what are the biggest bargains you have found?

mfkita · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 222

I picked up this new toy for pocket change ($12)...Came in Nikon mount and since I had Nikon adapters for the Canon Dslr...well....

appears to be soft on one side...well both sides but moreso at the right (bottom) of frame...will try another adapter, though I doubt I'll see any improvement...

still, a nice toy...

shot at 1 yd from the bush in the front...

IMG_3855Rs by kitaflix, on Flickr
Working with the Spiratone 7mm fisheye....still trying to figure it out....
Each time I use it and look at the results I see more to correct....next time I'm going to try to straighten the horizon...

IMG_4038Rs by kitaflix, on Flickr

IMG_4038RCsb by kitaflix, on Flickr

I shot the above at F22 and thought it might improve at F45 but I was advised to use F8 next time...will do...

Having discussed/defended the idea that primes force one to look at framing and perspective more critically than one does with zooms, I am more convinced than ever of this, with this extreme FL at least....

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

adent · Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 304 Location: United States

Well, my best deal so far has not been anything like some of the ones I have seen on here. I am still happy with mine though. I placed a bid on a Spotmatic with two lenses that the the seller didn't give very much information about and the pictures were fuzzy and small. I could just make out that one was a Makinon 24-50 Macro and the other a Takumar (He didn't show it with the lens cover off). I won the lot including the bag for $32. When it arrived, it looked like the orignal owner used it for a wedding or something and then wrapped it all back up and put it in the closet for the remainder of the time. Everything was clean and working.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Handsome set Adent! congrats!

Ymmot · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 168

It looks so unused you could use it as a subject for a commercial Smile

Although on pictures gear always looks better, it seems to have the gleam/look/texture (dont know how to describe it Wink

) of new unused metal.

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

MalcolmL · Expire: 2012-12-02

Pentax SMC 50mm f1.8 minus 20 NZD. bought it with a spotmatic bundle and sold the 135 mm 3.5 on Ebay. lens cost me effectively -20 NZD. Still have the spotmatic and it works. Never use it.

Komura 135 3.5 35 NZD
Fujinon 200mm 4.5 EBC 15 NZD

Ymmot · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 168

mfkita · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 222

adent · Joined: 06 Oct 2011 Posts: 304 Location: United States

The kit does look that good in real life too. This is my second spotmatic. The first one came with three lenses, but I didn't get it for anywhere near this cheap and the lenses all had issues. The camera and the lenses looked like they had been taken on safari and put away without any cleaning. This one was a pleasant surprise.

hoanpham · Expire: 2015-01-18

I got my spotmatic and 55/2 for 2usd each, but not as nice condition.
congrats.

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

kennethwfd · Joined: 05 Dec 2011 Posts: 15

vivitar 100-200 99p, seller refuses to sell on the grounds the item has been damaged since listing ??
Yashica 135 prime, cleaning marks on rear lens, doesn't affect performance £1.20
Pentax Takumar 70 - 200 £5
Yashica 28 - 80 £5.19
Miranda 70 - 300 £5.15
Canon 135 prime FD fit £25.05 - EOS adapter included which is around £20 for one with glass allowing focussing to infinity on DSLR

All via that online auction site. My tips for getting a bargain are

1. Poor description such as "old camera lens" where the seller can't be bothered to read a few details - one listing said "don't ask me what it is I don't know!" Likewise typos in the listing
2. Poor or no photograph - the Takumar was as such, didn't mention that a lens hood and case was included
3. finishing at a time when people are liable to be distracted, in the UK there is strictly come dancing mania to the point where the latest results make national news. The Christmas holidays can be a good time, I wouldn't sell mid Dec to mid Jan. I'll be watching ebay when the nation is gripped by olympic fever next year
4. Bid in odd amounts. you could win by 1p, many think in round figures such as £10, £15 etc
5. Join a sniping program. Never bid until the last minute

Mos6502 · Joined: 20 Jun 2011 Posts: 960 Location: Austin

I actually just picked up what I would consider my best deal.

A 1939 "telephoto" lens for an Argus C2/C3. Supposedly less than 1000 were made. Only 4 known to exist up until this point. Shocked

Arguably the hardest to find Argus C series lens. The postwar German-made telephoto is much more common.

I also just picked up a 1938 C2, which has a scarce pre "Cintar" lens on it - for all of $3. Argus purchased Graf in 1939 and started making their own Cintar lenses that year - so the 1938 lenses are very scarce. They also had several suppliers of glass before 1939, so it's possible that there are several variations of the pre-cintar lenses for the C and C2.

jclaude · Joined: 14 Sep 2011 Posts: 28 Location: Toulouse France

Hi! today is my turn!
I just received a Cosina CT1ex with a Cosina 35-70mm, a Pentax SMC 135mm 3.5 and a Pentax SMC 50mm 1.4, all for 30€.
The Cosina is not of great value, but the Pentax lenses are interesting at this price. I have to add that everything is in working condition.
My previous best buy was a Fujica ST705 w with a Fujinon 55mm 1.8, a Hanimex 28mm and a Hanimex 135mm 2.8; all for 15 €, I bought it for the Fujinon.
Previously it was a CZJ Pancolar 50mm 1.8 for 5€, but I have to rework it, the aperture is slow.

Jean Claude

Andrew G. · Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 159 Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Nikon 200mm f/4 Ai-S, mint in its original case for $12.

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

barnaby · Joined: 21 Mar 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Hampshire UK

Two great results I have had recently are, a 50mm 1.4 SMC TAK in mint condition with leather case £30. The other is a Ricoh GR1s for £7, this camera is the Mother of all film point and shoots! I have never been a fan of point and shoots until I ran a roll of BW film through it. I always carry this with me now, just in case, and have had some nice candid shots from it. The lens is unbelievably sharp and its definitely a keeper.

My best result lens wise was a Ross 6inch xpress in Newman Sinclair mount, turned out to be a museum piece and I only bought it for £4. here is a picture of the lens on the Newman Sinclair camera... oh and yes, its a clockwork movie camera.

http://www.golden-agetv.co.uk/img/equipment/28b.JPG

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

I just bid on and won an Agfa Isolette over at shopgoodwill.

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=9042891

I'll be paying more than I want to, but after looking at the offerings over at eBay and what their asking prices are, I guess I got a pretty good deal. Over at the bay there are only two Isolettes with rangefinder windows, and both of these have the earlier shutters. The one I just won has a Synchro Compur, which I consider to be much more desirable than the older shutters.

It looks pretty clean. I hope so. Dunno anything about that Solinar lens. Hope it's decent. If not, heck I'll sell it. But I'm betting it's a good little picture taker.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

A great camera for sure, usually bellow has leaks, you need to fix it with electrical tape. Image quality is excellent.

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

Thanks for the reply, Attila. I've been out on the 'net doing some reading up on it. It appears this is a late Isolette III, made during the mid-to-late 1950s. The Solinar lens (a Tessar clone) is generally regarded to be the best one Agfa used in these cameras. It has an uncoupled rangefinder, something I was a bit disappointed to find out. But oh well, at least it has a rangefinder. Yeah, I got the electrical tape ready to go, just in case.

I would really like to get a Pearl like what you have, but dang those things are expensive on eBay. I could buy a good Zeiss Super Ikonta for less than what they're going for.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

There is six different type of Pearl only III and IV is expensive, not only on Ebay everywhere.
Pearl II has coupled of RF and not expensive 100-200 USD, Pearl I has uncoupled RF ~ 100 -150 USD.
If you not willing to make portraits, no matter if has coupled RF or it has RF at all. At F8-F11 there is plenty of space to use external RF or electronic distance meter which is inexpensive.

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

Well that's good to know. Thanks for the additional info. But somebody ought to tell this guy:

Click here to see on Ebay

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

All this talk of folders reminds me I need to put a film through my old Ross Ensign folder, it has a beauty of a Ross Xpress lens on it.