what are the biggest bargains you have found?

Vics42 · Joined: 10 May 2015 Posts: 15 Location: Sevilla, Spain

May I ask when did u find those bargains, and where?
Because from last year prices are getting insane...

StillSanj · Joined: 21 Apr 2015 Posts: 412 Location: United States

Last couple weeks have been good to me; no extraordinary bargains but plenty of great deals.

Minolta srt camera on Craigslist for $100...came with Minolta 3.5/28, 2.8/135, and a 1.2/58(!) for $100 +$12 ship. I sold the other lenses for $60.

Another craigslist find; Carl Zeiss Icarex 35s TM Pro with a M42 1.8/50 Ultron with hood and filter. $200. Not a bargain, but I sold another same body for $150 before so that'll make for a cheap M42 ultron. It will be my 5th one -_-

Another craigslist find: topcon RE Super with a 1.4/5.8cm in absolutely mint condition. $50 +$20 ship. Its about as minty as the one I already have, which is hard to believe.

Also a couple of eBay finds: an Icarex 35S BM with another Ultron and hood and filter-$95 dollars.
It had just been listed minutes before I saw it, I don't think it would have lasted much longer.

Lastly, nothing special but decent: 3 exakta cameras, one with a domiplan, one with a rare Schacht S-Travelon 1.8/50 which I already sold for 140, and a mint heavy brass kine exakta 15 blade Tessar, which can be collectible in its own right.

Like I said, no super bargain, but collectively it's made for some good deals. however, they are getting harder and harder to come by, but they are still out there.
Best of luck lens hunters!

!Karen · Joined: 20 Jul 2013 Posts: 837 Location: Belgium Baby

I paid 69� for all of this

Polaroid supercolor elite
Polaroid 1000
Polaroid pronto!
Polaroid 636 close up
Brownie holiday
Voigtlander brillant
Canon canonet QL 17
M42 bellows (magic!)
Zeiss ikon Ikonta M with 4 filters, hood and light meter

uddhava · Expire: 2021-06-21

frogbog · Joined: 20 Nov 2013 Posts: 19 Location: Stavanger / Norway

SonicScot · Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 1:35 pm Post subject:

I don't find many bargains these days, certainly not locally, but sometimes I find something on my wishlist at a reasonable price online.

On this occasion, I found the last Vivitar Series 1 zoom I've been looking for, the 28-90mm f2.8-3.5, which regularly sells for �70+. I got it for �18.70 Smile

It was cheap because it was described as having dusty elements and a very slow/sticky iris. As it turns out, it has a perfectly normal and acceptable amount of internal dust, but not enough to warrant taking apart for cleaning. The aperture blades have a slight delay in closing down but only at the far end of the scale, which I rarely go to anyway.

Overall, I'm really happy to add this bargain to my Series 1 collection Smile

nikono · Joined: 04 Nov 2014 Posts: 38

Between finding deals on Craiglist or eBay, I trust eBay much more because the serial numbers of most cameras and lenses are not hidden.

MaXXXic · Joined: 03 Jun 2015 Posts: 78 Location: Ukraine

Yesterday I've got Vivitar Series 1 70-210 mm f3,5 with Nikon mount, very good condition exepr one — the UV-Filter covered the lense have a dent, maybe it falls down, but the lense is okay. I find it in local OLX.UA for near 35-37 USD (depends of local currency exchange rate) incl. delivery cost
#1

#2

#3

#4

s

kryss · Expire: 2017-09-18

Very nice,Tokina make I believe.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9109 Location: Houston, Texas

Yep. S/N starts with 37.

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

You might try to re-shapen the outer rim....

1. take an old sacrificial 62mm thread filter. knock out the glass.
2. saw it into thirds.
3. attach a section of cut filter to inside of the rim, mating with the threads.
4. hold in place with tape or sticky tack.
5. do the same with another section of filter to the outside of the rim. (you may need to bend it a little)
6. carefully apply pressure with pliers onto the filter sections, monitor the rim shape.
7. It doesn't take much to bend the aluminum, so be gentle.

MaXXXic · Joined: 03 Jun 2015 Posts: 78 Location: Ukraine

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

Oh, I mis-read, and thought the lens was dented too.
If it's just the filter that's damaged and not the lens, then that's good!
Disregard my tip.
Smile

Great results from the lens!

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9109 Location: Houston, Texas

I've been wondering about the Russian copies of the Zeiss Super Ikonta C (6x9) for some time, and I've heard good things about them. So I finally bit the bullet and bought one. I've seen Moskva 2s, 4s, and 5s, and it was the latter that most intrigued me, mostly I guess because it was the latest model.

Well, I found a 5 on eBay that was quite reasonably priced -- $55. Yes, it showed some wear, but the optics are clean, the shutter speeds are accurate, and the bellows are light tight. Plus, it comes with a very stout leather case that is in an excellent state of repair. It just arrived today, so I haven't had a chance to put a roll of film through it yet, but I'll try to get to that tomorrow

A few pics:

The pics show the wear pretty well. I don't care so much about that, as long as it is in good functional order, which as near as I can determine, it is. The button that releases the bellows doesn't work, but I've learned how to get around this problem. I hold the camera securely in my right hand and then tap a front corner of it firmly against my left, and it pops open. Some of the times, it pops open all the way. Other times, I have to coax the rails to their stops to lock the front standard in place.

This camera is my first 6x9 and I'm really excited about getting to shoot with such a large negative. I'm gonna try with black and white film first -- either Tri-X or T-Max, I have both -- and then I want to give it a try with some color film.

I have a question for anyone who is familiar with these cameras. Can I shoot 220 film with one, or just 120? The film advance is just a knob and a small round window in the back is what's used for a film counter. So it seems to me that I can probably shoot 220, yes?

tb_a · Expire: 2019-08-28

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9109 Location: Houston, Texas

Thanks, Thomas. I'd forgotten about 220 not having the paper backing. I have a supply of Velvia and Provia 220 laid in in my freezer, but I'll just have to content myself with running it through my Pentax 67 and Bronica ETRSi. No big loss, I guess. Cool

Gamera · Joined: 16 Feb 2014 Posts: 86 Location: Scandinavia

Cooltouch wrote:

Plus, it comes with a very stout leather case

The case is artifical material, but the strap is leather and greatly benefits from a good dose of grease.

I have a question for anyone who is familiar with these cameras. Can I shoot 220 film with one, or just 120? The film advance is just a knob and a small round window in the back is what's used for a film counter. So it seems to me that I can probably shoot 220, yes?

You CAN shoot 220, but to do so You have to firmly tape over the two windows and learn the amount of film advance so You can do it blind. Also loading and unloading need to be done in perfect darkness.

kuato · Joined: 10 Feb 2015 Posts: 47

I snagged this Sigma-XQ 135mm f/2.8 Very Happy

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7495 Location: Hong Kong

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

Nice going, kuato! Sharp eyes not only benefit birds of prey. Wink

kuato · Joined: 10 Feb 2015 Posts: 47

It was pure chance! I saw a picture that had some of the legacy 135/1.8s and it looked like the Sigma has a similar design to the insanely priced Pentax A*. Did a quick search on eBay and that one came up. I wasn't really looking for a new 135 but for that price it was no brainer.

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2464 Location: NC, USA

My latest deal. Fujinon TV lens, model DF6HA-1B. Which is a 6mm f1.2 lens, for .99 cents.

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2464 Location: NC, USA