Photo Equipment in Charity Shops

Carl V · Jul 28, 2011

I've come across the odd point-and-shoot camera at the local charity shop from time to time, but nothing really too exciting. However, there is an 'antiques emporium' not far from me which has various folder cameras, but prices seem to be around the 20 to 30 pound mark. The only SLR I can recall in here was a Pentax MV with 50mm f/2 lens which I think was priced at £10.

paulie · Jul 28, 2011

i picked up a tele and a wide yashica adapter for a tlr in a charity shop. man for just a few pounds too. it was a happy day i can tell you

nickrapak · Jul 28, 2011

The thrift stores in my area run hot and cold. A few months ago, I got a Nikon R8 Super 8mm cine camera for $25 and a Vivitar slide printer for $5. For the past few months there's been nothing but P&S cameras and overpriced box cameras.

James in GA · Jul 28, 2011

10 junk to 1 jewel

please don't pass up the great finds .It a treasur hunt.

CD55 · Jul 28, 2011

I've been lucky so far in my area. There's the usual 35mm P&S but I've been able to find a Canon EF, Pentax K1000, Olympus XA2 and a Yashica T4D Super. I go every couple of weeks or so just to see what's available and been surprised by what I've found.

J Rollinger · Jul 28, 2011

I found a Yashica T4 for $1.90

Alan Johnson · Jul 29, 2011

Wow,that's really a bargain.I also picked up a Yashica T4 but it was more than that.I don't think they can pick out the quality P&S cameras and sell them for low prices.

benjiboy · Jul 29, 2011

I don't buy photographic equipment from charity shops, my local one is in aid of a hospice for terminally ill children, and I have no desire to make a killing on equipment the charity don't know the value of at their expense.

Steve Smith · Jul 29, 2011

benjiboy said:
I don't buy photographic equipment from charity shops, my local one is in aid of a hospice for terminally ill children, and I have no desire to make a killing on equipment the charity don't know the value of at their expense.

That doesn't make any sense. It's better to buy from them than not to buy. If you think something is seriously under-priced, you can always offer more or make a separate donation. I have done this a couple of times.

Steve.

benjiboy · Jul 29, 2011

Steve Smith said:
That doesn't make any sense. It's better to buy from them than not to buy. If you think something is seriously under-priced, you can always offer more or make a separate donation. I have done this a couple of times.

Steve.

I just wonder how many of the people who buy things at silly prices in charity shops do offer the true value of the goods if they are under priced, very few I think, I would imagine more of them sell them for a profit on ebay.

Alan Johnson · Jul 29, 2011

IMO there is no merit in your apparent claim that boycotting this type of shop gives you the moral high ground.It is more beneficial to charities to donate and purchase often.Underpriced photo gear is very rare as has been noted.

benjiboy · Jul 29, 2011

Alan Johnson said:
IMO there is no merit in your apparent claim that boycotting this type of shop gives you the moral high ground.It is more beneficial to charities to donate and purchase often.Underpriced photo gear is very rare as has been noted.

I can choose where I spend my money if I don't wish to buy anything from charity shops, this doesn't mean that I can't donate it to the charity that runs the shop if I wish.

tomalophicon · Jul 29, 2011

Maybe you could buy the camera, take it into the kid's hospital, take portraits of all the kids and give them and their parents some lovely prints.
WIN/WIN.

M.A.Longmore · Jul 29, 2011

benjiboy said:
I don't buy photographic equipment from charity shops, my local one is in aid of a hospice for terminally ill children, and I have no desire to make a killing on equipment the charity don't know the value of at their expense.

.
It's 2011, I'm sure someone in the group could use Google, or eBay to
determine the value of certain items. Or do they assume everything is
worthless rubbish to be sold for $1.00. My favourite Thrift Shop is located
in an area where money is no object, for the vast majority of residents.
Last year I bought a signed Tapio Wirkkala vase for $2.00, last week I bought
a Made In China vase for $15.00. Now we're slightly even ...

It's their choice to sell, it's my choice to buy it.

Ron
.

BrianShaw · Jul 29, 2011

Many charities operate on the philosphy that a little donation today is more useful than having to wait for a bigger donation in the future. That is what sometimes drives the "silly" pricing. Most charities see enough donations that they know what fair-market-value prices are, and what prices will move the mechandise to put a few coppers in their purses. And if they don't know htose values, there are resources available for them to quickly and easily discern their desired asking prices.

I've bought plenty from charities at bargain prices and have always thoguht their "thanks" was sincere. I've also been on the other receiving side and KNOW that charities are more happy with a couple of real dollars today than the hope for ten dollars tommorrow.

BrianShaw · Jul 29, 2011

tomalophicon said:
Maybe you could buy the camera, take it into the kid's hospital, take portraits of all the kids and give them and their parents some lovely prints.
WIN/WIN.

That, actually, is mroe like WIN/WIN/WIN.

Steve Smith · Jul 29, 2011

Things aren't always priced low in charity shops. In one of the shops I mentioned, I have just seen a horrible looking Chinon Genesis camera: http://images.craigslist.org/3k73m13pf5T35P45X1b76a48b33677827184a.jpg
for £25. I wouldn't give £0.25 for it!

Steve.

Robert Brummitt · Jul 29, 2011

I like to shop at charity retail shops. It can be a crap shoot if what you get works. I also buy books at www.goodwillbooks.com. I have some nice photography books there. When you finish buying a book, they send you a note saying the proceeds goes towards helping others. Nothing wrong with that. I work for Shriners Hospital and see what wonderful things are given to the hospital and towards the children there in.

Diapositivo · Jul 29, 2011

I just wonder how much are the proceeds, if you pay the rent for the shop, and a wage for the workers. "Profits" go to charity but, you know, Profit is what remain after all Costs have been deducted from Revenues.

If the workers work for free, then it's charity. If the workers don't work for free, and the space is rented, then it's business with a nice label. And I have nothing against business, with any label.

Intrigued by this thread, I begun searching "thrift shops" in Rome (or Italy) where I never heard of them. The translation I found for this shop is "mercatino dell'usato", "flea market". The concept of "charity" is totally lost, and, in fact, is totally extraneous to the business I do believe. I think it is a deep cultural difference. There's no much "ethics" talk in Italy, thank goodness. For instance I've never seen an Italian photographic forum with an "ethic" section .

Even with a different label, I don't remember seeing more than two of those mercatini, and one was devoted to furniture only.

I searched on the internet for flea markets in the places of Rome where I often happen to be and I found three of which I didn't know the existence. I visited one of them near my place and it was quite interesting! Thanks APUG as you made me discover something that I really never stumbled upon before now, I knew its existence but never got interested in them.

Certain things were expensive, certain other were probably bargains if you needed them or liked them.

Just like they don't feel guilty to ask "too much" for certain items, so you I wouldn't feel "guilty" when I think (maybe mistakenly) I found something at a bargain price. It's the game.

Evaluating old objects is difficult, and many antiquaries do just that, go round those flea markets and look for "bargains", and the profit is the remuneration for their knowledge and skill, which is honest. On the other hand finding an use for things that seem ready for the landfill is hard and I suppose the shopkeeper himself wonders sometimes what the hell are you going to do with a book written 50 years ago about film development

The shopkeeper just cares about profit (or charity if he donates his wage) and if any item goes out the door at more than it came in, he's in profit.

Space is limited, and things have to go to make place for new stuff. Provided the things go out at a profit, any shopkeeper is happy. Provided clients go in an get out satisfied, any shopkeeper is happy. Buy things, and everybody is happy. No need for self-flogging

MattKing · Jul 29, 2011

The thrift stores around here depend heavily on volunteer labour - most will have only one or two paid staff (generally a manager).

And a fair number of their landlords probably give them at least a beneficial rent.

John Koehrer · Jul 29, 2011

Goodwill here in the US is a chain and they use the funds from purchases to train young people to work. That's their stated goal anyway. There are a lot of older folks working at the ones I've seen.
When it comes to reselling the treasures, The GW's I go to have a regular clientele Every day of the week with baskets filled with items. My guess is they resell on the auction site. If they cart all that stuff home for themselves, they wouldn't have room to walk.
I blow through the place in 5-10 minutes, sometimes spending more time waiting to check out than looking.
When you consider pricing they tend to be high on photo gear. Today there was an Olympus EES2 clean and working priced at $50. probably fair, but for me too much <$20 would be about right.

tomalophicon · Jul 29, 2011

Just got a JOBO CP E2 with lotsa tanks in working order for 30 bucks. Sometimes you get lucky.

Jon Shiu · Jul 30, 2011

These days not finding anything interesting in thrift stores. Years ago I found a Diana toy camera for $1.50 in a Salvation Army Thrift Store. It still had its original price tag on the box of $1.25, probably from the 1960's. Funny thing is that it became my favorite camera and have taken many great pictures with it.

Jon

Rick A · Jul 30, 2011

My wife bought me an Omega C-700 kit, brand new in the box, for a whopping $10.95 including sales tax at our local Goodwill. The money Goodwill raises helps people with challenges, whether it be recovering drug or alcohol abuser or mental or physical disabilities, be integrated into the workforce. They provide experience working with the public as well as teaching them that they are useful and allowing them a smigeon of self worth and dignity. The other resale shop in the area is operated by the local hospital auxillary and is volunteer staffed. All procedes goto benefit childrens ward and waiting room comforts. We shop at both on a regular basis, and donate regularly to the Christian Center Thrift shop in town. This one works behind the scenes providing assistance to the needy and homeless in our area. My wife and I have a food ministry, we will not let anyone go hungry. We would feed our worst enemy rather than see someone starve, even if it means going hungry ourselves. Being involved either by providing, or purchasing from these facilities is taking the moral high ground, not by shunning them and exclaiming they dont want to exploit the cheap prices. Hell, we need the bargains ourselves, and appreciate being able to save some pennies to afford other items. We call it responsible recycling. Oops, me thinks I was on my soapbox again.

pityacka · Jul 30, 2011

I have just been on another site similar to this, and a guy is asking advice about buying a MINOLTA DYNAX 9 with GRIP, as he has seen it for sale in a charity shop in West London, UK, and the asking price is £70.!!! If I lived near him I would be finding out where the shop was.

Photo Equipment in Charity Shops

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