Your Great Garage Sale 35mm Find?

bvy · Aug 6, 2009

This thread inspired me to look more closely at the thrift store I regularly frequent. There was the usual junk, but two things of interest: a Nikon L135 ($5) and an Olympus XA2 ($10). The XA2 I know to be a decent little camera, but they're all over eBay and pretty easy to find. Here, however, I have the advantage of seeing it and touching it before buying it. This would be my first serious film camera. Any idea what I should look for in general, and with this camera in particular, before putting money down?

snegron · Aug 6, 2009

bvy said:
This thread inspired me to look more closely at the thrift store I regularly frequent. There was the usual junk, but two things of interest: a Nikon L135 ($5) and an Olympus XA2 ($10). The XA2 I know to be a decent little camera, but they're all over eBay and pretty easy to find. Here, however, I have the advantage of seeing it and touching it before buying it. This would be my first serious film camera. Any idea what I should look for in general, and with this camera in particular, before putting money down?

I'm not too familiar with the Nikon 35mm compact camera line up, but I think that the L135 was first introduced in 1984. I believe that it had a 35mm 3.5 lens and was many considered it to be of better build quality than compact cameras of other manufacturers at the time. I'm sure you can still get fantastic results with it today!

srosenow_98 · Aug 7, 2009

Geez, I really should post here more often.

Anywho, while at an antique store here in Shelton, I stumbled upon a polarizer with 52mm threads. I knew my camera had 55mm thread lenses (all but two) and thought this was a neat find. Was a Tiffen linear polarizer that still had its box and case.

Seeing as it had no pricetag, I walked up to the counter and asked what they wanted. They didn't know much about it, so I told them what it was.

Also had an adapter ring for smaller filters (I dunno what size it was, honestly forgot and it's out in my car right now, in the camera case).

After talking and explaining to them what it was, they said "A dollar fitty do?"

I ended up walking out with it, but had to wait a week to use it. That night, I bought a stepdown ring to use on all of my 55mm filter threaded lenses, and received it a week later.

So far, I've yet to develop the rolls of film I've taken with it, but I can't wait to see the results.

jcorll · Aug 8, 2009

APUG is by far one of the best photography forums that I have found. Lotsa great people here! Anywho-sle.
My great Garage sale find was just this past summer. I got a real good condition Nikon FM in a bag with an Osawa 135mm, an Osawa 28mm wide lens, a Quantaray 80-200mm tele lens. and a Nikkor 50mm. Also a nice Vivitar flash, and cases for all the lenses. A couple filters adn misc stuff was also in there.
I got all of that for a measly $20. Oh what great pricing Church garage sales can put out.

Also, 3 weeks after I got all of that, I had a friend give me (I didn't have to pay! Yeah!) his barely used Minolta XG-A with a couple J.C.Penney lenses and a flash. Eh, it isn't any Nikon FM2a but hey, its a good trusty camera.

I didn't read through all 16 pages of responses, but it sure sounds like a lot of you guys got awesome deals on alot of your cameras and accessories.

Alan W · Aug 8, 2009

I got an Ansco Super Speedex about a month ago.Fantastic 120 folding camera and I got it for only $2.One month later I'm still trying to fix the focusing ring,it's stuck on infinity.All the little pieces look mighty impressive in a shoebox on my desk......maybe next time!

MattKing · Aug 9, 2009

Today, a Canonet QL17 GIII in apparently excellent shape (except for the badly deteriorated never-ready case). Even included a functioning mercury battery.

$5, at a garage sale.

Matt

djohnfot · Aug 10, 2009

dougjgreen said:
BTW, a genuine Patek Philippe watch for $10 is an even better deal than a Leica M2 with a 35mm Leica lens for $4.95. I personally buy the highest quality knock-offs of those watches, in Asia, but the real ones sell for between $8-20K new, and used ones are still worth several thousand.

BTW, which store is this, and where is it located?

A Salvation Army store in the Salem area. He tells me the good buys are now a rare thing there. Seems they hired someone who knows about such things. My only score at a SA store was a beautiful Pentax 110 outfit, body, flash, and three lenses. They had put it in with the hardback books. It was $4.

Honestly I wouldn't know a good watch if it bit me on the nose. I suppose it would be smart if I at least looked them over. It's like the lottery - the odds are poor but you'll never win if you don't play.

darinwc · Aug 12, 2009

To find good deals you need 3 things:
1. The knowledge of what is valuable and what is not.
2. The diligence to regularly prospect for said items.
3. Mainly a whole lot of luck.

Don't expect to buy some fake turd looking thing and end up with a rare Dirwood vase from the Pantomime era worth a bazillion dollars. Just buy what you like and learn about it
.

calceman · Aug 12, 2009

2 Nikon f3, with accessories (MF-4 back, DW-3 and DW-4 view attachements, motor drives) for nothing! Where I work, they bought these just before going digital. These pieces stayed in a drawer and are like-new conditions and where about to be trashed for taking too much space. That made my day!

Steve Smith · Aug 12, 2009

At the weekend I found an Olympus OM10 with a 50mm lens and a huge long lens for £20. I didn't buy it though. Should I go back next week?

Steve.

mudman · Aug 12, 2009

Steve Smith said:
At the weekend I found an Olympus OM10 with a 50mm lens and a huge long lens for £20. I didn't buy it though. Should I go back next week?

Steve.

That's like saying you met a cute girl that invited you back to her place and you told her you were too tired to go .

Steve Smith · Aug 12, 2009

mudman said:
That's like saying you met a cute girl that invited you back to her place and you told her you were too tired to go .

Actually, the girl selling the Olympus was cute!!

I don't know much about OMs. Is the OM10 the one which is auto only unless you plug in the manual adaptor? The only thing I can remember is that the OM4 is sought after.

I have been promised an Olympus SLR by a friend too. I don't know what model it is. I hope to find out on Saturday.

Anyway, a return trip to the car boot sale on Sunday sounds like a good idea and I will have some spare cash then too.

If it's gone, that's good news too because it means someone else has bought it to be used.

Steve.

Leeston · Aug 13, 2009

Decent enough find

Went to a mate's place and he was throwing stuff out prior to a house move, I spied a silver photography case (or whatever you call it), oh yeah he says "just some old film gear I haven't used for ten years, do you want it"

Well, I have scored a Olympus OM10 in what appears to be mint condition, 3 lens, OM 50mm 1:1.8, Tokina SD 28-70 1:3.5-4.5 Macro, Carl Zeiss Jena 80-200 1:4.5-5.6 MC Macro.

Plus a couple of the original cases for the OM10.

Plus

Minolta 7xi with 28-80mm Zoom xi, all lens have filters, all with original manuals, plus a Minolta 3500 xi Flash unit.

Being a relative newbie to SLR Photography I probably do not realise how good this all is but I know enough that I am helping him move and will take a case or two of beer over to him,.

I feel like it is Christmas here..........My Nikon F5 is away being repaired so it was great to pick all this up and know I will use it.

Have been lurking for quite a while here and have enjoyed the board, feels nice to post something.

Cheers
Lee

brainsalad · Aug 18, 2009

Leeston said:
...Have been lurking for quite a while here and have enjoyed the board, feels nice to post something....

Same here. I read and learn a lot on APUG, but almost never speak up.

My best garage sale find was a Yashica Electro 35 GS rangefinder from the original owner for $20. Included a case, the tele/wide accessory lenses, and owner's manual. He had picked it up when serving in Vietnam.

Everything was cosmetically spotless. After I learned how to do the 'microsurgery' pad of death repair, it was functionally perfect as well. I've given it quite a bit of use since.

snegron · Aug 21, 2009

Leeston said:
Went to a mate's place and he was throwing stuff out prior to a house move, I spied a silver photography case (or whatever you call it), oh yeah he says "just some old film gear I haven't used for ten years, do you want it"

Well, I have scored a Olympus OM10 in what appears to be mint condition, 3 lens, OM 50mm 1:1.8, Tokina SD 28-70 1:3.5-4.5 Macro, Carl Zeiss Jena 80-200 1:4.5-5.6 MC Macro.

Plus a couple of the original cases for the OM10.

Plus

Minolta 7xi with 28-80mm Zoom xi, all lens have filters, all with original manuals, plus a Minolta 3500 xi Flash unit.

Being a relative newbie to SLR Photography I probably do not realise how good this all is but I know enough that I am helping him move and will take a case or two of beer over to him,.

I feel like it is Christmas here..........My Nikon F5 is away being repaired so it was great to pick all this up and know I will use it.

Have been lurking for quite a while here and have enjoyed the board, feels nice to post something.

Cheers
Lee

You found the best possible treasure of all; free treasure! The cool thing I find about going out and using gear you get a great price (in your case free), is that you will probably produce many fantastic images and there will always be the footnote about how the image was captured using either an old, inexpensive or free camera! Make sure you post some images here for us!

snegron · Aug 21, 2009

brainsalad said:
Same here. I read and learn a lot on APUG, but almost never speak up.

My best garage sale find was a Yashica Electro 35 GS rangefinder from the original owner for $20. Included a case, the tele/wide accessory lenses, and owner's manual. He had picked it up when serving in Vietnam.

Everything was cosmetically spotless. After I learned how to do the 'microsurgery' pad of death repair, it was functionally perfect as well. I've given it quite a bit of use since.

Very good find indeed, especially knowing that you purchased it from the original owner! Everytime I purchase an old camera or lens I always wonder how much history has it witnessed? In your case, you know your camera actually witnessed history during a very controversial war.

cknapp1961 · Aug 21, 2009

Not really "garage sale" but in today's modern world craigslist has become my "garage sale" equivalent, have made the following local purchases in North Carolina in the last 4 months:

Nikon N80 with 28-105mm Nikkor, fully functional...$25.00.
Minolta X700 with F1.7 Rokkor, fully functional...$20.00.

Steve Roberts · Aug 24, 2009

Again, not a garage sale and I didn't get the goodies, but a tale of "the one that got away".
Yesterday I was in an antique shop of leased individual units and saw on a shelf a Leica IIIc in reasonable condition but with the price tag face down. It was in a locked cabinet, so I asked to see it properly and how much it was. A lady appeared with the key and fished out the camera, turned over the lable and said "Twenty two pounds" to me. There were other items of camera gear for sale for silly prices (eg a 400mm lens "as found" for £3) so I wasn't going to argue and even if it turned out to be no good it could either sit on a shelf or be moved on to a friend who collects such things. Well, we got as far as the till when a different assistant looked at the label and queried whether two small dashes after the price (ie "£22=", as is common in the UK) might actually be supposed to read "£220". She phoned the owner of the cabinet and you've guessed the rest ......
So - no Leica and plod on with the old Halina Paulette, then...

Steve

Steve Smith · Aug 24, 2009

Steve Roberts said:
whether two small dashes after the price (ie "£22=", as is common in the UK) might actually be supposed to read "£220"

I have never heard of that before.

Steve.

Steve Roberts · Aug 25, 2009

Steve Smith said:
I have never heard of that before.
Steve.

I think it stems from the days of £sd when it indicated that the price was that number of pounds dead, no shillings and no pence. Sadly, I'm one of those who started life spending £sd ......

Cheers,

Steve

Steve Smith · Aug 25, 2009

Steve Roberts said:
Sadly, I'm one of those who started life spending £sd ......

Me too.

I remember items with shillings and pence price tickets. e.g. 3/6, 2/- with the - implying zero pence but not the use of the = sign.

Steve.

cooltouch · Aug 26, 2009

Whenever I go to a garage/yard/estate sale, I always let them know I collect "cameras, binoculars, telescopes, microscopes . . . and fountain pens." Sometimes I get lucky. A couple years ago, I bought an Oly OM-10 with 50/1.8, manual adapter and case for $15. Not bad, I suppose. More recently, I picked up an Oly XA for $5. Came with the flash and manual. Great little picture taker that's a true pocket 35.

Best,
Michael

Steve Roberts · Aug 27, 2009

cooltouch said:
"cameras, binoculars, telescopes, microscopes . . . and fountain pens." Sometimes I get lucky.

Trouble is that I've been so lucky over the years that at home I can barely move for cameras, LPs, books, tools, electrical goodies. It's getting hard to find somewhere to sit down!

Steve

Steve Smith · Aug 27, 2009

Steve Roberts said:
Trouble is that I've been so lucky over the years that at home I can barely move for cameras, LPs, books, tools, electrical goodies. It's getting hard to find somewhere to sit down!

Sounds like you live in my house!

Steve.

cooltouch · Aug 28, 2009

Ah, yes! You should see our house, as well. Imagine trying to pour 10 gallons of sand into a 5 gallon bucket, and you'll have some idea of the overflow.

I freely admit to being an inveterate packrat. And garage sales/flea markets are a major cause of this. Unfortunately, my wife is just as bad as I am. What's worse, it appears to be a genetically dominant trait because our daughter exhibits the same predilections -- except she's even worse

Best,
Michael

Your Great Garage Sale 35mm Find?

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