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Price of film cameras buoyant


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I've a collection of old film cameras, most of which I've used in the past, but which are now either on display or in storage. Out of curiosity I checked the sold prices of Bronica kit on eBay and was surprised to find  that cameras and lenses in good nick are fetching reasonable sums. Similarly for Olympus. I had thought of writing off this gear, but maybe I should cash in. I bought most of this stuff used, so it looks like I might get my money back, or better. However the easiest thing is to do nothing, and  I do like to see these friends from the past on display. While I still possess all of the kit to process film, and always enjoyed the process, I doubt if I'll ever do so again. I guess, when the time comes, those disposing of my estate will have the task of selling this stuff or donating to a museum.

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I found a roll of film in the back of a drawer last week. I've been pondering what to put it in. My  Olympus "collection", Olympus Trip, XA and OM10 are in the running but may feel a bit too much like my Fujifilm kit.

It could go into my old Minolta 7000. Something to think about in lockdown. Stay safe.

 

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I still have one film camera. I gave another to a young woman who was studying photography and had fallen in love with film. She didn't have a lot of money to buy an appropriate camera and it was so satisfying to be able to give her one. A friend of mine gave her darkroom equipment. And my friend and I freed up some space in our little NYC apartments.

 

Paulette

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An alarming horde stashed away with batteries removed: several Canon F-1s with lots of FD lenses, couple of Pentax 67s, a wide angled Fuji 4.5x6. All earned their keep all those years ago. All in good nick. I toy with the idea of sending some of them off to Ffordes but don't get it done

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Medium format has definitely retained some vestige of its original value, a fair amount of enthusiasm out there for that kind of quality. However film cameras left in cupboards or attics can definitely deteriorate, light seals, mirror foam and even the tactile rubber of some of the bodies themselves can end up as a sticky mess. Mirrorless cameras have been a real boon for the value of film camera lenses, especially the less run of the mill types, including Canon FD which of course became completely redundant after the move to the new EOS mount. I was planning on selling some myself but somehow queuing up in the Post Office has lost some of its simple old-fashioned charm.

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16 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

I have a collection of film cameras including my very first Nikon (Nikkormat FTN) I bought used back in the mid 70s....Its a keeper.  

 

Vintage photographic film camera antique on white cut out. Folding pocket Ansco camera. red bellows - Stock ImageVintage photographic film camera antique on white cut out. made by Whitehouse Products, made of Bakelite The Beacon - Stock ImageVintage photographic film camera antique on white cut out. The Clix-O-Flex pseudo TLR camera was made by Metropolitan - Stock ImageVintage photographic film camera antique on white cut out. Sabre 620 is a simple plastic box camera for 620 film. - Stock ImageVintage photographic film camera antique on white cut out.  No. 1A Pocket Kodak  folding camera 1926 - 1932, Rochester - Stock Image

 

I still have my Nikkormat from 1971 (purchased new), not so much a keeper as a bookend now. Meter no longer functions (for about 22 yrs), foamwork around the mirror has degraded and falling apart.

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1 hour ago, Harry Harrison said:

Canon FD which of course became completely redundant

This is not the only reason I'm keeping my A1.

I'm keeping it because it reminds me of what a proper camera feels like to pick up.

The 500C?  Not worth too much. And who knows.......

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7 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

I'm keeping it because it reminds me of what a proper camera feels like to pick up.

..and not only to pick up, the viewfinders tend to be far better than those OVFs in the digital cameras that we've become used to, the Olympus OM is probably the best.

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3 minutes ago, Harry Harrison said:

..and not only to pick up, the viewfinders tend to be far better than those OVFs in the digital cameras that we've become used to, the Olympus OM is probably the best.

Well it's probably unfair now to compare an EVF with the lovely bright A1, but my first A350 with the optical finder compared very poorly.

At least they have dioptres now for us spectatlists.

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28 minutes ago, spacecadet said:

 

The 500C?  Not worth too much. And who knows.......

I had a 500c with two 120 backs, 80mm and 150mm lens which I sold about 10 years ago for 700euros!!!

Just the other day I saw a 500c body and one 120 back on sale for 600euros!!!

🤔

Phil

 

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Yeah but - wanna see a proper camera.....?

 

MPP 5x4.  I picked this up for a song years ago, from an antiques shop, along with three lenses and film backs etc.  Used it for a couple of years but the cost of film and processing got a bit much.   When I dug it out to photograph it a few months ago I accidently knocked the back and cracked the ground-glass screen.  I could have wept.

 

a-vintage-mpp-micro-technical-5x4-in-fie

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I still have my father's US-made twin-lens Ciroflex from the mid-1940's. Have spent some pandemic time digitizing transparencies from it, including me from the 1940's. He shot well with it.

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6 minutes ago, Phil Crean said:

I had a 500c with two 120 backs, 80mm and 150mm lens which I sold about 10 years ago for 700euros!!!

Just the other day I saw a 500c body and one 120 back on sale for 600euros!!!

🤔

Phil

 

Well maybe, when I need it........

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It's not just the cameras that are going up in price, but also good gelatin/silver prints made from negatives. Selling archival gelatin / silver prints is my main (very good) income and prices are going up and up, unlike stock which is going down and down. As for my platinum / palladium prints.......... upper and upper! Of course, a lot of photographers have boasted about how they got rid of their darkrooms........

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I just want to put the last rolls of film thru my Leica CL and Hasselblad 500c/m, then get shot of them.

They are well used, battered, traveled, and have more than paid for themselves. Maybe I will keep them for sentimental reasons.

I can't make up my mind !

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