A Chinon CM 3 just sold for $73.

Paul Howell · Mar 29, 2021

Goodwill auction site, I put in a bid for a Chinon CM3 with standard 50mm lens, my top was $35.00 which at time I thought was high, already have one, had for over 25 years, so I thought a second body would nice. Final bid was $73.00. The CM 3 is a nice camera, well built and all, but it's not, or wasn't worth $73.oo. As the supply of used cameras dries up, this is to expect.

ChristopherCoy · Mar 29, 2021

Welcome to my world.

Bearman · Mar 29, 2021

Not surprised. Goodwill auction has gone nuts in past year or so. Often camera gear auctions there end at prices way higher than what it's going for on eBay. And everything on GW site is "as is" with very limited return possibilities.

Horatio · Mar 29, 2021

Someone must have posted a YouTube video praising this model.

Cholentpot · Mar 29, 2021

Paul Howell said:
Goodwill auction site, I put in a bid for a Chinon CM3 with standard 50mm lens, my top was $35.00 which at time I thought was high, already have one, had for over 25 years, so I thought a second body would nice. Final bid was $73.00. The CM 3 is a nice camera, well built and all, but it's not, or wasn't worth $73.oo. As the supply of used cameras dries up, this is to expect.

There are literally millions upon millions of high quality SLRs out there. The supply isn't drying up any time soon.

ChristopherCoy · Mar 30, 2021

Cholentpot said:
There are literally millions upon millions of high quality SLRs out there. The supply isn't drying up any time soon.

Yup! There are. They're just not on the used market, or available for purchase.

Helge · Mar 30, 2021

Check if said camera is coming back on auction soon.

Sometimes I have a strong feeling that privates and “thrift” shops alike are pushing up prices and auction fever with fake bids.

The excuse when you catch them and ask what is going on is usually that “the buyer bailed or ghosted them”.
It just happens too often for that to be the explanation.

Not only does this drum up interest and prices, It also makes people buy stuff from the seller they don’t need, and wouldn’t have considered before they lost the “auction”.

darkosaric · Mar 30, 2021

I tried to sell F75 with 24-50 Nikkor AF lens. Start from 1€, nobody was interested. The same for F601 with 35-105 AF. Well, let me try again with 50€ start price, maybe then it will go .

gone · Mar 30, 2021

I've been startled by prices too. When Canon FD 85 1.8 lenses are being listed for as much money as Leica R lenses, something is screwy. $300 + for one of those? It's a $100 lens folks. Maybe $150 if really nice. These are becoming post pandemic times, and that may be playing into this. Lots and lot of things have been skyrocketing in cost. Homes, rentals, etc. Hopefully this just a cycle.

We have a website at the thrift store I volunteer at, and that's where photo gear goes once I ck the stuff out or repair it. We always keep our prices reasonable, and also sell on eBay and etsy (it was that or go under during COVID lockdowns). A very nice Rollei 35 w/ Sonnar lens was sold recently for a BIN of $150, and we would have taken $130 for it on an offer. The lower model Chinon and Sears cameras I usually price at $25-$30 w/ a 50 lens, so we're keeping things affordable.

Huss · Mar 30, 2021

darkosaric said:
I tried to sell F75 with 24-50 Nikkor AF lens. Start from 1€, nobody was interested. The same for F601 with 35-105 AF. Well, let me try again with 50€ start price, maybe then it will go .

That is because the supply is drying up.

;p

Paul Howell · Mar 30, 2021

I just looked prices for various cameras, the price is still low for most entry level 35mm AF camera bodies. Not sure why no takers pm a F75, but most lower level models are going for very reasonable prices. The pro consumer level and top of the line late model bodies, Canon EOS 1N, 1V, Minolta 7 and 9, Nikon F 5 and 6, Pentax MZ1 are declining or are going up. All machinal non AF bodies, are at crazy prices, i guess that includes the CM3. .

Helge · Mar 30, 2021

It’s just that nineties design and up to today looks like crap. Always has, always will.

Unmotivated blobs and aquatic shapes just smacks of cheap and gimmick.
Faux “organic” streamlines and “some of that ergonomics we heard of”. It’s in the same family as tail fins and rocket shapes on cars. Only with none of the naive charm and optimism.

It was born out of a perverse want for something different for the sake of it, and just ossified, because designers grew scared and tired of coming up with ideas.

ChristopherCoy · Mar 30, 2021

Helge said:
It’s just that nineties design and up to today looks like crap. Always has, always will.
It was born out of a perverse want for something different for the sake of it, and just ossified, because designers grew scared and tired of coming up with ideas.

That's why the F4 is the bastard child of Nikon.

Helge · Mar 30, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
That's why the F4 is the bastard child of Nikon.

Actually that line was IMO Nikons last good looking cameras with the N/F90S/X being the last beacon.
Noting wrong with a bit of motivated camber or bevel on plastic.
It’s justifiable and “earned”.
The fundamental shift and leap with Nikon into dreadful silliness happens with stuff like the F50 and F5. They never recovered.

Today’s retro looking cameras has really missed many of the points and whys and how’s of the old designs and designers too.

Just for starters look at Sottsass and Rams, their credo and motivations.
And how they rolled them out.

unwantedfocus · Mar 30, 2021

If you guys don't mind the Branding, here in Germany are a lot of "Revueflex" cameras for sale. They go between 10-30 euros with lens.

They just got branded under Revue aka Fotoquelle.

Revueflex SC 1 = Chinon CM-3
Revueflex SC 2 = Chinon CM-4
Revueflex SD 1 = Chinon CS-4

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Foto-Quelle

Here is an extensive list of the rebranded cameras a lot of Cosina stuff too. You get them thrown onto you because of the branding, great cameras and often in very nice condition when you buy them. I shipped a friend an SD1 (CS4) which was in superb condition.

Cholentpot · Mar 30, 2021

darkosaric said:
I tried to sell F75 with 24-50 Nikkor AF lens. Start from 1€, nobody was interested. The same for F601 with 35-105 AF. Well, let me try again with 50€ start price, maybe then it will go .

Shipping would kill it for me seeing it's in not 'merican currency. I'd take either for $5 and that 24-50 is a nice lens.

millardmt · Apr 4, 2021

Helge said:
It’s just that nineties design and up to today looks like crap. Always has, always will.

Unmotivated blobs and aquatic shapes just smacks of cheap and gimmick.
Faux “organic” streamlines and “some of that ergonomics we heard of”. It’s in the same family as tail fins and rocket shapes on cars. Only with none of the naive charm and optimism.

It was born out of a perverse want for something different for the sake of it, and just ossified, because designers grew scared and tired of coming up with ideas.

This is one of the best posts I've ever read: it expresses my own feelings perfectly. Thank you!

Kino · Apr 4, 2021

DON'T BUY ON GOODWILL or you will pay stupid prices! There is a cadre of clueless bidders who drive the prices through the roof!

Plenty of bargains out there if you just do some legwork.

Paul Howell · Apr 4, 2021

In the past I've gotten some good deals from Goodwill, but it seems those days are long gone as Goodwill's shipping and handling are sky high.

A Chinon CM 3 just sold for $73.

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