[raymondlin]

I know about the darkroom cost, that's why I signed up to my local art college's night time photography course just to use the studio and darkroom for the price of $50, I get 10 weeks's use of the darkroom and studio for $50, bargain!

 

[Audio Redneck]

Only hobbies I have really put my own money into are books, music, coins, guns, and a couple cars before I got married (I'm a pack rat). Then my wife became my hobby. Except for books and music, I haven't spent much of my own money on hobbies since marriage.

Cheapest hobby I can find is helping others with thier hobbies. I have one buddy with a sailboat and go with him to the lake. I'm a computer geek and wind up helping everybody with their PCs (which gets old).

I also go "Saleing" everyweek (as in yardsales) to look for stuff to sell on ebay (which I use to buy books and music - usually on ebay).

When I was in college, my dad had a 60ft houseboat and I spent a lot of time playing/working on it.

Hey can any of you Photo buffs recommend a Minolta repair shop for my Maxxum 7000?

 

[fredpb]

Quote:

Originally posted by dvw Photography is not just about cameras. Setting up a darkroom will cost you even more. Commercial print shop can't do custom work like burning and dodging part of the print and custom print cost a lot more. For films, you can buy bulk film and a film loader. That should save some money.

I have gone the bulk film route a few times. It is only feasible for specialty films and processing (I use it for slide dupe film now) or B&W, if you process yourself.

But I use slides now. I have a good slide scanner. My prints are done on my computer up to 8x10.

For negative film, i can also use my scanner, or take it to a local Camera shop (WOLF) where they have a couple of self service machines. One machine will make HUGE prints of negative film (35mm), and you can do limited adjustments.

Cameras, lenses, flashes, cables, filters, bags, tripods, tripod heads, meters, film, developing, printing, mounting, slide duplication, darkroom equipment, scanners. You can easily put out $5-$10k on a system. I know.

But then, I have not done photography really for about two years now. Reason, no one to show pictures too. Yeah, I tried the photo clubs. I do nature photography mostly now. The local clubs are for travel snapshots and weird stuff. Oh well.

 

[jms007bnd007]

My hobbies include playing Ultimate Frisbee whenever I get a chance (that's a nice hobbie because a good disc only costs $10). I also enjoy computers, which are a little more expensive than frisbees.

 

[gaineso]

AR

$10K is a bunch, but a decent, tournament ready bass boat starts at about $25K. And that's stripped.

Tow with at least a small V-8 powered SUV or PU Truck. At least $20K. of course useable for other stuff, but gas mileage will suck.

Then add 10 rods and reels, probably $2K to $3K.

Loose $10 to $20 worth of lures. Minimum 20 gallons of Mid-Grade gas and $5 worth of oil per trip. Plus gas for tow vehicle.

Don't forget you've got to store the boat also.

 

[millerdog]

greg,
I know, I feel your pain.
I am a refractor type guy and started looking into Astro Physics....sheesh! I got a TV pronto and some Naglers, some Plossls, and a Panoptic. They cost some scripts, but don't they uh...perform!
When I saw the rings of Saturn I was hooked. Then on the south shore I stepped into Omega Centauri. Makes M13 look like a dust ball. You are in prime seeing country. From your location can you see Canopus? Here it shines about 30 degrees above the horizon.
I live on the windward side of the island, and occasionally, when it's cold and clear, I can see the milky way even with street lights.
It's summer! Bust out your scope! Everytime I see the summer sky I think of 2001: It's full of stars!
Expensive hobby? One of my eyepieces was around three hun. My entry level refractor: $1000
For what I spent on cans, I could have gotten a nice 8 inch dob.
For what it's worth, I still look into my telescope sometimes and say: holy ****!
md

 

[squirt]

i'm a cross between a bird watcher and planet gazer...i used to use a Celestron C-90 but now use a Swarovski ST80 HD spotting scope with a telescope eyepiece adaptor using Pentax XL21 and XL7 eyepeices. i tried the naglers but i just couldn't get used to the short eye relief. Also use a Nikon 10x42mm Venturer LX binoc. Also into photography using a Nikon F4s with a 80-200 f2.8 ED lens most of the time but now days i usually use my Sony S70 digital camera which will be replaced by the Nikon D-100 digital camera someday.
Has been hobbies included owning Discus fish, fishing, making models, surfing, diving and hiking.

 

[gaineso]

I've got a Meade ETX90, and several lenses. Major street light problems so have to go elsewhere to really see good.

The rings of Saturn and the bands of Jupiter are just awesome. We've all seen pictures, but looking through the 'scope and actually seeing them is a whole nother thing.

 

[gerG]

I am so jealous of you guys that actually live in Hawaii. I suppose it would seem normal after a while, but with all of that salt water around it sounds like a permanent vacation to me. I am actually looking for a job in Florida right now just to get closer to good diving. This is a big compromise for me, because I really hate flying insects! I did a search of engineering jobs in Hawaii (and Fiji). No such luck.

MD, I can't see Canopus from where I live, especially this time of year

There is a large hill to the south of me, then lights of Phoenix south of that. I might be able to see that far south if I went out to the desert south of town in the winter, but I am not that motivated lately. Too much daytime stuff to get done.


gerG

 

[gaineso]

Greg,

Except for No-Seeums, which are nearly invisible, BITING gnats, most of the other flying insects in Florida aren't much problem.

They all sound about like a P-51 and you kill them with 20mm anti-aircraft guns.

Unfortunately, a lot of Engineering jobs are going to cheaper places. That's what happened to me at AlliedSignal Aerospace.

But, if you find something, there are a lot of great dives including the entire Carribean.

 

[gerG]

Hi Gaineso. Forgot to mention that I lmao at your definition of a boat. I believe that the buoyancy of said collection of parts is directly proportional to the positive flux of money spent on new parts to keep them company. Whatever you do, don't get 2 boats. One always gets jealous and breaks when it sees you working on the other.

I am still an employee of what used to be AlliedSignal, which used to be Garrett, which used to Airesearch...
They are still trying to find cheaper places to get the work done, mostly out of the country. Very scarey, but that is business. Fortunately the FAA keeps us pretty honest as far as product safety goes.

I will be sure to stock up on 20mm loads. I bet Mike Dillon will build me a custom reloader before I leave town!

I have been to north Fla cave diving a few times. Mobs of mosquitos part of the year. The most amazing thing are those great big ********* spiders that actually build a web between 2 trees! After nearly walking into one I decided that they are trying to catch a scuba diver:

Spider 1 (whispering): "You think that will hold him?"
Spider 2: "I don't know, but if it does we will eat like kings for a year!"

gerG

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally posted by gaineso AR $10K is a bunch, but a decent, tournament ready bass boat starts at about $25K. And that's stripped....Don't forget you've got to store the boat also.

Gaines, I think you got me confused with someone elses comments. But you are right about the cost of boats. My dads house boat was just under $100K. Cost about $250 to fill the tanks. My brother in NC is into power boats with big block v8's. His motto is "If I haven't spent $200 in fuel, I haven't had any fun."

Ever figured up what the fish are costing you per pound?

Moving over to things astronomical....I've got a Meade 114Q-DH4 with starfinder system. I love the program that came with it for finding my way around the sky.