Car boot sale finds...

[nathanp]

Today I went to visit a local car boot sale and found a stall with a guy selling a load of old camera equipment. There was a plastic crate with about 10-15 old cameras so I started rumaging through when he called over "They're all £1 each". 😱
I had a hard time deciding what to get but went for a Yashica MG-1, a Canonet QL25 and a Voigtlander Vitoret. I left behind an Olympus XA-3 and an Ilford Sporti.

The family now, with my old Canonet 28

They're not in great condition but for £1 each I'm willing to google for repair guides and try my luck. The Yashica shutter fires and it seems in pretty good condition (I need to find a suitable battery). The Voigtlander has a sticky shutter - it fires but sticks open. The Canonet doesn't seem to fire the shutter, it can be cocked but I can't hear anything when I press the shutter release (the button does depress though so maybe it's just incredibly quiet!).

Even if I never get them fixed I love the look of the Voigtlander and it's cool to try out the size/feel/viewfinders of the other two. I think I may go back next week to see if he's still there 😀

 

[former member]

That's the fun of flea markets! And a good thing you were there. Who else would have bought these beauties!

 

[oftheherd]

That is indeed a fine covey of cameras. I am surprised you left behind the XA-3. Was it that bad?

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I have a Vitoret D I've recently tried out. Funny little camera. I don't like the position of the shutter release button (great for some camera-shake), but it does have a nice and bright viewfinder. Your appears to be missing the rewind knob.

Have fun restoring and trying these little cuties, I know I would, certainly for the price you paid for them.

Rick

 

[nathanp]

That is indeed a fine covey of cameras. I am surprised you left behind the XA-3. Was it that bad?

Ignorance on my part. I had a vague idea that the XA series was collectable but I didn't know much else. I did kick myself a bit when I got home and thought about it (I almost wish I'd offered to buy the whole crate 🙂

 

[Richard G]

Good find. But oftheherd what a nice word to use, covey.

 

[kuvvy]

Picked up the Mju-I (Stylus), bottom right for a couple of quid.

The two Trip 35s at the back were bought for £4 each, the middle include the PS200 flash.

 

[Bugleone]

A 'Vitoret' just like that one was my first 'real' camera. I got it when I was 13 and had to 'sweat blood' for everal months to scape together the £12-15s-9d that it cost. Actually the real cost to me was much much more than the money because it was basically a rotten camera that took vastly inferior pics than my Kodak 'Box Brownie' which i had started with. The Vitoret was cursed by 'tramlines' on every film and the tiny screws that held teh top panel on were forever coming loose and getting lost. The thing was basically a piece of sh*t that set my photography back years........

 

[nathanp]

Just a small update...
The Yashica now has a battery and the meter seems fine. I get a 'clunk' when winding on which is apparently a good thing and means no POD issues. The light seals seem ok too so I've put a roll of old Kodak Colour Plus 200 in that I've had lying around (it expired in 2006) to see if it works. I'll get it processed at the cheapest place I can find and if it works I'll put some decent film through it 🙂

The Canonet is less happy. The shutter is still stuck (I haven't attempted a repair) and I got no joy from the battery I added. The bottom of the battery compartment has no visible metal contacts and looks like it needs a clean so I'll investigate that next and see if I can free the shutter somehow (I have found a few tutorials/hints online).

After Bugleone's comments I think the Voigtlander might be best kept as a decorative item...