Value of a ZeroImage camera right now?

[Greg_E2]

I was just looking on the ZeroImage website to remind myself what I had in storage, and scrolling through the home page I saw the following.

US customers please do not place the order, we cannot ship to the US by this moment due to the tariff war!!!

So are we sitting on a small pile of silver right now?

Also not great because I wanted to add the cable shutter to at least one of mine, probably the multiformat.

 

[Peter Schrager]

I'll give you $2,000....

 

[Greg_E2]

If I thought you were serious, I'd say "SOLD!"

I do see them asking $500-$600 right now for the few that are listed.

 

[joho]

@Greg_32 I have a Q:what is the film pressure plate made from ???

 

[mshchem]

What is this?

 

[mshchem]

What is this?

Never mind. Just figured it out. Beautiful, not for me.

 

[Taylor Nankervis]

If it is an old Zero Image camera, the value is not much — even a NIB Zero Image... not necessarily valuable at full-cost for example. They are wooden, bespoke yes, true, but not of great value. Some have actually fallen apart in very humid environments. Others still have warped and lost precision from very hot climate (here in Australia e.g. Central Australia/NT and QLD).

The larger ones e.g. LF have garnered a keen following among collectors who are not photographers — the very people who marvel at the unique, minutiae of detail these cameras are known for. Many people unfamiliar with even a usual analogue camera would have no idea what they are looking at when they see e.g. my own Zero Image 69 120-format cameras.

It is greatly disappointing how things have transpired with the USA, but hopefully something will change in the future and again open the market to US residents. Zero Image is certainly hopeful in this regard!

 

[loccdor]

Sounds like a personal decision on the part of the company, it's possible to buy goods from China if you are willing to pay a higher price. That would be 30% higher at the moment. I've made a few purchases from China recently with duties prepaid on their side.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Several nations have cut off postal delivery (of everything, letters as well as packages) to the USA.

 

[Greg_E2]

@Greg_32 I have a Q:what is the film pressure plate made from ???

Generally, not much. It might be felt on some designs, but I think just wood of the Zero cameras, I haven't had mine out in more than 5 years.

 

[blee1996]

I got my ZeroImage medium format pinhole camera used from KEH earlier this year, and it was much less than the MSRP for new cameras. It is beautifully made and a joy to use, but not necessarily an investment item.

Pinhole camera is still a niche, and it is not that difficult to build by able craftsman. You can see a lot of new manufacturers in recent years using wood and 3D printing. Besides, many"serious" pinholers will just build their own.

 

[Donald Qualls]

it is not that difficult to build by able craftsman.

School kids build pinhole cameras (or did when film was the primary photographic material). Anyone who can handle basic woodworking tools can build a roll film pinhole camera. A real craftsman can make it fancy, but it likely won't make significantly better images.

 

[Nick Dvoracek]

Anyone who can handle basic woodworking tools can build a roll film pinhole camera.

Anyone who can handle basic cutting and folding card stock can build a roll film pinhole camera.

Camera designs and plans

Pinhole photographs and musing on pinhole photography

pinholica.blogspot.com

 

[Arthurwg]

Fact is, Zero cameras work really well.

 

[retina_restoration]

Zero Image cameras aren't going to turn into "investment items" just because of current tariff problems. You can still buy a variety of models at Blue Moon Camera and other retailers.