what are the biggest bargains you have found?

gaeger · Expire: 2021-03-09

I happened to check Craigslist last Monday and spotted this a few minutes after it was posted. It was a little more than I like to pay for gear, but for $300 I got this from the original owner of all of it:

Nikon FTn body
Nikkormat EL (black) with power winder
Nikkor-C Reflex 500mm with original case, all four filters and lens hood
Nikkor 50-300mm non-AI
Nikkor-S 50mm f1.4
Nikkor 28mm f2.8 K version
Nikon extension ring set in leather case
Nikon 52mm lens reversal ring
Vivitar flash, assorted filters, cable shutter releases, aluminum carrying case for everything

All in excellent condition except for the 50-300mm, which has some marks on the barrel, although the glass is fine.

I was out shooting the Nikkormat today -- I really like the film advance on this body, there's a lot of precision to it. I already have a Nikkor-S 50mm f1.4 in mint condition, so will probably sell this one. So interesting to see what people have collected over the years.

perkus · Joined: 13 Mar 2012 Posts: 5 Location: Brussels

Not supercheap maybe but excited to have my first Calr Zeiss lens, Carl Zeiss Flexon 50mm/2 - the ring is roughed up but apart from that it looks fine

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280841165817&autorefresh=true

TijmenDal · Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Posts: 206

msteen1314 · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:41 am Post subject:

Best bargain was in answer to an add:

Drove to ladies house and ended up with the following for the total cost of $10 Cdn

Pro-Tessar f4 35mm in bubble
Pro-Tessar f4 85mm in bubble
Tair 300a with case and 72mm skylight filter

msteen1314 · Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:49 am Post subject:

For $175 40+ Kodak pieces including the following

KOdak Retina 90 degree finder in leather case
Kodak Retina Microscope attachment - Boxed
Kodak Retina Close-up Table Stand 1:1 - Boxed
Kodak Retina slide holder for close-Up Table Stand - Boxed

In the fitted Kodak Retina Case, the following lenses in their bubbles
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Curtagon 28mm f/4
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Xenar 50mm f/2.8
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Xenar 135mm f/4

In the fitted Kodak Retina Case
Schneider-Kreuznach Retina-Tele-Xenar 200mm f/4.8

Kodak Retina Platform C
Kodak Retina 50mm lens hood - Boxed
Kodak Retina 135mm lens hood - Boxed
Kodak Retina Close-up Lens Set, Type N/60 - Boxed
Kodak Retina Close-up Lens Set, Type R
Kodak Filter 60mm Close-Up TI
Kodak Filter 60mm Close-Up TII
Various Kodak filters - Boxed

Kodak Retina snake chain

Diffuser for Retina Reflex III meter

Kodak Retina Reflex IV Manual

sammo · Joined: 04 Jan 2012 Posts: 223 Location: CH and SI

My two biggest bargains are... and I hope i won't get too much envy here Smile

First... biggest bargain ever just some weeks ago... a Canon FD 200mm f4 macro for 8 CHF

Second biggest bargain, two mint (or maybe even never used) 55mm f1.4 (rolleinar and voigtlander color ultron) for 10 CHF

Very Happy

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

I wandered into one of Houston's last two remaining genuine camera shops yesterday, with an eye out for interesting old stuff. And I found a fair amount of it. Can't say that it was an especially great deal I negotiated on the gear I bought, but I'm happy. Certainly won't lose any money if I ever decide to sell any of it.

Pentax SMC-Tak 100mm f/4 macro with hood and rear cap, although missing front cap
M42 extension ring set
Right angle M42 spotting scope converter (attaches to the rear of an M42 lens, turning it into a spotting scope)
Plain ground glass focusing screen for Nikon FA/FE/FE2 -- an "E" screen, I think it is
Plain ground glass focusing screen for Canon AE-1 Program
"B" screen (I think) for Canon Old F-1 -- crosshair type for hi-magnification photography
Nikon soft shutter release

I don't have the stuff sitting in front of me at the moment, which is why I'm guessing about the screens. The SMCT macro lens and its hood are in mint condition. I'm really looking forward to getting the chance to try it out. First SMCT I've owned since my camera dealing days way back when.

I paid $228 for everything, tax included, which wasn't a killer deal, but not a bad one, either. Those focusing screens are at least as desirable as the SMCT macro is. I'm keeping them, though.

I'm thinking about visiting Houston's other genuine camera shop today and seeing if they have anything interesting in their bargain bins. Last time I was there, I snagged a pile of vintage stuff, some of which I kept, most of which I was able to sell on eBay for a profit. Heh, it if weren't for eBay, I would have very little to spend on my gear habit.

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

Well, I did make it out to Houston's other last real camera shop yesterday. And I bought a few pieces, most of which I'll probably resell on the bay.

Canon FD 1.4x-A TC -- mint, with caps
Vivitar Macro 2x for Canon FD
Komura 7-element 2x for Canon FD
Tamron SP 70-210 f/3.5 w/Canon FD Adaptall-2 mount
Contax RTS Winder

These folks had so many Canon FD teleonverters that they were selling them for $5 each. Last time I bought a pile of gear from them, I snagged two Canon 2x-A TCs from them, one of which I kept, the other I resold. Yes, I still own and frequently use my old Canon FD gear. This time, I plan to try out the Canon 1.4x and Komura before I decide if I want to sell them. I've already got a Vivitar Macro 2x in FD, so I don't need this new one. I also already own a Vivitar 1.5x TC in FD mount and I'm interested in comparing the Canon with it. The Canon 1.4x has a protruding front element, whereas the Vivitar does not, so I'm thinking that I'll go ahead and keep the Vivitar even if I like the Canon better because it will work with lenses that the Canon can't work with.

The Tamron 70-210 shows some moderate wear to its exterior but the optics are in good shape. No fungus and the iris behaves normally. I've heard good things about this lens, and I'm looking forward to using it. As for the RTS winder, well I don't own a Contax or Yashica that it can be used on, but I couldn't let it sit there for that price. I may keep it just in case I fall into a good deal on a Contax or Yashica that it can be used on -- been kinda jonesin' for a nice Contax for a while now. We'll see.

Oh, the price? $35 and change for everything. Woot!

dino1 · Expire: 2014-08-21

Went to a car boot sale just after Christmas.
Moving in closer to a sellers table to check what was available I kicked something amongst a pile of bits on the floor.
Looked down and it was a lens. Quick look and I asked the seller his price. The reply was £1 to you.
I hesitate to describe
any lens not straight out of the box as mint but this one was pretty good but a bit dusty.
Oh yes and what was it.
55mm f2.8 Micro Nikkor
dino1

Andreq · Joined: 30 May 2011 Posts: 184 Location: Quebec, Canada

SonicScot · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:30 am Post subject:

ramcewan · Joined: 02 Mar 2012 Posts: 198 Location: New England, USA

I bought a buy it now auction for a "Konica Autoreflex TC plus tele lens" for $40 plus $12 shipping

The one picture showed the camera with a Hexanon 40mm f1.8 mounted and a filter on it (always a good sign!). I was willing to pay $40 for the 40mm so I hit buy.

Package arrived and the camera was in good condition and had the 40mm f1.8 mounted to it which was also in excellent condition. The telephoto lens turned out to be a Hoya HMC 80-200mm f4-5.6 (aka Tokina RMC 80-200mm f4-5.6) in a nice leather case. All of it was inside a nice vintage Exakta leather outfit case. Also included were some documentation, a flash, a shutter release cable and an extra battery. Both lenses also had Hoya filters, one UV and one skylight as well as original caps.

Not being into film I listed the camera with battery, flash, shutter release and documentation for $5 auction, I also threw in a 52mm f1.8 hexanon which I did not like very much and had only paid $5 for it. I immediately was contacted by someone who wanted one of the documents, a flyer for the Autoreflex FC-1. He offered $10 and I said I would only take $3 plus $1.25 for shipping (Europe). I quickly updated the auction photos for the camera taking out the flyer and put the flyer in the mail.

The camera ended up selling for $12 plus shipping.

I thought very hard about keeping the Exakta case but in the end decided to list it as I figured somebody else might enjoy it more. I just sold it last week for $52 with free shipping.

So now I have made $62 off the flyer, camera plus accessories, and the case, so the lenses ended up being free.

That's my best deal so far, although I also consider my recent purchase of a Tair 3 Grand Prix Brussels as with a Pentax camera for $66 a good deal. I don't like tipping my hand too much but I will say that buying cameras with lenses has yielded my best deals on lenses. I also got an Autoreflex with a 50mm f1.8 Hexanon for $9.95 plus shipping.

Speaking of which i have a Pentax ES-II and another Autoreflex available for free if you pay shipping.

Aanything · Expire: 2014-05-30

ebc fujinon 1.4/50 + 2.8/35 + working fujica az-1 for 18 euros.

mfkita · Joined: 29 Jul 2007 Posts: 222

Picked up this Olympus 50/1.8 with a layer of fungus for $2...I had to see how the fungus would affect IQ in bright light and at wider apertures...shots taken with the lens pushed against the 30D without an adapter...

FR by kitaflix, on Flickr

Outdoor shot @ 5.6 (iso 400)

indoor shot @ 2.8 @ iso 800 (1.8 is "hazy"/soft, not unlike many other 1.8 50mm lenses)

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

Perfectly-functional Olympus OM-2n body with G.Zuiko 50mm f/1.4, some mediocre Tuo/Five-Star 80-200mm f/4.5 zoom and an Olympus T-20 speedlite: $20.

WolverineX · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:10 pm Post subject:

today at the flea market i got chrome Meyer-Optik Goerlitz Primotar E 50mm/3.5 with red V in m42 mount for 40 kuna. that's around 5€ or 7$

aoleg · Joined: 22 Feb 2008 Posts: 1387 Location: Berlin, DE

Last month was a bargain month for me.

- A box of military surplus from eBay advertised as "Approximately 35 lenses, mostly Pentax". Contained around 40 lenses, 20 were cheap SMC Pentax-M 50/2 (and four SMC Pentax-A 50/2), but the rest contained: four SMC Pentax-M 200/4, one SMCP-M 100/4 Macro, three Tamron Adaptall 28/2.5 with Pentax mounts, four Tamron 70-210/4-5.6 zooms with K Adaptalls, Pentax AF-500FTZ flash, SMCP-M 50/1.4, Tamron 80-210/3.8-4 zoom (103A), Computar 60-300/4-5.6, two new Sigma lens carrying cases for 70-200/2.8 (no lenses there though Smile

), and a few other things such as no-name zooms and flashes. Total bill: $527 + shipping.

- Local camera swap meet brought me a few bargains. Mint SMC Pentax K 35/2 for $130 (the seller "bargained" like this: "It's $175. Oh, well, it's a 35mm... $140. Oh, it's an f/2... $125". I quickly gave him $130 before he gave it away for free Smile

)

- Other bargains from that swap meet were mint (truly like new) Jupiter-21M for $40, MC 3M-5A 500/8 mirror for $40, Auto Sears 55/1.4 for $20 (Rikenon version with nearly flat rear element), SMC Pentax-M 50/1.4 attached to a black (broken) ME Super for $50, EBC Fujinon 55/1.8 for $25, mint Vivitar TX 24/2.8 for $15, SMCP "K" 55/1.8 for $30, SMCP "K" 200/4 for $40, SMCP "K" 135/3.5 for $40, Hanimex 100/2.8 with Tokina 47mm 'T' mount (Exacta) for $20, and many more exciting lenses I was able to buy for prices not seen on eBay for the last five or so years.

OptiX · Joined: 07 Dec 2010 Posts: 12

Minolta MC Rokkor 24f2.8 : around 25 USD
Minolta MD 35f1.8 : around 25 USD

Sirrith · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 215 Location: Hong Kong

Not sure if this really counts, but a very sharp, mint condition helios 44-2 with the 44-3 barrel for 10 quid (I see them selling for ~20-30 quid usually).

Nordentro · Expire: 2015-01-29

A nice Isco Gottingen Tele-westanar 135mm f/3.5 zebra for $4 at a local shop Wink

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

NewStuff · Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 847 Location: Wales, UK

XR Rikenon 50/1.7 + Super Paragon 24/2.8 in PK.

Both mint, £16 for the pair... I had the cheek to haggle it from £20.

Just need to research getting them onto an EOS now... That pin is going to cause problems methinks.