Are old film compacts worth it?

[narsuitus]

When I need to shoot with a compact camera that is a more sophisticated than a point & shoot, I use the Canonet (left) or the Contax G1 (right) rangefinders.


35mm Rangefinders by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[Patrick Robert James]

If you want a small camera that you can use to take pictures of your friends at parties and such and is convenient to use, then the small point and shoots are the way to go. I don't really think some of the responders have read what you are looking for. You are going to need a flash and autofocus and something you can operate with one hand since you will probably have a beer in the other. Plus it needs to be usable by others so you can be in pictures too.

The original Stylus hasn't been jacked up in price, yet. I'd recommend you get one of those. They will be under $100 and they are fantastic little cameras. They don't operate quite as fast as the Stylus Epic, but they are a lot better than most of the other cameras out there, even some of the premium ones. Another that might do it for you is the Nikon AF-600/Lite Touch. It has a 28mm lens on it, which is wide for a point and shoot and would be great for party pics, and it is really small. Last time I looked those were under $100 too but that could have changed. Etiher of those two will fit in a loose pocket and you can always have them with you. The Stylus is probably a little more solid of a camera.

I'd advise you against getting any camera that isn't automatic or that you have to focus yourself or set anything or is too big to fit in a pocket. You need pure auto so you can enjoy your life while you document it. There is a reason why the small premium point and shoots command huge prices- because they are the best at what they do.

 

[Ariston]

If you want a small camera that you can use to take pictures of your friends at parties and such and is convenient to use, then the small point and shoots are the way to go. I don't really think some of the responders have read what you are looking for. You are going to need a flash and autofocus and something you can operate with one hand since you will probably have a beer in the other. Plus it needs to be usable by others so you can be in pictures too.

The original Stylus hasn't been jacked up in price, yet. I'd recommend you get one of those. They will be under $100 and they are fantastic little cameras. They don't operate quite as fast as the Stylus Epic, but they are a lot better than most of the other cameras out there, even some of the premium ones. Another that might do it for you is the Nikon AF-600/Lite Touch. It has a 28mm lens on it, which is wide for a point and shoot and would be great for party pics, and it is really small. Last time I looked those were under $100 too but that could have changed. Etiher of those two will fit in a loose pocket and you can always have them with you. The Stylus is probably a little more solid of a camera.

I'd advise you against getting any camera that isn't automatic or that you have to focus yourself or set anything or is too big to fit in a pocket. You need pure auto so you can enjoy your life while you document it. There is a reason why the small premium point and shoots command huge prices- because they are the best at what they do.

I can vouch for the original Stylus. I have one that was $3 at a thrift store and have not really noticed a difference from the Epic that I sold because prices were insane. The only downside I see for it is that you can’t use bulk loaded film (except iso 100). That may not even matter to you.

 

[BradS]

I had an Olypus Infinity that was pretty good too. I think it had a fixed focal length (pime) 35mm lens. Auto focus, auto exposure, auto flash..easily fit in a jacket pocket, had a hard plastic door covering the lens...great little camera.

 

[AgX]

The only downside I see for it is that you can’t use bulk loaded film (except iso 100).

You can use reloadable DX-cassettes (in case you can still acquire them) or DX-code your plain cassettes yourself.

 

[Ariston]

You can use reloadable DX-cassettes (in case you can still acquire them) or DX-code your plain cassettes yourself.

That is true - I have done that, and it works well. It may be a little less convenient than what the OP is looking for... then again, bulk loading may be, too.

 

[firemachine69]

ime, the cameras taking AA batteries are of low build quality. I've bought a few from charity shops and no joy so far.

Those taking button batteries tend to be built better. Sometimes, a disclosed shutter problem is because it has been fitted with alkaline batteries and not silver oxide. It's a gamble but when those new batteries have the very cheap camera performing as it should, it feels great. Winner winner chicken dinner.

Well technically, my F100 takes AA batteries, and with a pancake lens.....

 

[John51]

Not many of those donated to charity shops alas.

 

[Black Dog]

The Olympus SP and RC models are both extremely good and built very well. Likewise the Cannon Connonet models (all variations) are equally good. Petri - theres a name to remember they made a Petri 7 rangefinder compact that didn't require batteries and that was also up to the mark as well. The best of the bunch are probably the tiny Zeiss models and those badged as Voightlander but basically they were a Zeiss camera (or was it the other way around?)

Strangely enough considering their size no one has mentioned the Leica (all rangefinder models). Now they are compact for what they can do)

There's a Leica CL, which is like an Aldi version of the M series-takes the same lenses but less pricey, also the Minolta CLE.

 

[Huss]

The majority of Rollei 35 I came across was dead. Likely a stuck shutter clockworks.

I've had the same experience. Gave up on finding a properly working one because every single one I tried had issues with the low shutter speeds. I think 1/30 and under.
Last 'perfect' one I recently looked at - a 35SE - all the speeds below 1/30 acted like B. And the seller acted 'surprised'. But had no problem asking $300 for it.

 

[Ste_S]

I wouldn't bother with P&S cameras. The cheap ones are poor with tiny viewfinders and basic auto metering. The good ones are very expensive.

I'd buy a compact AF SLR instead like the Canon EOS300x or Nikon F65, both have pop-up flash, can be used as a P&S and are cheap.
Put the pancake 40mm f2.8 on the Canon and an af-d lens of your choice on the Nikon.

 

[wyofilm]

Any modern compact camera has the achilles heel that once the electronics go so goes the camera. I bought a Nikon ti35 on this forum last year. It is a great camera. People have different ideas of $$, but it was about market price. Ebay can be good or bad. There are many reputable sellers on Ebay. You are right to avoid 'untested' 'for parts only' (although why not if the buyer wants it).

I rarely buy off ebay unless 1. 99%+ positive review. 2. 1000 or more reviews. 3. They take returns. 4. They are in the business of selling cameras. Number 4. is important because someone might be honest, but not knowledgeable about the product. Now to satisfy 1,2,3,4 means that I won't get the deal of the century. I pay market price. As a result I have had one bad experience on a cheap p&s. I wasn't out much money, but then again I didn't follow my rules. My other daily carry camera is a Agfa Isolette II from ebay (certo6). It is a fantastic camera. I have other great purchases from ebay.

 

[cooltouch]

My favorite compact -- not P&S! -- is the Olympus Trip 35. It is totally mechanical and requires no batteries. Mine has a selenium meter that is accurate. It has a limited number of controls -- enough to get by. I'm not sure how old it is. The lens is tack sharp and quite contrasty. Just a very cute, compact camera that gets the job done.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

I've had the same experience. Gave up on finding a properly working one because every single one I tried had issues with the low shutter speeds. I think 1/30 and under.
Last 'perfect' one I recently looked at - a 35SE - all the speeds below 1/30 acted like B. And the seller acted 'surprised'. But had no problem asking $300 for it.

I don't get it. Where are you guys going with your comments on stuck shutters on the 35? Of course a 30 or 40 year old leaf shutter might need maintenance. That is just the point: a mechanically -controlled camera like the Rollei 35 can be overhauled. Many of the electronic point and shoots are no longer repairable now. I agree that some ePrey sellers are trying to scam buyers of old cameras, so buyer beware. But to think a Rollei 35 or similar in 2019 will be perfect is a dream world.

 

[TheRook]

This makes me crazy! I have decided that it means, "It does not work but I'm gonna play dumb and hope that some sucker buys it".

I find that most of the time, this isn't the case.

A common example: Someone inherits a bunch of stuff from a relative who has passed away and decides to sell most of it. Among the items is a film camera. The seller doesn't want to go through the steps of buying a roll of film and running tests on the camera (or possibly lacks experience with film cameras altogether)... and therefore decides to sell the camera as "untested".

Although we may know how to determine if a film camera is fully functional or not, the reality is that there are many people today who simply wouldn't know how to go about it. Particularly younger people who did not grow up with film cameras.

 

[ozphoto]

I find that most of the time, this isn't the case.

A common example: Someone inherits a bunch of stuff from a relative who has passed away and decides to sell most of it. Among the items is a film camera. The seller doesn't want to go through the steps of buying a roll of film and running tests on the camera (or possibly lacks experience with film cameras altogether)... and therefore decides to sell the camera as "untested".

Although we may know how to determine if a film camera is fully functional or not, the reality is that there are many people today who simply wouldn't know how to go about it. Particularly younger people who did not grow up with film cameras.

Agree 100% with you.

I try to test the stuff I get given, but if it's going to take a $20 battery to do so, I admit I'll think twice. I'm not trying to rip anyone off; if I haven't tested it, I'll indicate as such - entirely the buyer's call as to whether they want to take a chance.

On a different note, even testing one won't guarantee it works. I sold a Mju that I inherited from my uncle - it worked perfectly and the shots were amazing. Unfortunately, it had a battery drain - after a few days, the battery would be dead even when the cover was closed. I didn't realise and sold it in good faith. The buyer got in contact a week later (after testing a second battery) and I refunded the price in full.

Sure, there might be some out there who want to make a quick buck on a faulty camera, but deciding that everyone who doesn't test a camera is a such a seller, is rather narrow-minded IMHO. Feedback is a good guide - but even a 100% seller can attempt to renege on a faulty product and you have to stand firm and fight to get a refund. (Don't ask me how I know . . . )

Personally, if it were an "untested" camera, I'd do my sums and work out if it's worth the asking price. Then I'll either get a working camera or take the hit on it being useless. Ball's in my court, I just have to figure out how I'm going to play it.

Naturally, as always, YMMV

 

[Truzi]

I've not had much experience with compacts, so don't know of their inherent issues. I'd say don't pay much if you buy online, but being "untested" isn't necessarily a scam.

I interpret "untested" differently depending on what other items the ebay seller has. If they specialize in camera equipment I'd expect at least a cursory test (it can be daunting to test everything thoroughly) (I also expect good photos of the items from sellers of cameras). If they have the odd piece of photographic equipment or as stated above inherited something, I don’t' find it as problematic. Even before digital there were many people who had no clue on these things.

Either way, one must be careful, and I generally expect "untested" cameras have a lower price or I'm not interested.

As an example, one seller said he couldn't test a Ricoh XR-7 because the button on the bottom wouldn't turn it on. You know, the button that releases the film for rewinding. Some sellers don’t' know that some older cameras need batteries, or that others don't. Again, if they sell photographic equipment I'd expect them to invest in a few batteries to test. Also, they are already on the internet, so it's not a great inconvenience for them to search for information before listing.

I have a box of ~18 Ricoh XR-7/Sears KS-2 cameras I bought cheaply (and individually) for parts, so I did not care how well they worked. Half were "untested" and all were sold "for parts." Only one was actually broken. The rest just had dead batteries and degraded light-seals, or the sellers didn't know enough about cameras. One was in excellent shape and I gave it to my best friend.

Back to compacts - do you need all the bells and whistles? Do you need any? Some very basic fixed-focus compacts with a thumb-wheel advance can be fairly robust. They may not have many features, like more than one shutter speed or aperture, but they have fewer parts to go bad and often the only electronics are for a built-in flash.

 

[BradS]

.....
Yeah definitely get one!

I'd like to revise my initial answer...after browsing eBay a bit, I'd say, No, don't bother unless you can get one free or nearly so.
IMO, none of these 20+ year old plastic fantatic auto everything point and shoot cameras is worth much more than about $5~$10

They are fun and exceedingly useful but definitly not worth what people are asking (and in many cases, getting) for them on eBay these days.

I agree with a previous reponder here, for about the same money, I'd look for something a little better...Canon EOS rebel Ti or a NIkon N90 with a kit lens for example.

 

[BradS]

I find that most of the time, this isn't the case.

A common example: Someone inherits a bunch of stuff from a relative who has passed away and decides to sell most of it. Among the items is a film camera. The seller doesn't want to go through the steps of buying a roll of film and running tests on the camera (or possibly lacks experience with film cameras altogether)... and therefore decides to sell the camera as "untested".

Although we may know how to determine if a film camera is fully functional or not, the reality is that there are many people today who simply wouldn't know how to go about it. Particularly younger people who did not grow up with film cameras.

That may be true. There are probably many people selling camera gear on eBay who are not pretending to be dumb. Regardless, I will not buy an eBay item as complex as a 35mm SLR or P&S from a seller who will put forth the effort to list an item (or, usualy 100's of items) but is either too lazy or too cheap or too lacking of intelligence to at least try to figure out what it is they're selling, maybe take five minutes to read a portion of an instruction manual, buy a battery, ask around for some help...etc.
I leave these opportunities to score an un-recognized treasure to others.

 

[Paul Howell]

On occasion I've bought untested cameras from Shopgoodwill.com, overall I've gotten good bodies for a reasonable cost. Last dud was a Sigma SA 5, the pin that locks in place does not renage the notch on the lens. I can fix it, even it doesn't work the lens it came with was worth what I paid for it. At the same I wont pay more than $20.00 including shipping, tossing the dice on $10.00 camera is not the same thing as tossing the dice on a $200 camera. In terms of point and shoots, I did buy one from Shopgoodwill.com a Konica Z up wide, $15.00 including shipping works no issues. Found a Fuji P&S at a local thrift store, returned with a battery, it didn't work so gave it a pass. No matter where you buy there is always a risk when buying gear that is 30 to 50 years old.

 

[kingbuzzie]

Agree 100% with you.

I try to test the stuff I get given, but if it's going to take a $20 battery to do so, I admit I'll think twice. I'm not trying to rip anyone off; if I haven't tested it, I'll indicate as such - entirely the buyer's call as to whether they want to take a chance.

On a different note, even testing one won't guarantee it works. I sold a Mju that I inherited from my uncle - it worked perfectly and the shots were amazing. Unfortunately, it had a battery drain - after a few days, the battery would be dead even when the cover was closed. I didn't realise and sold it in good faith. The buyer got in contact a week later (after testing a second battery) and I refunded the price in full.

Sure, there might be some out there who want to make a quick buck on a faulty camera, but deciding that everyone who doesn't test a camera is a such a seller, is rather narrow-minded IMHO. Feedback is a good guide - but even a 100% seller can attempt to renege on a faulty product and you have to stand firm and fight to get a refund. (Don't ask me how I know . . . )

Personally, if it were an "untested" camera, I'd do my sums and work out if it's worth the asking price. Then I'll either get a working camera or take the hit on it being useless. Ball's in my court, I just have to figure out how I'm going to play it.

Naturally, as always, YMMV

There are also different categories in ebay. There is a vintage camera category IMO anything you're not sure about aka "untested" should go there. There are protections in place for the seller, as you are making it clear this is a vintage item that may not work. Then there is the camera category, where it clearly states that unless you are selling something for parts, it needs to work. Again, IMO, if it is untested I think the more ethical sellers list it under parts. You can't return a malfunctioning camera when it's sold for parts. Then there are those who sells a camera as "working" but then list in auction as "untested no returns" wink wink. Also known as "I dropped this on my concrete porch, but still looks like it might work". I have very few qualms about returning something that doesn't work. There are people that genuinely didn't know are usually quite reasonable about the return, and those who were out to deceive are the ones that will most definitely throw a hissy fit. That has been my ebay experience anyway.

 

[ozphoto]

It appears that many of us treat those "untested" buys as possible gems, but only if the price is right - I couldn't agree more. Sadly for me, the cost of the postage is often stupid-crazy even if the price is right, I'd be taking a huge gamble.

Like @kingbuzzie, I too will return something that doesn't work is incorrectly described - only had one issue where the seller flatly refused to refund (an Australian seller with 100% feedback) - had to threaten through PayPal and them it became obvious the chances of it ever being resolved were slim - it had to be returned to Hong Kong. In almost 20 years of using evilBay, this has been the lousiest purchase and outcome I've ever experienced.

 

[Huss]

I don't get it. Where are you guys going with your comments on stuck shutters on the 35? Of course a 30 or 40 year old leaf shutter might need maintenance. That is just the point: a mechanically -controlled camera like the Rollei 35 can be overhauled. Many of the electronic point and shoots are no longer repairable now. I agree that some ePrey sellers are trying to scam buyers of old cameras, so buyer beware. But to think a Rollei 35 or similar in 2019 will be perfect is a dream world.

From experience trying to buy one. And AGX has had the same experience as me apparently.

 

[Kyle M.]

Now this is just me so your luck may vary but I've come to believe that most "as is" or "for parts" cameras on eBay are simply being sold by sellers who have no idea what they have. I have bought 4 or 5 "parts" bodies on eBay and all of them have been just fine. A couple of examples. One was Minolta XG-M with a jammed shutter, seller said "as is for parts" due to the jammed shutter, they also tried saying it was a mechanical camera and only needed batteries for the meter. But that said batteries were no longer made. Both statements are false, the XG-M has an electronic shutter and takes LR44 batteries. So I bought it, received it with no batteries, put batteries in it and it's been fine. Another was a Minolta SR-T 101 that I won for $3 with free shipping, it was sold for parts because the owner simply didn't know how to operate it, and was afraid to try anything. A third was a Yashica FX2 I bought for $6.50 with a 50mm 1.7 and Vivitar 252 flash. The owner didn't know how it worked and didn't want to try anything.

 

[Ariston]

Now this is just me so your luck may vary but I've come to believe that most "as is" or "for parts" cameras on eBay are simply being sold by sellers who have no idea what they have. I have bought 4 or 5 "parts" bodies on eBay and all of them have been just fine. A couple of examples. One was Minolta XG-M with a jammed shutter, seller said "as is for parts" due to the jammed shutter, they also tried saying it was a mechanical camera and only needed batteries for the meter. But that said batteries were no longer made. Both statements are false, the XG-M has an electronic shutter and takes LR44 batteries. So I bought it, received it with no batteries, put batteries in it and it's been fine. Another was a Minolta SR-T 101 that I won for $3 with free shipping, it was sold for parts because the owner simply didn't know how to operate it, and was afraid to try anything. A third was a Yashica FX2 I bought for $6.50 with a 50mm 1.7 and Vivitar 252 flash. The owner didn't know how it worked and didn't want to try anything.

I have had hit and miss luck with this. It is basically a form of gambling for me. I bought a D300 for $39 that was sold "as-is". The camera's grip had come unglued... so I glued it. One of the dials was also a bit sandy - this had clearly been a working camera. It's still a little rough, but everything works. It's probably the best $39 camera I've ever bought, and complements my D700 perfectly for when I need more reach. I don't have to baby these cameras at all.