View Full Version : Biggest "steal" you ever made...
SAShruby
13-Jul-2010, 07:50
Mine happened just yesterday. They just come once in a while. I'm, as some of you might know, a 100% analog guy but...
I couldn't resist to buy EPSON Stylus Pro 7880 with another sets of inks and two rolls of paper for......$1,500!!!!!!! Now, I need to learn to operate that beast!
I'm doomed, the digital just snapped me :eek:
Caivman
13-Jul-2010, 08:36
Good Find! We've got an old "retired" color plotter back in our storage room at our office that i'm thinking of purchasing from the firm to give them some "much needed storage space" back.... *devious grin*
lol, don't worry about going digital right now, it's too fast of an evolving market to really be able to economically get into it and not have outdated equipment in less than a year.... just buy a great scanner and be done with it.
Contax 139Q with winder, 21mm, 35mm, 50/1.2, 100-200zoom (all Zeiss)TLA flash, Sekonic L-398a meter Tiltall tripod and a Pelican case for $80 (in 1995)
John Jarosz
13-Jul-2010, 08:49
8x10 Kodak 2D in original and perfect operating condition, lensboard, 8x10 back, 5x7 back, extension rail, tripod block, (4) 8x10 filmholders, and (10) SS process holders for $150 three years ago.
IanMazursky
13-Jul-2010, 09:05
I wouldn't call this a steal but i did pickup an Ilford ICP42/IWD42 a few months ago for $250.
I know it sounds a bit high but it was in perfect condition with a ton of chemistry and accessories.
A few weeks ago i also picked up a Durst L1200 enlarger with a CLS 501 color head from one of my partner labs.
It came with a bunch of lenses, femo boxes, femo masks and a timer.
I just screwed it into the wall last weekend and leveled it this weekend. They let me borrow their laser leveler, that turned into a few hours of pulling, twisting and yelling.
But its ok now and the price was good for me at $250.
I did come across 2 dicomed digital backs, 2 vidiscence light panels and a bunch of other gear last year. It was from a friend that let me have it if i moved it out.
It was really cool of him and i did get the dicomeds working sort of. Scanning backs are really touchy but its still on the list of things to play with more.
In 2008 i found out about a local printing shop that was in receivership and i bought their photo studio out.
They only had a small lighting setup and the camera were long stolen. I came out with a profoto Acute 2 2400 with 2 heads and a bunch of stands, reflectors, softboxes, autopoles, spectrophotometers, dymo printer and a lot of other stuff. All for $560.
That was probably my only really good deal but i felt so bad for the factoring guy that was trying to get some of his money back.
I wish i could find one of those honey holes for old lenses or cameras but i haven't seen much of anything at garage sales or antique shops around here.
Its a fun game to play when the opportunity comes, i just wish it came more often!
Jay DeFehr
13-Jul-2010, 09:52
Minolta XD-11, black body, with 58mm f1.2, minty, $9.99 at a local thrift store, stacked among the plastic P&S detritus. That was nice. I also bought a Pentax digital spot meter in perfect working condition (once the battery was installed), for $25, from a local pawn shop. The list is long, and I hope it continues!
evan clarke
13-Jul-2010, 10:02
DeVere 504 with an Ilfospeed head, mixing boxes, lensboards and film carriers..$50.00..Evan Clarke
Robbie Shymanski
13-Jul-2010, 11:41
10x10 Durst enlarger with Aristo & color heads with an array of Schneider & Rodenstock lenses from 360mm down to a 50, a large fiberglass photo sink and a shit ton of RC papers all for the cost of having it moved into my house ($200). Plus a whole list of items that were given, the best being a Chromega D with timer and a Zeiss Biogon 75.
Kodak half plate field camera for £20
Beseler CB7 complete for cost of petrol (£40)
Calypso 35mm underwater camera, early version as a birthday present (free)
Jeffrey Sipress
13-Jul-2010, 11:56
A few years ago, my friend sold me his father in law's 1946 Martin 000-21 guitar for $1300. Pop was the original owner. Was under the bed for a coupla decades. Plays and sounds so sweet. Now worth $7K.
bvstaples
13-Jul-2010, 12:00
One that comes to mind is an old metal Toyo View half plate camera I bought here for a c-note. Cosmetically it was one of the nicest I've seen. The only issue it had was the bellows came unattached; they needed to be re-glued to the frames. Toyo used a specific cement, which was little tough to find, but once I found it ($6) I glued the bellows on and now it's one sweet camera. I love using it. But then I like fiddling with old things...
Brian
John Jarosz
13-Jul-2010, 12:04
Robbie:
You win.......
bought a mint 18 inch verito for $45....:)
sold it......
evan clarke
13-Jul-2010, 12:28
Robbie:
You win.......
Yep, Robbie, you win! However, Bob Carnie wrote yesterday that he got a vertical 11x14 DeVere enlarger for free, that's pretty good too!
Jfnphotography
13-Jul-2010, 13:19
JOBO ALT 3200 with 10 drums, and a 6ft tall drying cabinet. All free, they were going to put it in the dumpster if I didn't take it. Works great.
goamules
13-Jul-2010, 14:58
Winchester 1886 takedown with Extra Fancy walnut in 33 WCF for $1000. Sold it....
2000 sheets of tri x 5x7 film ( 20 100 sheet boxes )
mildly outdated ... 20$ ( none of it is fogged, and i am still shooting with it )
Was given a 360mm f/7.7 Goerz-Dagor a few years ago. Recently, a friend told me "From my attic to yours", and I got a really nice Ansco 8x10 with a 9.5" f/6.8 Goerz-Dagor and a #4 Extreme Wide Angle Periscope lens and 4 holders, AND an 5x7 Empire State No.2 with a 5x7 Bausch & Lomb lens. I'm such a pack-rat...:)
goamules
14-Jul-2010, 08:30
I guess if we're talking photographic deals, one of my favorites was a Century 8x10 studio camera with an extra 5x7 back, A Symmar convertible lens, a Rapid Rect lens, and hidden among other items in the listing picture - a minty 7.25" Verito in a No. 4 Betax shutter. Won them all for $225.
Jim Galli
14-Jul-2010, 10:32
One I didn't steal.........a guy offered a Pinkham & Smith lens Series 1 that was sadly missing it's front element, it only had the rear behind the iris. $700 even in that sorry state. I told him it was actually complete and offered $1500. He thanked me and countered with $2200.........which I paid.
I've decided it's not my job to educate sellers.
SAShruby
14-Jul-2010, 10:43
Ouch.
Andrew O'Neill
14-Jul-2010, 10:45
Hi Peter,
You won't be needing your 12x20 then. Can I steal it from you?
SAShruby
14-Jul-2010, 10:47
Oh my D 8x20?
Nah, I'll keep it. Can you imagine 24"x60" printed in 360DPI having only 3x enlargements? I see it right in from of me!
Andrew O'Neill
14-Jul-2010, 10:58
Nope. The 12x20 will do just fine, thanks.:)
sanking
14-Jul-2010, 11:04
I don't have a real good steal story. But a friend of mine recently picked up a 11X14 Korona wooden field camera in great shape with extension back and four holders for $125. That turned me green with envy.
Sandy
SAShruby
14-Jul-2010, 11:08
Nope. The 12x20 will do just fine, thanks.:)
The only drawback is you can't put too many pictures on the wall :D
bob carnie
14-Jul-2010, 11:34
I think this one is one of the tops.
2000 sheets of tri x 5x7 film ( 20 100 sheet boxes )
mildly outdated ... 20$ ( none of it is fogged, and i am still shooting with it )
Not a big steal, but a nice surprise, a huge Spanish exhibition catalogue for a show of Goya's work, tiny bit of wrinkling on the pages from damp I guess - £1.50 in the charity shop. (Book is "Goya, Personajes y rostros" 9788489860179)
Free devere 8x10 enlarger with lens.
Richard M. Coda
14-Jul-2010, 13:44
Back in the early 1980s... Edward Weston "A Life in Photographs" (clothbound/slipcased) AND a EW/CW print of China Cove... $130 new from Aperture.
Robbie Shymanski
15-Jul-2010, 08:51
I was helping clean a house and came across some Institute of Design annual photo portfolios. Along with signed work by Ray Metzger and Barbara Crane, there were two signed prints of "Jerome, Arizona" by Aaron Siskind! That and a complete second edition Wethemuth Portfolio by FLW.
Michael Graves
15-Jul-2010, 16:00
8x10M Toyo field camera in mint condition, with a 300mm 5.6 Fujinon. A Gitzo Tele Studex tripod with a Rationale 4 head and 12 mint 8x10 fidelity film holders, plus a box of 50 sheets of tri-x to get me started. Total price....$500.00.
c.d.ewen
15-Jul-2010, 19:41
bought a mint 18 inch verito for $45....:)
sold it......
Crap, Eddie, you beat me - I got a pair of them but had to pay $200 apiece. :rolleyes:
Oh, wait - that last soiree at your place? Got a 16 1/2 Dagor for $50.
Charley
Michael Roberts
15-Jul-2010, 21:14
A Turner Reich No. 6--that's the 11x14 lens--triple convertible 15-24-36 for $64. It's in barrel, not shuttered, but still...I don't think I'll ever part with it.
I think John wins so far--what's that, a penny a sheet? Sweet!
8x10 user
15-Jul-2010, 23:38
An 18" Spencer Portland for $200, an 18" Gundlach Hyperion for $750, and a 17" P&S SA for $1700 make the top of my list.
Of course managing to purchase a P&S is a steal no matter what the cost is. Anyone have one for sale?
jonnrossi@gmail.com
16-Jul-2010, 01:03
A few years ago, my friend sold me his father in law's 1946 Martin 000-21 guitar for $1300. Pop was the original owner. Was under the bed for a coupla decades. Plays and sounds so sweet. Now worth $7K.
Your work is beautiful. Jon
Durst Lab 1200 with CLS450 head and a 135mm lens and the power supply - for $50. But it cost me $$$ to build a darkroom so I could use it.
This week I've been given 2 x 100 sheet boxes of old paper, slightly fogged. Develops ok with a little benzo. I'm a happy camper! :)
Steve M Hostetter
16-Jul-2010, 05:15
I stole my ex-wife from her then huge boyfriend .. Then not long after I had to fight the bastard so I guess you could say she wasn't a bargin
cosmicexplosion
16-Jul-2010, 06:21
350 foot roll of kodak 4" film for 60 bucks the other day off ebay! (over a thousand 4x5 shots)
... i did buy a custom horsman 6x12 medium format kit, that cost the guy 20k to have built, for a fraction of that, which i am now thinking of selling since i discovered LF.....
Darren H
16-Jul-2010, 09:23
Best photography steal was a Soligor spot meter for $5 at a garage sale. Got ten years of good use out of it.
W K Longcor
16-Jul-2010, 12:40
Just received delivery of my Epson 4990 scanner which I got on the "BAY" for the opening bid of 99cents. It looks like new -- I'll find out how everything works this weekend. Lesson to all who post on the auction sites -- don't list on a holiday weekend. The seller was great and honored my bid. I AM feeling a bit guilty. If the darn thing works good, I may have to send the guy something more (NOT much more, but something).:o
Don Dudenbostel
16-Jul-2010, 15:17
A new condition 4x5 Baby Deardorff with mint Ilex mounted 210 Tessar, 5 new Graflex 4x5 holders in the sealed paper and case for $800. Also picked up a minty M2 leica, new condition IIIG, 50 Ltm summicron, Elmarit 90, Zeiss 50 sonnar, Elmar 50 2.8, 35mm v1 Summicron minty, 135 Elmar, MR meter 2 leitz table top tripods and large heads, Viso II, Viso 1 and bellows a number of other leica lenses and a ton of adapters ofr $1500. All were in mint to near mint condition except the Sonnar. Also a minty Nikkor 8mm f2.8 fish eye for $500. Also bought a 50mm f1.2 Noctilux in the 70's from a rich kid I knew who wrecked his mothers car and had to sell his camera gear to fix it. Bought it for $100 and my friend bought his M4 for $100. Wish I had the Noctilux back now to sell at todays prices.
I keep my eyes and ears open and have found quite a few great deals over the years.
The ones that got away -
2 Leica GG reporter cameras, one complete and one 97% complete in swap for my Leicaflex SL MOT and 180 apo Tele. My EXWIFE talked me out of it. BIG STUPID!!!!!!!
A Mountain Elmar 105 leica lens for $65. I was a student in the college and just didn't have the extra cash and didn't think I would use it if I bought it. Stupid!!!!!
Jim Galli
16-Jul-2010, 19:34
Yesterday a co-worker had an old Korean War spotting scope torn down for cleaning. We still use them in our tracking telescopes. This one was from an old hand tracker that the US Navy used for aiming the ships guns. Anyways the main optic was nasty from being stored in the weather for 55 years. He had a new old stock glass to install and was going to pitch the old one. It looked for all the world like a landscape meniscus to me, so I dug it out of the trash and put it in my pocket. I held a ground glass behind it in a darkened room and looking out of doors I determined that it was about 375mm f5. Very usable for LF. After everyone went home I went down to where the ABS pipe fittings are kept and discovered it would almost fit in the small end of a 3" male adapter. I chucked the ABS in a lathe and removed material until my glass would fit nicely. I cleaned up the rest so it didn't look like waste pipe fittings. This morning at home I discovered the 3" IP thread would just start in a 14" Cooke flange. I mounted that puppy on the old Kodak 2D 6.5X8.5 and made some pictures in the garden this AM. Here's the first fruit.
http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/MisclMenisci/OldTTRSpottingScope/SnappyCarsandFastBoatsS.jpg
snappy cars and fast boats
David Karp
16-Jul-2010, 19:48
Jim Galli, I often think you have more fun at this than most of us. (And I am assuming that most of us are having lots of fun.)
neil poulsen
16-Jul-2010, 23:14
The one that stands out for me is the 14" Schneider-Dagor MC that I purchased for $750. After a few years, it sold for $2827 on EBay.
It's debatable where the actual theft occurred, when I bought it or when I sold it!
More recently, I bought two Mamiya RB's, four lenses, a Mamiya 645 system, and accessories for $750. As I was getting ready to leave, the seller's father hurriedly drove up and threw in another RB system with a prism viewer at no extra cost.
The one I missed was a recent Shen Hao 8x10 that I was tracking on EBay. The opening bid was $0.99 with no reserve, and it didn't sell.
goamules
17-Jul-2010, 09:19
Jim, I guess I had a similar experience. A few years ago I bought a lot of lens parts. There was a magic lantern lens I wanted, the rest of the items looked like broken parts. One piece was an aluminum fitting about the size of a toilet paper tube. It had knurling and interlocks and a bunch of junk, and a tiny lens way down inside. After a few weeks I decided to try to get the glass out for fun (disassembling things is fun, right?). After figuring out how to remove sleeves and shanks and johnson rods, there was the little lens, covered in Cosmoline. I cleaned it off and it read: CP Goerz....Dagor...
tbeaman
17-Jul-2010, 14:04
I'm not sure if it's my "biggest", but it's definitely the most recent. I went to check out a craigslist ad for "darkroom stuff", and instead ended up coming home with, amongst other odds and ends of stuff:
3 accordion bottles (the only actual darkroom stuff, and I don't think I'll use 'em)
5 4x5 holders
3 8x10 holders
A bulb and cable release
Vivitar speedlight
Some Cokin filters
Graflex 6x9 roll holder
A Polaroid 405 back
A Polaroid 545 back
About 60 sheets of Polaroid film for the above (most of it type 55!)
A bottle of sodium sulfite for the above
And a big hiking backpack to fit everything into.
Total cost: $30
The 405 back actually had two sheets of 669 left loaded into it, so I tried one not expecting much. The results are on my Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/15692938@N04/4785312541/). I really wanted to post it in the image sharing forum here, but I didn't think 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" would be kosher even though I shot it on my Speed.
Pretty magical, though! Originally, I was thinking about the money I could make re-selling everything, but instead I just ended up spending more money on a Graflok back (which was also a bit of a steal) so I can use it all. Not only that, but now I've got the instant bug, and they just keep discontinuing what little is left. :(
Steven Tribe
17-Jul-2010, 14:31
No "steal" here as it was an website auction based in Europe. A 16/18" Patent Pending Graf Variable in original leather case and with both lens caps. Equivalent to 38USD. Almost exactly what I had to pay for postage - and for a suitable flange. It was something of a surprise/shock as the "size" (efl and physical) and lens rim text were not discernable in photos. I always seen to get the biggest (or next biggest!) sizes in my bargains.
redrockcoulee
21-Jul-2010, 13:59
I bought some large format stuff from the estate sale of a person I replaced at my former job. Got 15 4X5 holders, some 5X7 holders and I think 3 8X10 holders. I sold the new in box 5X7 holders on ebay for a lot more than the $37 I paid for the lot, Think someone on this list mentioned the madness of the price but as I got just slightly more than 4 times what I thought I would so I had no complaints.
In the early eighties I got one of the last models of Rolleichord for a Gitan bike which was part of a deal that got me a huge mahogany office desk and a Doniselli bike for a broken Kawi 350 twin of my wife's. Donicelli is semi retired along with its Camy parts and the desk which was barn paint drab brown has been a beautiful piece of furniture for three decades. The Rollei unfortantely broke so that one cannot use a cable release or the actual shutter button.
shadow images
21-Jul-2010, 18:09
I bought a ton of Jobo equipment(Drums/Reels) and chemistry from a lab in Tuscon for $300. Kept all the chemistry and half the jobo equipment. All said and done I made back my $300 and an extra $150.
eduardtoader
24-Jul-2010, 19:17
A Voigtlander Heliar Braunschveig 210mm f3,5 coated for 60 euro..
Heavy Universal Heliar 360/4.5 for about 40EUR :-).
In comunism era, we have here in Czech Republic one state photo company called "Fotografia" where they have all the wonderful lens (Eidoscopes, Petzvals, Heliars etc...) and time to time, some of them is find :-)
speedfreak
31-Jul-2010, 21:01
Probably not a steal, but the local camera shop, which i frequent for their used gear, had a minty Zone VI 4x5 listed at $399. After some research I found out it was one of the Vermont made versions. Went and bought it the next day, and after some time of playing hot potato with cameras, I think I'll stick with this one for a while!
dsphotog
31-Jul-2010, 23:51
I just got home from the liquidation sale of an old theater.
Picked up a working Kleigl light & a Century fresnel light plus a few extra bits for..... $15.00
Jim Fitzgerald
1-Aug-2010, 06:55
18" Darlot with Iris for $90.00. It even has the flange.
Jim
Prior to my LF endeavors, I actually purchased my first Hasselblad at a Flea Market for $30.00...
It was a 500C, A12 back, and 80 lens....tucked away in a VHS camcorder case...among all the junk...
I opened the case, closed the case, asked how much...and couldn't get the money out of my wallet fast enough...
The downside - the rear element had a gouge, most likely the screwdriver type while resetting...which cost $150.00 to replace the element...
Even with the repair, I was ecstatic, as it finally got me away from my Ward-Flex TLR....
Dan
Bausch and Lomb 5.75" Cinephor II modified petzval f2!! for $9 on Fleabay.
oh. i got my pentax digital spot meter in Rangoon Burma for $80....i am still using it 6 years later (although i have not seen it for some time.....been shooting wet plate too much....i better go find it!)
i am so glad my other meter broke when it did!
eddie
John Kasaian
2-Aug-2010, 10:21
A Panavision changing bag for about $12. It is for movie cameras but has plenty of room inside to load 8x10 holders :)
Jobo processor in perfect working order with lift, 8x10 and 4x5 film drum, 24" paper drum as well as 14 other various film and paper drums, vaccum lid remover for
$40
I bought a Mazda pick-up from a fellow in San Fran many years ago. Decent deal for both of us. I happened to have a portfolio with me, so after the sale, I showed him my work as he was interested in photography. As I walked out the door he asked me to wait a minute and he came out with an old Speed Graphic (wood body) with a Zeiss Tessar 15cm/4.5, all in good working condition. He gave it to me.
an 8x10 ansco studio camera that looked like a box of kindling, $10. Oh yeah, it came with a Verito soft focus lens and a 21 1/4 anastigmat too! Yay craigslist.
8x10 Improved Empire State plate camera with Bausch and Lomb Planatograph lens, and 5x7 Seneca 9 with Ilex triple convertible 8.5 to 20 lens plus holders for each and ancient wooden tripods. $35 for the lot at a Goodwill store back in the early 1970's.
8x10 Improved Empire State plate camera with Bausch and Lomb Planatograph lens, and 5x7 Seneca 9 with Ilex triple convertible 8.5 to 20 lens plus holders for each and ancient wooden tripods. $35 for the lot at a Goodwill store back in the early 1970's.
Dang nowadays that would be on Goodwill Online where the prices go higher than E-Bay (I suppose because it's charity?).
Jim Rhoades
13-Aug-2010, 08:05
Oh yeah, a mint condition Crown Graphic /135 mm Schneider Xenar, case, flash, holders etc. It was so new that the wood shipping block was still in the rangefinder battery box. City Government auction. It was an old vice squad camera that no one knew how to use. $15.
No it's not for sale.
KyledeC
13-Aug-2010, 09:56
4x5 LPL Diffusion Modular Enlarger Model 7415, Schneider lens, power conversion box, Ecowash paper rinser, 4x5 Jobo developing tank, and chemistry trays- ALL FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At a yard sale, in the bottom of a box of old 70's plastic and Polaroid cameras, a beat up leather camera bag with 2 user black paint Leica M4s with a little brassing, black paint 35 Summilux, a 28 Elmar and an early 50/1.0 Noctilux, several Leitz viewfinders, a Leicavit winder and some other Leitz accessories. The lady running the sale said she would have to have at least $60 if I wanted everything in the bag. I told her that was a bit steep and talked her down to $40.
...excerpt from a recurring dream of mine. sigh...
Both my Sinar P system and the Fuji GX 680 were given to me for free, together with hundreds of rolls and boxes of film.
John Jarosz
23-Aug-2010, 07:05
I wonder why no one has posted that they got hundreds of Ansel Adams negatives for free?
MIke Sherck
23-Aug-2010, 10:50
I got hundreds of Edward Weston negatives at a garage sale... Sorry, John: you'll have to wait a little longer, I guess!
I don't know what was the best: my Beseler 45 enlarger was $4.50 at a local school auction. My Seal 210 dry mount press was $40 at another school auction (and I watched, helpless, as a 20x24 press sold for $125 when I had already spent all the money I had with me.) There was the estate auction with (literally!) hundreds of old folder cameras, Brownies, etc. in large boxes. My wife was merrily buying entire boxes for $5 each. The cameras were, of course, useless and worthless but in the bottom of one box was a small cardboard box with "Cooke & Sons" printed on it and the cutest little Cooke lens inside... There was the photo studio going out of business auction where I was so mad that one fellow bought ALL of the 4x5 film holders that I spent $10 on a stack of 8x10 film holders in frustration. Of course, I didn't start shooting 8x10 until a few years later but I made a nice profit out of those dozen or so holders. The wooden ones went to France, as I recall.
Funny, but out of all those sales and auctions, all I ever kept were a few 4x5 film holders and my Rolleiflex New Standard. Strange how that works out sometimes!
Mike
Pretty good weekend. Thursday, a friend of a friend called to asked for help in cataloging his small collection of old folders and rangefinders. Friday afternoon he offers me a Super Chomega C Dichro, a Beseler 23CII with Dual Dichroic lamphouse, and a very early but nice Omega DII (not D2)....the one that had the starring role in "Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon". Not bad for an hour's work. Now to redesign the darkroom.
douglas gove
24-Aug-2010, 12:20
Yesterday...brand new in box Bogen 3047...$35
henrysamson
24-Aug-2010, 14:04
About 5 years ago I came upon a 5x7 Burke & James view camera with 5x7 and 4x5 backs, two Grafmatic holders (4x5) and an 8 1/4" Gold Dot Dagor in Compur shutter. All pretty much mint. $100.00 total.
Ben Syverson
24-Aug-2010, 19:39
There have been a bunch of these threads before of course, but I thought I'd add my most recent steal... I wound up buying a "Fujinar" 250mm f/4.5 from KEH in a gigantic shutter for $170. It covers 8x10 (though a bit swirly in the corners). After having shot 20 or so sheets with it, I'm in love. It's amazing to have such a nice bright image on the ground glass!
Allen in Montreal
25-Aug-2010, 14:08
Many years ago, I walked into a small camera store to find a Linhof Tech 5 with an 150 Apo Lanthar on it and a handful of Toyo holders, for sale in the used gear display.
Knowing I could not afford it all, I asked how much for just the camera.
The owner berated me in front of several clients.
"You kids want only the best for nothing and leave me with the rest"........
She really torn into me for asking to split the kit.
She then announced it was 500 for everything, cash, take it or leave and get out of the store if you don't have the cash.
I took the kit and left, very happy.
One of the clients knew I was happy about the deal and said nothing, I am guessing because the owner continued to slur nasty remarks about what nerve I had for asking, right to up to the last second as I walked out the door.
The store is still there, but I have not set foot inside since.
- sinar f2 with 4 sinaron lenses, case, wide angle bellows, 5 fidelity holders, some wratten filters, all in pristine condition - 500€ - this was just recently, and looking at ebay prices it was extremly cheap.
- 4 boxes of fresh kodak epy for 5€ (1€+shipping)
- a friend once bought a schneider centerfilter for 10€. the seller labeled it as helioplan, so nobody found it through the search. since then im occasionaly searching for helioplan :rolleyes:
Preston
20-Sep-2010, 12:31
I found a Lee compendium shade/filter holder combo hanging on a willow branch. I did ask a few folks who were shooting LF in the area if they had lost it...no takers. It was a nice freebie!
--P
Came across a craigslist ad a couple years back that had a couple lenses for 8x10. Retired commercial photographer with lots of gear. I walked away with 2 lenses and 10 holders for $500.
A whole box of 4x5 camera parts, mostly B&J but also got a basically complete New-Vue Camera, the real gem in that box was a 165mm Scheneider Doppel-Anastigmat Symmar, yes an early Dagor Symmar. The glass was dirty but cleaned up reasonablly well and I just got the dial-set Compur working last night after I cleaned and greased the timing gears. $25 at an antique shop.
Claude Sapp
20-Sep-2010, 13:41
24 pristine 8x10 Fidelity holders, free from an X-ray supply house.
William McEwen
20-Sep-2010, 14:03
You folks are killing me! It hurts, it hurts! This stuff never happens to me!
William "Still Paying Full Price" McEwen
Memories keep coming back.
Full sized metal Gitzo Studex with ball head---$35 at a consignment auction. Twelve years ago and still working perfectly.
Last summer, helped a friend sell her uncle's estate collection of really great gear. My payment? About 7 boxes of 4x5 Ilford 100 and 25 sheet boxes and over 20 rolls of 120 B&W, old but well stored and shooting perfectly, PLUS, a near mint Galvin 6x7 with Fuji 150mm, two boards, and two roll backs. Finally, a Zone VI calibrated Pentax V, two Tamrac backpacks and 30 4x5 holders in near mint condition. All that plus a big thank you hug sure made my day.
You folks are killing me! It hurts, it hurts! This stuff never happens to me!
William "Still Paying Full Price" McEwen
oh yeah, i almost forgot: a couple of years ago i bought a hasselblad a12 back from a retired photographer and saw he had a fridge full of rollfilm. so i went home with the back and 60 rolls of perfectly fine kodak epd free of extra charge.
the good deals are getting more rare though. seems like most of the pros got rid of their analog equipment by now and prices are rising again.
William McEwen
20-Sep-2010, 16:01
oh yeah, i almost forgot: a couple of years ago i bought a hasselblad a12 back from a retired photographer and saw he had a fridge full of rollfilm. so i went home with the back and 60 rolls of perfectly fine kodak epd free of extra charge.
the good deals are getting more rare though. seems like most of the pros got rid of their analog equipment by now and prices are rising again.
The dagger goes in deeper...
Dan Fromm
20-Sep-2010, 16:56
Bill, if you don't look you won't find. Or, more exactly, if you didn't look you wouldn't have found.
These days real steals on dealers' web sites or on eBay are quite uncommon. Dealers know better than they used to and the scavengers have got better at searching. There's a reason why all the braggarts in this thread use the past tense.
I'm not sure about Craigslist and international equivalents. Although I've got a few good items below market from foreign equivalents of Craigslist in the last couple of years, I've never found much worth trying to buy on Craigslist itself. People trying to sell there usually have inflated ideas of how much their treasures are worth.
The days when I could go to a camera show, spend a little money, and recoup my expenses and then some by selling the stuff on eBay are long gone too. Few camera shows left and little worth trying to resell at the ones I attend. The occasional lens board, every once in a while a shutter that seems to be dead but that can be resurrected ...
Our local flea market has never been good for much either although I did once buy a pair of 240/9 Dagor type G-Clarons there for $20. Each brought a little more on eBay, as did another of the same bought for $50 delivered from a seller on eBay.co.uk. Unrepeatable opportunities, alas.
Fortunately my kit's pretty complete until I go crazy and decide to change format. 6x12 has some appeal. With luck I'll find buried treasure that will pay for that move, but until I do its on hold.
What I know for sure is that if I don't look for buried treasure I'll never find any. Might have some in the closet, though, haven't gone prospecting there for a while. One lens forgotten in the closet paid for last year's big acquisitions.
Cheers,
Dan
Claude Sapp
20-Sep-2010, 17:57
Oh yeah, and a free Omega D5500 loaded with lenses, turret, carriers...again, free.
Policar
20-Sep-2010, 18:20
A good drum scanner went for $400 today on eBay. I know since I didn't win it.
a minty coated 360mm heliar for $166 and 180mm heliar in compur for $78. Both from epay.:D
benrains
21-Sep-2010, 09:55
My biggest steal was a 16x20 G.Gennart Soldak camera complete with a plate holder. The eBay auction ended this past weekend, and I was the only bidder on it with a very low amount. I got it for the listing start price of $199.99.
I was pretty sure someone on here was gonna blow me out of the water, but I guess you were all too busy chasing after some little baby 8x10 Eastman 2Ds or something. :)
William McEwen
21-Sep-2010, 15:31
Garage sales? Any luck there?
Dan Fromm
21-Sep-2010, 16:37
Bill, garage sales are an urban legend. I've never found anything I wanted at one, and that includes non-photo stuff, so have written them off. Guy across the street is in dire straits, has had a garage sale every weekend for the last month or so (not legal, I think we're allowed one a year). Huge TV, not HD; spiffy gas grill; crappy furniture. Do you want that sort of stuff? I don't and I'm tired of seeing it all in his driveway.
Seriously and all kidding aside, the majority of my good snags have been at camera shows (but not lately), from vendors' sites (likewise, but after staring at a lens on a site in Italy for a year I just anted up for it), from eBay (US and foreign) and from foreign Craigslist equivalents. I'm dithering about a "Craigslist" lens in France; I have one of it, the second would be for resale (risky), and I'm not sure how much postage will be. Asking is cheap, I should ask.
Recent eBay snags include a 90/6.8 Boyer Beryl (another way to spell Dagor); a Copal Press #0; and a Prontor Press #00 bundled with some Riteway holders, a Polaroid 545, and what I think is a 4x5 Graflok focusing panel. We'll see when that box arrives. I'm going to try to turn the holders and focusing panel, if that's what it is, around quickly, they should pay for the shutter.
Last year I got a bundle from another French Craigslist equivalent. 270/9 G-Claron, 250/6.8 Beryl (do you see a pattern?), really crappy 210/5.6 Rodagon. The G-Claron and Rodagon paid for the Dagor, sorry, Beryl.
All fine for me, but I'm not sure that you want anything I've bought. I read about other peoples' good snags, feel good for them and wonder how on earth I'd ever use most of the things that have made them so happy.
benrains
21-Sep-2010, 17:43
Never had any luck with garage sales either... although perhaps if you're good with your sleuthing and can track down estate sales or auctions for deceased photographers and photo enthusiasts, you might find some deal there. Me, I don't have the time or desire to do that.
I've had a little luck with antique shops. Whenever I'm visiting other cities I always try to visit a few local antique stores if I've any spare time. Once I found an Aero-Ektar 178/2.5 still attached to part of an old aerial photography camera. I got that for $50, removed the lens, cleaned it up, and sold it on eBay to someone in Japan for five times as much. Most of the deals I've had, and continue to have, are found with casual browsing of eBay, Craigslist, or in the For Sale listings here.
I often also look for slightly broken stuff that I'm fairly confident I can repair. I scored a beautiful late model Deardorff 8x10 with front swings this way at very good price because its rack and pinion focus gearing was misaligned. It took me about 15 minutes to fix with nothing more than a screwdriver. One of the great pleasures of working with big old wooden cameras is how easy they are to repair. With maybe 90% of the repairs I make, they can be done with a few $ in hand and a quick trip to a local hardware store.
I've made a few finds at estate sales but never garage sales it's true. The best one was the estate of a photographer/collector who frequented estate sales. More cameras and lenses than you can imagine- most junk but I found some good stuff in there. I think the key to finding good deals is to just keep looking as much as you can. For instance, I found a Jobo CPE2+ in perfectly clean condition with tanks just the other day at the Salvation Army of all places. You know what the chances of that are? Pretty much like winning the lottery- so it pays to "get out there".
goamules
22-Sep-2010, 08:13
Well believe it or not after perusing the same Tucson antique shops for years to no avail, this weekend I found, hidden in a lower cabinet, an incomplete wooden 8x10 field camera, 2 mint lensboards, two Ilexpro shutters, a couple wooden plate holders, and a box of magic lantern slides and glass dryplates. Got em all for a "parts" price.
However, antique shops and garage sales in the southwest generally are poor on the antiques. Not enough people lived out here, for not enough time. When NYC had something like 50 photography studios in 1860, Arizona was not even a state until 1912!
SAShruby
22-Sep-2010, 10:33
10 more posts and finally I'm in the 100 no picture post club. :)
Jim Jones
25-Sep-2010, 11:08
The sale bill for a small Missouri town estate auction few months ago listed "Leica accessories". At the auction these weren't displayed. The auctioneer located them with some difficulty. My winning bid was $30. Since all the proceeds were going to the local college, I told the auctioneer to mark it up to $100. They were a beautiful fitted case from the early '30s with an early 35mm f3.5 Elmar, 7.3cm f1.9 Hector, 135mm f4.5 Elmar, a rangefinder, and a few small items, all in fine condition.
As for garage sales, a model 1858 Remington rebvolver, made in 1864, and in good condition. The seller had done enough research to determine that it was an original Remington, but hadn't researched typical values. I didn't haggle over the $40 price.
David Karp
25-Sep-2010, 11:33
Not as good as many of the others, but I got a nice 180mm Fujinon W (single coated) for $100 a few years ago. Makes a very nice shorter focal length for my WP camera.
BennehBoy
25-Sep-2010, 14:17
Not LF but I picked up a Leica M4-P with 70th Anniversary 50mm Summicron for 395GBP a couple months back.
jeroldharter
25-Sep-2010, 14:55
Not sure if this is a "steal" given that I spent $480, but I got:
1 Jobo 3010
2 Jobo 3005's
2 Jobo 4x5 reels (for use in other tanks)
2 Jobo 4x5 reel loaders
John Whitley
26-Sep-2010, 14:58
People trying to sell there usually have inflated ideas of how much their treasures are worth.
I generally agree with Dan on this point. There are a lot of starry-eyed optimists on Craigslist. On the other hand, I've found some good, fair prices for photography-related items on CL and it's nice to be able to inspect items in-person. Now for my obligatory "steals":
Seal Masterpiece 500 dry mount press ($50)
LPL 7700 6x7 enlarger, glass maksing carrier, and other darkroom accessories ($75)
A pristine Nuarc Flip-top plate burner (priceless... er, free)
Enlarger deals have to be pretty exotic these days to warrant "steal" status, IMO.
David Karp
26-Sep-2010, 15:07
That is my experience with Craig's List too, mostly.
This reminded me that I once purchased a Calumet 45N, a 135mm Fujinon W, a 180mm Fujinon A, some holders, some expired film, Polaroid 545 and pack film holders, a nice Horseman 6x7 roll film holder, and several double sided holders. I don't remember what I paid, but I sold all of it but the Polaroid holders and the Fujinon A. Made a bit of money on it. Originally, I thought I wanted the Horseman holder too, but decided that it was not for me.
Turns out I wish I kept the 135mm Fujinon. Now I have a 5x7 back for my WP camera, and it would have been a nice short focal length, as the older Fuji 135s cover just fine.
All of this came from a pro photographer. This was his backup camera and some stuff he did not use that much any more, plus some holders to make a kit. He just wanted to get rid of the stuff.
John Bowen
26-Sep-2010, 16:43
My Best STEAL???
Don't know if this qualifies, but back in '95, my $250 raffle ticket resulted in a Lexus GS 300 (sticker was $45,000).....I've used it to to go "cruizin' fer snaps." Then last year "clunked" it for a $4,000 rebate on a hybrid....
Captain_joe6
28-Sep-2010, 00:00
The #2 steal for me was a Century studio camera and stand, with sliding and fixed 5x7 backs, and one very large Packard shutter, for $100.
The #1 though is still my 8x10 Sinar P2, in absolutely pristine condition save for two bubble-levels, which are infrequently used, for $2000. Its not a converted 4x5 P2, either, it has the correct heavy-duty rear carrier and the extended front standard, so I still have complete front rise and fall abilities.
Love that camera...
Andrew O'Neill
28-Sep-2010, 16:56
10 more posts and finally I'm in the 100 no picture post club
Ya, but you still need 4890 more posts to get into "the good 'ol boys' club" here, eh! ;)
How could I forget?????!!!!!
1993(?), photographing a hospital fund raising event which included a raffle for a fully restored 1970 Stingray convertible with the accessory bubble top roof. Spent $40 on tickets and put half in my wife's name. Sure enough, one of her's won the darn thing. She even let me drive it about four times in the year that we kept it.
Jim Noel
30-Sep-2010, 09:30
My biggest steal is a book. A pristine copy of Mortensen's "Monsters and Madonnas" for $5.00 in an antique store.
Kerik Kouklis
30-Sep-2010, 12:30
About 10 years ago my wife bought a small secretary desk at a local antique street fair for about $250. After it was in the house for a few weeks, she pulled the drawers out looking for something she had lost and found an envelope with about £1,000 cash carefully hidden behind the drawers. There was also a passbook from a British bank account with a balance of several hundred £. The most recent date in the passbook was the early 70's. Would sure like to know how that desk made it to Placerville...
My cousin and i bought a pawn ticked off a guy for $15 back in 1970 redeemed and split goods! For my $8.00 investment i got a full set of 58MM Hoya color correction filters, a Yashica 635 TLR and a 2 color Gossen Sixti Color Color meter. I still have the filters and meter and do use the sixti color when shooting digital!
Emil Schildt
2-Oct-2010, 16:22
my best steal is also my funniest...
My tein brother bought a big old camera at a store - purely by accidence...
A couple of years later he (or his girlfriend) grew tired of ot and he offered to me for 300$...
Then a couple of years went by, and via a curious student, we decided to see if we could determine what camera make it was.
the front plate was not original, and I could see a small part of a plate sticking out under it.
We unscrewed the holders for the front plate, and look and behold:
the name was "GANDOLFI MAKERS of London!
So I was the owner of an old 12x16 Gandolfi!....
The look on my brothers face, when he realized it was precious!!
rycollier
7-Oct-2010, 08:51
I had this boss when I worked at a photo store that didn't give a crap about LF. First of all, I can't believe the guy trading this stuff in let it go for so cheap, but for $250 I got a Calumet view, 135 N-II, bag bellows, short rail and a large Bogen tripod w/ head. A few years ago I sold just the camera stuff to KEH for allot more... but now I kind of wish I still had it.
Sighthound Lover
7-Oct-2010, 17:58
I have no clue as to what you would consider a steal. I bought a 8 x 10 Korona Home Portrait camera for my son. It came with a hard carry case and a 5 x 7 reducing back. Had to get a new aspirator bulb for it but otherwise it is like new. Got it through Craigs List for $75.00. Steal, good deal or not???
Kimberly Anderson
8-Oct-2010, 17:11
Saunders LPL 4550 XLC = $60
Beseler 20x24 4-bladed easel, the good one = $35
I had a pretty good week last week. Oh and all of the gear is in dang good shape...not perfect but definitely usable.
All in pretty good condition, especially the SSG.
Super Speed Graphic serial number 6547XX (1965?)
135mm Graflex Optar f/4.5-32 Rodenstock lens in Graflex 1000 shutter, serial number 55990XX (1964?).
Graflex Super Graphic Optical Viewfinder with mask for 10-exp. 120 film.
Both batteries dead, need replaced.
Two Graflex double-sided sheet film holders.
One Graflex Graphic 4x5 film pack adapter.
One Graflex Grafmatic 4x5 film holder.
One Graflex RH10 size (2.25x2.75) 120 roll film back.
One Graflex Polaroid Land 4x5 film holder.
One Graflex Presslok tripod mount.
One Graflex 2-cell Graphlite flash with "Y" connecting cord.
One 5-inch and one 7-inch reflector heads.
Twelve Sylvania 25B flash bulbs.
Series 6 Kodak red and yellow filters.
A dozen or two sheets of old film.
Users manual, price list, accessory manual, repair cost sheet.
Now I gotta learn all over again how to push-pull film holders.
Bart
Drew Bedo
7-Nov-2010, 06:39
Last spring I bought a used LowePro bag from the bargan bin at a local photo shop. A zipper was broken—the slider had pulled out of one set of teeth. It was $5.00 and I figured I could get it fixed or replaced. t5he bag was well used and most of the deviders were missing.
Later that same day I dropped by a local camping store (not a national recreation chain) and asked for guidence. I was looking for a referal for zipper repaire. They offered to send it off to get the an estimate from the Mfg. less than a week later they called to say my item was ready. When I got there they gave me a BRAND NEW bag from LowePro! All the inserts and little straps . . .all of it. Lifetime warrenty seems to mean just that!
Steal or deal?
This happened years ago but was still a steal. I was helping my contractor friend clean out an old building which was slated for destruction. The bottom floor was a studio and the basement was a huge darkroom. I took out many boxes of paper, film and chemicals, all good. Also there were safelights, deep tanks for 4x5, film hangers, trays, timers, enlarging lenses and a bunch of other goodies. All for the price of helping my contractor friend clear the building.
Jobo CPP 2 with lift and loads of drums, for £175 a couple of months ago :)
Signed copy of Calderdale photographs by Martin Parr (his 2nd book and very rare) for £7 about 3 years ago, still can't believe the price as they rarely come up for sale.
goamules
9-Nov-2010, 07:29
My wife get's most of our steals, at thrift stores. The other day she brought home a brand new MSR Whisperlite mountaineering stove, with the bag and all spares, for $5. Was in a "unknown stuff bin" at Goodwill or something. She occasionally finds camera stuff, but not too often. I have to search the continents and seven seas for those items!
Deniz Merdanogullari
10-Nov-2010, 15:31
Ok here is mine!
Traded my Nikon D300 and 35/2 straight up for a Leica M6 + zeiss planar 50/2
D300 paid itself off 10 times over. and is now pretty much worthless.. M6 on the other hand....
No more digital toys for me.. except the iphone :)
c.d.ewen
10-Nov-2010, 17:03
Confessions of a long-time thief:
Bought two 18" Verito's (one from Andy Glover, AKA Dagor77) for about $200 apiece. Both needed minor fixing.
Picked up a free Beseler Dichro 67 at the dump.
Bought a Jobo CPP2 w/lift from a retired pro photog for $400 off Craigslist. He thought he was stealing from me, as the Jobo motor was failing. I still have it, but I sold the four 3063 drums it came with for $200 apiece.
Bought a Seal 210M hot press on eBay from a local school that insisted on pick-up only. Needed a new pad, but only cost $17.
I could go on, but you'd all hate me.
Charley
Dan Fromm
17-Nov-2010, 13:30
I don't know about magnitude, but I think this one is my heaviest.
900/10 Apo Saphir. Weighs 3.9 kg. Covers 655 mm at infinity. Mounting threads M140x1.5. If a long pinhole is needed, it stops to f/128. Makes the 600/9 Klimsch Apo Ronar I used to have look a bit puny.
Price new in 1982 from Rolyn Optics, $4898.80. Cost delivered from Germany, $201. My, how the mighty have fallen.
Cornelius
22-Nov-2010, 00:59
I think this one is one of the tops.
Agreed, that's a hell of a deal.
gnuyork
27-Nov-2010, 08:52
Leica M6 -
It was one of those Ebay auctions I was going to try to snipe, but my wife and I were going to the movies and I would have missed the end of the auction, so I decided to just put in a low ball bid and see what happens. I really didn't care if I lost it because the description and picture of the camera were not great, and in the description it stated the presentation box was cracked, though that was not a deal breaker for me.
However, when I came home I found that I had won it and I thought "Great - now I have to shell out $900 for a this thing..." A little buyer's remorse.
Long story short, I was extremely surprised when it came in the mail. Looked Brand new, not even a finger print on it. Still had the plastic on the bottom plate. Flawless, no indication of use, however the previous owner bought it as a store demo and had it for a short time and ran some rolls of film through it before he needed to sell it due to losing his job two years ago.
Anyway, I feel like I got a great deal... and the moral of the story. Take nice pics and give an accurate and thorough description of any item you want to get the most money for.
Funny, another M6 auction I was looking at was a genuine beater, scratched finish, well used (and maybe abused) but had good photos and description. It went for $1400 with a lot of bids. My camera had very few bids, perhaps the reason I won an item like that without having to snipe it.
Seems like all the M6 auctions I was checking out then, the going rate was between $1200-$1500. I got mine for $900 and was very happy.
Bruce Barlow
27-Nov-2010, 09:20
My Sinar Norma was on consignment in 2000 at the dearly-missed Pro Cam in White River Junction, VT. 8x10 complete camera, extra rear standard with 4x5 reducing back, 6 holders, accessory front standard, three lensboards, adapter board, extra rail, 8x10 hard case, Sinar tripod head, extra standard clamp, two bag bellows, and I don't remember what else. Basically two complete cameras, assuming one uses the bag bellows with 4x5 back.
$1,100. They had a Norma 4x5 outfit with a lot less stuff for $1,400. "Why is the 4x5 more expensive?" I asked. "Because nobody wants an 8x10." they said. "Well, not quite nobody," I said as my credit card leapt out of my wallet, almost all by itself.
I then raided their used gear in the basement and found a dozen gently-used plastic Fidelity 8x10 holders. Offered them $15 apiece. They were glad to get rid of them.
I later got a 5x7 back for Norma. Still have her. A great camera. MAybe not a steal, but a really good deal.
so so many
Once found a Linhof tech 111 in a dumpster (with a 15" wollensak tele on it??!!?) from a disgruntled divorcee
a couple three boxes of old B&L lenses and cameras..the cameras were in pieces and the lenses covered in dust (a 250 imagon in there)- but they all cleaned up well - like 50 bucks
a hand cranked 35mm motion picture camera for 100
a box of leica M rangefinders and lenses for 350
another box of leica stuff (caps and booklets) that included a body and three lenses for - 30 bucks
the best though..was my friend and I bought out a commercial studio in Texas - although we spent like 5000 and had to fly there and drive a uhaul back - the number and quality of LF lenses (and other stuff!!)we got was incredible - they worked directly with Kodak specialists who handpicked the best lenses from Schneider and Rodenstock.. We ended up with 2 121 f8 super angulons for instance..a group of wide field ektars..symmars, gold dot dagors, WA dagors, etc - - I wished I kept a couple..but that was when I was inbetween shooting Large Format - oh well
yeah..I scrounge around a lot and occassionally come up with good stuff
My latest was a couple of months ago. I swapped a handful of decrepit m-42 gear (35mm)that I had less than $20 tied up in for a complete Calumet cc-400 kit with Schneider 150mm, several film holders, several lens boards, and compendium shade. Now my daughter and I have matching kits, and I dont have to go looking for my gear in her room any more(you ever been in a teenage girls bedroom?)whew.
A while back I bought a real beater of a Kodak 3A, for $20. Fast forward a few months and I see a pretty Century Graphic on a friend's mantle. He wasn't using it, so I offered a trade for my Kodak. He accepted, and I was just about to skip out of his house when:
"Oh, by the way, I have six film holders and this extra lens for it."
That was a good day.
Shadowtracker
6-Jan-2011, 20:18
I got an entire darkroom, with jobo, lpl enlarger, dry mount press, print washer, film washer, chemicals, trays, lensboards, lenses, paper, dry mount tissue, densitometer, laser alignment tools, zone VI compensating developing timer, and several (I mean several = a truckload, litereally) other things for 1,000.
He knew he was 'giving' it away, and I have used all of it. He wanted it to go to someone that would use it, and man, I have no way to thank him for what he did; that's the part that stumps me.
John Kasaian
6-Jan-2011, 23:37
Lets see, a real steal hmmm? A Panavision changing bag off ebay for $12---quality all they way and roomy enough to load 8x10 holders--it's more the size of a sleeping bag. A Calumet CC402 for $60, which I gave to a friend. A Lietz Valloy 2 for $40 with it's original lens. A neat 16x20 4 blade Saunders Easel for $20 from a lab that went digital.Then there was a 240 G Claron for $60 which has become one of my faves on the 8x10. Perhaps my biggest steal was a scruffy looking lens board painted red white and blue for $3.00 on ebay. I recognized the shape and after a bit of stripping and sanding and varnish I had a beautifully grained immaculate 6" round corner Deardorff board. :D
Dan Fromm
7-Jan-2011, 02:50
You paid $60 for a 240 G-Claron? That's a lot, John, way over market.
I once bought two 240/9 dagor type G-Clarons in our local flea market for $20. That's $20 for the pair, not for each.
While on vacation I found a new condition soligor spot meter for $35.00. So I have a decent back up meter! Discounting the $400 air fair I came out ahead!
aduncanson
7-Jan-2011, 08:52
Steals on darkroom equipment are so common that they should not even count. I Keep fending off a friend's offer of a complete medium format color darkroom for a song.
However, I did want to upgrade my Omega DII to a D2. (I wanted the elevation crank.) I hoped to find one for $85 or less. I eventually found a D2V auctioned locally on www.govdeals.com and got it for $17.85. Included was a decent Magnasight enlarging magnifier, two (crappy) Beseler enlarging timers, a contact printing frame, a 150mm Componon-S enlarging lens, a film drying cabinet, a Mohr automatic film processor, and an Omega D5XL with three more Componon-S lenses.
Anybody driving distance from Indy want a D5XL? Anybody have any ideas what to do with a Mohr processor?
John Kasaian
7-Jan-2011, 09:19
You paid $60 for a 240 G-Claron? That's a lot, John, way over market.
I once bought two 240/9 dagor type G-Clarons in our local flea market for $20. That's $20 for the pair, not for each.
Don't rub it in, Dan!;)
Bob Salomon
7-Jan-2011, 10:22
Two particularly good deals:
1: call on a camera store and a young guy in a tux with a stretch limo outside the store is with his mother in the store. And the mother is berating him for spending his prom money on a camera that had no take-up spool. And a new take-up spool would have cost more then the camera system and was a special order item that had to come from Switzerland. The mother was asking the boy what he would do because now he didn't have the money for his date that night.
I offered to buy the cameras system, as is, for what he paid for it at the garage sale. He wanted $20.00 more. So I agreed to pay him $50.00 cash, on the spot, and he handed over a Robot Royal camera with 3 Schneider lenses in magnificent condition.
I called another dealer and asked if he wanted it for his collection and he agreed to pay $2000.00 for it!
2: New Years eve get a call from a friend that a friend of his had died and the widow wanted to sell some of his equipment. The equipment consisted of a Linhof Technika IV in a fitted case with 7 lenses, Super Rollex backs, grip, MultiFocus finder, filters, hoods, etc. plus a Rollei SL66 150mm lens and prism + a Leitz microscope + + some assorted macro lenses. Agreed to sell the equipment for 10% of whatever I could get for it + I would get the microscope and the Rollei lens and Prism. The family wanted $4,000.00 for it all. Called a dealer in Philadelphia who agreed to buy it. He purchased it for $5,000.00, I was paid $500.00 + the lens and prism and the Leitz microscope and the family gave me the $1000.00 over the wanted selling price of $4000.00! Entire transaction took place on New Years eve in 4 hours!
Dan Fromm
7-Jan-2011, 10:36
Don't rub it in, Dan!;)John, it gets worse. Roughly a month after I'd sold those two 240s I bought another one, also dagor type, via eBay.co.uk for $50 delivered. So yours is more or less on trend.
You're right, those days are gone. Real bargains are much rarer now.
Bob Salomon
7-Jan-2011, 10:47
Forgot about the 3rd.
Was in a small camera store in Kansas with a very large display of used cameras. On the shelf was a 3 lens Rollei 35mm SLR outfit marked "SL35" in very good condition with 3 Zeiss lenses, 35mm 1.4, 50mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.4. Asked the dealer how much he had to get for the package. He said that he wanted my attachee case.
Asked him for a plastic bag and emptied my case into the bag and received the camera system.
That weekend was a Second Sunday Camera Show and took the body and the lenses to the show. A dealer saw the camera while I was waiting in line and paid $1,600.00 for the body only. It was a Rollie SL350 which was never exported to the USA. Only about 1000 pieces were ever made of this model.
Lenses kept to use on a Rollei SL3000 system that was later stole in France.
John Kasaian
7-Jan-2011, 13:18
John, it gets worse. Roughly a month after I'd sold those two 240s I bought another one, also dagor type, via eBay.co.uk for $50 delivered. So yours is more or less on trend.
You're right, those days are gone. Real bargains are much rarer now.
I tend to buy "high" and sell "low" but I make up for it in volume!:rolleyes:
Simon Benton
7-Jan-2011, 14:02
8 3/4 inch Verito on an old beat up Graflex 4X5 SLR RB from ebay - no description of lens but the picture was just clear enough to see that it looked like a Verito. Gambled $35 + $25 shipping for a very good condition Verito - also in the box was an 8 inch Cooke anastigmat also in very good shape.
walter23
7-Jan-2011, 16:02
Heh, too many to mention. I guess when you're obsessive about this stuff you find the deals.
Ivan J. Eberle
7-Jan-2011, 16:11
Found an unusual Meridian 45CE on eBay a year and a half ago, it had an improved cam-lever swing adjustment front standard and other refinements over my Meridian 45B. Scored it in a sniping war where it bid up to the top end for a 45B.
My new camera arrived pristine, came with a brochure for the new improved Model 45C. Turned out to be a prototype that was scheduled to be produced never went into production before the Meridian Instrument Co folded in 1950. Sometime later found an engineer's son who'd worked there as a teen himself, and has the only other known surviving Meridian 45C, also a prototype (a bit different than mine) passed to him from his father.
Took it to Billings, Montana for the Antiques Road Show this past Summer. Confirmed that I'd done pretty well to score it for what I did, then went on to use it as my go-to camera all summer long in Glacier NP this past summer.
John Kasaian
8-Jan-2011, 12:13
I just remembered a Meopta enlarger I nabbed for $8, lens and all! It was the model built for 127 film format (I'm into Brownie cameras---yes, I know I should be ashamed of myself! :o) and since it was cheaper than any 127 film holder I could find for my MF enlarger I figured it was quite a deal. When it arrived, it came with film holders for not ony 127, but 135 and 120! I suppose I should part with my MF enlarger now (and I've been "supposing" this for nearly the past seven years! :o)
skagroovy
18-Jan-2011, 22:10
This weekend I picked up a loaded jobo cpp2 processor for a 100$ us and a omega d5500 dual head enlarger with lens and 35mm-4x5 film holders for 100 $ I am kinda a newbie so that might not be a good deal.
Ed Kelsey
18-Jan-2011, 22:42
I'll have to plead the 5th on this question.
Heespharm
19-Jan-2011, 02:08
A local photo editor died and was selling off his estate... They were gonna through out his darkroom stuff unless someone picked it up... I went up there and gave them 50 bucks to take it all away... The two digital timers, durst enlarger and two Saunders easels alone were worth a pretty penny... Hey at least I'll use it more than the dump will....
And today I picked up a rb67 setup sold to me "as is" because the seller wanted to get rid of it and didn't know what it was.... Bought it for 61 dollars... Works perfectly...
Steve Smith
19-Jan-2011, 02:18
My best buy was a Rolleicord V for about £30.
Steve.
Lachlan 717
19-Jan-2011, 03:37
A local photo editor died and was selling off his estate...
Not quite sure how that is possible...
I just bought a Eidoscope No.3 (275mm) for about 400USD - great price on local auction site. But still it was double price than I bought No.1 (200USD) and No.2 (150USD)
:)
Bob McCarthy
19-Jan-2011, 06:53
My best steal was buying my G Claron (355) from Kerry T last fall. Not so much the price, but this lens is really amazing, been looking for one in pristine condition.
Every time I loope a negative, I say to myself
What a steal!
Bob
walter23
19-Jan-2011, 15:24
This weekend I picked up a loaded jobo cpp2 processor for a 100$ us and a omega d5500 dual head enlarger with lens and 35mm-4x5 film holders for 100 $ I am kinda a newbie so that might not be a good deal.
Considering you could probably still sell the CPP2 for $700-$800, I'd say you did well. Have fun shipping it though; I packed one up for shipping once and it was a half-day job to get it all properly padded and boxed, as you can probably imagine.
Alan Gales
19-Jan-2011, 20:03
My first large format camera was a Cambo SC 4x5 with a 210mm lens. I found it on Ebay at a good price and the Seller lived in St. Louis so I could save on shipping. It turned out that the Seller worked at a photography
studio in my neighborhood so he was nice enough to drop it by my house. A month or two later he called me and asked if I still had the camera. His boss wanted to mount a digital back to it. I was offered $100.00 extra if
I sold it back to him. Easiest $100.00 I ever made. I put it towards my Tachihara.
Heespharm
19-Jan-2011, 23:40
Not quite sure how that is possible...
you know what i mean.. he had an estate seller sell off his estate or did you mean that photoeditors don't die :-)
Lachlan 717
19-Jan-2011, 23:49
he had an estate seller sell off his estate
How did he have an Estate Seller sell off his Estate before he died?
Heespharm
20-Jan-2011, 12:32
How did he have an Estate Seller sell off his Estate before he died?
The surviving family sold it... Sheesh must I explain all the details... In your will you can also have it written that your estate be sold off thereby executing a command beyond the grave.... LAWYERED
Yesterday, I got a like new pentax spotmeter V (late serial #, complete with case and cap) for $5.99 at Goodwill :D
walter23
22-Jan-2011, 03:30
I just ebay'd a pacemaker speed graphic with 90 and 127mm lenses, 2x flashes, grafmatics, and other stuff, for what I thought was a ridiculously low price.
After winning the auction, and looking at the pics more closely, I realized that it has a graflex back (those old ones from the Graflex SLR days - no spring back, just clips to hold the film holders). Oops. Fortunately I have a graflok back that I can swap for the graflex back or I'd have been really annoyed for not noticing it earlier.
Strange though; had no idea you could even get a pacemaker speed graphic with a graflex back. I guess it was for people who had a lot of graflex holders and didn't want to switch.
oh yeah. i was in Burma when my meter broke. some how i found a pentax digital spot meter for sale in a second hand camera store. got it for $80. i have been using it now for over 5 years!
best part was that he was asking $100. i talked him to 80. then i used a $100 note that had a "bad"serial #. that is to say back then no one would take serial # bills that started with "CB" not even the duty free people on my china air flight!
goamules
22-Jan-2011, 07:58
... back then no one would take serial # bills that started with "CB" not even the duty free people on my china air flight!
That's because CB stands for "Currency Bad".
Frank_E
22-Jan-2011, 08:59
I just ebay'd a pacemaker speed graphic with 90 and 127mm lenses, 2x flashes, grafmatics, and other stuff, for what I thought was a ridiculously low price.
After winning the auction, and looking at the pics more closely, I realized that it has a graflex back (those old ones from the Graflex SLR days - no spring back, just clips to hold the film holders). Oops. Fortunately I have a graflok back that I can swap for the graflex back or I'd have been really annoyed for not noticing it earlier.
Strange though; had no idea you could even get a pacemaker speed graphic with a graflex back. I guess it was for people who had a lot of graflex holders and didn't want to switch.
ya Walter I was the guy just before you that was only prepared to go to $202
was also concerned that the were few pictures of the back
and no reference to the fact whether the focal plane shutter worked
but with the two lenses, case and filters etc it is definitely worth that price
nice catch....
walter23
22-Jan-2011, 13:50
ya Walter I was the guy just before you that was only prepared to go to $202
was also concerned that the were few pictures of the back
and no reference to the fact whether the focal plane shutter worked
but with the two lenses, case and filters etc it is definitely worth that price
nice catch....
Heh, I've always wondered how often us guys from this forum are the ones fighting over these things. Good eyes regarding the back; I usually look really carefully, but I was blinded by greed because of the angulon 90 and grafmatic(s?), and willing to take some amount of risk; the seller didn't clarify that anything worked, condition of bellows or lenses, etc, so it's a bit of a gamble. I didn't feel like asking either lest the answers come back positive and drive the auction price up ;) I also figured it would go a bit low because the seller, oddly, only wanted to ship to Canada, reducing the pool of bidders considerably.
I'll let you know how it turned out.
Re the back, I just assumed that because it was a pacemaker that it would have the standard graflok back; I had no idea they even equipped them with graflex backs.
Anyway, I was only prepared to go about $20 higher than you, because of the risks regarding condition (though had I noticed the graflex back you probably would have gotten it, because the seller not photographing it and not mentioning it makes him seem slightly dishonest).
walter23
22-Jan-2011, 13:59
then i used a $100 note that had a "bad"serial #. that is to say back then no one would take serial # bills that started with "CB"
What's the story with this? Is it counterfeit or something?
Frank_E
22-Jan-2011, 14:17
Heh, I've always wondered how often us guys from this forum are the ones fighting over these things. Good eyes regarding the back; I usually look really carefully, but I was blinded by greed because of the angulon 90 and grafmatic(s?), and willing to take some amount of risk; the seller didn't clarify that anything worked, condition of bellows or lenses, etc, so it's a bit of a gamble. I didn't feel like asking either lest the answers come back positive and drive the auction price up ;) I also figured it would go a bit low because the seller, oddly, only wanted to ship to Canada, reducing the pool of bidders considerably.
I'll let you know how it turned out.
Re the back, I just assumed that because it was a pacemaker that it would have the standard graflok back; I had no idea they even equipped them with graflex backs.
Anyway, I was only prepared to go about $20 higher than you, because of the risks regarding condition (though had I noticed the graflex back you probably would have gotten it, because the seller not photographing it and not mentioning it makes him seem slightly dishonest).
There is no question that the ad was misleading. I did probe abit before deciding to put in the bid. This was my exchange with him:
my question:
“…since you mention your darkroom, the implication is that this is a camera you previously used. Can you say that the last time you used the camera (many years ago) at that time it was functioning properly. Are you aware of any defects. Thank you…”
his response:
“..It was used many years ago by another photographer, I have never used it personally. At the moment I am not aware of any defects. Its a little tricky to open, but the functionality of the camera seems to be good. The aperture and shutter are smooth, the focus plate in the back works great. The tilt and slide rails are smooth as well. Im not familiar with how the flashes and the grip work, or if you can even get vintage flash bulbs anymore, but I imagine if you were using flash with this camera you would be using new technology. If you have any more questions let me know…”
his response "at the moment I am not aware of any defects" also causes one to be abit wary. His response seems to have alot of qualifiers. But I figured for $200 dollars it was worth a shot. The lenses alone are worth at least $150.
walter23
22-Jan-2011, 14:18
Speaking of steals, I was watching this one carefully but because I won that pacemaker I didn't bid on it (running low on spare funds).
Whoever bought this got themselves several hundred bucks worth of stuff for only $100 (the yashica mat 124G alone is worth more than the auction, even if it's broken). Then there's the 9x12 kodak plate holders which look mint (worth about $100), and the 9x12 Ihagee plate camera ($100)...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160533928520&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
walter23
22-Jan-2011, 14:27
The lenses alone are worth at least $150.
Yeah, the angulon alone would be worth over that if the shutter works well.
ypres.bass
25-Jan-2011, 15:20
my biggest steal is Atkinson Liverpool 7-1/4" for 0.99EUR+Free Shipping from Denmark
Spotless 14 inch Goerz Trigor for $20. Actually it might have been free, I remember insisting and I remember him declining, don't remember who won that battle. But I win the thread. :-)
Eric Woodbury
25-Jan-2011, 20:11
Best deal was right here at LF. I got a 180mm enlarging lens for $35 and that included overnight shipping. I used it for a paper weight for a few years, but now it is working hard. Thanks.
walter23
26-Jan-2011, 16:41
There is no question that the ad was misleading. I did probe abit before deciding to put in the bid. This was my exchange with him:
[...]
his response "at the moment I am not aware of any defects" also causes one to be abit wary. His response seems to have alot of qualifiers. But I figured for $200 dollars it was worth a shot. The lenses alone are worth at least $150.
Well, just an update, I got the camera and it ended up being a pretty good deal. Couple of minor things wrong (more cosmetic than anything) but function overall is good with good focal plane shutter, good lenses, and external shutters sound accurate. I swapped the stupid graflex back for a graflok one, and the only hangup was a brass screw whose head twisted off. The back still fits tightly with the one busted screw still in the hole (bottom middle, so the corners are all still tightly attached) but I may try to remove it and replace it sometime.
So that's 2x graflex grafmatics, graflex back, 90 angulon, 127 ektar, 2x flashes, pacemaker body, filters and some silly accessories for $200. Not a bad deal at all!
Frank_E
26-Jan-2011, 16:53
Well, just an update, I got the camera and it ended up being a pretty good deal. Couple of minor things wrong (more cosmetic than anything) but function overall is good with good focal plane shutter, good lenses, and external shutters sound accurate. I swapped the stupid graflex back for a graflok one, and the only hangup was a brass screw whose head twisted off. The back still fits tightly with the one busted screw still in the hole (bottom middle, so the corners are all still tightly attached) but I may try to remove it and replace it sometime.
So that's 2x graflex grafmatics, graflex back, 90 angulon, 127 ektar, 2x flashes, pacemaker body, filters and some silly accessories for $200. Not a bad deal at all!
you are making me regret not bidding higher....
congratulations
I like to think my crown graphic is a steal, it got it off ebay.com for $63 in the summer and got it shipped to the uk. The shipping almost cost more than the camera, the listing was very vague but it was in amazing condition. I restored it anyway so it now looks like this...
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f217/linus4/IMG_7678.jpg
E. von Hoegh
28-Jan-2011, 17:30
Early 1970's, I was 12 or 13. I brought home from a garage sale an old camera, a Premo or something like that; 5x7 or 6.5x8.5.Probably paid about $2. The camera literally fell apart in my hands, bellows so dry that they ripped apart. I saved the lens and in the mid 1980s discovered it was a stunningly sharp Dagor type in a Goerz Sector shutter, 8 1/4 inches but won't quite cover 8x10.
Late 1980s; A Linhof ST IV 3 lens outfit with cams, optical finder, sports finder, focussing bellows, a bunch of filmholders, a Polaroid back with film, Super Rollex 56x72 back, all pristine with the boxes for $1500.
Two years ago; a Nikkormat Ftn with the 50mm F:2 , two clip in Nikon hoods - one for the 50 and one for the 105/2.5 that I already had. The meter works and is accurate - free.
jan labij
29-Jan-2011, 10:14
Wow, compared to some of these deals I've been a spend-thrift. I always thought I had made out real well when I bought, from a camera store in Mass., a 5X7 ansco commercial view, with an agfa-ansco wooden tripod and three sfh plus a Gundlach triple conv. lens for 75.00 bucks. Er--that was a while ago, by the way!
jan labij
29-Jan-2011, 10:42
Shukins! I forgot a P&S visual quality I scored for $60.00 from a Rolleflex dealer at the Boston camera show! I only bought it because it was an 8", and could use it on my Ansco view.
Voigtlander Bessa II w/ Color Heliar for $40
Wurlitzer Electric Piano (200A) for $2
:-D
patrickjames
2-Feb-2011, 22:39
I don't know about steals, but people tend to give me things for some reason. As far as buying things, I picked up a 300mm APO Ronar, cells only, for $60 on Ebay a few weeks ago. I already had a shutter for it so I was a happy camper and I will use it a lot. Glass is clean as a whistle.
The best deal I ever got lucky with was on Ebay a little over a decade ago. I was surfing the large format stuff and found a 60mm Zeiss S-Orthoplanar. I had no idea what it was, but I figured, what the heck? Might make a good enlarging lens for 35mm. Got it for $100, and the rest they say is history. You couldn't pry that lens away from me even if I was dead! Phenomenal lens. It is striking how much better than a normal enlarging lenses it is.
Brian Legge
3-Feb-2011, 03:20
I'm still holding out for a good 120 folder steal. ;)
I've had a good good pickups. A box full of 35mm rangefinders for $3 each. Included a several Canonet 17 GIIIs in various states of disrepair, an Olympus 35SP, 35RD and 35RC and a bunch of other cameras. I sold a few of the cameras and used the money to pay for service on the 35RD. The others I spent months repairing and rebuilding myself. Lots of fun.
An Autocord in need of work for $40 was pretty good. Still tracking down a light leak with this one though. Best camera deal without any work required was a Retina IIIc for $15 or so. Wonderful camera and amazingly sharp.
Most smaller scale than the deals people here have found but I just started shooting film again a year and a half ago so I missed much of the transitional gear unloading that happened a few years ago.
walter23
3-Feb-2011, 12:22
Shukins! I forgot a P&S visual quality I scored for $60.00 from a Rolleflex dealer at the Boston camera show! I only bought it because it was an 8", and could use it on my Ansco view.
I think you win.
Not a huge "steal" but I recently got a 300mm 5.6 Orbit S (same as Symmar-S) in a Copal 3 for $45 from KEH. They listed the lens as Ugly but it's really quite usuable. It has schneideritis and a little bit of balsam overflow in one corner, but not bad really. My originial plan was to trash the glass and get an APO Ronar or something that would screw into the #3 shutter but not sure I will bother now.
Damn... I'd have snapped your hand off for a Copal 3 for $45!!
Damn... I'd have snapped your hand off for a Copal 3 for $45!!
It pays to watch the KEH As-Is section closely.. It also helps that I wrote a Java program that "watches" KEH for me and updates an RSS feed when they list a new item in the As-Is or LF Lens section.
Don't give away your secrets to anyone
walter23
3-Feb-2011, 22:38
Don't give away your secrets to anyone
Yeah. Hundreds of people read this stuff and it stays online for eternity.
You should delete it while only myself and a few others are in on it!
(seriously!)
Don't give away your secrets to anyone
Ha I don't think KEH is really much of a secret and you don't see me releasing my source code to my RSS tool..someday KEH will upgrade there website and have an RSS search tool like E-Bay and every other website out there anyways.
goamules
4-Feb-2011, 06:50
hmmm....great idea. I'll have my programmer whip out a similar tool....
Just kidding, but don't think this board doesn't effect your market. It's a small world afterall, in LF. A little forum chatter, and suddenly 4-5 people are after the same item that only comes up occasionally. Result - prices rise.
Brian Ellis
4-Feb-2011, 09:33
I don't think he's responded in this thread but the guy to whom I sold a mint Ries tripod and head for $395 should be responding. : - )
icanthackit
8-Feb-2011, 16:29
A couple years ago I saw a small bulletin board ad at my college for a 4x5 Beseler black and white enlarger. I think it was advertised for $75. I don't remember what happened, but somehow I managed driving away with the enlarger, 4x5 negative carrier, darkroom timer (gralab), film dev tank, huge safe light, some trays, color viewing filters for color printing, and a couple other odds and ends for $50. The enlarger works alright, but the motor that raises the head is going out and it takes a heck of a long time to twist the knob by hand. I think there's also a wattage regulator or something that doesn't work, but I haven't had to worry about that.
Jfnphotography
13-Apr-2011, 11:32
Just pick up a Chimera small video pro softbox at a pawn shop, in new condition for $40.00
Richard Rankin
13-Apr-2011, 12:33
I once ordered a used Harrison pup tent from B&H for $50 and was amazed to unwrap a Harrison Jumbo tent in like new condition... Best $50 I ever spent maybe.
Visited a local on craiglist getting out of the school portrait business.
I just bought a 3x4' changing bag for $5, and for $50, a plastic&aluminum case with a portable backdrop system with 4 backdrops in it. Best part is that it's all the backdrops used for school photos when I was growing up. Now I'll be able to shoot my kids and family's kids pics for fun on the same backdrops as their parents had in school. We'll see how far the apple drops from the tree, or get the kids to mock their parent's '80's hairstyles. 2 of the backdrops are useful, 2 are tacky fun.
Just bought a Devere 507 and Ilford multigrade head for £200 inc Rodenstock 150mm lens, loads of carriers and a couple of safelights.
Like most people I used one as a student, but never thought I'd ever be able to afford a Devere :)
I've got a few recently.
Epson 4990 for $85 shipped
Calument cc-400 - $95
I don't even want to say how cheaply I found a Bessa II with a Heliar recently. Sold it to buy some fun brass lenses. I think I am posting in this thread too much lately..
Greg Blank
14-Apr-2011, 17:42
I have a working ATL 3 which was given to me for the cost of hauling it away, as the result I may have become one of the last trained Jobo technicians in the US. It's like a fever once you get one, you have to know exactly how they work ;)
kpphoto
19-Apr-2011, 11:01
I have had a few steals over time but recently searched through my local Craigslist (Toronto) for enlargers and picked up a DeVere 810 wall mount with the colour head and all necessary timer/voltage reg/power supply/810 carrier and insert....for $250. All in working condition but quite filthy inside the head. Those fans do suck up more than fresh cool air. I think a filter should be standard on these intake fans...like the Durst CLS heads have.
kpphoto
19-Apr-2011, 11:13
I almost forgot about my Linhof 8x10 Bi with an additional 5x7 standard for $350. It was missing the rail and clamp but I pick them up for around $100. Bellows needed repairing but that was the cost of some contact cement and Mars black acrylic artists paint. This was the lonnng bellows.
Then I found a 5x7 back to fit it for $50 incl shipping from Germany. Now I just need the 5x7 bellows. I found one, $17, again from Germany, but it never arrived?!?
kpphoto
19-Apr-2011, 11:18
Durst 184 -wall mounted with Pavell 403 head and electronics $200
DURST 184 carrier - Nega 205 - refurbished - $53
El Nikkor 240mm on a Vapla board -mint- $175
Vascilli
20-Apr-2011, 23:17
I narrowly missed a Contax G1 with 45mm and 90mm lenses for $100. Tiny format, but I would've liked to have a pocket camera for once.
patrickjames
21-Apr-2011, 06:12
Last week I picked up a Saunders/LPL 4550XL with all of the neg carriers and everything else I needed along with some related items, like a Rototrim paper cutter and a Luna Pro meter, for $200. It had never been used.
I have yet to make something that would qualify as a total steal, but I'm pretty happy with picking up a multicoated Fujinon A240/9 for 190$ in Tokyo yesterday. A convertible Symmar 135mm for 40$ got to be the donor of a nice Copal 0 shutter, I even noticed that the extra aperture scale happens to be perfectly accurate for the A240 (since the Symmar converts to 235/12).
So in all 230$ for a A-240/9 EBC in great condition and a convertible Symmar 135/5.6 with ugly glass and a shutter that acts up on 1s and 1/2s, both on Linhof boards I can use.
A Calumet cc-400 w/150 Caltar S, film holders, case, and other extras, for a handfull of old 35mm M-42 cameras and junk lenses.
Erik Larsen
21-Apr-2011, 15:40
I traded a huge process camera that was given to me that came with a 19" RDA for an 11x14 camera. I sold the lens and came out a couple hundred ahead. Both parties were happy. A couple free dry mount presses, sink, timers and other assorted darkroom goodies picked up along the way. My best purchase I guess would be a 240mm rodagon for 30 bucks. I've been lucky sometimes, but I have also over payed many times on things that I just flat out thought I couldn't live without:)
Regards
Erik
4 3/8" Dagor in a working Rapax shutter on the *bay for $100. It's an absolute charm on the 5x7....if you took the cells out of the shutter and put them in your pocket they'd get lost w/ the spare change. It's a gem!
atlcruiser
8-May-2011, 20:25
Lets see.....
Seal 500T 24 x 36 press for $100
JOBO lift processor for free
All sort of odds and ends seem to amke it to the darkroom; many jsut appear!
richardhkirkando
11-May-2011, 06:07
I've had some good luck at garage sales, antique stores, thrift stores and craigslist.
Yashica T4 for $2
Rollei 35 for $8
Contax 139Q w/ Distagon 28/2.8 for $60
Technika V for $450
Yashica-Mat LM for $30
weird Busch Pressman knockoff for free w/ purchase of a $100 Nikon F3HP
pre-Anniversary Speed Graphic and Mamiya 645 kit for $90 total
Canon FL 55/1.2 for $40
Caltar-S II 210/5.6 for $50 on KEH - listed as UG, only problem I could see was a tiny bit of fungus that rinsed right off.
Michael Wainfeld
13-May-2011, 13:12
I was reading a little about print spotting, and, almost a year afterward, still coming to appreciate this set-up. Spotone kit, Marshall's Spot-All kit, brushes. Omega D-2 with Zone VI variable contrast head. 50, 80, 100mm Componon-S lenses. 162mm enlarging Raptar. Negative holders, lens cones. All excellent condition. Saunders 11X14 and 28X30 easels. Trays to 16X20. Graduates. Kodak process thermometer. Thomas Duplex safelight. Zone VI drying screens. Obviously a well thought out collection, purchased on Craigslist from a few blocks away. A young couple, originally from the woman's teacher.
$300, I bargained to $250 but gave her the full $300 when I picked the stuff up. All set up and being used now, (except the large trays and easel). Month by month, as I learned more, I'd take stuff out of the box and say "wow".
Heiko Stock
27-May-2011, 04:10
Last month i picked up a Seal Commercial M 210 + Logan Mat Cutter 301-S for 50,-€ .
Nobody like me was bidding on it on Ebay. So i got it. I am a lucky photograper..:)
Jim Fitzgerald
31-May-2011, 19:41
Well, it was my 16" Darlot for 90 bucks but the recent Century 8A with stand and all the bells and whistles is a close second and not that much more either!
A Gitzo Studex tripod with all the accessories that it could take for $100.00. If I need to be up in the air with the biggest camera on the planet it's the one.
Did I mention it was new, the fellow didn't actually know what to do with it and just picked a buy it now figure that looked good to him. I could tilt my Calumet C1 8x10 on its side and not strain it one bit.
Got some other good buys too but lost a nice lens because I was late with the bid, the above posted gentleman got that one.
mcfactor
1-Jun-2011, 11:41
An Eversmart jazz+ scanner for $25, all I had to do was carry it down 3 flights of stairs
Made a great steal this week:
Ensign Special Reflex (1/4 plate)
Dozen holders
Rolex Rollfilm adapter
Thornton Pickard outfit case
£20
The whole thing works and took 10 minutes to tweak the shutter. The viewer hood is complete with the eyeglasses, but is flimsy where a bit of wood snapped by the spring. Currently taped it up until I can be bothered to fix it, or build a new hood.
atlcruiser
4-Jun-2011, 04:27
this week:
minolta color meter $200 shipped :)
ic-racer
4-Jun-2011, 05:42
It did indicate "BIGGEST"...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/ic-racer/Enlarger.jpg
John Koehrer
4-Jun-2011, 11:25
Gitzo Series lll for $6.00 @ Goodwill.
Disappointed it didn't have a head. =@)
Ray Fenio
4-Jun-2011, 23:12
Voigtlander apo lanthar 150mm - $300
MIke Sherck
5-Jun-2011, 09:09
I got a very nice Versalab 11x14 print washer from the local Craigslist yesterday for $55, along with three 16x20 trays. After mumblty-mumble years shuffling paper in trays to wash, this will be different, I think!
Mike
Big indeed. Schneider Super Angulon 165mm serial #6053454
Steal, for sure. $165 for the Compur shutter CLA was its total cost!
Then, of course, there is the health benefit of additional muscle mass from carrying this lens around!
Thank you to JB Harlin for making a beatiful board to go with the 8x10 Zone VI.
http://kan.com/forum/157.jpg
Today I stole a VGC Cambo 4x5 monorail with 150 mm Caltar lens, and Toyo focusing loupe for $100. Not my biggest steal, but a pretty good one.
E. von Hoegh
18-Aug-2011, 07:33
Tiny format, a Pentax IQZoom PHD camera with a good battery, $3 at a thrift shop.
Damn thing does a pretty good job!
jayabbas
18-Aug-2011, 20:43
Literally a houseful of photographic equipment that my late mentor did not want his money grubbing buzzard relatives to get hold of. I worked my tale off cleaning up his old studio/ lab that was closed due to his health. We moved all the equipment to a house he owned so I could inventory the stuff and sell what he wanted to get rid of. After a couple of weeks of tire kickers and unannounced visits from his relatives he was fed up and totally surprised me by announcing that all the photo gear was mine. I guess my labor was payment for helping him. That was 1986 and hypo still flows in my blood.
jonreid
19-Aug-2011, 03:30
I got pretty much the entire contents of Peter Elliston's darkroom, including his custom 8x10 enlarger with Nikkor 300mm enlarger lens...
Jim Noel
24-Aug-2011, 07:45
A 75mm WA Dagor for $15.
CP Goerz
24-Aug-2011, 10:18
'A 75mm WA Dagor for $15.'
I think we have a winner!
Tony Karnezis
24-Aug-2011, 10:59
A QuickSet Hercules tripod and head for free.
Ed Kelsey
24-Aug-2011, 11:13
A Les Paul Gold Top in great condition for $65 in a pawn shop but it was in the 70's.
Stopped at an estate sale last weekend only to find a near mint 1950's Canon IV-S2 interchangeable lens rangefinder for $15.00. This Leica clone is working perfectly except for the slow speeds being slightly off.
I went to a photographer today to buy a kodak process thermometer 3 he advertised on c-list and paid him his asking price without haggling. He then offered me some other stuff for good deals which I couldn't refuse.
Good as new Peak enlarger focuser III for $5 today. New 8x10 speed ezle for $4. Got some other stuff too and I'm thrilled. I won't be flipping it on Ebay, it's nicer stuff than I presently use.
Randomly looking at auctions that were about to end with the term "Nikon." I saw an auction for some cheap no-name lights and almost skipped it but it said Nikon and I thought I saw something in the photo...
Turned out to be a Nikon 24mm f/2.8 AF-D prime lens. Got the lot for $25! Sold it for $200 after getting a 17-35mm.
Almost all of my gear was purchased used at 20-30% lower than the average price. I always watch and wait and get good deals.
Percentage-wise: Olympus XA w/flash for $0.85 at a local thrift store, sold it for $125.00 the next day.
Dollar-wise: Mint A12 back with matching insert at another thrift store for $100, it went for close to $500 on auction later that week.
Both of these were back in the Nineties, neither would sell for anything like that now, of course.
thedevilyourneighbor
22-Sep-2011, 00:26
These threads are always fun. And since my biggest 'steal' actually led me to finding this site, I may as well post it.
At a flea market I stopped and looked in an ugly orange bag that stood out among some electronic seller's stuff. Inside was a Nikon FM2 (not FM2n), 5 lenses (3 Nikkors and 2 Series E), macro bellows, flash, focusing screen and finder for Nikon F, and to top it all off, 4 LF lenses. I asked the guy what he wanted and he told me $60. I offered him $50 and he accepted. I paid him and took off before he realized what he sold me.
I wasn't into LF at the time, so I sold one of the lenses for $650, 2 together for $300, and traded the last for a Canon VT rangefinder with a collapsible Summicron. I traded the Canon for my Speed Graphic, thus getting into LF.
Steve Smith
22-Sep-2011, 02:58
A Les Paul Gold Top in great condition for $65 in a pawn shop but it was in the 70's.
I will give you $67 for it!
I think my two best bargain purchases were an Olympus XA4 for £0.50 and a Rolleicord V for £34.
Steve.
well, just this weekend I bought a whole trunkload of stereo 3d equipment for a hundy
two projectors, three cameras, 5 viewers, two mounting kits, glasses, 2 cases full of slides, two card viewers, etc
40" square larson "soffbox"
larson "starfish"
20$ ( includs shipping )
couple of beautiful daguerreotype ( 5x? )
for 20$ each
jammed rolleicord for the cost of a 100$ cla
cyclone 3 falling plate camera, and 30+ articles from a 1890s studio for 40$
Armin Seeholzer
24-Oct-2011, 14:11
My Xenar 480mm mounted from Sinar on a Sinar board, in almost new condition for 400 Swiss bucks!
Cheers Armin
Local Craig's List offering on this past Monday for a Zone VI enlarger for a ridiculously low price. A quick phone call verified the ad was for a living estate sale and the guy told me there were several accessories that were also included. Picked it all up yesterday and literally filled the whole of my Explorer with the Zone VI 60" Column variable contrast head enlarger, three Schneider Componon S lenses, three negative carriers, plus the following Zone VI items, motorized focus control, compensating enlarging timer, compensating developing timer, Zone VI safe light, powered anti static brush, 16x20 Zone VI washing machine plus the 16x20 (Zone VI) print washer, wet print viewer, Zone VI 8x10 contact print frame, and 12 Zone VI drying screens, 1-16x20 premier paper safe, 9-11x14 Premier paper safes, 5 Patterson 16x20 print trays, 15-11x14 Patterson print trays,1-boxed 16x20 tray ladder,10-5 gallon chemical tanks, 9-2 gallon chemical tanks, Kodak process thermometer, 15-Patterson graduates in varying sizes, 8-Patterson 64oz. beakers, numerous tongs, squeegees, and film clips, lots of packaged Kodak and Zone VI chemistry, and finally an Enesco Speedmaster color densitometer. Absolutely every item is in mint, unused or even a few new in box condition and several of the Zone VI accessories were still packaged. Absolutely the buy of a lifetime....total $200.00 for everything. I think my new darkroom will be a very happy place!
Lachlan 717
14-Jun-2012, 18:13
Local Craig's List offering on this past Monday for a Zone VI enlarger for a ridiculously low price. A quick phone call verified the ad was for a living estate sale and the guy told me there were several accessories that were also included. Picked it all up yesterday and literally filled the whole of my Explorer with the Zone VI 60" Column variable contrast head enlarger, three Schneider Componon S lenses, three negative carriers, plus the following Zone VI items, motorized focus control, compensating enlarging timer, compensating developing timer, Zone VI safe light, powered anti static brush, 16x20 Zone VI washing machine plus the 16x20 (Zone VI) print washer, wet print viewer, Zone VI 8x10 contact print frame, and 12 Zone VI drying screens, 1-16x20 premier paper safe, 9-11x14 Premier paper safes, 5 Patterson 16x20 print trays, 15-11x14 Patterson print trays,1-boxed 16x20 tray ladder,10-5 gallon chemical tanks, 9-2 gallon chemical tanks, Kodak process thermometer, 15-Patterson graduates in varying sizes, 8-Patterson 64oz. beakers, numerous tongs, squeegees, and film clips, lots of packaged Kodak and Zone VI chemistry, and finally an Enesco Speedmaster color densitometer. Absolutely every item is in mint, unused or even a few new in box condition and several of the Zone VI accessories were still packaged. Absolutely the buy of a lifetime....total $200.00 for everything. I think my new darkroom will be a very happy place!
Wow...
Old-N-Feeble
14-Jun-2012, 19:40
I'm so stoopid... I'd have told the seller what that lot was really worth and probably walked away empty-handed.
Old n feeble,
I had actually talked with him a few months ago and looked at the enlarger then when he posted a Craig's list ad for "Camera gear". At that time I told him what the enlarger went for in the 1998 Calumet catalog, the most recent one I had. He had a good knowledge that it was valuable, but when he posted this ad, he just wanted all the darkroom gear out of his way so he could concentrate on the camera gear, the fly tying and fishing gear, the guns and loading equipment and more items from all the other "hobbies" that his dad enjoyed. He's still got a very comprehensive (and mint) Zone Vi camera system with three stunning Schneider lenses, digital pentax spot meter, plus holders, bag, etc., plus a near mint Hasse 500CM with lenses; but he's got a much more realistic idea of the value (and what he hopes to get) for those.
Old-N-Feeble
15-Jun-2012, 03:51
lenser... Wow, that guy have been really desperate to get that stuff out of his way. I deeply respect your honesty with him.
I'm so stoopid... I'd have told the seller what that lot was really worth and probably walked away empty-handed.
Well, what is it worth, these days? Positively not 1990 catalogue value. Many of us here got their pro darkrooms for metal value or transport cost, and we have plenty of instances of darkrooms that were scrapped after the owners found nobody who'd transport them off for free...
Old-N-Feeble
15-Jun-2012, 04:19
Don't misunderstand what I meant. If after I told the seller what I think it's worth they still just wanted to dump it for cheap then I'd definitely take it.:D
Sevo,
I absolutely agree that the value of much of the collection isn't worth even a fraction of it's original sale value. But for me, it's the amazement of the size of the collection, the fact that it is all Zone VI or items that they trusted enough to sell in the original Zone VI catalog (and subsequently as Calumet), and the amazingly near new condition of absolutely every item, and then to couple that with this still phenomenally low price. I certainly understand your allusion to gear that is often free. In the past, I've been given enlargers as part of deals and had to eventually just pass them on to others simply to get them out of my garage. This just had a higher level of "Holy Cow!" attached to it.
rcdurston
28-Jul-2012, 16:19
I used to work at a camera store. There was a box of old parts sitting beside one of the salesmen's desk. I asked him if it was up for grabs and he said "no" but if you want the stuff, its $300 for the whole box.
I thumbed my way through it all, lots of old Arca Swiss basic stuff, and offered him my $300. When I took it all home, I sorted it and dusted it all off and found that there was a complete 6x9, 4x5, and 5x7 systems. As well there was an 8x10 but it was missing a bellows and a standard. I bought a new one on my next pay day and sold most of it over the next six months. I honestly can't remember how much I made but it was back in the mid 90's when there was still a thriving commercial market for them.
Ross C-de-V Petzval, approx. 7" f3.3, 1870s with mint glass. Fleabay, with shipping: $40. Last year.
k.hendrik
10-Sep-2012, 10:50
An ERKO 9x12 from 1924 in mint quality at a local flee shop: owner didn't know how to open this beauty. Before I did he made me an offer: E 25,00 !! including the original brass tripod & 4 glass/film holders :) Last offer I've got was $350,00. No way; this lady stays with me.
winterclock
23-Sep-2012, 08:12
Spot the Dallmeyer:
http://http://www.ebay.com/itm/160848194569?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/160848194569?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648)
retnull
23-Sep-2012, 08:27
3 years ago on Craigslist in NYC, I got a Summicron 35/2 version 1, 8 elements, with goggles, in truly mint condition in original box, for....$200. I asked the seller if he was sure about the price. He said he'd done his research, and while the lens usually goes for a little more, he thought $200 was fair. He also offered me an old Elmar 50/3.5 for $350, which implied he had done some sort of price checking.
Perhaps the seller confused Summicron with Summaron or Summitar when he did his research...
Fourtoes
23-Sep-2012, 09:00
Jamin - Darlot Cone lens 8" for $90....... bought it and ran. Gumtree.
bob carnie
23-Sep-2012, 09:15
The gift that keeps on giving.. printing my 8x10 negs on it today for a show in Mass and Calgary.. I actually think that this machine was slated for me.. I watched it come into BGM imaging back in the 80's , and the owners decided to give it to me rather than sell it. I appreciate their generosity every tiime I make a print.
Yep, Robbie, you win! However, Bob Carnie wrote yesterday that he got a vertical 11x14 DeVere enlarger for free, that's pretty good too!
I've been lucky a few times.
Bought a Jobo CPP2 from a friend who was moving his studio (and going digital) for $200, with assorted drums, etc. About a month later, his studio partner offered me his ATL-2 for $200. It came with 3 3000 series drums, and lots of other stuff (alas, it's motor died last month, and I sold the CPP2...)
A Rolleiflex 3.5f, for free. I told the owner it was worth a good bit, but she was my mother's best friend, and said she'd rather I got it, and used it.
An LPL 4550XL, with the Heiland Splitgrade, 16x20 print washer, paper safes, trays, and other stuff, for free from a friend of my father. He also said he'd rather I have it, and used it, than sell it, even though he knew what he could get for it.
A Kodak Retina IIIc, with 3 lenses, filters, etc, from an Uncle.
An Omega 5x7 enlarger, lenses, cones, carriers, with an Arista cold light head, free from another friend getting out of darkroom work.
I bought a full darkroom full of gear a few weeks back for $400 AUD...
4x5 enlarger, light box, 8x10 dev trays, 10 boxes of ilford paper, a few boxes of expired film, CPE2, drums, reels, etc etc etc... heaps of chems for BW and prints...
It's got to be the mint 203mm f7.7 Ektar in a Prontor SVS shutter that came in a bunch of three shutters for £20 ($31) so appox £6.67, and secomd was a £20 Petzval.
Ian
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