what are the biggest bargains you have found?

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

Those of you who have the Nikon F2 probably also have -- or want to have -- the MD2/MB1 motor drive and battery pack combination. Several years ago, it was possible to pick up the motor drive for fairly cheap, but more recently I've found its price to be on the rise. Not surprising, really. It's one of the best motor drives Nikon's ever produced, if not the best.

One of the big problems associated with the motor drive, however, is the battery pack. It isn't unusual to find a clean motor drive with a battery pack that has the nicad batteries, and often the seller won't have the charger for the nicads. So what to do? Well, buy the inserts that take "AA" batteries, of course -- the MS-1 battery holders. Problem with the MS-1s is they are getting hard to find, and the folks who have them are asking a lot, I mean a LOT for them. Currently on US eBay, there are only two sellers. One is asking $108 for the battery pack with the two MS-1s, and the other seller is asking $300 for a mint in-the-box set.

Well, I own a couple of F2s and a couple of MD2 motor drives. One has the MB-2 battery pack -- takes 8 "AA"s instead of the MB-1's 10 "AA"s so the MD-2 runs a little slower with that pack. and the other MD-2 lacks the MS-1 inserts for its battery pack. So I've been on the hunt. Well a few days ago, I found an auction at eBay where a guy was selling a complete MD-2/MB-1 set with the MS-1s and he wasn't asking a ton for it because he claimed the motor drive didn't work. The auction was sitting at $65 when I found it. So I decided to play.
And I was the winner at $76. $32 cheaper than the guy with just the MB-1, and I got a nice looking motor (that might not work) in the bargain.

Well the outfit arrived today. Everything is in really nice condition, and I just couldn't believe that an MD-2 that looked that pretty wouldn't work. So I mounted the motor drive to one of my F2s, loaded up the battery inserts and all and tried to get it to work. Nothing. Even the battery check dial showed no charge. Hmmm . . .

So I took out both MS-1s and checked their voltage. One showed a steady 7.5 volts, as it should, and the other showed a steady 3 volts. Well, there's the problem. So I unloaded it and inspected it carefully and found that one of the springs that contact a battery was rusty -- looked like a battery had leaked on it, but only slightly. So I got out an emory board (a nail file made from stiff paper) and thoroughly polished the top of the spring. I also used the file on all the contacts in the MS-1, just to be sure. Loaded it back up with batteries and tested it -- 7.5 volts. So, I loaded up the motor drive again, and bingo!

That supposedly broken motor drive works great! So I wound up with a very clean MD-2/MB-1 with MS-1s for only $76. Now my friends, if you shoot with F2s, you know that is a bargain.

And here are a couple of pics, just for the heck of it. The camera is my 74xxxx F2s. I added the MR-3 vertical shutter release from one of my other MD-2s.

Yay!

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

marcusBMG · Joined: 07 Dec 2012 Posts: 1304 Location: Conwy N Wales

The classic komine 70-210mm vivitar series 1, in PKA mount for a negligible price. Smile

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

I've been meaning to get a copy of he Canon FD 80-200mm f/4 two-ring zoom for a while now. Back in the day, this lens was considered to be a moderately priced pro-quality zoom. As such it sold for more than twice as much as the nFD 70-210 push-pull zoom, which is really a good lens. But supposedly the 80-200/4 is better.

Now, what's really great about the old 80-200 two ring zooms is they're going for dirt cheap on eBay right now (US eBay that is). I found one with a Buy It Now of $25, and FREE shipping. Sold! What[s more, the photos looked as if it were a pretty clean lens. The seller remarked that there were some very light marks on the front element, which I guess scared off most people. But I knew better, so I bought it.

The lens arrived today. Turns out, the "marks" the seller was referring to was just a bit of dirt and smudges on the front element. It cleaned up to reveal a perfect piece of glass. And the overall condition of the lens is a solid Exc+. Wow, what a deal!

I took it for a test drive just a short while ago. I will be posting results in a thread I'll start over in the manual focus lenses sub-forum.

rybolt · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 8:16 pm Post subject:

This kit for $50 last Saturday.
[img

PRT22411 by Paul Rybolt, on Flickr

and this kit today for $20.

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PRT22421 by Paul Rybolt, on Flickr

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

Wow, what a deal on the Nikon F -- and a black one with a 1.2 lens, no less. Geez Looeez.

Cabessius · Joined: 28 Oct 2014 Posts: 21 Location: Ibiza, Spain

Not sure if it's a bargain or not, as I don't really know many of the lenses included.

A pack with:

Super Multi Coated Takumar 135mm f/3.5
Takumar bayonet 135mm f/2.8
Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.8
Soligor 35mm f/3.5
Schneider Kreuznach Componon 150mm f/5 silver,
really old (projection lens)
Wollensak Vinco Anastigmatic (don't know anything about this one, I think it's almost 100 years old

All for 84 euros (90-95 USD) incl. shipping.

Paulius · Joined: 25 Nov 2014 Posts: 321 Location: Connecticut

As I mentioned in "what is a latest lens...", it is Bokina from flee market last Saturday for $5.-
The mount is Canon FD.

Mr G · Joined: 27 Jan 2014 Posts: 187 Location: London & Essex

Hi guys, had to go to Brighton last Saturday to pick the girlfriends daughter up from university, they went shopping, my son went to get a tattoo, so I trolled the charity shops.
Thanks to Age UK I picked up an Agfa Ambi Sillette with 50mm f2.8 Color-Solinar, 90mm f4 Color Telinear, a hood, 3 Agfa filters, a Waltz Flashgun and bulbs, handbook, original 1961 receipt, and an Agfa catalogue, all in a nice leather Kam Kit Kingston case. It was sold unchecked but it is fully working and in great condition, the 50mm is in excellent condition and the 90mm is mint. Cost me £9.99 GBP, total cost in 1961 was about £98, by today's prices that's about £1510

Lucse · Joined: 22 Jul 2015 Posts: 166 Location: EU

Too many to mention.
Just two examples: one triplan for 15 Euro and another one, with an EXA II camera included, for 35 Euro.

For years I have bought about 2 lenses on average each week.
But a few weeks ago my wife has put her foot down and restricted me to a ration of 100 Euro, that I am allowed to spend on lenses each month.
And this new regime has no time limit.

I think everybody will agree with me that this is totally inhuman of her...

Oldhand · Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2017 9:53 pm Post subject:

Cabessius · Joined: 28 Oct 2014 Posts: 21 Location: Ibiza, Spain

blotafton · Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1552 Location: Sweden

It's time to draw a clear line on what she has a say in!

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

If SWMBO wants to give you a hard time about your cameras and lenses, ask her pointedly how many purses does she own? How many pairs of shoes? I mean she would use only one purse or one pair of shoes at a time, so why does she need so many, hmmm?

That just might cause her to rethink things. Then again it could start an entire shitstorm of an argument, so you move forward with this at your own risks. But it does work with my wife, at least.

Lucse · Joined: 22 Jul 2015 Posts: 166 Location: EU

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

Well, you get my point. There's probably something that she likes to collect that you can use as justification for your LBA. (Lens Buying Addiction)

Whenever she's raised a question -- which thankfully isn't very often -- I always drop back to my old standby: "Yes, but it's an investment!" Which is actually almost always true. I rarely buy anything at market prices.

TrueLoveOne · Expire: 2013-12-24

My wife and i never argue about what i buy. She spends money on her hobby, so do i. As long as the family's comfort isn't disturbed by spending issues, which has never happened, there's no reason to start any argument!

This is her hobby: (first picture was made with an expired roll of colorfilm) We have 7 horses by now and 3 foals will be born in 2018.

Last obstacle by René Maly, on Flickr

First time at the beach! by René Maly, on Flickr

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

Cool. One of the great things about collecting living things is they breed!

But they also eat and do other necessary bodily functions, so hopefully the one thing outweighs the others.

kievuser · Joined: 27 Jan 2008 Posts: 551

stevemark · Joined: 29 Apr 2011 Posts: 3754 Location: Switzerland

Unlike others, i'm not that much into f1.2 lenses. Nevertheless, and without searching for them, i got three nice samples during the past four months:

1) Minolta MX-C 1.2/58mm, hidden within a large amount (15kg) of vintage lenses / cameras, including a Minolta MD-III 2.8/24mm and a liek-new Minolta AF 2.8/20mm; all together for about 180 CHF

2) Next was a Nikkor Ai 1.2/55mm, hidden in a Micro Nikkor 3.5/55mm box, together with a Ai Nikkor 3.5/28mm, for CHF 50.--

3) and finally a collectors item, a like new Canon nFD 1.2/50mm L. CHF 150.-- since the aperture blades are oily ...

And what did i miss? The Canon 1.2/55mm AL with chrome nose, from the same seller as the above FD 50mm L. The later version of the aspheric FD 1.2/55mm are quite rare and expensive, but the first chrome nose version of the 1.2/55mm is nearly untraceable. Very difficult to find ... The seller had offered me the lens without telling me that it was the aspherical version, and i declined ... Wink

Stephan

Humulus · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 130 Location: Poland

Yesterday I came upon a perfectly functional MC Volna 9 50mm f/2.8 Macro at a local pawn shop for approx. 21 EUR Happy Dog

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

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves

Also a 1.2/55 Zuiko for $100, 1.2/50 nFD Canon L For $175, md rokkor 1.2/50 for $125 and a primoplan for $50.

Its been a good couple weeks.

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong

What? You get the dream lens for $350 only! Friends

kds315* · Expire: 2021-03-09

calvin83 · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 7553 Location: Hong Kong