if he / she gave you their camera before they retired or died what would you do with it ?

DennyS said:

I'd certainly use it and the first project with the camera would be a portrait of the person who gave it to me.

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Nice. I like that.

blockend said:

As a romantic I think cameras take on the personality of their owner. A Spotmatic that was responsible for recording a generation would be more desirable than a shiny new Leica that had been barely used.
...
Fewer film camera are used exclusively nowadays, so the sense of history and attachment is rarer.

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Completely agree. This has been an insightful topic of discussion.

macfred said:

... badly affected bellows; tried to fix it, but I failed. Now it has a place in a bookshelf.

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Consider this:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160515095024/http://pheugo.com:80/cameras/index.php?page=folders

Gifts are not to be sold, except in dire circumstances.
This guy http://www.adirondackdailyenterpris...-story-in-cars-hawkeyes-barns-held-treasures/
gave me a nice old Waltham 16s silver hunter cased watch, about 15 years ago. The cuvette has an inscription from 1882. I carry the watch always, it's a tool after all and also a gift from great friend and a very unique man. I'd treat a camera the same way.

Theo Sulphate said:

Consider this:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160515095024/http://pheugo.com:80/cameras/index.php?page=folders

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Thank you ! Looks like a pleasent pastime for long winter nights ... Maybe I will give it a try.

He/She need'nt to be a "Photographer", whoever decide to give me something out of generosity, I ought to use this something to show my gratitude. I would use this camera until it fail, then I'd pay for a CLA or tinker it myself if needed.

got one. ran a few rolls through it, but the results were technically lousy. been sitting in the closet for a few years now. sentimental value orders of magnitude higher than utility, so not selling, closet it is

If it was useful to me I would use it otherwise I would keep it for a while to make sure that I would not change my mind and then sell it.

I was given a 1950's E2 Rolleiflex like that, actually it was almost non functional as the owner had only put about 6 films through it from new, then continued to used his Minolta Autocord, all the lubrication had dried up. The lubricants had dried out.

Now after a CLA/Service I use it sparingly, it's in near mint condition and I'd like to keep it that way I now mostly use another Rolleiflex - an Automat bought later at a a real bargain price at a flea market as it's not so precious, that's here in the UK - in Turkey it's a Yashicamat 124.

It depends how equipment is given, I'd like to pass it on again after some use making excellent images, but not worn out

Ian

If it was a Pentax 67NII, cherish and use it. Anything else, probably sell. Having said that, though, if it was a Pentax 645NII I'd use it as a second body loaded with different film to whatever would be in my current one.

Use it, but take extra good care of it.

I'd definitely use it. If I haven't got a purpose for it, then it goes from being a camera to being "clutter".