What effing universe is this?

[Digger Odell]

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.

My favorite technique for this type of "problem", is to find the original price of the item from "back in the day" then run that number through an inflation calculator. Then a wicked chuckle as I hit the "buy it now" button.

 

[removedacct1]

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

I'm not so sure about that. I've come to believe that one needs to be careful what mindset one cultivates, because sourness tends to become a way of living, not just an occasional gripe to let off steam.

 

[Kino]

Yes, I know I have gotten rather spoiled with prices from the "film apocalypse" era. It's too easy to see some of these price jumps as being crazy, but a bit of adjusted original retail price perspective helps cure that world view.

 

[Autonerd]

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.

This person will tell you you're crazy to spend *more* than $100.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

I'm not so sure about that. I've come to believe that one needs to be careful what mindset one cultivates, because sourness tends to become a way of living, not just an occasional gripe to let off steam.

The sad part is that I know you're right.

 

[Paul Howell]

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.

Howl about a Alpa 11e, or Nikon S2, or Leica M3, for that matter a Nikon F or F2? It's not that clear cut, depends on the camera, why the user wants it.

 

[George Mann]

Howl about a Alpa 11e, or Nikon S2, or Leica M3, for that matter a Nikon F or F2? It's not that clear cut, depends on the camera, why the user wants it.

The rangefinders are worth more, but not as much as they currently sell for.

I purchased a late model Nikon F2 Photomic that has been recently serviced for $150. I wouldn't pay more.

 

[Paul Howell]

In todays money I payed $2400 for a F2 forget how much the motor drive cost.

 

[perkeleellinen]

I purchased a late model Nikon F2 Photomic that has been recently serviced for $150. I wouldn't pay more.

I think you must be very lucky or very patient, perhaps both. I can't believe there can be many technicians able to make a living by servicing cameras so cheaply that they can be sold on at that price.

 

[Toasty]

Film has gained back a decent amount of popularity, you can't really compare prices from 10+ years ago when no one wanted film gear. Unless film dies off for a second time they will never be that cheap again.

 

[Paul Howell]

Even then, many of the cameras hipsters and others have bought will be put way, they will break and not be repaired, used as a decorative item on a shelf, without a supply of new old stock prices will not drop like they did in the late 90s and early 2000s.

 

[NB23]

I like it so much when photography is mistaken for an olympic sport called extreme-money-saving.

Why eat when you can drink flour in water and survive for many years, doh?

 

[cptrios]

AF SLRs are still cheap. They've got no hipster cred at all and, to me at least, aren't particularly fulfilling to use. But a body made relatively recently, like an n65 or EOS 1000v can still be had for under $20. I wish I wanted one more!

 

[George Mann]

AF SLRs are still cheap. They've got no hipster cred at all and, to me at least, aren't particularly fulfilling to use. But a body made relatively recently, like an n65 or EOS 1000v can still be had for under $20. I wish I wanted one more!

The lenses are what let them down the most, along with their cheap feeling build quality.

 

[Danner]

Supply and demand?

More like supply and be damned.

LOL

 

[nokia2010]

It's not quite on-topic, but I do feel the need to say it. After "the increasing of the standard of living" in Romania, people started a "get rid off frenzy. Cameras, I don't think they got dumped because they don't take up too much space. But other got destroyed in large number. You can name it: electronics, household aplainces, publications (books, magazines...) and a lot of 1960-1966 automobiles.
Now they are beeing sold as vintage by some. In 2006-2008 you could find a lot of them at nice price, now...
Probably not only the hipsters are to blame. Some publicity made people think they do have a value so price went up.
But I see that in other countries, some old cameras do have a decent price compare to the income... not the case of Romania.

 

[John Earley]

One of the best values in vintage cameras is the Nikkormat/Nikomat series. I recently purchased a mint copy FTN with working meter (my fourth) for $34 including shipping.

 

[Huss]

When a brand new reusable/semi disposable Ilford Sprite II is $35. A camera with a fixed focus, fixed aperture (f9), fixed shutter (1/120) spec.
When that is $35, a Nikon FM is an absolute steal at $200.

Stop crying because 'you' don't want to pay for stuff.

I'm waiting for someone to complain that HP5 is $6/roll. Because once upon a time they paid a nickel for it.

 

[wiltw]

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.

Hello Mr. Coy, this is your capture. I can verify you were anally probed -- repeatedly. We implanted a device that permitted us to send you to the 5th parallel universe, but still on the planet Earth. You may notice differences in behavior in those around you, compared to what you are accustomed to witnessing. For example, increased gun violence, increased theft from front porches, animosity to others of different ethnic backgrounds than your own, alien hostility to masks and vaccinations, decided increase in general rebelliousness...all accounted for by your existence in the 5th parallel universe.

 

[NB23]

When a brand new reusable/semi disposable Ilford Sprite II is $35. A camera with a fixed focus, fixed aperture (f9), fixed shutter (1/120) spec.
When that is $35, a Nikon FM is an absolute steal at $1200.

Stop crying because 'you' don't want to pay for stuff.

I'm waiting for someone to complain that HP5 is $6/roll. Because once upon a time they paid a nickel for it.

Corrected

 

[DREW WILEY]

When I was a kid, if you went to a gas station during a price war, gasoline was 19 cents a gallon. The fact that gas is now around 3 dollars a gallon has not stopped me from driving. It's all relative. Back then, a decent wage was 2 dollars an hour, and a house cost $15,000. But my dad would consider even that expensive. His first house on a double lot cost $500. Now I look across the street at the tiniest, most run-down house on the block, which just sold for $750,000. Egad. I couldn't afford to live in my own front porch cardboard cat box at that kind of inflation, if I had to buy a house today. But that's the way it works. I'm just waiting for some massive hack of the digital "cloud" where everyone's precious images get lost forever in nebulous cyberspace if they don't pay a ransom. That would really bring attention back to the common sense realm of real film imagery. But the digital crowd would probably pay 50 bucks for a brand-label "designer lenscap". They'll pay a thousand for the latest Smartphone they throw away six months later. It's all relative. My Nikon will long outlast me.

 

[Vonder]

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

Or worse, check out the Contax 645 system. Sheesh. Their prices are nearly up to Canon EOS-1DX Mk II prices.

 

[ChristopherCoy]

Now I look across the street at the tiniest, most run-down house on the block, which just sold for $750,000. Egad. I couldn't afford to live in my own front porch cardboard cat box at that kind of inflation, if I had to buy a house today. But that's the way it works. .

That's why we live on a boat! The only thing we pay is about $500 a month to keep it docked. No mortgage payment, no property taxes, no mortgage insurance, no HOA fees... nothing. Just slip rent. Cheapest waterfront property ever!

 

[Sirius Glass]

That's why we live on a boat! The only thing we pay is about $500 a month to keep it docked. No mortgage payment, no property taxes, no mortgage insurance, no HOA fees... nothing. Just slip rent. Cheapest waterfront property ever!

A boat is a whole in the water that one pours money into.

 

[Horatio]

That's why we live on a boat! The only thing we pay is about $500 a month to keep it docked. No mortgage payment, no property taxes, no mortgage insurance, no HOA fees... nothing. Just slip rent. Cheapest waterfront property ever!

And no lawn to maintain or gutters to clean!