What is the rarest camera/lens you own?

Paul Howell · Sep 11, 2022

The camera not so much, a Minolta 9000, but I have a bulk film back, have only seen a few for sale over the years. When I get time I will dig it out and take a picture of it. I've only used it once, ran a 100 foot roll of no name Ultrafine 400 speed though it, lost a bunch of frame as I had to cut the roll down to fit my unicolor 35mm reels.

Luis-F-S · Sep 12, 2022

E. von Hoegh said:
I had: a first run Contax II with the 1-100th instead of 1-125th speed. I had no idea of it's rarity until long after I sold it.
A 355 Multicoated Kern Dagor, supposedly only 500 made (the range of serial numers I have observed so far supports this) however they seem easy enough to find if you can afford one.
I have: The fourth Deardorff V8 made with front swings, and a Contax II that is not only nearly unused, but has the original bill of sale from 3 July 1937, as well as all but one item (a roll of film) listed on the papers - also complete provenance from 1937 to present.

Bought one new in 1982 a 14” kern Dagor MC in black Compur I want to say $825 back then that is

Helge · Sep 12, 2022

Very few things camera related is really rare. Sellers and owners will try to whip up a storm about it being rare though.
The oldest desirable consumer cameras are only a little north of a hundred years old.
Very few things that sold in numbers, in that time span, that warranted fame of any kind, is rare.

That said, most uncommon thing I got is probably a Minolta 7000 without cosmetic problems. The screen is fine (both) and the grips are whole and prestine.

faberryman · Sep 12, 2022

I am not a camera collector. I do not own any rare cameras.

buildbot · Sep 12, 2022

NortheastPhotographic said:
Probably my Hy6 Mod 2 with the 80/2.8, 50/2.8, and 180/2.8. Sad that they're considered rare because they are still in production and can be bought new.

Same here, Hy6 Mod 2/1 or my Mamiya ZD
I wonder how many were actually made.

darkosaric · Sep 16, 2022

I got myself Leica M1. I had it before, sold it. And I regret it, so when I have seen on ebay for 450€ only - could not resist.

There are only 9000 M1 produced, and many are upgraded to M2, so it is even more rare.

Pigsonboy · Sep 16, 2022

I don't own this Graflex but wouldn't think previous ownership was significant or added to rarity...

jnk · Sep 19, 2022

Pigsonboy said:
I don't own this Graflex but wouldn't think previous ownership was significant or added to rarity...

was used by julius or buddy and does it come with flubber?

Arthurwg · Sep 19, 2022

Dallmeyer 3A

choiliefan · Sep 19, 2022

Here it is for posterior's sake after the auction disappears:

jnk · Sep 19, 2022

the king of comedy sitting on a sun king !

MattKing · Sep 19, 2022

choiliefan said:
Here it is for posterior's sake

Made my day
I believe you mean posterity's sake
If you would like it edited, just ask.
But I'm hoping you will leave it be.

flavio81 · Sep 19, 2022

jnk said:
the king of comedy

You mean Rupert Pupkin, right?

Sirius Glass · Sep 19, 2022

choiliefan said:
Here it is for posterior's sake after the auction disappears:

I always check out the rears too, especially if they are arrears.

Bish0v · Sep 19, 2022

Not rare, more like sparse, my Fuji GW670 III

Duboscq159 · Sep 20, 2022

Its seriously tough to pick the rarest as they are all rare for different reasons.

First up a soft focus lens from Italy, not disimilar to the eidoscope in it an uncorrected rapid rectilinear with softness greatest wide open. Any Catalogue or adverts appreciated.

Sven

etn · Sep 20, 2022

The rarest I have is probably my black Nikon S3 2000 with its incredible 50mm 1.4.
According to Nikon, 2000 units have been made:

Nikon S3 Year 2000 Millennium Model | Camera Chronicle | Nikon Consumer

I don't have anything rarer than that (I'm not a collector) and this one is a user's camera.

choiliefan · Sep 20, 2022

MattKing said:
Made my day
I believe you mean posterity's sake
If you would like it edited, just ask.
But I'm hoping you will leave it be.

No, I actually meant Posterior's...
I was channeling the late comedian Norm Crosby and felt it appropriate under the circumcision.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism

E. von Hoegh · Sep 26, 2022

Luis-F-S said:
Bought one new in 1982 a 14” kern Dagor MC in black Compur I want to say $825 back then that is

That sounds about right, mine was a display and cost $799 about 1988. I regret parting with it.

Luis-F-S · Oct 2, 2022

E. von Hoegh said:
That sounds about right, mine was a display and cost $799 about 1988. I regret parting with it.

For some reason I kept mine.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 6, 2022

Luis-F-S said:
For some reason I kept mine.

I can think of a few reasons. The Compur shutter was new and had flash synch. The multicoating was absolutely first-rate, and with color transparencies it had smooth contrast and a neutral color balance. B&W yielded contact prints you looked into, rather than at, but then even an uncoated Dagor will do that.

Subversive Mk II · Feb 3, 2023

Not sure how rare it is nowadays, but I'd think not many were sold with that lens on. An Ihagee 9x12 with a Meyer Gorlitz Trioplan 15cm 3.5. An unusually large lens for its type.

Happily it also takes a contemporary Rada back for rollfilm...

I also found an Ihagee Zwieverschluss (two shutters) some years ago. There don't seem to be many of these around, and the rear shutter still works fine after some attention. It was missing the front shutter, but I just use it as a focal-plane camera.

Shown above with a Eurynar 180 / 6.8 which happily screws in to the original shutter threaded mount.

Plus a few other oddities...

BMbikerider · Mar 14, 2023

I own a 28mm F2.8 Minolta MC lens with a Thorium element. It is INCREDIBLY sharp. Rarity and value, simply I don't know either, but until I bought it I had not seen another.

I also have what looks like a well worn Minolta XM in full working order that I had CLA'd just after I bought it. Apart from tightening a few internal screws, cleaning inside the prism and lubricating it, there was little wrong. For an SLR the mirror 'slap' is very quiet and like others I have read about is not de-silvering. Even the meter and shutter speed were within tolerance. That has to be rare in a camera that could be over half a century old.

AnselMortensen · Mar 15, 2023

choiliefan said:
No, I actually meant Posterior's...
I was channeling the late comedian Norm Crosby and felt it appropriate under the circumcision.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism

I'm glad you clarified that, otherwise your meaning might've been misconscrued.

jimgalli · Mar 15, 2023

The '57 Chrysler 300C 392 Hemi of lenses.

What is the rarest camera/lens you own?

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