peterm1
Mentor
I have never had any really big scores but now and then smaller scores happen. These are still fun and keep me interested. I make a point of looking in the disposal bins that many camera stores have for old equipment and accessories.I have several times picked up nice equipment including lenses for very little.
One of the nicest is a Vivitar close focus 135mm f2.8 (a pre Series 1 lens but otherwise it would probably qualify as one). I knew nothing about this lens when I bought it - I bought it a partly because of its large front element - 62mm which was impressive and partly because I had been researching Vivitar and found that many lenses were very good. This is, it turns out, one of the good ones - made, according to its serial number prefix, by Komine a top Japanese maker. It is a lovely lens which I would expect to sell in the $100-$200 range (not that I intend selling it). I think I paid $20. It is in Minolta mount and this probably accounts for its cheap selling price.
A year or so back I saw a beat up old Canon in an Op Shop and while I did not want the camera (which was somewhat over-priced) or the other lenses that came with it I offered $25 Australian for the lens that was actually on the camera at the time - the last FDn version of the Canon 50mm f1.8 and in pristine condition. They agreed. I later found that these usually sell for around $100 US. The lens is excellent and as you might imagine has very modern, sharp contrasty rendering for those times when that is needed. It is quite petite so adapts well to mirrorless cameras.
I also found a 50mm f1.7 Rikenon lens in an antique store. It has a price tag of $15 Australian. I was not familiar with these lenses but figured that at that price I could not go wrong as the lens was in good order. I asked my camera store guy about it and while not familiar with that specific lens he told me that most if not all of the 50mm f1.7 lenses coming out of Japan in the 1970s' - 1980s were made by Konica under license from Carl Zeiss Germany for the Japanese domestic and export markets. The optical components were the same and the lens bodies were custom made to match other companies' livery and proposed price range. While the Rikenon version of this lens is clearly made to a budget (e.g. more plastic parts than I would expect) it wants nothing in the optical department. Its sharpness and rendering is superb. I really like the way this lens draws its images.
At a camera fair I found a seller offering miscellaneous lens hoods from various cameras for $1 each. Maybe that is all many of these hoods were worth but some were bargains at least as I see them. I often buy old lens hoods (especially metal ones) if they can be had cheaply enough and then I use them on my lenses to prevent the hoods that came with them from being damaged or to substitute for a hood that was missing. It does not much matter if a lens hood was for another manufacturer's lens so long as it fits etc. Quite often these turned out to be bargains. I picked up a few rectangular metal hoods from the 1970s that often seem to have a price of maybe $30-$50 on auction sites. The buy of the day turned out to be a chromed Voigtlander hood for use on their Prominent camera system lenses. Before I bought it I had no idea of auction prices on eBay but when I checked later, several were for sale with a b.i.n. price of around $50 + in rough condition and $100 + for good ones. I had bought mine because I recall having one many years ago which, at that time, I used on a Voigtlander Prominent that I then owned. I just liked the look of the hood for use on other lenses especially the classic German ones. Which is how I now use it.
At the same camera fair another trader had a bundle of lenses out for $20 each. I picked up about 5 including a Triotar 135mm f4 (fat version). While a little rough and needing to have the helicals cleaned and re-greased I knew I could fix it up with a couple of hours work. The aluminium body just needed a cleaning and polish -they often seem to tarnish and become oxidized and dull. The lens comes apart simply for those who take the trouble to research it and the helical fix was easy enough - to the extent that a CLA for a helical can be. This lens seems to have an asking price of around $100 + on eBay. Very nice lens too - its only "sin" being its length (its not a tele but rather a full-on long focal length lens). I also picked up some older zooms also for $20 each such as a Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f3.5. Due to its relatively fast aperture for a lens like this, this latter lens is a bit heavy but a nice performer for that vintage. Unlike the Triotar every one of those other lenses were in excellent condition though often with less popular mounts which never the less can still be adapted and used very successfully on mirrorless.
Some of the better bargain vintage lenses I have found turn out to be in the old Minolta mount. I ascribe this to supply and demand. There are lots of them around as this system mount, which is now not in regular use, but which was once popular and the lenses are often very nice. But demand is still lower than I would expect. If used on mirrorless the mount does not much matter if you buy an adapter. I would say something of the same of some older lenses in Exacta mount though Zeiss, Schneider etc lenses in this mount will tend to be higher priced due to the reputation of the firms who made them.
One of the nicest is a Vivitar close focus 135mm f2.8 (a pre Series 1 lens but otherwise it would probably qualify as one). I knew nothing about this lens when I bought it - I bought it a partly because of its large front element - 62mm which was impressive and partly because I had been researching Vivitar and found that many lenses were very good. This is, it turns out, one of the good ones - made, according to its serial number prefix, by Komine a top Japanese maker. It is a lovely lens which I would expect to sell in the $100-$200 range (not that I intend selling it). I think I paid $20. It is in Minolta mount and this probably accounts for its cheap selling price.
A year or so back I saw a beat up old Canon in an Op Shop and while I did not want the camera (which was somewhat over-priced) or the other lenses that came with it I offered $25 Australian for the lens that was actually on the camera at the time - the last FDn version of the Canon 50mm f1.8 and in pristine condition. They agreed. I later found that these usually sell for around $100 US. The lens is excellent and as you might imagine has very modern, sharp contrasty rendering for those times when that is needed. It is quite petite so adapts well to mirrorless cameras.
I also found a 50mm f1.7 Rikenon lens in an antique store. It has a price tag of $15 Australian. I was not familiar with these lenses but figured that at that price I could not go wrong as the lens was in good order. I asked my camera store guy about it and while not familiar with that specific lens he told me that most if not all of the 50mm f1.7 lenses coming out of Japan in the 1970s' - 1980s were made by Konica under license from Carl Zeiss Germany for the Japanese domestic and export markets. The optical components were the same and the lens bodies were custom made to match other companies' livery and proposed price range. While the Rikenon version of this lens is clearly made to a budget (e.g. more plastic parts than I would expect) it wants nothing in the optical department. Its sharpness and rendering is superb. I really like the way this lens draws its images.
At a camera fair I found a seller offering miscellaneous lens hoods from various cameras for $1 each. Maybe that is all many of these hoods were worth but some were bargains at least as I see them. I often buy old lens hoods (especially metal ones) if they can be had cheaply enough and then I use them on my lenses to prevent the hoods that came with them from being damaged or to substitute for a hood that was missing. It does not much matter if a lens hood was for another manufacturer's lens so long as it fits etc. Quite often these turned out to be bargains. I picked up a few rectangular metal hoods from the 1970s that often seem to have a price of maybe $30-$50 on auction sites. The buy of the day turned out to be a chromed Voigtlander hood for use on their Prominent camera system lenses. Before I bought it I had no idea of auction prices on eBay but when I checked later, several were for sale with a b.i.n. price of around $50 + in rough condition and $100 + for good ones. I had bought mine because I recall having one many years ago which, at that time, I used on a Voigtlander Prominent that I then owned. I just liked the look of the hood for use on other lenses especially the classic German ones. Which is how I now use it.
At the same camera fair another trader had a bundle of lenses out for $20 each. I picked up about 5 including a Triotar 135mm f4 (fat version). While a little rough and needing to have the helicals cleaned and re-greased I knew I could fix it up with a couple of hours work. The aluminium body just needed a cleaning and polish -they often seem to tarnish and become oxidized and dull. The lens comes apart simply for those who take the trouble to research it and the helical fix was easy enough - to the extent that a CLA for a helical can be. This lens seems to have an asking price of around $100 + on eBay. Very nice lens too - its only "sin" being its length (its not a tele but rather a full-on long focal length lens). I also picked up some older zooms also for $20 each such as a Vivitar Series 1 70-210mm f3.5. Due to its relatively fast aperture for a lens like this, this latter lens is a bit heavy but a nice performer for that vintage. Unlike the Triotar every one of those other lenses were in excellent condition though often with less popular mounts which never the less can still be adapted and used very successfully on mirrorless.
Some of the better bargain vintage lenses I have found turn out to be in the old Minolta mount. I ascribe this to supply and demand. There are lots of them around as this system mount, which is now not in regular use, but which was once popular and the lenses are often very nice. But demand is still lower than I would expect. If used on mirrorless the mount does not much matter if you buy an adapter. I would say something of the same of some older lenses in Exacta mount though Zeiss, Schneider etc lenses in this mount will tend to be higher priced due to the reputation of the firms who made them.
Dirk
Privatier
I love cheap lenses and have a few that are out of fashion but excellent. Two of the best:
A "Japanese Summicron" Nikkor-H.C 50mm f/2 pre-AI that I converted to AI in my garage. Not pretty, but the results are. $40.
The second is a Nikon Series E 70-210mm that has a couple of nasty looking scratches in the front element. In actual shooting, even into the sun, it doesn't show up. It's very sharp with lovely micro-contrast. $15.
A "Japanese Summicron" Nikkor-H.C 50mm f/2 pre-AI that I converted to AI in my garage. Not pretty, but the results are. $40.
The second is a Nikon Series E 70-210mm that has a couple of nasty looking scratches in the front element. In actual shooting, even into the sun, it doesn't show up. It's very sharp with lovely micro-contrast. $15.
MrFujicaman
Well-known
A Nikon FG with a 50mm f1.8 E for $10-just needed batteries.
Engraver
Newbie
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Recently, an Angenieux 17-68mm f/2.2 reflex lens in near mint condition hanging off the end of a Bell and Howell 240, for $17. Right after that, a Bell and Howell 70E with a 1" f/1.9 Super Comat and a 1" f/1.8 T-H Cooke Kinic, for $29. THEN, a Bell and Howell 75 with 20mm Cooke Kinic and 3" f/4.5 Cooke Telekinic, for $6. Then a working Bell and Howell Eyemo 71AA.
I need to start a small business of finding, fixing and selling all this motion picture gear. Goodness knows I'm not going to ever make a 4 camera production using 100ft reels in 3 of the 4 (I have a 400ft magazine for one of my 16mm cameras).
Phil Forrest
I need to start a small business of finding, fixing and selling all this motion picture gear. Goodness knows I'm not going to ever make a 4 camera production using 100ft reels in 3 of the 4 (I have a 400ft magazine for one of my 16mm cameras).
Phil Forrest
cary
Well-known
A Minolta SR7 working body for $7.50.
Dayrell bishop
Well-known
An Olympus XA in box and working £ 1.
Fjäll
■̷̛̈́̉̓́̽&
1967 Leica M3 + Summicron Rigid DR + box & accesories for $300
Yashica T5D for USD $3
Yashica T5D for USD $3
skucera
Well-known
About five years ago I bought a large camera case with two catadioptric lenses in it for $15 at a thrift store. One lens was a Vivitar Series 1 600mm lens made from one huge piece of glass. (http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Perkin-Elmer) The other was a Tamron SP 500mm f8 that I kept because it had the very versatile Adaptall-2 mount that I could buy adapters for all my cameras. (https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/tamron-adaptall-2-sp-500mm-f-8-mirror-55bb.html)
I ended up selling the Vivitar Series 1 lens for $350, but I kept the Tamron because it is quite light and stores very compactly. I use it mostly on my dad's Konica AutoReflex T3n. That reminds me... I should take it out and shoot some pictures with it.
Scott
I ended up selling the Vivitar Series 1 lens for $350, but I kept the Tamron because it is quite light and stores very compactly. I use it mostly on my dad's Konica AutoReflex T3n. That reminds me... I should take it out and shoot some pictures with it.
Scott
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nbagno
Established
Jobo CPA 2 for $50, or maybe the CPP2 I found for $99
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
AlwaysOnAuto
Well-known
Off Craig's list 2 yrs ago or so. Nikon FM2 w/lens. I was first one that said I'd take the camera and lens.
It was a Nikkor 50 1.2. Got it all for $100. Seller had lots of people who wanted just the lens but I was first to say I'd take both.
It was a Nikkor 50 1.2. Got it all for $100. Seller had lots of people who wanted just the lens but I was first to say I'd take both.
nparsons13
Well-known
Two weeks ago, at a local antiques mall, I found a Yashica Lynx 14 E for $4.00. Needed some cleanup, but now it works.
This week, from the big online charity auction, a beautiful AGFA PD16 Art Deco folder with the Tripar (f11) lens for $30. It is mint--I mean like it is new out of the box. Except for a bit of lens fog it looks like it did when it was made in 1935.
This week, from the big online charity auction, a beautiful AGFA PD16 Art Deco folder with the Tripar (f11) lens for $30. It is mint--I mean like it is new out of the box. Except for a bit of lens fog it looks like it did when it was made in 1935.
Attachments
campy
Member
A couple of years ago I bought a Mamiya 7 for $120 and stupidly sold it for $1800 about 6 months later.
rfaspen
[insert pithy phrase here]
Ouch......
Deardorff38
Mentor
An Elmar 35mm f 3.5 and a W.A. 4 3/8" Dagor in shutter each for $75 on the Eb** site. Both turned out to have clean glass and are two of my most used lenses.
AAlfano
Well-known
My best buy was a Spotmatic with a 50mm f/1.4 Super Takumar lens for $20. The batter cover was stripped and I've not been able to get it off to put a battery in to see if the meter works, but otherwise it works perfectly.
That bargain camera ended up costing me a lot of money as it got me into the wonderful world of M42 glass. I have since purchased another Pentax M42 body (an SL, which I love) and four more Pentax M42 lenses. The Takumar lenses are excellent and reasonably priced.
That bargain camera ended up costing me a lot of money as it got me into the wonderful world of M42 glass. I have since purchased another Pentax M42 body (an SL, which I love) and four more Pentax M42 lenses. The Takumar lenses are excellent and reasonably priced.
jordan.dickinson
Jordan Dickinson
Found a very clean M8 with a beautiful 35mm Summilux Pre-Asph v2 for $1500 last year during the pandemic on Craigslist. Bought both and sold the M8 for $1200 and even got a 50mm Elmar out of it. So, I got the 35mm Summilux for just around $300! Was looking for one of these for years, and finally found one at a steal.
Also found a used, but not abused Rolleiflex 3.5f again on Craiglist last year 2020 for $325. The woman selling it was selling her uncle's estate and I guess he had been a photographer for decades prior. She didn't know much about the camera but I messaged her and told her I'd come pick it up right away if she still had it. Turns out she just wanted to unload it, so the deal easy! Ran some rolls through it already and I've gotta say, this 3.5f is a true beauty. I now understand why people love them.
Also found a used, but not abused Rolleiflex 3.5f again on Craiglist last year 2020 for $325. The woman selling it was selling her uncle's estate and I guess he had been a photographer for decades prior. She didn't know much about the camera but I messaged her and told her I'd come pick it up right away if she still had it. Turns out she just wanted to unload it, so the deal easy! Ran some rolls through it already and I've gotta say, this 3.5f is a true beauty. I now understand why people love them.
Retro-Grouch
Mentor
My best find was a like-new carbon fiber Gitzo tripod with an equally new Really Right Stuff ball head that I found half-buried in drifted dust by the side of a rural dirt road when I was out shooting. I notified the police of my find, but no one ever contacted me.
The equipment cleaned up just beautifully, and I've been using it for a few years, but I feel a twinge of guilt when I use that tripod, having benefited from a fellow photographer's misfortune. When I priced out the combo, it was worth about $900.00!
And if someone out there recognizes his or her equipment in this story, let me know!
The equipment cleaned up just beautifully, and I've been using it for a few years, but I feel a twinge of guilt when I use that tripod, having benefited from a fellow photographer's misfortune. When I priced out the combo, it was worth about $900.00!
And if someone out there recognizes his or her equipment in this story, let me know!
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
OM-2 with 35/2.8 Zuiko for $20 comes to mind, a couple of years ago. Beautiful cosmetic shape. Meter works fine along with everything else, though in Manual mode the switch has to be slightly moved toward the Off setting to work.
No low price like with the Olympus, but around 10 years ago I got an M2, collapsible 90 Elmar and correct hood for the 50 Summicron for $250, from a camera store that was closing. Vulcanite almost gone from the back door, but in fine user condition generally. Camera works perfectly -- only quirk is that the shutter dial has to be between 1 and 1/2 second for 1 second to work.
No low price like with the Olympus, but around 10 years ago I got an M2, collapsible 90 Elmar and correct hood for the 50 Summicron for $250, from a camera store that was closing. Vulcanite almost gone from the back door, but in fine user condition generally. Camera works perfectly -- only quirk is that the shutter dial has to be between 1 and 1/2 second for 1 second to work.
cary
Well-known
Mint condition Minolta SR-1s with a 55mm f1.7 MC Rokkor lens for $4.99.