What effing universe is this?

ChristopherCoy · Feb 1, 2021

Nikon FM’s going for $100? $200?!? Was I abducted, anally probed, and deposited on some undiscovered planet? I bought one of these for like $8 in 2012. What trendy hipster vlogger decided the FM is a “fashionable accessory?”

And I’m not talking about the FM2, or 3, or even the FM10.... I’m talking about the original, “mid size sedan” version.

Horatio · Feb 1, 2021

Film is hip, man. It's those damned YouTubers! Shhh. I'm buying Nikon lenses while they're still relatively cheap. I got a N8008s for $10 recently. Deals are still to be had.

BrianShaw · Feb 1, 2021

You got a great deal in 2012. Probably below market value even then. Be happy...

ChristopherCoy · Feb 1, 2021

Well I guess maybe my perception has become skewed since 2012. Maybe they were going for more than $8 and more like $50 back then.

ChristopherCoy · Feb 1, 2021

Horatio said:
Film is hip, man. It's those damned YouTubers! Shhh. I'm buying Nikon lenses while they're still relatively cheap. I got a N8008s for $10 recently. Deals are still to be had.

i don’t rant to buy anything. I was just researching nikon rangefinders after starting to read The Camera, then went to see what they run, and saw an fm for like $199. For some reason I thought they were just a few bucks 10 years ago when I started my film journey. I guess they were more. Maybe I’m clueless as to how much I ACTUALLY spent back then.

BrianShaw · Feb 1, 2021

That cluelessness is a blessing. Trust me. Once the credit card was paid it didn’t matter how much was paid.

Sirius Glass · Feb 1, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
Nikon FM’s going for $100? $200?!? Was I abducted, anally probed, and deposited on some undiscovered planet? I bought one of these for like $8 in 2012. What trendy hipster vlogger decided the FM is a “fashionable accessory?”

And I’m not talking about the FM2, or 3, or even the FM10.... I’m talking about the original, “mid size sedan” version.

Take a look at Hasselblad or Rollei slr prices and then the prices will feel more reasonable.

Horatio · Feb 1, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
Take a look at Hasselblad or Rollei slr prices and then the prices will feel more reasonable.

Or Leica. I got probably one of the last M3s for under $1k. Everywhere I look now they are selling for $1100 and up.

Still, some sellers are living in a fantasy land. The local CL recently offered an FM2 with motor drive, sans lens, for $650. YGTBSM.

logan2z · Feb 1, 2021

I paid $150 for a near mint FM with a Nikon 50/1.8 about 1.5 years ago, and that seemed to be the going rate at the time. I see them for about the same now, maybe slightly more. The FM2 seems to go for a lot more - I just saw one go for over $300, body only. That seems like quite the premium for a faster max shutter speed and flash sync speed, neither of which I would find useful.

But coming from the Leica world, everything Nikon seems cheap in comparison. I could probably buy all the Nikon lenses I need for less than the tax on one Leica lens

logan2z · Feb 1, 2021

Horatio said:
I got probably one of the last M3s for under $1k. Everywhere I look now they are selling for $1100 and up..

And M3s are cheap compared to M6s, which are hovering around $3K.

Cholentpot · Feb 1, 2021

Look at the price of the XA series.

There are still deals to be had though. Stray from the well known stuff and you can pick up cameras for a song. Nikon FG anyone?

Horatio · Feb 1, 2021

logan2z said:
And M3s are cheap compared to M6s, which are hovering around $3K.

Yeah. Seems the M4s are the better deals right now.

ChristopherCoy · Feb 1, 2021

logan2z said:
And M3s are cheap compared to M6s, which are hovering around $3K.

I’ve resolved to the fact that I will never understand the draw of the red dot.... or contax for that matter. Mostly because I’ll never be able to afford one.

NB23 · Feb 1, 2021

Anything under 500$ is a steal, for such a fine instrument, really.

What does 100 buy you today?

Horatio · Feb 1, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
I’ve resolved to the fact that I will never understand the draw of the red dot.... or contax for that matter. Mostly because I’ll never be able to afford one.

Well, the Leica mystique revolves around the lenses, which were quite remarkable back in the day (or so I'm told). I own one Leica lens, a 90mm Elmar. The bodies have become more collectible items, IMO. New digital Leicas are insanely priced, a luxury item for sure. Just for kicks I looked up the original price of a 1964 M3, which mine is (and Canadian at that!) It sold for $500 new, body only. In today's dollars that's about $5k. So even then they were costly. I never cared much for the Leica brand before last year, when I decided I wanted an all-mechanical camera that would outlast me. I got the jones really bad and had to scratch the itch. It's a quirky camera, especially with film loading, but the ergonomics are marvelous.

jay moussy · Feb 1, 2021

NB23 said:
Anything under 500$ is a steal, for such a fine instrument, really.

What does 100 buy you today?

Almost three sets of premium car wiper blades. On sale.

SchwinnParamount · Feb 1, 2021

Christopher, I've owned Nikon and Canon bodies for 35 years, always bought them used, and kept them all in great shape. Why? Because even though I always wanted a Leica, I could never afford one. So I started to save my pennies, nickles, dimes, and quarters in a big jar for the last couple of decades. The big 20 gallon (I think, - water cooler jug) finally got full after all this time. It practically took a forklift to move. I went to Coinstar at my grocery store to cash all of these coins in on a new used Leica... and came up with enough cash for an old beat up lens. Not even enough for a body!! Sad camper I was. My wife (from Japan) took pity on me and called one of her buddies over there to ask around for a collector willing to offload a "junk" Leica. She found one and bought it for me for Christmas. It seemed perfect to me but it was apparently junk because the collector accidentally dropped it from 2 inches off the ground - and very slightly dinged the top plate at the corner. To this looney collector, the value dropped so much that my wife was able to pick it up for at least $1k off its price before being dropped.

So, start looking for used Leica bodies with cosmetic damage. You'll get a healthy discount. Heck, for the price of a dinged Leica, you could buy 10 Nikon FMs. But what fun is that?

Horatio · Feb 1, 2021

jay moussy said:
Almost three sets of premium car wiper blades. On sale.

Or a set of premium blades and an oil change!

BradS · Feb 1, 2021

Supply and demand.

Demand has dramatically increased and supply is diminishing (and what little is left is being decimated by DiY’ers). Buy now before the remaining supply gets destroyed. Hold on to what you’ve got ‘cause they don’t make ‘em anymore.

Paul Howell · Feb 1, 2021

For those who haven't noticed, price for good quality and well know reliable cameras are on the rise. Not just hipsters, it's collectors, students who take an analog photography classes, and folks like me who replace bodies that can't be replaced. The stock of good quality bodies is dwindling, prices are up. Simple supply and demand.

ChristopherCoy · Feb 1, 2021

John M Austin said:
So, start looking for used Leica bodies with cosmetic damage. You'll get a healthy discount. Heck, for the price of a dinged Leica, you could buy 10 Nikon FMs. But what fun is that?

Oh no! I’m good. I’m years away from a Leica or Contax, and the chances are I wouldn’t like them anyway. There is nothing about the Leicas that even remotely appeal to me. The Contax MF gear would probably be nice, but I couldn’t ever justify their price tag.

I would love to have a Nikon F6 simply because it has their CLS abilities, but even now I still can’t justify the going prices simply for that one feature.

ChristopherCoy · Feb 1, 2021

Paul Howell said:
For those who haven't noticed, price for good quality and well know reliable cameras are on the rise. Not just hipsters, it's collectors, students who take an analog photography classes, and folks like me who replace bodies that can't be replaced. The stock of good quality bodies is dwindling, prices are up. Simple supply and demand.

This is what’s really scary. The fact that no manufacturer is putting out, or even entertaining the idea of putting out new film gear.

BradS · Feb 1, 2021

ChristopherCoy said:
This is what’s really scary. The fact that no manufacturer is putting out, or even entertaining the idea of putting out new film gear.

Leica still make and sell two film cameras.
The MP and M-A. Basically the same camera- one with and one without a light meter.

Ko.Fe. · Feb 1, 2021

Way too many are having now too many cameras they don't need.
I have too many cameras now, just because they went cheap after film photography became hobby instead of only photography.
Good thing it is more difficult to do hoarding at 200$ than at 8$ (which was odd price for 2012 already).

wyofilm · Feb 1, 2021

I am excited to buy (and use) cameras that I couldn't afford when I was poorer and younger and cameras cost relatively A LOT MORE.

What effing universe is this?

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