What effing universe is this?

[lecarp]

But the you do admit to being multi format.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Strange things happen on boats.

You have no idea! Although it may be happening at your neighbors house as well and you wouldn't know it either.

 

[pentaxuser]

When Chris Hemsworth says, "Digital is dead. Film is where it's at." I rejoice. He and his 45million + instagram followers dwarfs anything Youtube can do. .

Sounds as if we may be relying on Mr Hemsworth not to change his mind on his slogan, then

pentaxuser

 

[Horatio]

Japanese collectors did the same with Italian bicycles.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Japanese collectors did the same with Italian bicycles.

I feel a conspiracy theory in the midst. Perhaps the corona virus was just a ploy for the Chinese and Japanese to sell off used goods.

 

[Horatio]

I feel a conspiracy theory in the midst. Perhaps the corona virus was just a ploy for the Chinese and Japanese to sell off used goods.

You mean like medical masks? Hahahaha

 

[nmp]

I saw them being pumped on r/wallstreetbets trying to burn the film camera shorts (mostly digital camera hedge funds.) May be that's why the price shot up.

 

[removed account4]

No... everyone wants gear that youtubers tell them they want.

that is what happened with brass lenses but it was Jim Galli ( poster here on photrio and the large format page ). he started a webpage where he
bought brass lenses and photographed with them and talked about them and started a whole craze of people wanting what used to be junque. thanks to him I sold a lens I bought for about $100 for about $1000 . so be happy the price of your $8 cameras went up and hope the influencers keep influencing !

 

[ChristopherCoy]

...so be happy the price of your $8 cameras went up and hope the influencers keep influencing !

It's not about being happy or sad, it's more like anxiety. I'm not sure about how other's feel about the situation, but in my case the thought of not being able to afford film gear, or worse having my film gear take a crap and not being able to have it repaired due to a shortage of parts makes me almost short of breath sometime. It's probably a lot more psychological than that and I'm just substituting the removal of cameras for the removal of alcohol or other addiction, but still, it truly scares me. Oddly though, I don't feel the same way about my digital gear. I have a D700 that I'm holding on to until it takes a crap, only because it was the last FX digital that DIDNT have distractions like video etc, but when it's dead, it's dead.

 

[mshchem]

It seems to my recollection that the first few years of this century were when I did my best. I bought a black chrome M6ttl w 50mm Summicron for 1300 USD. And it was mint in the box. I picked up a Hasselblad 501c w 80, and 150 lenses, no meter prism, wlf, a extra back for 1100. Insane.

The thing about the younger crowd is they actually USE these items, so we must pay for prime examples.

 

[MattKing]

The part that intrigues me about this thread is the fact that one's perspective is completely influenced by ones point of view about when things were normal.
If, like me, you actually paid full price for a lot of this stuff when it was new, or when it was used but still quite current, than your idea of a "normal" price is much, much higher than if you started becoming interested in this stuff in 2010.
2005 was my favourite year for prices for gear. Unfortunately, the sense of impending doom about film was palpable at that time.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The part that intrigues me about this thread is the fact that one's perspective is completely influenced by ones point of view about when things were normal.
If, like me, you actually paid full price for a lot of this stuff when it was new, or when it was used but still quite current, than your idea of a "normal" price is much, much higher than if you started becoming interested in this stuff in 2010.
2005 was my favourite year for prices for gear. Unfortunately, the sense of impending doom about film was palpable at that time.

For the most part because of APUG I went out and bought the cameras, lenses and darkroom equipment I wanted ten years ago. So get in your time machine ...

 

[reddesert]

It's just stuff. It's not really worth getting anxious about. There were so many film cameras made that if all of yours break, you will still be able to get another one. I'm still far more concerned about the supply of consumables / softgoods (eg film, paper) than about running out of cameras. APUG users should be overjoyed about Instagram/Youtubers getting film cameras rather than dismissing it.

BITD, stuff was more expensive and so more difficult to hoard, and the internet hadn't enabled the knowledge of and acquisition of so much stuff, so even a dedicated hobbyist might have had 1 or 2 cameras.

I also think that the price trends and supply are influenced this year by the pandemic. The long term trend of film cameras is upward from the nadir of the early 2000s when pros dumped much of their gear and it wasn't clear that film manufacture would even survive. But this year, in particular, people whose incomes have not suffered are doing more online shopping, because they are at home and not spending as much on entertainment. So a place like KEH (anecdotally) seems to have its stock more quickly depleted than last year.

I think the Asian collector market is only responsible for buying up the most high end objects - Leica, Hasselblad, rare Nikons, sure, but they didn't deplete the stock of RB67s or Pentax K1000s.

 

[Paul Howell]

Pro level gear was never made in the same numbers as consumer level gear. K1000 had an early bump when it became a fav for photography classes, simple all manual, at in time became a cult classic. Hasselblad is likely the expectation as it was made in larger numbers over a very long time, other wise RB67, Fuji 680, Bronica were too expensive for the average shooter. Well, the Mamiya 645 was a nitch between pro and consumer the C330, Yashica 124 were as well. There are still bargains on entery level view cameras, Graphic View, Cambo, Brand, New View seem to be reasonable.

 

[MattKing]

Well, the Mamiya 645 was a nitch between pro and consumer the C330, Yashica 124 were as well.

Yes to the Yashica 124, but the other two were always targeted to the professional market.
The professional market included a substantial number of professionals whose economic realities required lower cost, but still robust and reliable cameras, that offered a lot of flexibility.

 

[perkeleellinen]

I bought a FM2 brand new in the mid '90s with a second-hand 16mm fisheye. It cost me a month's wage (£1000). I think prices are not yet up that high.

When my son was born (9 years ago) my FM2 developed a fault that needed repair - the place I contacted questioned if it was worth repairing given how cheap FM2s now are. Why not just buy another? I said I'd prefer a known good unit and got it fixed. This happened a week before my son was born and I quickly had to buy another camera - I bought a Nikon FM for £50 from a dealer.

I've never been affluent enough to buy much camera gear new and I've always hunted out bargains. The last ten or so years were good for camera buying but I do think those days are over and I probably can't afford much more gear. It's a good throttle on GAS impulses to check completed listings on Ebay now.

 

[removed account4]

It's not about being happy or sad, it's more like anxiety. I'm not sure about how other's feel about the situation, but in my case the thought of not being able to afford film gear, or worse having my film gear take a crap and not being able to have it repaired due to a shortage of parts makes me almost short of breath sometime. It's probably a lot more psychological than that and I'm just substituting the removal of cameras for the removal of alcohol or other addiction, but still, it truly scares me. Oddly though, I don't feel the same way about my digital gear. I have a D700 that I'm holding on to until it takes a crap, only because it was the last FX digital that DIDNT have distractions like video etc, but when it's dead, it's dead.

I see what you mean, but how many cameras does one need ? nothing to get stressed out about. and there are repair people who fabricate parts.
yea I know im on the wrong website, and I have too many cameras and lenses myself.. I've tried to sell most of what I have but realized most of it, well, its pretty much worthless
and I don't have the heart to throw any of it in the landfill. I figure when I take the dirt nap ill have people toss them in the pine box with me
there's probably obsidian aqua in the afterlife.

 

[film_man]

I see what you mean, but how many cameras does one need ?

Erm, I'm sorry, is this a serious question?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Some advice: If the prices of the camera or lens that you want is too high, pause, take a deep breathe, then look for the price of a long telephoto AF lens such as a Canon or Nikon AF 800mm VR lens. Take a deep breathe. Go back to the page with your GAS lust of the day and hit the Buy It Now Button. You will feel much better. I promise.

 

[beemermark]

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.

2012 was 8 years ago. Get with it.

 

[Autonerd]

I agree with those who say it's as much about reputation as quality. In the last 12 months, I've bought several great cameras (and a couple of not-so-great ones) that were dirt cheap because they aren't held in high regard. Highlights: Minolta 400si body for $12 (shipped) and Maxxum 5 w/ kit lens for $15 (shipped). Pentax P30T body w box for $15 (ok, not a great camera). Best deal: Sears KS Auto (Ricoh's best!) w/ 50/1.7 for $7. And from a friend I got a Nikon N8008 with four lenses (including a 50/1.4) for $100.

I own a few Nikons and respect the FM series but I don't think they're worth the $$ being asked, not compared to the prices for other all-manual, all-mechanical cameras. When Pentax K1000s sell for twice the price of KXs and K2s, you gotta know something is wrong.

Aaron

 

[Paul Howell]

Your right, entry level to mid level AF bodies are still very reasonable and many have a full set of features like matrix and spot metering, build quality is not up to higher end bodies, AF can be slower, but still great value for the money.

 

[removedacct1]

Four years ago I tried to sell my FM2, and I couldn't even get $50 for it. (It was my one and only camera when I was a student at OCA in the mid-80s, bought brand new) Now I see they sell for $200-$300 average on fleabay. It is what it is. Moaning about it isn't going to make prices go back down.

PS: I gave that camera to my local Uni photo department, because they have a passionate instructor who revamped the school's darkroom and is pushing film and alt processes. I got nothing for it except a smile and a wee bit of satisfaction.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

...Moaning about it isn't going to make prices go back down.

True, but at least it makes you feel better, if only for the duration of the moan.

 

[George Mann]

People tell me that I am being cheap, or even crazy for not wanting to spend more than $100 US for any old used camera that hasn't been recently serviced.

But I will stick to my ways and let them continue to overpay for these potential liabilities.