Underused cameras not worth selling...

freecom2

Suspended / Banned
Messages
5,326
Edit My Images
No
I was just thinking about my Yashica Electro 35 GTN - it's a superb camera, with a great fast lens and a constraty rangefinder patch. But it just doesn't see much use... but selling it just wouldn't see much of a return, considering how good it is.

So, what cameras do you have that are a bit underused, but just not worth selling?
 
I used to have a Fuijica STX-1 which was rarely used so instead of selling it I gave it to Andysnap for his son to use for his photography A-level/GCSE thingy. Maybe if you don't want to sell it, lend it to a friend.

I barely use my Canon A-1 any more but I'll keep it as a backup or in case i fancy taking a camera into a more hostile environment
 
My Minolta duo of XG-M and XG-1 with 50m F1.7 and 45mm F2. I used each ones(one roll of film each)

I just don't use them, I have SLR's which I like more such as Pentax ME and Oly OM10. I don't think those are worth big money so I'd just rather keep them haha.

also I have an XA2 and XA3(now for sale). Never used the XA2 yet.
 
My Electro 35 gets a lot of use, so I'd never consider selling it. However to address your question - I have a Nikon F301 and an Olympus OM10, both of which are not highly rated for some reason and therefore wouldn't fetch much. They are both capable of producing excellent photographs in the right hands though.
 
Long list getting shorter:lol:

I'd decided to collect all the Mamiya 35mm cameras then I decided that some of the cheap as chips rangefinders were cheap as chips for a reason, also that Mamiya collapsed for a reason. Still like the ZM though... selling one but keeping one. Also I like the Prismat: sold one and trying not to to sell the other :cuckoo:

Olympus Trip: takes up almost as much space as an OM1 and I know which I grab and which I leave behind.

All 35mm rangefinders and folders: I've tried 'em and I'm not inspired to keep 'em. I don't find rangefinders involving enough. Zorki 4 may well be a Leica clone but it feels like an industrial guillotine - and it needs a light meter!

But "not worth selling"? Oh I'm past the point of no return there with all the above...:wave:
 
I have an F3 that never gets used, its not a question of whether its worth selling, I just might use it.



But I doubt it.......its 35mm....:shrug:



mebbe I should give it away
 
Maybe if you don't want to sell it, lend it to a friend.

I didn't mention the Pentax MV-1 which is currently on loan, the Pentax MX which is usually out with someone and the Olympus mju 1 that I hand out to friends to do as they please :)

Electros are a bit quirky though, they take a long time to work out - especially since I don't have that many photography-orientated friends.

Olympus Trip: takes up almost as much space as an OM1 and I know which I grab and which I leave behind.

Funnily enough, that's exactly the reason why I sold my Trip as well. It's hardly a compact camera, and it offers so little control of focusing - my Pentax MX is barely any larger, and offers full metering, no red flags and a superb viewfinder. I know the Trip is capable of superb shots, and people love them... but it wasn't for me :shrug:
 
Anyone want to borrow (for a few years) my used once mint Osawa 28mm m42....just pay postage. The results are reasonable but might work better on a Nex or similar.
 
Anyone want to borrow (for a few years) my used once mint Osawa 28mm m42....just pay postage. The results are reasonable but might work better on a Nex or similar.

Would you send it over to France Brian??

Providing it won't cost a fortune in postage then i would be happy have a play with it.

Edit....dunno how i almost forgot (age thing maybe !! lol) but I'm in the UK soon so if you want to let me give the lens a loving new home then i could arrange for you to send it to a UK address and i will collect it.
 
Last edited:
Would you send it over to France Brian??

Providing it won't cost a fortune in postage then i would be happy have a play with it.


Cos you can borrow it ;) , I'll find out what the cheapest post is to France, or if you are going to a wedding here I could post there?
 
Cos you can borrow it ;) , I'll find out what the cheapest post is to France, or if you are going to a wedding here I could post there?

LMAO....at least you remembered what I'm doing!!!
 
A Pentax MX body where the exposure lights are a bit dodgy. Works fine, just needs a little fiddling. Luckily the lenses fit my Cosina PM-1, which I love. Light, plastic and small.
 
Last edited:
A Pentax MX body where the exposure lights are a bit dodgy. Works fine, just needs a little fiddling. Luckily the lenses fit my Cosina PM-1, which I love. Light, plastic and small.

K-mount stuff is great. Perfectly capable, well built, quiet and well designed.

...but I just pick up the Nikons first :shrug:
 
I was just thinking about my Yashica Electro 35 GTN - it's a superb camera... but selling it just wouldn't see much of a return, considering how good it is.

What do you concider a good return? They seem to be going for at least £50 on eBay, which doesn't seem too bad?
 
What do you concider a good return? They seem to be going for at least £50 on eBay, which doesn't seem too bad?

The prices for Electro 35s are strong, which represents what good cameras they are - it's more just that, it's not going to earn me a huge amount by selling it, in the same way that getting rid of a high value digital lens or medium format kit would.

(not for a profit - just in terms of how much they get, full stop)
 
Pentax ME. Hardly gets used but I love using it when I do. Doubt I'd get more than £15 for it if I were to sell! (not that I will!)
 
I know what you mean about rangefinders, i've tried several and they aren't small enough or flexible enough to bother with, my Nikon FE with a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime is just about as compact to carry around and it does much more.

Currently underused are probably the Yashica MAT 124G, thought i'd get used to a TLR but i hate using it and got the Bronica SQ-Ai instead which has taken its place and the place of all the folders as well like my Agfa Billy Record II and Franka Solida IIIe. I still got a couple of old quirky box cameras though for fun.

Polaroid 355 pack film camera, thought i'd enjoy using this but the films are disappointing (and expensive), even the glass lens isn't sharp enough and the light meter is bloody hopeless so nearly all my shots were under or overexposed. Cool looking camera though so it sits on my shelf.

I used to have loads of cameras, once i'd got my main cameras sorted like the Nikon FE and the Bronica SQ-Ai i was left with about 50 cameras i was never going to use again, so i rang up rocky cameras and had him haul them away for some cash in hand. I have about 4 cameras i actually use for photos and 45 others that are display only (maybe with a odd usage in the future if i'm bored), i've learned it's important to make that separation or you just end up with too much choice and never shoot anything or learn how to use one camera properly.
 
Last edited:
The GTN is still looking unloved. It's now my only rangefinder left... but I so rarely shoot 35mm.
 
The GTN is still looking unloved. It's now my only rangefinder left... but I so rarely shoot 35mm.

I'd be interested in taking it off you, Love to have a rangefinder that i can always carry with me :)
 
I've been here a few times...

Most recently I put a Nikon F90x on the classifieds here, and on Ebay, and kept reducing the price and inviting offers, but nobody was interested.

I then walked along my local high street which has two camera shops, both of which sell used kit. Neither was interested at all.

Considering it's a really capable semi-pro camera, albeit not very fashionable these days, I was rather surprised. In truth it's at least 90% as good as an F100 (there's a sort of logic there..does that mean an F80 is 80% as good? :cuckoo:) which has a very loyal following and is highly regarded.

Anyway, on my way back I just dropped it off in Oxfam. At least I got a bit of satisfaction that it might make a few quid for a good cause, and they at least seemed grateful for it!

I do wonder if one day when all the nice FM2s, FE2s and so on are snapped up, these cameras and others like them might make a bit of a revival, but until then, they are unloved and almost unsaleable.
 
In general, the late 80s and 1990s cameras are very unloved. They are more capable than their brothers from the 70s and 80s, but lack their incredible charm and finesse (IMO). I'd have an FE2 over an F90 any day of the week... which is why I have the former as my main Nikon camera.
 
My canon EOS 33

I've got it for sale in the for sale section if anyone were interested, but I'm not too fussed if it doesn't sell.

I get the impression people are spending more on the older, more mechanical bodies, rather than the newer range. (which is a good thing)

I've watched a couple on ebay out of interest and sometimes they go for pennies, other times they get a more respectable price. it's such a good camera that I'd rather not let it go for pennies.
 
I have a Voitlander Vito cl and a Rollie electronic flash, the camera has only taken about 10 rolls of film and the Rollie never used in anger, yet worth nothing now.

Video show it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3-xGtVz32k&feature=c4-overview&list=UUwYuArJi5ks5ErtToJBq6xQ

As you can see its like new, even the clockwork timer and light meter works, hence the flash firing. it also has its original case- box and instruction book. I would say there is a little bit of dust behind the lens which I would have sent back to be cleaned. Its been laid up for over 40 years and not going to be used again so I havn't bothered.

Unfortunately nobody wants a 35mm camera any more. it was my 21 birthday present in 1966.

Also laid up is my 8mm tape video camera with spare batteries and tapes. Again with original instruction book.

 
Last edited:
At the bootie there was a Voitlander camera similar to yours with Skopar lens for £10 but nobody bought it (well while I was there from 8:30 to 10:00 am).
 
Brian

I did try selling mine some time ago but no offers. I have seen ones advertised in far far worse condition for £25. if you put mine in a shop window you would think it was new. Mine has the earlier LANTHAR lens which is rarer.

f77o.jpg
 
Last edited:
In general, the late 80s and 1990s cameras are very unloved. They are more capable than their brothers from the 70s and 80s, but lack their incredible charm and finesse (IMO). I'd have an FE2 over an F90 any day of the week... which is why I have the former as my main Nikon camera.

Just put a roll through mine today too! :thumbs:
 
That FE/FE2/F3 generation is just wonderful. Some of my favourite 35mm cameras, just a shame about 35mm really...
 
That FE/FE2/F3 generation is just wonderful. Some of my favourite 35mm cameras, just a shame about 35mm really...

Yes. Think I slightly prefer the F3 for the HP viewfinder - as a glasses wearer it's a big advantage.

Shame they never dabbled in medium format!
 
Brian

I did try selling mine some time ago but no offers. I have seen ones advertised in far far worse condition for £25. if you put mine in a shop window you would think it was new. Mine has the earlier LANTHAR lens which is rarer.

Even though I believe in film, I see no use for 35mm film compacts or these type of cameras...when digital compacts are cheap.
Mind you, the kids bought a very nice digital compact present for my wife, and last week I said "I bet you miss the simple film compact you used to use" and I got that look....yeah but it was a present from our sons what can I do :lol:
 
In general, the late 80s and 1990s cameras are very unloved. They are more capable than their brothers from the 70s and 80s, but lack their incredible charm and finesse (IMO). I'd have an FE2 over an F90 any day of the week... which is why I have the former as my main Nikon camera.

I think they are unloved for a reason, and that is simply the fact they have to viewed as disposable these days, if a F90 or EOS 5 goes faulty the only place for it is the bin.

There are plenty of techs around still working on OMs, FEs, FMs etc though.
 
Brian

I did try selling mine some time ago but no offers. I have seen ones advertised in far far worse condition for £25. if you put mine in a shop window you would think it was new. Mine has the earlier LANTHAR lens which is rarer.

f77o.jpg

I was just shooting with my Vito CLR at the weekend - it's got the Skopar lens. Absolutely lovely camera; since your one works, I'd put a few films through it and relive your youth!

Some scans from this morning:
20130702173709_scan-130702-0007.jpg


20130702173711_scan-130702-0014.jpg


And to show that the self timer works on mine too;)
20130702173713_scan-130702-0024.jpg
 
I think the main reason that my FM2n stays in the cupboard these days is the cost of colour film & processing. I really miss those simple analogue controls! The toughest thing with it is that you can't change the film-speed mid-roll, though.
 
I've been here a few times...

Most recently I put a Nikon F90x on the classifieds here, and on Ebay, and kept reducing the price and inviting offers, but nobody was interested.

I then walked along my local high street which has two camera shops, both of which sell used kit. Neither was interested at all.

Considering it's a really capable semi-pro camera, albeit not very fashionable these days, I was rather surprised. In truth it's at least 90% as good as an F100 (there's a sort of logic there..does that mean an F80 is 80% as good? :cuckoo:) which has a very loyal following and is highly regarded.

Anyway, on my way back I just dropped it off in Oxfam. At least I got a bit of satisfaction that it might make a few quid for a good cause, and they at least seemed grateful for it!

I do wonder if one day when all the nice FM2s, FE2s and so on are snapped up, these cameras and others like them might make a bit of a revival, but until then, they are unloved and almost unsaleable.

They are certainly available for peanuts,my EOS 600 cost me a mere £15 for a semi pro camera
 
I think the main reason that my FM2n stays in the cupboard these days is the cost of colour film & processing. I really miss those simple analogue controls! The toughest thing with it is that you can't change the film-speed mid-roll, though.

If you want to do something in a hobby, you'll find the money..OK buy 2 pints of beer less every 3 weeks, or one packet of cigarettes less or instead of fish and chips use a roll of film, etc etc etc.....the cheapest, for a roll of film and dev and 24 or 36 shots scanned to jpgs and put onto CD is £4 total..
 
Back
Top