California Camera Show Schedule

[CameraQuest]

Visit the California and get a camera bargain at the same time!

California Camera Show Schedule

Are you a Camera Nut visiting Los Angeles? Searching Los Angeles for collectible cameras? The only storefront where you will likely find fairly priced collectible cameras in Southern California are the camera shows. The few LA camera stores that stock collectible cameras cater to the high priced Hollywood and Beverly Hills crowd. Check out http://bargaincamerashows.com/ for their website for directions and schedules! Shows now include Pasadena, West Covina, Anaheim, and sometimes other locations too.

Want to sell excess photo gear? Camera show promoters welcome new or first time sellers. You can rent one or more tables as you need them, or as little as 1/2 of a 4x8 table.

Photo Fair Camera Show in San Jose, the largest camera show in northern California. Get details at http://www.photofair.com/

 

[Revolucion Artistico]

I usually see 2-3 pretty good looking M6's at the show sometimes more but never a ton of them. There's a couple of sellers who are at every show who are definetly trustworthy. There's a seller from Las Vegas, I think her name is Faith, that usually has quite a bit of nice stuff, and I have bought several things from Roosbeh, whose store Camera West in Mission Viejo is excellent. Good luck.

 

[ijohnnyz]

Thanks R. Artistico, I'll look for their booths. I'm actually familiar with Camera West. Do they charge the same as they would in their store?

 

[bob338]

Anton's http://bargaincamerashows.com/ site was updated into the most entertaining camera show web site I've seen.

His Pasadena show is a monthly camera show in Pasadena, a suburb of Los Angles (and about 45 minutes from LAX). Pasadena is world famous its Rose Bowl football games and New Year Rose Bowl Parades. The Pasadena show is held in the Elk's Club, right on the Rose Bowl Parade route.


Stephen

i haven't been to the pasadena show for about 15 years, but back then it was the best selection of cameras i had ever seen in one place.

bob

 

[LADP]

Well, I just got back from the show, and it was fairly small, but fun. There were two rooms of the Elk Lodge used with a number of vendors. I didn't think to count them, but I would guess around 25 - 35 tables/vendors between the two rooms. There was an abundance of film SLRs of all makes, Nikon, Canon, Pentax being the most prevalent, and there were quite a few DSLR's for sale too.

Not being into DSLR's, I didn't really look carefully, but I saw plenty of Canon and Nikon glass for sale at various tables.

There were a few tables with some Leica gear, the largest collection being at Faith Scudder's table. I saw an M4-P, an M6, and an M7 body for sale. I think she was asking $750 for the M4-P. Not being in the market for another M body since I ust received a 2nd M3 in the mail two days ago, I didn't look any of them over carefully, but they looked to be in good condition cosmetically. She had some accessories like Leicavits and power winders and handgrips for sale, and also had a couple of Voigtlander Bessas, lenses and accessory viewfinders for sale.

In Leica M glass, there were several 50's, 35's, a 90, a 28 IIRC, and a 21 Elmarit that I almost bought. It was clean, and she was asking $1100 for it. She didn't have any 21mm vewfinders at this show though, and I've spent enough money on cameras and glass in the last couple of months. There were also some collapsible 50's on hand. Over all, a nice selection.

Another thing I almopst bought was a pristine looking Pentax Digital Spot meter. I have one that that was modified by Zone VI many years ago that I use for work (I am a cinematographer) all the time, and I worry about breaking it and not being able to replace it since it is no longer made. This one was absolutely new looking (and they had an old Zone VI leather case for it), and it appeared to be working properly, but when I turned it over to look it over, I heard some rattling from inside. Something inside has broken somehow, which is strange, because the thing looks absolutely new. She was asking $250.00 for it, but when I pointed out the rattling, she thanked me and said she had to get it fixed before she could sell it. I think I would have bought it if it hadn't been for the internal issue.

Moving on, there was a stereo camera guy there, and he had some cool looking cameras of various types, including a Russian medium format stereo camera. The stereo slides were very cool, and in the medium format size, the 3D effect really sings.

I did buy an old, but pristine looking and functioning, Super 8MM camera made by Rollei. It is built like a tank, has a great looking zoom on it, and a crystal clear viewfinder. I have had a bunch of Nizos and Canons over the years, but they often break (especially when shooting high speed, like 54fps). This looks to be fairly robust, and was operating properly. I paid $75 for it. I use Super 8mm as an additional format on commercials, TV shows and movies on occasion, so it should come in handy since my last Nizo gave up the ghost at 54fps a couple of months back.

I will post some pics of the Super 8 Rollei later. I apologize for not taking any pics at the show. My wife was getting bored, so I decided it would be best to concentrate on seeing what there was to see instead of documenting the event.

All in all a good show to visit. I will check it out again in the future.

 

[nikon_sam]

Thanks LADP,

It sounds like it's still the same as when I would go...
Several years ago that back room was packed with vendors...
The last few times I've gone I was only able to find a few small items...
I might give it a go sometime next year if I happen to be looking for some darkroom parts or maybe take some of my gear I don't use much and do some trading...

Thanks for the review...(the wife and kids refuse to go to shows with me...deep down inside I like it that way...)

 

[WVL]

Faith from Las Vegas

Faith from Las Vegas

oooh, faith burned me with a 28/2.8 canon ltm several years ago. i should have seen it, but the coatings were polished off. 🙁

Ten years ago I bought a Fujica GS645W from Faith at the Oakland Show. I decided it just was not right for me. A Year later at the next Oakland show she refunded my purchase in full, no questions asked. I don't think many other sellers would be so accomodating.
Bill Lawlor

 

[retro]

^ Yes, Faith is a nice lady. Good to do business with.

 

[Michael P.]

San Jose show is every 3 to 4 months. See http://photofair.com/future.html

 

[deirdre]

There's also the Hayward camera show.

 

[leicapixie]

when i was slumming it in Newport Beach, loved going to the show at Buena.
One of the interesting things on route was an exit that exited from the LEFT lane! Made you ready for the Ruskie..Picked up some great buys.. a Durst Enlarger, dishes and easel..Camera lenses.
Living in Toronto we also have shows..not as big or as much, but enough! Last thing i hauled was 2 Pentax SLR, a Black Spotmatic and a KM. No meters in each.$20 for the 2.The Spottie is mint!

 

[projectphill]

How much do Leica M6 go for usually at the bargain camera show

 

[CameraQuest]

How much do Leica M6 go for usually at the bargain camera show

no such thing as an average price at any camera show

much price variation from seller to seller,
from camera condition to camera condtition

yet, usually less than you will find it in most walk in camera stores

Stephen

 

[projectphill]

I'm going to the show tomorrow in Pasadena since this seller I've been trying to meet up keeps delaying on meeting I figure I might try and see I'm sure it's going to be hard to beat the 600 dollar price that Im getting offered but I might as well go and take a look

 

[goamules]

As always, people think Leicas are made of solid gold. If the average Ebay price for that Leica is say, $600, you can be sure the camera show sellers will be asking $1200.

 

[ksb]

I think she was asking $750 for the M4-P.

She was asking $875 for it. It was sooo clean and beautiful I almost bought it if it's what I'm thinking of. However, when looking at the rangefinder patch I noticed that the vertical alignment was off and it scared me away. I haven't yet purchased any used Leica gear so I'm a bit jumpy about it.

Oh, jeez, ignore. I didn't see the date on the original post. It just happened to coincide exactly with the Pasadena camera show this past weekend. 🙂

 

[CameraQuest]

I went to the Pasadena show yesterday June 8th in years. All tables were full, an incredible amount of used photo equipt and literature, no new stuff.

Considering setting up a table there at the next Pasadena show.

Stephen