How do people keep their cameras KEH EX rated?

Markok765 · Sep 17, 2008

Almost all KEH cameras have at least a EX version of the camera. I don't see how people keep their cameras like this! They must use them in a studio environment only!

Eg: My familys canon EOS 350D DSLR would be considered UG by keh, with a lot of scratches, and "Brassing" though it's a plastic body. My pentax SLR [screwmount] has a good amount of scratches and wear, and I don't even use it more than 2x a week!

Anyways, so how do you guys keep your stuff in good condition? I don't mind some good use marks on my cameras, but I'm just wondering how you take care of your stuff?

AutumnJazz · Sep 17, 2008

I have a heavily used 30+ year old Pentax K1000 that looks mint. No scratches, no dirt, no dust, no marks...perfect.

I think it just has to do with treating your stuff with respect. My mother got this Pentax used, and learned photography on it. She was extremely careful with it, but not so much so that it got in th way of her photography. She passed on that patience with me, and I keep my K1000 and F100 looking as good as new. I don't use the K1000 anymore, but I use the F100 every day.

2F/2F · Sep 17, 2008

Who cares? Whether or not it works is what matters.

pentaxuser · Sep 17, 2008

It's not the taking pictures, it's what you do with it when not taking pictures. Carry it in a proper case and replace it in said case after each shot and short of dropping it while taking the shot, it's bound to look like new. Place it down on rocks, tables and other hard sharp objects or let it swing against objects as you carry it around your neck etc and there's your answer.

Just requires the habit of replacing in a proper case before moving on or if doing street photography always keeping one hand on it amd hugging to chest.

It simply requires thought. Treat it like it's the last camera available anywhere in the world and you'll be surprised how good you can keep it looking

pentaxuser

Markok765 · Sep 17, 2008

Hmmm. Good ideas! I normally just carry it on my shoulder with a strap, and just walk around and go about my day with it on my shoulder, in case a photo comes along. Is my shoulder gonna hurt after carrying 1.6kg of camera around all day?

resummerfield · Sep 17, 2008

pentaxuser said:
It's not the taking pictures, it's what you do with it when not taking pictures. Carry it in a proper case and replace it in said case after each shot......

It simply requires thought. Treat it like it's the last camera available anywhere in the world and you'll be surprised how good you can keep it looking......

+1

AutumnJazz · Sep 17, 2008

pentaxuser said:
It's not the taking pictures, it's what you do with it when not taking pictures. Carry it in a proper case and replace it in said case after each shot and short of dropping it while taking the shot, it's bound to look like new. Place it down on rocks, tables and other hard sharp objects or let it swing against objects as you carry it around your neck etc and there's your answer.

Just requires the habit of replacing in a proper case before moving on or if doing street photography always keeping one hand on it amd hugging to chest.

It simply requires thought. Treat it like it's the last camera available anywhere in the world and you'll be surprised how good you can keep it looking

pentaxuser

My Pentax and F100 have been sholder-carried without a bag for pretty much the entire time I've used them.

ic-racer · Sep 17, 2008

Actually according to the old Shutterbug scale EX is not so good. Almost everything I have bought has been Mint - or EX++ at least and its still in that condition. Actually when I saw the title of the thread I thought you were commenting on how people can live with beat-up equipment.

Markok765 · Sep 17, 2008

I was commenting on how can peoples cameras that are used every day stay new looking.

elekm · Sep 17, 2008

People treat their gear differently. Some toss it about and don't worry too much. As long as it works. Others take greater care with their cameras and lenses.

chriscrawfordphoto · Sep 17, 2008

Part of it is taking good car of it. My really old stuff has more paint loss than would be allowable for EX, but we're talking equipment that I have had for 15+ years and used daily. 15 years is really old to me because I am only 32 years old. Still, none of my stuff is beat up..no dents, no flaws or scratches on the lens glass, etc. It all works well because I have taken good care of it (kept it in bags, or in my cabinets when not in use), and had the things serviced periodically.

I think a lot of the stuff KEH sells that are in really nice shape were just not used much. Many amateurs have a lot of money and buy things like Hasselblads or Nikon F5's or Leicas and rarely use them to take actual photos....they just have them to brag about being "Photographers". These are great people to buy gear from cause its nearly new! Those of us who do this professionally and use the gear daily cannot keep it in flawless shape no matter how well we treat it.

Markok765 · Sep 17, 2008

Yay! I just bought a F5! I hope it's a rich amateur used one!

JBrunner · Sep 18, 2008

Some of my cameras I couldn't care less about... and it shows.

Other cameras of mine I love possibly more than I could a human child... and it shows.

Excalibur2 · Sep 18, 2008

Well I carry two or three cameras around in a padded bag and use half the cases on my cameras (full cases too bulky), before setting off for a shoot/holiday....... and just add some sheet bubble foam for extra precaution to stop the cameras and lenses bumping into each other.
Of course store lenses, when not used, in a dry place to stop fungus.

Also I don't abuse my equipment and it all works for me.

BTW forgot to mention:- choose a good camera strap (some old Olympus and Pentax with cameras are rubbish) and would be more prone to scratch the top of the camera (when camera is packed away and not used). But must admit I haven't bought a camera strap for donkey's years, maybe the newer ones have plastic buckles.

Phillip P. Dimor · Sep 18, 2008

I think some cameras that end up EX just haven't been used much. I worked with a guy who stockpiled gear, only to sell it years later. He used things once or twice and that was it.

I've a Graflex Speed Graphic that is absolutely broken in, almost beaten up. It's my favorite. Even more so than the unused late-model Crown Graphic that I never touch. Just doesn't feel the same to me.

Akki14 · Sep 18, 2008

Phillip P. Dimor said:
I think some cameras that end up EX just haven't been used much. I worked with a guy who stockpiled gear, only to sell it years later. He used things once or twice and that was it.

This would be like my dad. My Nikon FG I... um borrowed several years ago from him works perfectly. This is because it was in its heavyduty camera case for probably 10-13 out of the 17 years before I got my grubby mitts on it. That said, I use mine and take good care of it.

Marko, maybe you should look into an "ever ready" case for your SLR? They tend to attach to the tripod socket and are only one snap on the cover to take it on and off but they're quite sturdy and will probably protect against the odd scrap against a wall. This sort of case used to be common for every single camera so I now have a pile of them from my Ilford Sporti/Sportsman cameras and from my Finetta cameras... I don't use them but generally I am very careful with my cameras.

Steve Smith · Sep 18, 2008

JBrunner said:
Some of my cameras I couldn't care less about... and it shows.

Hooray! An American using this phrase properly.

The more usual US version of "I could care less" doesn't make any sense to me.

Anyway - back to our regular program: All of my cameras are bought to be used. Having said that, I do try to look after them. I don't think I have damaged one ever other than a few scratches etc.

I have the same thoughts on guitars. The Gretsch which you can see in my avatar was bought about 18 months ago for £1700 ($3400) which is a lot (especially for me) but it was bought as a tool to be used at gigs, not to be kept at home for looking at.

Despite that, imagine my despair on Sunday when I walked away from the stage with my guitar lead round my foot and sent the guitar on its stand crashing to the floor breaking the headstock off. It will be repaired by a local violin making genius and it will be very hard to see the join but I am still very angry with myself.

My cameras are not in this league as they are all old and cheap and may easily be replaced but that is not a reason to not look after them properly.

Steve.

Jeff Kubach · Sep 18, 2008

It might help if you have some sort of case to carry your camera in.

Jeff

2F/2F · Sep 18, 2008

"Hooray! An American using this phrase properly.

The more usual US version of "I could care less" doesn't make any sense to me."

I did not know this was a United States of American usage. I always just attributed it to inattentiveness, sloppiness, or ignorance, and figured that inattentive, sloppy, ignorant English speakers everywhere use it.

Honestly, I do not think that "could care less" is the "usual" usage here.

Another one that really gets me is "a whole 'nother"...argh...or "ATM machine".

That's what happens when for 50 years you waste all your money paying interest on debt and devising new fangled ways to kill foreign people instead of educating your own population.

Steve Smith · Sep 18, 2008

2F/2F said:
Honestly, I do not think that "could care less" is the "usual" usage here.

According to this: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-ico1.htm
It is a US thing only. That does not mean it is the accepted norm but I have only ever heard it with an American accent.

Extract from web page: "The inverted form 'I could care less' was coined in the US and is found only there".

Steve.

2F/2F · Sep 18, 2008

Great Website, Steve! Thanks for that.

tim_walls · Sep 18, 2008

2F/2F said:
Who cares? Whether or not it works is what matters.

I thought having a camera where the paint/enamel had worn off to reveal those nice brassy bits was considered a badge of honour, actually!

Certainly doesn't bother me. I bought my cameras to use not as investments - the more scratched the body gets the more I must be using it

f/stopblues · Sep 18, 2008

2F/2F said:
Another one that really gets me is "a whole 'nother"...argh...or "ATM machine".

I'm annoyed every time I drive by a branch of a certain local bank. It says right on the sign, "UMB Bank." Without the acronym it reads, "United Missouri Bank Bank." Ugg..

PhotoJim · Sep 18, 2008

I don't baby my gear but I do take care of it. I like to keep it in good condition and It really isn't that hard to avoid damaging it. Still, I bought it to use it, not to put it on a shelf to look pretty.

The only camera I own right now that was bought new is my F100 and it's still in really nice shape, even though it's 5 years old. I somehow scratched the pentaprism (maybe 5 mm long) but other than that, the camera is fine. I'm thinking that it would be EX-rated by KEH standards, certainly not EX+. I'd certainly be thrilled to get that camera if I'd only paid for BGN-grade.

Davesw · Sep 18, 2008

chriscrawfordphoto said:
Part of it is taking good car of it. My really old stuff has more paint loss than would be allowable for EX, but we're talking equipment that I have had for 15+ years and used daily. 15 years is really old to me because I am only 32 years old. Still, none of my stuff is beat up..no dents, no flaws or scratches on the lens glass, etc. It all works well because I have taken good care of it (kept it in bags, or in my cabinets when not in use), and had the things serviced periodically.

I think a lot of the stuff KEH sells that are in really nice shape were just not used much. Many amateurs have a lot of money and buy things like Hasselblads or Nikon F5's or Leicas and rarely use them to take actual photos....they just have them to brag about being "Photographers". These are great people to buy gear from cause its nearly new! Those of us who do this professionally and use the gear daily cannot keep it in flawless shape no matter how well we treat it.

I agree, If you are a camera collector then the object is to keep it as cosmetically perfect as possible .Sure you use it but I bet you don't get as many good photographs.
my cameras are tools not investments. I am not a pro ,but I do want to take good photographs. Camera collecting also sounds like a fun hobby I think I would enjoy it actually. but my budget forces me to pick on over the other.

How do people keep their cameras KEH EX rated?

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