and a real aperture ring and decent build quality. the original G lenses (28-80, 28-100, 70-300) are cheap junk.

[JDArt]

I'm going to be bold here and say "window-mount tripod."

These gadgets are supposed to hold your camera and long lens steady so that you can shoot from a car window. They do the job, too, at least the good ones, and they can also do a job on your car window if you're not careful. Not too fun to take back a rental card with a cracked window.

But window condition aside, the bigger question for me has always been "are they really necessary." In the field, I find a simple beanbag or other prop to be more efficient and certainly less expensive.

Window tripods: out.

[Mr Mikey]

filter wrenches from Adorama, fortunately they were inexpensive. Now i just use a piece of non skid material used for opening jar lids, works fantastic and is totally unbreakable so it can fit anywhere in your bag.

[golfer]

Perhaps one of my biggest blunders was to purchas a Lowe Pro Super Trekker back pack [these are the highest quality don't worry]. the problem is when I get all my photo gear in it, the weight is overwhelming and I can't carry it anyway. Have snce had to learn to do with less camera gear in the field. Especially if I have to crry it.

[Sagelike31]

The canon T2 35mm camera. I purchased it while I only had my xt.
Love the look and feel of film especially when it comes to documentary photography.

But then I got the 5d and I learned how Photoshop can be used to simulate film and since that time and I haven't used it since.
Or ever for that matter.

Gonna crack it open eventually.