what are the biggest bargains you have found?

cyrano · Expire: 2016-12-30

What's the (roughly) going price for a user F1 or n or N model? I'm keen on the old mechanical cameras and have a Nikon F2 and Minolta srt 101b already. I'm considering getting the F1 as well.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

Hey cyrano, where are you located? I usually refer to USA eBay as a yardstick for valuations. Typically a clean old F-1 or F-1n will sell anywhere from $150 and up, depending on just how clean it is. I bought mine a few years ago off eBay and won it at auction for $167. Even the New F-1's prices tend to be close to those of the original F-1. Prices do seem to be climbing slowly on the old mechanical masterpieces, so I wouldn't wait too long if I were you. BTW, the old Canon F-1 and the Nikon F2 are roughly equivalent in value, depending on the flavor of the F2. If we exclude the more expensive F2 versions, such as the AS and SB, then their values are quite close to each other.

Billou · Expire: 2015-05-19

Just found a Topcon RE Super with the 58/1.4 both in perfect condition for 90 euros. Not too bad ! I will see if the lens is better than my previous example, wich wasn't that great wide-open.

cyrano · Expire: 2016-12-30

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

It might be you're seeing a momentary upward spike in prices. If there are no buyers at those heights, the prices should come back down. I sure can't see paying $300 (1 ukp = 1.51 usd today) for an ugly copy. That's nuts. Good luck, at any rate.

You know, if/when you do pick up a Canon FD body, you can get a Nikon F to Canon FD adapter, which lets you use your Nikkors on a Canon, and infinity focus is retained. That way, if you don't have any Canon FD glass yet, you still have something to shoot with. I have one of these I picked up off eBay a couple years ago. It's kinda cool, using my Nikkors on my Canon FD bodies.

hifisapi · Joined: 25 Sep 2012 Posts: 941 Location: USA

Once at a camera show I found a smc takumar 85mm F1.8 ( the good one ) for $100 in mint condition.
Its worth about $400 now. I must add that this was back in the late 80's.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

A good deal is still a good deal. Doesn't matter when you bought it. You could just argue that you were prescient. Cool

Brian Y · Joined: 06 Mar 2013 Posts: 6 Location: Calgary, Canada

Saw an adv in the local Kijiji on a Tamron AD 90f2.5 Macro for sale at $85 last year. A reasonable deal so I called and she said "We have two, which one do you want?" I went down to the address and found it was an engineering welding testing lab. She said they were switching to digital and thus no longer need the lenses. I took a look, the first lense looked new with a Tiffen Sky 1A filter on. I turned it the other side and found the adapter to be a P/KA. Both caps were attached and the original box was also included. All in very good condition, I bet it never left their lab. I picked up the second one and it was just like the first one with a P/KA adaptor as well. (For those who do not know, a Tamron AD-P/KA adaptor by itself is about $80-100. I am a Pentax shooter and I have numerous Tamron AD lenses.)

She asked again, "which one do you prefer?" I replied: "I think my friend wants one too." "If you buy both, I will reduce the price by $10 and you can have the camera bag and flash too." I paid and left quickly before she or her boss changed her mind.

So for a total of $160, I got two Tamron 90f2.5 macro lenses in excellent condition, two Tamron AD-P/KA adapters, two Tiffen filters, all the caps and original boxes, a camera bag and a generic flash. Not a bad day's work. I believe it is worth over $500.

I sold one of the Tamron 90f2.5 lenses with a generic AD-Nikon adapter to one of my friends for $100. (Ebay price is usually about $150 or more.) He was more than gratefull. So was I.

Brian

TAo2 · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 319 Location: Scotland

Ah enjoy reading this thread but the oversized images mean ah can't read it properly. Can't afford a panoramic monitor... Laughing

ps been guilty of this myself - ah was advised 1024 wide..?.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9096 Location: Houston, Texas

Sorry, those were 1200 pixels wide. My bad.

I've been kinda busy this past week, ferreting out deals.

I bought a Soligor bellows off eBay that arrived yesterday. Paid $10 for them.

Click here to see on Ebay

The eBay photos don't do the bellows justice. They are old, but show no visible signs of wear anywhere. These bellows were probably built back in the 1960s, maybe even the 1950s. They came in a stout box that even has a velvet-lined base. Price tag on the box was for $57.50, a goodly sum back in the day. I bought the bellows for the sole reason of getting a hold of the front mount adapter, which is a male T-mount with a Nikon mount camera flange. I will use this adapter on my Spiratone SST bellows so I can use more than the 150mm Spiratone lens that came with them. I already own an M42 lens to Nikon adapter and I've just ordered a glassless Canon FD lens to Nikon adapter. Sometimes just these mounts come up for auction or BIN on eBay, but typically just the mount sells for between $20 and $40. So, $10 for the entire bellows with that mount was a real deal.

And yesterday, I won this at auction:

Click here to see on Ebay

A very clean, lightly used T90 for a great price. I set a fairly low maximum bid cuz I'm a cheapskate and then prepared to get outbid. But I didn't. Back when I used to be a camera dealer, I briefly owned a T90, but didn't have it long enough to use it. I've always wanted to get another, and finally have. Now, I reckon as long as I put at least a few rolls of film through it a year maybe that'll be enough to keep the EEEE gremlins at bay.

Well that's just about blown my budget for this month. Gotta go put some stuff on eBay so I can buy more stuff! Cool

Drack · Joined: 27 Feb 2011 Posts: 735 Location: Lithuania

Today I`ve bought myself a Minolta 7000 + minolta Maxxum f1,7/50mm lens and a Minolta 4000af flash(non working) with all the papers, hand books etc... Paid 30USD for the whole set.

Billou · Expire: 2015-05-19

Yesterday on a flea market, a Leitz Weztlar 180/4 in new condition for 120 euros.

Minolfan · Joined: 30 Dec 2008 Posts: 3438 Location: Netherlands

In a thrift store I saw a Canon Eos 300 reflex. When it was taken from its place to show me I discovered a gold coloured little box behind it. In the box was what was written on it: Sigma 28mm 1.8AF. It didn't fit the Canon, so no test possible.
But they didn't sell below € 5.
Together with a tabletripod (€ 2) I already had chosen I paid the € 5 and took the lens home.
I felt a bit nervous to test it and .. Yes .. fully working AF on my KM5D!
The lens works fine, mechanically and optically, for € 3. Very Happy

fotkino · Joined: 04 May 2011 Posts: 111 Location: Russia, Moscow

Moscow flea market shop - Canon FD 55/1.2 Aspherical S.S.C. like a new! for a 350$
YAHOOOOOO!!!!!! Smile

Now I'm waiting for the adapter to the EOS-M Smile

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

pavko · Joined: 31 Jan 2011 Posts: 216 Location: PL

Mamiya - Sekor F.C 48mm f./1.9
Mamiya - Sekor F.C 100mm f./3.5
Mamiya Prismat PH mount from broken camera

38 EUR with shipping - not bad for quite rare items...

kyonthinh · Joined: 30 Mar 2012 Posts: 222 Location: Germany

A RZ67 with 3 lens for 670 EUR, not much of bargain but it is still.

kokuuji · Joined: 25 Sep 2012 Posts: 86 Location: Yokohama Japan

I found Canon FD 55/1.2 SSC for 100 euro (12000 yen) at local camera shop in Japan.
Now it is fit with Edo Mika Eos converter to my 60D
Condition really mint by the way.

I found fully working Mamiya 135/4.5 C series lens for around 30 euro (3000 yen)
Little balsam out on viewer but it is not effect on picture.
Latest version of C lens.

Thank you.

kyonthinh · Joined: 30 Mar 2012 Posts: 222 Location: Germany

Nice score kokuuji san. Shocked

kokuuji · Joined: 25 Sep 2012 Posts: 86 Location: Yokohama Japan

TAo2 · Joined: 09 Mar 2012 Posts: 319 Location: Scotland

Don't usually search for stuff - but since Christmas, this gear has come my way and couldn't resist...

Yashica 35 GT - £12 - lots of problems but still firing off shots.

Yashica M5 - £5 - a very rare Yashica RF. It's (almost) immaculate and takes great pictures, an incredible bargain!

Pentacon f2.8/135mm preset - £12 (inc. postage) - well used and worn/brassed (adds great character) but everything functions very smoothly (not slack or loose)

Kiev 4a - £10...gone for CLA, still a bargain as exc. cosmetically.

Leica AF-C1 - €30. Just finding out how good a camera this P+S is.

Cool

kyonthinh · Joined: 30 Mar 2012 Posts: 222 Location: Germany

Yebisu · Joined: 13 Feb 2011 Posts: 1299

nemesis101 · Expire: 2015-01-22

Found an as new NX100 outfit (camera, kit lens, flash and double charger) for $125 on Craig's List.. and the guy threw in a raft of manual focus lens adapters too!

Already impressed with the much lower noise this has than my Panny m4/3rds cameras.. does anyone know if this is the sensor from the K20D?

Doug.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

K something sensor for sure, fine camera really, I have it too. I rarely use it with manual lens , usually use it for handheld HDR shoots, with 20-50 lens.