Outrageous prices for canonet!!

For a while the Olympus 35 RC was the "it" camera. With auto or manual exposure, a decent lens and a pocketable size, everyone seemed to want one and the prices jumped.

Lately, it seems like it's the Canonet, and the same thing has happened.

The one model that frequently slips under the radar is the Konica C35. I bought one of these in 1977 and used it until I bought my Pentax MX. I traded the Konica for three or four albums.

The Konica has a sharp lens and a bright viewfinder, but like most of its ilk has no manual exposure, no exposure compensation and a limited ASA range. For what it is, however, it's a fine little camera.

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The Konica has a sharp lens and a bright viewfinder, but like most of its ilk has no manual exposure, no exposure compensation and a limited ASA range. For what it is, however, it's a fine little camera.[/QUOTE]
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Yes. Konica also came out with a little rectangular, squarish-ended kind of Olympus XA2-type. Very pocketable; just slide the door open and shoot. It was called the Konica MG. It also would cut a sharp image. I took one on vacation one year as a back-up camera and it was stolen.

Konica, in my experience, made and sold cameras with exceptionally good glass. At one time, an advertising line was "Konica: the lens alone is worth the price." Not very catchy; but very true.

Sirius Glass said:

Get over it, Michael! It is called G.A.S.!

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I just need one more hit, man. Just one more rangefinder. I can quit whenever I want to. I'm in control over this. Wait, is that a GSN?....

OK, I give, what does G.A.S. stand for?

Oh, there's a shiny Canonet 28. Anybody know how I can get a third mortgage on my kids?
Michael

Anscojohn said:

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The Konica has a sharp lens and a bright viewfinder, but like most of its ilk has no manual exposure, no exposure compensation and a limited ASA range. For what it is, however, it's a fine little camera.

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Yes. Konica also came out with a little rectangular, squarish-ended kind of Olympus XA2-type. Very pocketable; just slide the door open and shoot. It was called the Konica MG. It also would cut a sharp image. I took one on vacation one year as a back-up camera and it was stolen.

Konica, in my experience, made and sold cameras with exceptionally good glass. At one time, an advertising line was "Konica: the lens alone is worth the price." Not very catchy; but very true.[/QUOTE]

The Konica Auto S2 was an awesome camera.

BTW if all it took to pack the wife off to Ecuador was a Canonet - then it's no wonder the price is bid so high! Gotta get me one o' them

Bob H

IloveTLRs said:

I got a black-body Canonet a little while back for $15. The lens is kind of dirty inside and the meter is off, but it takes nice photos. Most of the Canonets (usually the QL17 or 19) that I run across are in bad to terrible condition; almost all have fungus in their lenses and/or scratches. And I read somewhere that they are put together tightly, making lens removal a pain or impossible.

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I use a pair of fine needle nosed pliers to reach in and get the front module off. A spanner is just too big to reach in. After that, flood-cleaning usually works.

There were a lot of Canonets made. Finding one with perfect glass, working shutter, tested slow speeds and self-timer, an accurate meter, good finder- is not all that easy. I have a boxload of parts Canonets.

As to the "limited Ability" of a Canonet, the same applies to trap-needle automatic, fixed-lens RF's with full-manual over-ride and fast lenses in general. Let's see- that 40mm F2 Summicron on the CL ran a bit more than the Canonet.

Sirius Glass said:

Get over it, Michael! It is called G.A.S.!

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McFortner said:

I just need one more hit, man. Just one more rangefinder. I can quit whenever I want to. I'm in control over this. Wait, is that a GSN?....

OK, I give, what does G.A.S. stand for?

Oh, there's a shiny Canonet 28. Anybody know how I can get a third mortgage on my kids?
Michael

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G.A.S. => Gadget Acquisition Syndrome

Steve

Sirius Glass said:

G.A.S. => Gadget Acquisition Syndrome

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Oh, that. I've had that all my life. All the males in my family are gadget freaks of one kind or another. I thought I had kicked it but I think I've fallen off the wagon again....

Michael

Looks like that guy is dedicated to that particular model of Canonet and knows how to talk the talk. Having said that, it's a lot of money for a little bit of camera...

The price is what the market will bear but I have to agree that $172 seems a bit (a lot) much. I do though think its a much nicer camera than some are admitting here and no, in todays market you probably wont find a nice one for $30. I would expect a real clean one to go between $70 and $90 off Ebay, more on Ebay. I have one, and I'll admit to happily paying $85 for mine, but it came to me basically perfect with no marks or scratches, with an accurate meter and shutter, perfect glass, and with its dedicated flash in the same excellent condition (with case). Overall its a nice camera which shoots a clean well exposed sharp picture. Still though, $172 is silly and I think I paid high end for a perfect example.

I think the magic of film is being discovered in a roundabout fashion by these young, price-inflators!

Perhaps they attribute the stunning images to the camera moreso than to the filmstock, but they are slowly being sucked into the film vortex!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

Sh! No one tell them!

Kino said:

[...]Perhaps they attribute the stunning images to the camera moreso than to the filmstock, but they are slowly being sucked into the film vortex!

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But this is an illness that pervades the usual equipment aspect of photography v.i.z., lenses, camera bodies etc... e.g. "the camera takes fantastic photos!". Groan... :rolleyes:

I think your right Kino. I've lately noticed an increase in the price paid on nice film gear in general, and have seen an increase in the "new to film" messages on various photo forums. Its nice to see new film users out there but I also hate to see prices going up as being a bit of a gear head I was enjoying the bargain basement prices.

Ed, you know, now that I think about it, I've noticed that too. There does seem to be a lot of first-time film users.

I wonder if the "going digital" phase is over. Man, I hated that phrase.

We Apugers have been digital from the beginning. I use a minimum of three; two digits to focus and one digit to release the shuuter.

EdColorado said:

I think your right Kino. I've lately noticed an increase in the price paid on nice film gear in general, and have seen an increase in the "new to film" messages on various photo forums. Its nice to see new film users out there but I also hate to see prices going up as being a bit of a gear head I was enjoying the bargain basement prices.

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Yeah, I hear you, but in a way, I need that GAS relief too!

Now, if we can pay a tad more for our equipment, maybe film will be around in a stronger fashion into the future.

Besides, I have too many cameras as it is.

Think of it as asset appreciation!

I'm a youngun (23) but I started with film because I didn't see the sense in buying a 4 megapixel camera that couldn't do high quality images and yet cost 4 times as much as my 35mm. I now own a digital for work purposes (newspaper work, college relations, etc.) but shoot film for personal use. I just like the feel of it more, and frankly I can still get a great film camera for waaaay cheaper then the digital equivalent. When I can buy a D700 equivalent for under $1000, maybe I'll switch, but somehow I doubt it.

Well, the 35RC prices are up!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-35RC-in...T?hash=item19b301b6a5&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177

This one went for $228!

This looks pretty artificial. Do you think prices might go down some day in the near future?

I think looking for local deals is the best way to go. Visit antique stores and thrift shops regularly and things seem to surface.

I was lucky enough to run across a Canonet GIII QL17 last Sunday at an antique shop for $15. I bought it of course. It was covered in grime and the light seals were a disgusting gooey mess, but after several hours work cleaning and replacing seals it looks good as new.

there was a Glll on the Chicago craigslist today for $30. The ad said it was inop but I suspect it was in auto mode. Oh well.

Anscojohn said:

Konica, in my experience, made and sold cameras with exceptionally good glass. At one time, an advertising line was "Konica: the lens alone is worth the price." Not very catchy; but very true.

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Absolute rubbish! I will not tolerate anyone talking up Konica cameras nor lenses. They are absolute junk. I have made it a mission in life to acquire these inferior Konica lenses to protect the general population from the substandard images they make. In particular, the 21mm f4 AR-mount lens disgusts me. I can hardly even type it in here without my hands trembling. I do not yet own one but if anyone has one of these foul creations I will happilly purchase it from you for $100. Unhappilly for $150. You will have money in your pocket and I will finally own the last piece to my Konica collection.

I read this entire thread with interest.... I have been trading in vintage/second hand camera gear on and off ebay for the last 7 years. I got into the Canonets at least 5 years ago.

I am a bit surprised at some of the comments here. People seem to think this is a recent craze- if anything top end Canonet QL17 prices have fallen a little over the years. I have seen Canonet's go for over 450USD and o more. Black QL17's, original boxed cameras... Refurbished cameras. I have sold quite a few and several for over 300USD.

I have also picked them up at auctions for $5 in MiNT condition.

The price differential between an estate sale/garage sale and an online auction should come as no surprise to anyone. It is the fundamental law of antique dealing- do the hard yards- find the bargains- then sell high. Indeed it is a fundamental principle of capatilism: buy low: sell high. Dealers in antique furniture will routinely mark up items by 400 to 1000%.... and more if they can. Price is determined by the market and if I list a camera that I purchased for 4$ at a garage sale on ebay and it sells for $485- do I feel like a criminal? No, not really ;-)- but I may throw in a free filter or similar gift...

Also virtually every Canonet GIII QL17 will need it's light seals completely overhauled if found in original condition. It's quite an easy job- IF you are DIY inclined, patient, have the tools and materials... So a fully refurbished camera should cost more than one that is full of crumbling sticky gunk...

As to the quality of these little cameras- some are outstanding- and I think a good QL17 is a superb camera to own- and most of them are good. They just don't make things like that anymore- small and solid- meticulous workmanship and mechanical precision. Hardy as can be-and made to last- how many digital SLR's of today will be traded second hand in 35 years from now and fetch decent prices? Will anyone want any of that stuff? I doubt it. And if you get a good film scanner how many pixels could you squeeze out of the negative from one of these old cameras?

I doesn't surprise me that you could pay 175$ and I think these prices are not really too high for the top end cameras.

There is a huge amount of variation in the canonet line of cameras: just within the QL17 line there is a lot of variance. Some cameras were made in Taiwan and some in Japan (maybe even Hong Kong?). Over a million in all. There is a super rare 1.9 QL19 camera that is identical to the 1.7 except for the lens which is 45mm 1.9. A stunning little camera and not to be confused with the much larger QL19 which is a flawed design: over 70% of examples found in storage are in Minty condition- but have a seized shutter. Not too hard to open the lens and clean the blades- but a problematic camera.

As to the other little RF's The Olympus 35RD, SP and RC are brilliant cameras- with razor sharp optics. They are pretty rare as well- and that explains the prices paid. One other camera in the same league is the Minolta 7sII- I sold one once and regretted it ever since. I kept the RC, RD, XA, SP and QL17... after selling literally 1000's of cameras I only kept around 20- and my little line of japanese mini RF cameras are in that select group for a reason...

Paul Goutiere said:

On Ebay someone recently purchased a Canonet QL19 for about $75.00 when you include shipping. These can be had at garage sales etc. for just a few dollars. Considering the limited abilities of this camera $75.00 is a heck of a lot of money. A QL17 can fetch even more, as much as $175.00 !!!! (check completed auctions on Ebay)

I think one should refrain from drinking alcohol when searching auction sites.

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Just a small point - some of us live in remote areas, so are forced to pay the auction price or go without.

McFortner said:

I'm starting to wonder if I need to be restricted from accessing eBay. I just can't help myself. I start looking for bargain basement prices and my willpower goes *poof*! Well, at least I think I'm done for a while. I now have plenty of film, plenty of cameras, developing tank, changing bag, and a bulk reloader. I just need a 12 step program....

Michael

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I counted my cameras not so long ago. 386!!! It's embarrassing: I don't use alcohol or drugs so what can I blame it on?

Actually, I have solved my problem - I'm never going to count my cameras again!!

I think I'm deviating from the thread topic.

I have an Olympus DC. About the same size as the Canonet QL17 GIII, it is fully auto with rangefinder focussing and a great Zuiko 40mm 1.7 lens. I bought mine some years ago, probably couldn't afford one now.

globalfleamarket said:

There is a super rare 1.9 QL19 camera that is identical to the 1.7 except for the lens which is 45mm 1.9. A stunning little camera ...

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I agree with your description completely. I couldn't believe it when I won one on Ebay about a year ago for $22. It matches the 1.7 in every way.