Cameras from thrift stores

wiltw · Sep 13, 2015

My $25 thrift store find. Body works fully, including meter. 58mm f/1.4 lens could use a CLA, as oil on the aperture blades slow it down on close/open.

This was the unattainable object of my teenage photography lust, as this top-of-line Topcon was 56% higher priced than the typical TTL SLR, and it cost the equivalent of 1400 gallons of gas at the time.

wblynch · Sep 13, 2015

Well film gear price increases seem a good thing to me. Healthy demand keeps film alive.

darinwc · Sep 13, 2015

Seems to go in waves.. recently aquired a olympus 35RD and a Slik carbon fiber tripod -no head though. Both from thrift stores.

Theo Sulphate · Sep 14, 2015

wiltw said:
My $25 thrift store find. Body works fully, including meter. 58mm f/1.4 lens could use a CLA, as oil on the aperture blades slow it down on close/open.

This was the unattainable object of my teenage photography lust, as this top-of-line Topcon was 56% higher priced than the typical TTL SLR, and it cost the equivalent of 1400 gallons of gas at the time.

Nice catch.

Sometimes people see me with a camera and ask "can you still buy film?". Apparently many people think film is not available and film cameras are obsolete relics.

fdonadio · Sep 14, 2015

Theo Sulphate said:
Sometimes people see me with a camera and ask "can you still buy film?".

This happens to me, at least once, every time I go out with one of my film cameras.

Another frequent question is: "you sure have to develop it yourself, right?".

frank · Sep 19, 2015

Thrift store find yesterday.
$40 for Nikonos IVa with 35f2.5 lens, sekonic selenium meter in waterproof case, Nikon flip up waist level finder for F3, cheap plastic Tamron 70-210 AF lens for Nikon, bellows lens shade for Mamiya 360, quick release tripod coupling, graphic lens board.

leicarfcam · Sep 19, 2015

I went to a local Goodwill store near home since they have auctions every Saturday at noon. They had a Kodak Retina IIa I was interested in. Before I was even able to bid 4 young men/boys went into a bidding frenzy and by the time the dust settled the winning bid was $478 and the winner seemed happy with his new toy. Needless to say I left empty handed but later at the local flea market I picked up a Vitessa with f/2 Ultron for $20 so today was not a complete bust..

Theo Sulphate · Sep 19, 2015

leicarfcam said:
I went to a local Goodwill store near home since they have auctions every Saturday at noon. They had a Kodak Retina IIa I was interested in. Before I was even able to bid 4 young men/boys went into a bidding frenzy and by the time the dust settled the winning bid was $478 and the winner seemed happy with his new toy. Needless to say I left empty handed but later at the local flea market I picked up a Vitessa with f/2 Ultron for $20 so today was not a complete bust..

Congratulations on your Vitessa; those are nice:

https://www.cameraquest.com/voitvitl.htm

Although I think the Retina IIa is the nicest of the Retinas, $478 is a bit much for one - for now. The good news is that apparently there were four young people there who valued it.

wiltw · Sep 19, 2015

I wonder how waterproof that Nikonos is these days!

frank · Sep 19, 2015

Lube the O-rings and it should be good. Just not too deep.

wiltw · Sep 19, 2015

frank said:
Lube the O-rings and it should be good. Just not too deep.

But latex rubber oxidizes and gets really brittle over time...which is why rubber bands bound around something get brittle and break the first time you stretch them after they have been just sitting there under some tension intact! Washers for water faucets harden (sitting in a drawer), washers for garden hoses get stiff...all reasons I wondered about the Nikonos after 50 years.

frank · Sep 19, 2015

At the very least, it will be the perfect camera for bad/wet weather and dirty/hostile environment shooting.

Sirius Glass · Sep 20, 2015

As I recall somewhat limited in the choices of lenses longer than wide angle since it was designed for short range underwater photography. That is why I decided not to buy one.

darinwc · Sep 20, 2015

Went to 5 thrift stores today.. did not buy a darn thing. I guess thats good cause I have too many cameras to shoot with right now.

AgX · Sep 20, 2015

wiltw said:
But latex rubber oxidizes and gets really brittle over time...which is why rubber bands bound around something get brittle and break the first time you stretch them after they have been just sitting there under some tension intact! Washers for water faucets harden (sitting in a drawer), washers for garden hoses get stiff...all reasons I wondered about the Nikonos after 50 years.

But O-rings are not from Latex. And as said they are replacable. They are wear parts anyway. But mot for disintegration, but misforming.

bdial · Sep 20, 2015

There are a number of internal, non-user-replaceable o-rings too. You may want to just use the camera for rainy days, rather than risk flooding it if you submerge it.
Southern-Nikonos.com is the major place for getting one serviced.

frank · Sep 20, 2015

Don't worry, I'm not planning on taking up dividing and using this camera deeper than 3 feet for long periods of time. I do have a swimming pool though.

takilmaboxer · Sep 23, 2015

Not all thrift stores are for charity. My wife and I own a thrift/secondhand store in New Mexico.We buy most of our merchandise from estate sales etc. but we get donations too. A recent donation from an artist who retired included a Spotmatic with several lenses, including a 8 element 50 f/1.4 (the one with the radioactive element), a 20mm Super Takumar, and a couple of Vivitars. Everything works perfectly and needless to say I am a very happy photographer. We've also bought and sold a number of 120 folders, and a few other 35s. Young kids love the old cameras and we sell them really cheap in hopes they'll actually use them.

wiltw · Sep 23, 2015

AgX said:
But O-rings are not from Latex. And as said they are replacable. They are wear parts anyway. But mot for disintegration, but misforming.

So you are certain that we have man made polymers for O-rings in the 1960s?! In any event, my comment is to alert the 'new' Nikonos owner that he needs to have the O-rings inspected to be sound after 50 years, before exposing the camera to water.

AgX · Sep 24, 2015

Yes, Nitrile Rubber. Invented in 1930.

Xmas · Sep 24, 2015

wiltw said:
So you are certain that we have man made polymers for O-rings in the 1960s?! In any event, my comment is to alert the 'new' Nikonos owner that he needs to have the O-rings inspected to be sound after 50 years, before exposing the camera to water.

The rule book for cameras and watches for diving is service before immersion if the last service was longer than 6 months ago. They normally fit new rubber wear and new grease.

Just checking it out in kitchen sink is not recommended.

BrianShaw · Sep 24, 2015

frank said:
Don't worry, I'm not planning on taking up dividing and using this camera deeper than 3 feet for long periods of time. I do have a swimming pool though.

... and at your age I hope you have no plans on multiplying either! That really worries me, Frank.

frank · Sep 24, 2015

BrianShaw said:
... and at your age I hope you have no plans on multiplying either! That really worries me, Frank.

Cameras from thrift stores

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