Bryan 15,346 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Betty LaRue 3,373 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I have at least 3 film cameras to dispose of among other equipment. I need to go through it all and see what I have to sell. Link to post Share on other sites
Colblimp 2,521 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 The only film camera I have is an Olympus Trip, bought purely to look at because it’s pretty. I won’t be getting rid of it any time soon. Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Standfast 773 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. Link to post Share on other sites
NYCat 2,739 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Robert M Estall 347 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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 Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Ventura 6,198 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Harry Harrison 554 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Malcolm Park 305 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. 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. Link to post Share on other sites
Malcolm Park 305 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I have a Hasselblad 503cw with film back however only used a digital back with it for last 9 years. Hasselblad s/h prices remain good for clean, unknackered, bodies and lenses because there are varied digital options for the V Series. Link to post Share on other sites
spacecadet 4,126 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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....... Link to post Share on other sites
Harry Harrison 554 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. Link to post Share on other sites
spacecadet 4,126 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 (edited) 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. Edited January 14 by spacecadet Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Crean 667 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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 Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Standfast 773 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 I've just had an email from ebay about film cameras?????? Link to post Share on other sites
Vincent Lowe 795 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Kuta 177 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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. Link to post Share on other sites
spacecadet 4,126 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 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........ Link to post Share on other sites
spacecadet 4,126 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 1 minute ago, Vincent Lowe said: racked the ground-glass screen. Not too bad on ebay......... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x5-Ground-Glass-for-MPP-Camera-actual-dimensions-126mm-X-100mm-/233362992579 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GeoffK 48 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 (edited) On 14/01/2021 at 02:46, Bryan said: . Edited February 20 by GeoffK Link to post Share on other sites
GeoffK 48 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 (edited) . Edited February 19 by GeoffK 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Cee Dee Dickinson 8 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Like vintage. Thanks for sharing. You should think about asking museums if they would like to put them on display. Link to post Share on other sites
Dyn Llun 244 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 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........ 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Sally R 899 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 On 14/01/2021 at 16:07, Colblimp said: The only film camera I have is an Olympus Trip, bought purely to look at because it’s pretty. I won’t be getting rid of it any time soon. I recently uploaded a photo of my Mum's 1972 Olympus Trip. I agree, they are pretty. I'm tempted to put some film in it and take it for a spin one day. The fact its light meter and exposure system are solar-powered adds to its charm. I also have two camera's of my Dad's from the 1950s in their original leather cases - an Agfa Ambi Silette and a Braun Nurnberg Gloria. I don't think I could part with these. He used the Agfa well into the 1980s until it started to fail. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
MizBrown 670 Posted January 15 Share Posted January 15 My niece has one of the Minolta Autocords I found used at a camera flea market in Philadelphia. I used to have this, which I really regret trading off for a Hasselblad prism viewfinder and a 150mm lens: 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now