Your Opinion: Most Over-Priced Film Cameras + Most Undervalued Film Cameras?

[das]

As most who have been into film photography for ages, I am sure that many have noticed that certain film cameras have skyrocketed in price and have remained at high levels while other great cameras remain fairly reasonable. With folks asking and getting significant amount of money for Contax T2s/T3s, Mamiya 7s, Canon AE-1s, Fuji GF670s, Leica M6s, Bessa Rs, and the like, many great, advanced cameras out there on the used market remain largely unnoticed and affordable. And don't get anyone started on the price-to-value ration for certain lenses (looking at you, Leica R). Question for all y'all. What film cameras these days do you think are the most overvalued and/or overhyped? What film cameras (for normal people) do you think are undervalued and unappreciated? Cameras that have advanced functionality, ease of use, and of high quality? For me, I think that Contax SLRs are among the most undervalued, along with other 1980s / 1990s pro cameras, like the Nikon F3 and F4. What do you think?

 

[Mos6502]

People are buying AE-1s now? For years they would turn up at every garage sale, and I'd walk past at any price for two reasons: common as dirt, and 2nd, the shutter issues almost all of them have now.

I remember a few years ago the prices for Nikon Fs with plain prisms skyrocketed (I'm sure thanks to a period of internet hype propelling prices) but now they're back into the realm of reality. The Nikon F2, in all respects a better camera, tended to go unloved by most, gets higher prices now, but I'd be surprised if it ever gets overhyped.

Mamiya 500/1000TL/DTL are severely undervalued. They're sturdy cameras, clean simple design, decent viewfinder, and unlike most M42 cameras, the meters not only still function properly, but will take modern batteries as well. The Mamiya glass isn't bad either (indeed I've found the Mamiya 50mm lenses outperform all of my German M42 lenses in the corners, albeit are less sharp in the center wide open).

 

[astrosecret]

undervalued: canon 7, rolleicords, hexar af, pentax anything (their golden era screw mount, k mount, 645/67 lenses had better build quality than leica imo)
overvalued: most everything else 🙂

 

[johnf04]

Most undervalued? L series Prakticas - a lot of the commentary about them is based on ideology rather than experience.

 

[DownUnder]

Here in Australia, the camera "situation" as I see it is -

Underpriced/valued - Old Nikkormats, plastic film Nikons, almost all 1970s SLRs, the cheaper/crappier/odd brand models of P&S cameras. That's about it.

Overpriced/overvalued - Everything else!! Especially (but not exclusively) Leicas, Contaxes, Rolleis.

(All my $ quotes are Australian dollars, BTW. Worth all of $0.70 US cents this week, so unsurprisingly known as The South Pacific Peso...

Oddly, Hasselblad prices are down. In 2015 I sold an as new 500CM kit (one lens, two backs, many accessories) for $1500. The buyer has hardly used it and now wants to sell it, but is fielding offers of <$1000.

Gone are the good old days when one could pick up bargains in old cameras - the Rolleicord Vb kit I got in 2017, for $95.

I have two Nikon F65s, bought new about 17 years ago, with AA battery grips. Well used but well looked after. Going prices for these cameras float from AUD$50, for the grips maybe AUD$30. No way will I let them go for such low prices, they are too good cameras to give away.

A few years ago Contax G1 bodies in VG+ condition were going for $100-$150 each. these days they float by (and seem to get eagerly picked up) for up to $1000 depending on condition. At these prices mine would be worth about $500-$600 each.

Yet Ebay sellers are still trying for $250-$500 for their clapped-out crappy barely/non-functioning SLRs. Classic examples of hope over intelligence, but it seems there are still many pigeons out there who will leap at the bait.

Sure, karma and all, the wheel will turn full circle in time. But if one wants to buy upward now in the new camera world, and needs to sell to pony up some cash for the new purchase, well, huh.

 

[boojum]

I have an old Pentax ME Super that has always been a star performer. The Olympus XA3 is another winner, and it fits in your pocket. And the Pentax K1000, a stone ax you can take photos with.

 

[Pál_K]

Leica M is overvalued to me. I have two M3’s and two M6’s - they’re nice cameras, I’ve used them a lot and are still in near mint condition (also serviced by Youxin). But I don’t see anything special about them - I paid about $550 for my M3 long long ago, about $1200 for my M6 (new), and that’s how I view their value today.

To me, Nikkormats, especially the FT2, are highly undervalued; same with Nikkormat EL.

Nikon F, F2, etc. seem properly priced today. The F4 (especially F4s) is a bargain. I have an MF-23 control back on one of mine and, as stated on MIR (paraphrasing), an F4 without an MF-23 is just 80% of what an F4 really is.

Other undervalued cameras, in my experience and opinion:

Canon EF (“Black Beauty”)
Canon FTb
Canon Rebel G (EOS 500N)
Konica Autoreflex T series
Mamiya RB67 Pro S
Nikon FG
Olympus Pen FT
Pentax Auto 110
Pentax KX (1975 era)
Topcon Super D (RE Super)
Yashica Lynx 14E

 

[astrosecret]

The eos system indeed is high caliber undervalued stuff, relatively cheap now that everyone’s moving to RF. you can snap up a modern 50 1.8, 35/2, 85 1.8 and an ef body for around 500 if you’re patient. what more do you need.

 

[KoNickon]

I think the stop-down metered Canons (like the FT and TL) and the FL lenses are really undervalued, and they're beautifully made.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Any plastic body AF Point and shoot selling for more than $25.

Undervalued for the quality- Canon P and Canon 7.

 

[Mos6502]

Most undervalued? L series Prakticas - a lot of the commentary about them is based on ideology rather than experience.

I think the only bad thing about them is how many have dead meters. But lucky enough, they made them without meters too.

 

[farlymac]

Two cameras I like that get no love from the masses are the Canon T70 and Nikon 8008S.

PF

 

[olakiril]

Overpriced: Hasselblad Xpan.

Undervalued: Nikon f2. Other than the photometer, this <$200 camera will last forever.

 

[p.giannakis]

I started buying used cameras back in 2006. I grew up lusting over 1980s-1990s SLRs and when people started switching over to digital they were getting rid of their cameras for peanuts. People would offer an OM-1 with a mij 50 and put a 28mm to make the package more attractive for £15. My car boot sale budget was £20 and all cameras were within budget.

So keeping that in mind, everything seems overpriced to me today. Ok, yes, it is not the right way of thinking but I was lucky to have tried plenty of those cameras that are put now for sale with crazy price tag.

Last month I put a boxed Canon Sure shot Tele max for auction - people were bidding like crazy for it - sold for £120 - someone thought he bought a bargain. I shot a test roll to make sure it works - the results were meh..

Anything plastic point and shoot camera is overpriced. The results from these cameras is mediocre at best and they cost far more than a price of a cheap m42 lens.

Undervalued: the m42 system in general. It can be primitive or ackward to some but results are usually more than excellent.

 

[mrtoml]

I picked up two Nikon F90s for under £90 total last year. Great cameras. One even had the digital back and grip. The F80 and F100s all seem to go for higher prices for some reason.

I find it strange that the plasticy Bessa R series are now so expensive. As well as Leica Ms. I owned a few Leica M6s in the past (probably paid around £500-£600 for them). I shudder when I see the prices of them now.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Undervalued film camera: Canon EOS 5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_5 & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNSaTQajT9c The first camera with eye-controlled auto focus.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Over-valued - T3, Mju II, 2.8F ‘white face’, K1000, AE-1.

Under-valued - Most Pentax and Minolta SLR’s, Canon rangefinders,

Note that there’s very expensive gear that I wouldn’t necessarily describe as over-valued simply because it offers something unique (eg. SWC and Mamiya 7).

Oddly, Hasselblad prices have come down. In 2015 I sold an as new 500CM kit (one lens but two backs, many other accessories) for $1500. The buyer has hardly used it and now wants to sell it, but is fielding offers of $1000-$1200.

Hasselblad prices have definitely gone up (and continue to go up) in Oz. A 500cm kit like that would sell for ~$2k in minutes in a group like Australian Film Photographers. Where on earth are they advertising it for $1000-$1200?

 

[DownUnder]

Hasselblad prices have definitely gone up (and continue to go up) in Oz. A 500cm kit like that would sell for ~$2k in minutes in a group like Australian Film Photographers. Where on earth are they advertising it for $1000-$1200?

The usual brigade of Ebay cheapskates. We talked about his situation yesterday. He posted as a Buy It Now ("bin") for $1500 but made the mistake of also listing it as Or Best Offer. Surely the wrong thing to do. Several bottom-feeders (we all know the type) leapt at the bait with low-butt offers. I told him to just email them back as a one-word - "Noted" - then block them from buying and relist. Which he may do. This friend is super-idealistic and too easily discouraged.

He also said Ebay has had a few listed but sold prices were lower than asked. I've not looked into this, so I'll go with you take on that. And pass it on.

Digital cameras are another minefield on Ebay, but this thread is entirely film-related, so I won't go into great detail. Only to say I'm looking for a good Fujifilm Xpro-2. Ebay sellers want up to $1500 for one, sold sight unseen and of course untested. A camera shop I deal with has one coming in for <$1000 - and with a little luck I may wrangle a better price by trading in one or two beasts I have at home but don't intend to keep.

I will mention Australian Film Photographers to my friend when we chat again later this week. Thanks for the tip!!

 

[raydm6]

Agree on the overvalued: 35mm point-and shoots. Especially Leica's: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...-53200-19255-0 with some asking prices in the 4-figure $$$$ range. Geesh!

 

[shawn]

And don't get anyone started on the price-to-value ration for certain lenses (looking at you, Leica R). Question for all y'all.

Most of the Leica R series cameras are very inexpensive too. An R4 is a seriously nice camera and has almost the viewfinder magnification of the SL/SL2. KEH sells them for around $120. For those that want all mechanical an SL goes for similar money from KEH.

Pentax 645 is very inexpensive for what it is as are the lenses.

Shawn