What's Your Best Bargain Find?

[ChrisPlatt]

Several years ago I found an SMC Pentax (K) 85/1.8 lens with scratched front element for $60.
Before buying I called Pentax; they had the part in stock. With repair my total cost was <$100.

EDIT: KEH currently has one of these listed for *$645.00*...

Chris

[tvagi]

so far a Meopta-stereo microma I and a Flexaret III for 5euros each,
a Zenit-4 for 5euro,a Mometta Junior for 3euros
and a Leica M2 with Hektor 4/135 for 7euros.
now i am waiting for the next best bargain!

[dexdog]

a 7 euro M2 is amazing!

[tvagi]

well i thought the exact same thing when i found it,
but shutter is jammed!
so it is something less than amazing!

[raid]

Originally Posted by tvagi

well i thought the exact same thing when i found it,
but shutter is jammed!
so it is something less than amazing!

I volunteer to save you from this broken M2. I pay more than Euro 7.

[tyrone.s]

Geez, I need to get out more! Olympus Trip for $5.00. Pentax MV with Pentax flash, box, manuals and a roll of film for $10. And my pal paid for the Pentax as a gift because I didn't have any cash on me!

[petebown]

This was my best find:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=47054

Just to turn everyone green again!

I keep going to the auction houses in the hope of finding another one... No such luck.

[rbiemer]

Originally Posted by nikonhswebmaster

What did I buy, and how much was it worth?

A motor dive for Nikon RF camera? Worth 450+, I'm guessing.
Rob

[umboody]

My bargain finds are sadly lacking the punch of most of the stuff on here. I did however find a Mamiya C3 TLR camera, a bit bashed with a broken focusing screen and no hood, but completely usable, for £13. Coupled that with a perfect 85mm lens for a shade under £25 and it's not a bad bit of medium format kit for less than £40...

[sleepyhead]

A few years back I bought a 50mm Leica Summilux from a German seller on Ebay. The photos of the lens were of very poor quality, and the description was sparse and in German only. Plus shipping was to Germany only, but I asked the seller if he would consider Denmark, and he did.

From the poor quality pictures of the lens, I assumed it was a normal E43 Type II, which were all black anodized chrome barrel I believe. I was buying the lens to use.

As a result of the poor quality listing I won the lens for around 350 euros if I remember correctly.

When the lens arrived, I could tell right away that it was a BLACK PAINT lens of some sort - after some serial number investigation I found it was a Type I black paint lens made for black paint Leica M3 bodies, and quite rare. The lens was optically and mechanically PERFECT, no flaws to the glass what so ever, but with a moderate amount of sexy brassing to the black paint.

I considered keeping and using it and being happy, but when an expensive auction house in The Netherlands offered me nearly 2000 Euros for it, I sold it and bought a used 50mm Summilux ASPH instead.

[johne]

I was given a complete Olympus OM10 kit [camera, 50mm 1.8 lens, flash, and strap, leather case all in boxes like new]. The camera did not function. I worked with it a bit and found what I thought was the answer. It worked. [for a while!!!!]. In short, if anyone needs this kit, it is yours free. Just pay the postage. It took great pictures while it worked.

Jrobertson700 @ comcast.net

[ethics_gradient]

Just on a whim I searched for "R3a" on eBay Sunday morning (have been looking for one on and off for a while now), there was one that had been listed two hours previous with a starting bid of $200, $300 Buy It Now price. I scanned the description, as soon as I saw it didn't have any problems I went through Bing to get the 8% cashback. Wound up costing $275 + shipping. Been excited all week waiting for it to come!

Originally Posted by FrankS

I just MISSED a black Olympus OM4t for $100 on Craigslist. That would have pretty good, eh?

I got a black one (UG, just some surface brassing) at KEH for $117, but it had the battery drain issue so I returned it. Sometimes I look at the little Zuiko 50 1.8 I ordered with it on the shelf and wonder what could have been

[chris00nj]

Originally Posted by petebown

This was my best find:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=47054

Just to turn everyone green again!

I keep going to the auction houses in the hope of finding another one... No such luck.

Wow that was a good find!!

[rbiemer]

Originally Posted by nikonhswebmaster

Hint: 54 of them were made for the 1972 Olympics. See CameraQuest for more.

If it's what I now think it is, very cool! Did you get the VF for it? Might be useful on the new Olympus...
Rob

[JeffGreene]

Originally Posted by Al Kaplan

... getting them to send pix of my granddaughter is like pulling teeth...LOL

Leica M6 - $500

Oly 35 RC $5

B&J Press $10 w/ Schneider lens


Al:
Had the same issue with my granddaughters. The key is to teach your grandchildren photography. Both my granddaughters develop B&W, although their grandmother almost strangled me for exposing her darling grandbabies to those deadly photochemicals! In any case, I have a deal with them that each takes pictures of the other and emails me the results. Works great and I don't have to pester my son and daughter-in-law any more.

Jeff

[bobkonos]

Mint Nikon RF 3.5cm f1.8 lens with caps for free (came with two other lenses for $200 that I sold for more than that).

[LeicaFoReVer]

wow I feel bad after reading all those...I will keep searching the antique shops nearby me. The old guy says he has some unopened boxes full of cameras! I am so excited...I hope like you guys a leica may come out of the box!!

[chrishayton]

Bessa R, Leica 35mm elmar and 50mm elmar for £100 BIN on ebay was pretty good

[mooge]

Fred...

is this it?
http://www.cameraquest.com/nfhigh7.htm

speaking of this stuff, this is kinda related...
http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/foru...tml?1218436689

cheers.

[Dogman]

Olympus XA w/flash for $25. Leitz 13.5cm f/4.5 Hektor for $35. Leitz Valoy complete enlarger w/Leitz 50/4.5 enlarging lens for $7.

Of those, I got the most use--several years worth--from the Leitz enlarger/lens combo.

[HuubL]

I got many of my gear for free..., but my best buy was a v1. 35mm Summicron for 250 E.

[x-ray]

I've had a few really great finds. One of the best was a Leica M2 (1960) near mint with a case full of lenses. In all there were 8 Leica M lenses, 1 Zeiss Sonnar 1.5 (early coated but damaged glass). 2 visoflexes, bellows, ton of adapters, filters, 2 ball heads and a mini Leitz tripod. also in the deal was a like new (absolute mint new) condition with 50mm summicron IIIG. All for just under $1500.

The second best find was a like new 4x5 baby Deardorff with 210mm Zeiss Tessar in an Ilex shutter, case and five new Graflex wooden holders in the original wrapping. I don't think the camera had been used as there was no evidence any holder had ever been inserted in the back. Got this package for $800.

Both came from little antique stores.

[rbiemer]

The best find I've bought was a Canon IVsb + 50/f1.8 + 85/f2 with cases and the finder for the 85 for $120. Foolishly, I decided against the needed CLA and sold it as it was for a small profit. Now I get the "joy" of finding another IV and probably paying just about what I would have spent before.
I was given a Kodak Retina IIIC with its case and manual along with a non functioning Bantam Special.
Rob

[chris00nj]

Thought I almost had a good find on eBay, but I can see that no matter how poorly labeled something is, people will find it and bid on it.

A 3-day listing on a very poorly labeled Nikkor 35/1.8 in LSM with M adapter went from $15 to $380 in the last 10 minutes. Due to the risk that it could really be crap shape, I didn't rebid after another guy outbid me, but then someone else outbid him in the closing seconds.

I'm not sure of the value of this lens. The notoriously overpriced goKevincameras tries to sell one for $1450, so I figure if it is in nice shape it'll sell for at least $800.

[digitalintrigue]

OK how about this amazing deal?

http://doiop.com/m4kit