Cameras & Lenses I‘ve Foolishly Sold: A Compendium of Bad Decisions
No, you can’t take it with you, but you can keep it and sell it at a profit!
By Jason Schneider
I’ve often mused about writing a 700-page tome entitled Things I’ve Foolishly Sold which would include everything I’ve ever collected—cameras and photo gear, pocket watches, fountain pens, motorcycles, straight razors, teapots, mantel clocks, and assorted bric-a-brac. Well, this is the abbreviated version, a partial listing of the collectible cameras and lenses I’ve thoughtlessly unloaded over the years, often for silly reasons, and stupid prices, often on the spur of the moment. Not every bygone camera or lens included here makes me cry in my N.A. beer—occasionally I’ve sold something to help a friend or in deference to a fellow collector’s greater passion. But with the benefit of hindsight, I would retract most if these transactions if I only could.
Bronica De Luxe (Model D) outfit in original Bronica hard case: Sometime around 1970 a close friend of mine was a struggling medical student who was lusting after a Nikon FTn but couldn’t scrape up the requisite cash. His dad, a wealthy doctor residing in the affluent suburb of Roslyn on Long Island’s North Shore, had gifted him a Bronica De Luxe outfit including 3 lenses, 2 film backs, prism and waist=level finders, and much more, all in a fitted hard case, and all in pristine, barely used condition. Tou can guess what happened next—my buddy offered trade me the Bronica outfit straight across for the “like new” Nikon FTn with a 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor I’d recently acquired, and I said yes.
Bronica DeLuxe (Model D) of c.1960 had internal improvements and eliminated auto first frame positioning, but is still no paragon of reliability. It's a collector's prize!
The Bronica De Luxe (aka Model D) is a somewhat improved version of the very first Bronica SLR, the notoriously unreliable Model Z of 1959, with upgraded metallurgy in the wind gears, and a simplified film magazine that requires manual first frame positioning (unlike the Z magazine that provided automatic first frame positioning—when it worked). The rest of the camera (including the 1/1250 sec top shutter speed) was essentially unchanged, and the Bronica D was, and still is, considered delicate and unreliable by most users and tech experts who have opined on the issue. Because I was hip to its bad reputation, I handled my “new’ Bronica D with kid gloves, being especially careful not to advance the film roughly or too fast. Maybe this helped, maybe the camera I got was an especially good example, and maybe both, but over the course of the next 18 months I ran at least 200 rolls of film through the beast and encountered no problems whatsoever. Indeed, the on-film results were stunning.
About that time, another dear friend and college classmate of mine was in the throes of trying to start his career as a professional photographer. He had finally landed a great assignment and here was a chance to prove his mettle to a promising client. The problem: He thought he needed a Hasselblad or equivalent medium format SLR to execute the project to the highest standard, and he begged me to give him, sell him, or lend him, my Bronica outfit. After agonizing over his proposal, I decided to sell it to him for what I thought it was worth—about $250 if memory serves.
Happily, my NYU buddy did succeed in establishing himself as areasonably successful pro for about 10 years (he has since gone on to
other creative pursuits), but I will never forget visiting him in his Greenwich Village studio shortly after he’d acquired my Bronica. He was photographing a beautiful young woman in high fashion attire illuminated by a strategically placed hot light setup and the Bronica D with the 135mm lens mounted on a Tiltall tripod. As soon as he fired
shutter, he whacked the hapless camera with the flat of his palm, and Iheard a faint click. I immediately bellowed, “What the hell are you
doing!” “Oh, I do that to get the mirror to return to viewing position,” he calmly explained. “I’ve been slapping it for about a month now and it doesn’t seem to hurt the camera any.” At that point I knew I had sold the Bronica outfit to the right guy, and I’m OK with that—even though the current value of a Bronica D kit in pristine shape is at least $3,500!
The Konica Auto Reflex: The Konica Auto-Reflex of 1965 to 1968 (aka the Autorex) was the world’s first autoexposure SLR with a focal
plane shutter (the very first AE SLR was the Topcon Auto 100 of 1964, but it incorporated a Seikosha leaf shutter and had a limited lens
range). Another reason collectors are attracted to the Auto Reflex is its unique ability to switch between full frame (24 x 36mm) and half-frame
(18 x 24mm) formats at any time, even in mid-roll. This must have been challenging for photofinishers but provided framing flexibility and fun
for shooters. The camera features a Copal Square metal focal plane shutter (1-1/1000 sec plus B), a fixed eyr-level prism an external non-
TTL, coupled CdS meter cell powered by a PX625 mercury battery (conversion required!) and a Konica II bayonet mount that was
employed on all succeeding Konica Autorefllex models up to and including the last of the breed, the Konica Autoreflex T4 (1977-1978).
Konica Auto-Reflex of 1965 was first focal plane shutter SLR with (aperture-priority) auto-exposure, but it used an external (non-TTL) CdS cell.
I acquired my first, last, and only Konica Auto Reflex in the mid ‘70s for the grand sum of 150 bucks, complete with an excellent 52mm f/1.8
Hexanon lens. I used it quite a bit with great satisfaction, running about eighty 36-exposure roll through it over the next 2 years. I then
unloaded it for the equivalent roughly $100 as part of an elaborate trade deal for a pristine Linhof Technica 23 with a 105mm f/3.5 Xenar
lens, and I’ve regretted it ever since. Why? The Linhof is lovely to look at and the half dozen rolls of 120 film I’ve shot with it (using a Rollex 6 x
9 roll film adapter) turned out extremely well, but it’s essentially a showcase collectible whereas the Konica Auto-Reflex was an every day
user. Finding a Konica Auto-Reflex in working condition is challenging (the meters go south and aren’t always repairable) and if you do find
a clean one with a working meter it’ll likely set you back $300 or more.
The elusive Konica F: If you hanker for a truly rare and impressive Konica SLR, consider the Konica F of 1960, Konishiroku’s attempt at a top-tier, match-needle, selenium-metering 35mm SLR. The first of the breed to employ a metal focal plane shutter (a vertically running Copal Square with speeds up to 1/2000 sec) it featured a removable pentaprism, a 52 mm f/1.4 Hexanon lens, an a unique “Konica F” mount that is incompatible with later Konica AR lenses. The Konica F was soon discontinued, allegedly due to high production costs and poor reliability after only about 600 to 1,500 units were produced, making ay a rare and coveted collector’s item. Current price range based on recent auctions: $3,500 to $4,500 with 52 mm f/1.4 Hexanon lens.
Konica F: Konishiroku's ill-fated 1960 attempt at creating a top-tier 35mm SLR is now a rare collector's prize.
Agfa Automatic 66: Introduced in 1956, this audacious 6 x 6cm (on 120 roll film) folding rangefinder camera provides aperture priority automation using a unique selenium light meter linked to a shutter control mechanism that uses a pneumatic spring-loaded piston to delay the shutter’s closure based on the light level, thus determining the proper-exposure shutter speed for the user-selected aperture! Other high-end features include a superb coupled, unit-focusing 75mm f/3.5 Agfa Color-Solinar lens (a Tessar type), a special Prontor SVA shutter with speeds of 1-1/300 sec plus B. A direct successor to the Agfa Super Isolette line of rangefinder roll film cameras, the Automatic 66 is solidly built, reasonably compact, somewhat temperamental according to user reviews, and fetchingly rare—only about 1,000 units were produced.
Agfa Automatic 66. Agfa's audacious mid-50s autoexpoure 6 x 6 cm folder used a unique (and persnickety) pneumatic shutter speed control system.
I snagged mine in the late ‘60s for the astonishingly low price (even back then) of $140.00, shot with it on and off for about a decade with very nice results and no technical issues, then let an Agfa fanatic acquaintance wheedle me out of it for a mere $175. Current value: $2,400 to $3,200. What was I thinking? The problem is, I wasn’t!
Vanity Kodak Ensemble: Introduced in 1929 and designed to appeal to posh, style conscious women, this was a kit that features a color-matched Kodak Petite (a basic compact folding camera that took eight 1-5/8 x 2-1/2-inch images per roll of 127 film) in a suede-lined clutch case. The set includes a matching compact, lipstick, mirror, and change purse, an enticing combination of 1920s art deco fashion and photography that was marketed to the “modern girl,” and as a fashionable, functional and novel gift. Original price in rose, beige, or green, a blistering $15.00 (equivalent to $285.31 in 2026)!
Kodak Ensemble in "Old Rose." This elegant color-coordinated "vanity" kit was aimed at fashionable women picture takers of the 1920s.
I acquired mine online in near-mint condition, and in an exquisite “Old Rose” color, in the late ‘80s for a mere 60 bucks, and I sold it to my fashion-conscious great aunt (who was enchanted with it) for precisely the same amount in 2001—never make money on your relatives is my maxim. I’m sure happy that it’s made her happy for the last quarter century (she’s now 97!), but I must admit that my joy is tempered by knowing that its current value is $1,200 to $1,800!
Leica II (Model D) with 5cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor: Introduced in 1932, the Leica II (Model D) was the first Leica with a built-in coupled rangefinder and a standardized (LTM) screw mount. it had no slow speed dial, so shutter speeds were limited to 1/20 to 1/500 sec plus Z (Zeit, same as T for Time). The 5cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor, a 6-element, 3-group collapsible lens designed by Max Berek (and named for his dog!), was produced (in nickel- and chrome-finished versions) from 1930 to 1936, and is considered the first “high speed” lens for the Leica. Only about 10,600 units of these beauties were made in total, so it’s considered “rarish.”
Leica II (Model D) with 5cm /2.5 Hektor lens in chrome finish. Note: The Hektor on my Leica II (not shown) was in much rarer nickel finish.
Back in the early 1960s there were camera collectors all right, but camera collecting was not yet considered a “thing,” so many retailers consigned old cameras to the “junk pile” and offered them at giveaway prices. Such was the case with Willougby’s, located on 32nd St, just west of Sixth Ave, then the largest camera store in New York City. As I ambled over to the junk camera display at Willougby’s and peered down into the glass case, looking up at me was a little black Leica with its glossy enamel finish almost perfectly intact. It was fitted with a nickel finished collapsible 5cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor, a lens I’d read about but wasn’t familiar with. I asked the guy behind the counter to take it out and show it to me, turned the knob and fired the shutter a few times and asked the price. “Thirty-nine dollars and its yours,” said he. “But I must tell you that all the cameras in this case are sold as is—no guarantees, and no returns.” For about 2 seconds I thought about haggling for a lower price, but I decided not to and forked over the 39 bucks plus 3% city sales tax and walked out with the Leica.
I kept that Leica II for nearly 15 years and probably ran at least 100 36-exposure rolls through, discovering that the 5cm f/2.5 Hektor was quite soft at its widest apertures but could capture images with excellent definition and gorgeous vintage rendition at f/6.3, f/9 and even at f/4.5 if you can live with some corner falloff. In short, it’s a great combo.
Sometime around 1977 I sold my beautiful Leica II (Model D) with 5cm f/2.5 Hektor to a well-heeled Leica collector for less than 100 bucks ($85.00, if memory serves) because I needed the money for some serious emergency like fixing my car. I still miss it, and the agony is exacerbated when I contemplate its current value: about $2,200 to $2,500 in clean working condition!
5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens in Leica (LTM) screw mount: The 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens for Nikon and Leica rangefinder cameras was designed by Zenji Wakimoto ad Hideo Azuma of Nippon Kogaku K.K. with the goal of providing an ultra-high-res closeup lens that delivered better image quality than anything available at the time. The resulting lens, inspired by the 80mm f/2.8 Schneider-Kreuznach Xenotar, was a modified 5-element, 4-group collapsible design with a 7-bladed diaphragm that provides apochromatic color correction and has a resolving power of 200 to 300 lines per mm—beyond the capability of most films. In its extended position it focuses from 3 feet to infinity, but by adjusting the helicoid, it can get down to about 18 inches. Using it at its close range required a ground-glass back, external distance measurement, and manual parallax compensation back in the day, but it can now be used much more easily on a DSLR or a mirrorless with a suitable adapter.
5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor in LTM mount on a Leica M3. This requires an LTM-to-M mount adapter (shown on camera).
The 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor rangefinder lens was introduced in October 1956 in both Nikon S and Leica (LTM) screw mounts and in production until the mid ‘60s. Approximately 1,500 units were produced, and out of that total only about 300 were in Leica (LTM) screw mount, making them rare and coveted user collectibles. The 1958 Nikon catalog lists both versions at the breathtakingly low list price of $199.50 but bear in mind that that’s equivalent to a little over $2.184.00 in 2026 dollars. I acquired my 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor in Leica (LTM) mount in the early ’80s from a fellow camera collector who generously charged me a pittance, $68.00, for this priceless gem.
5cm f/3.5 Micro Nikkor with front cap. This lens was made in Nikon S and LTM screw mount, the latter being much rarer and pricier.
I didn’t use the 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor extensively, but I can affirm that its overall performance at moderate apertures is spectacular. I forget exactly why I decided to let it go for $300 to a Nikon fanatic sometime in the late ‘90s, but I rue the day I ever parted with it. Current value in LTM mount in pristine condition: $3,500 to $4,000 and up. Evidently there was a Nikon S-to-LTM adapter so you could theoretically mount the Nikon version on a Leica, but we can’t vouch for its performance, and a clean 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor in S-mount will set you back at least $2k anyway!
Yashica YF: Yashica’s answer to the Leica M3, this rare and intriguing interchangeable lens rangefinder 35 was introduced in 1959 shortly after Yashica acquired the Nicca Camera Company. A successor to the Yashica YE, it included an M3-style back-loading door, a single-stroke film wind lever, and an advanced bright-frame 0.7x range/viewfinder with projected, parallax-compensating frame lines for 50 and 100mm lenses. The horizontal cloth focal plane shutter provides speeds of 1-1/000 sec plus B; 1/60 to 1/1000 sec via the top shutter speed dial and 1 to 1/30 sec via the front-mounted slow speed dial. However, the YF retained the traditional screw mount. Generally regarded as well-made and reliable, the Yashica YF retailed for $149.95 in the U.S., complete with high quality 6-element, 4-group 5cm f/1.8 Yashinon lens.
Yashica YF : Inspired by the Leica M3 and pursuant to Yashica's acquisition of Nicca, it's dual frame line, parallax compensating range/viewfinder is outstanding.
I purchased my Yashica YF with 5cm f/1.8 Yashinon in pristine condition for 100 bucks at an unnamed small town camera store in the Midwest for a piddling 100 bucks, probably because the store owner was sick of looking at it. I used it with great satisfaction (and had great fun twitting my Leica M-toting buddies) for about 8 years before foolishly selling it to a Leica copy collector for $180.00. Current value in near mint condition with 5cm f.1.8 Yashinon lens: $700 to $950.
E. Leitz Wetzlar 90mm f/2.2 Thambar: Leitz certainly put considerable effort into designing sharp, high-resolution lenses but that didn’t prevent them from also designing the 90mm f/2.2 Thambar, a soft-focus masterpiece, to meet the needs of Leica users who wanted to capture classic dreamy Hollywood-style portraits that maximized glamour and minimized skin defects. The original uncoated 90mm f/2.2 Thambar produced from 1935 to 1942 used a unique 4-element, 3-group formula that employed a cemented doublet as the middle group, creating a lens that was inherently soft at its widest apertures due to under-corrected spherical aberration, and prone to flare, which could be a positive in some applications. It also came with a separate soft-focus filter with an opaque dot in the canter that increased the soft-focus effect by blocking the central image-forming rays from reaching the image plane. Using this filter meant the lens had to have dual aperture scales, one in red when the “spot” filter is used, the other in black for shooting without the filter. The original Thambar kit also came with a dedicated lens hood and lens cap, an instruction manual, and a cool red cylindrical box to hold everything.
Original 90mm f/2.3 Thambar lens on a Leica III. Note accessory Leitz viewfinder with manual parallax compensation control.
Original 90mm f/2.2 Thambar lens, Note distance scale in feet, dual aperture scales near top (see text for details).
According to the official records, only about 3,500 original Thambar lenses were made, although there are gaps in the sequence and some experts claim that only 3,000 were made, while other conjecture that a small number were assembled after WW II. The original Thambar was only available in Leica screw (LTM) mount, with either metric or footage focusing scales, has a minimum aperture of f/25, focuses down to 1 meter, and weighs in at a hefty 500g (1.1 pounds) thanks to its brass barrel. I acquired my original 1930s Thambar in excellent cosmetic and optical condition from a Leica collector friend in the late ‘90s at the bargain price of $300 plus a clean 100mm f/3.5 Canon screw mount lens and foolishly sold it about 5 years later to a dealer for 750 bucks. It’s a great soft-focus lens and I did at least get the chance to shoot some beautifully “romantic” portraits with it. Current value: $4,500 to $7,000. Note: Leica reissued a modern versio of the 90mm f/2,2 Thambar in 2017 at a list price of $6,495 and discontinued it sometime around 2021 after producing about 1,200 units. These beauties are available used at prices in the $4,400 to $5,000 range and are probably the best choice for soft-focus shooters.
Leica IIIg of 1956 -1960, with superb 5cm f/2.8 Elmar lens. The last and maybe the best of the screw-mount Leicas, and the only one with parallax-correcting frame lines.
Leica IIIg with 5cm f/2.8 Elmar lens: The Leica IIIg (1956 to 1960) is the final and most advanced iteration of the classic screw-mount (LTM) Leica rangefinder camera series that began with the Leica II (Model D) of 1932. Designed after the M3, it was created to provide a premium compact, compatible alternative for Leica users that had invested in the screw-mount system. Featuring a larger, brighter viewfinder than the Leica IIIf, with projected, parallax-compensating frame lines for 50mm and 90mm lenses, geometric shutter speeds from 1 to 1/1000 sec plus B and T, a built-in self-timer and back mounted film reminder dial in a body only 4-5mm taller than its predecessor, the Leica IIIg is an elegant conclusion to a superlative series, a great shooter, and a coveted collector’s piece. According to unofficial production records, 43,925 units were made in total, mostly in chrome except for 125 in black enamel finish with “3 crowns” logo made for the Swedish military.
The most common lens sold with the Leica IIIg was the collapsible 5cm f/2.8 Elmar, a faster, recomputed version of the classic 4-element, 3-group Elmar that took advantage of high refractive index lanthanum glass for its front and rear elements. Known for its high contrast, excellent color correction, vintage rendition, and attractively understated bokeh it’s a somewhat underrated classic.
I acquired my Leica IIIg, my very first “new” Leica, in 1960. It had been languishing in the window (fortunately in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight) of Village Photo Shop in Rockville Centre, a town on the South Shore of Long Island. I knew the camera had been sitting there for at least 2, maybe 3 years, and after some protracted negotiating, the proprietor, a kindly but uncompromising old German guy, agreed to sell it to me as a “display model” for !0% off the list price of $223.50. It came in a red snap case with 5cm f/2.8 Elmar lens with a 15-bladed diaphragm, and an original chrome Leica lens cap. I was overjoyed, and I used that camera somewhat sparingly over the next 8 years (it was so beautiful I was afraid of damaging it) and then I stupidly traded it away (for the equivalent of roughly $275) to acquire another camera I lusted after, namely a mint Rollei 3.5F TLR with a 6-element 75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Planar lens. Needless to admit, I’ve had misgivings ever since, though I must confess that I’ve run a lot more film through the Rollei than I ever did with the IIIg. If you hanker for a Leica IIIg with a 5cm f/2.8 Elmar, a truly mint example will set you back about $2,500, but clean ones in working condition go for a lot less—around $1,200 to $1,500.
Zeiss Super Ikonta IV: The last of the Zeiss Super Ikonta line of medium format folding roll film rangefinder cameras, the Zeiss Super Ikonta IV of 1955 to 1959 dispensed with the elaborate rangefinder system using contra-rotating prism wedges in an external “semaphore” to provide the moving image, and installed a conventional mirror and moving lens coupled range/viewfinder system built into the top section the camera.
Zeiss Super Ikonta IV )1955-1959): Last of the breed, it incorporated a mirror and moving lens range/viewfinder in the top husing, and a built-in uncoupled selenium meter.
This elegant 6 x 6 cm folder takes 12 pictures per roll of 120 film, provides automatic frame spacing, frame counting, and double exposure prevention, and has a built-in uncoupled selenium meter that reads out in EV numbers that are transferred to the camera’s EV scale to set the exposure. The lens, which focuses down to just under 4 feet, is a superb, coated, front-cell-focusing 75mm f/3.5 Tessar in a Synchro-Compur MXV 1-1/500 sec plus B shutter with a built-in self-timer. Though robust and substantial, the Super Ikonta IV (and the meter-less model III) are smaller and lighter than previous 6 x 6 cm Super Ikontas such as the Super Ikonta B. The Zeiss Super Ikonta IV measures 5.33 x 4.15 x 1.75 inches (W x H x D) when folded, and weighs in at 1 pound, 9.1 ounces. Original price of a Zeiss Super Ikonta IV in 1957, $89.00, equivalent to S1,030.16 in 2026 dollars.
I bought my first Zeiss Super Ikonta IV around 1988, in mint condition and in its original leather case, for a mere 120 bucks at a high-end flea market in Westchester County, NY, took some great pictures with it for 5 years or so, and then foolishly sold it to a Zeiss Collector for a tad under $150. I missed it so much I searched for another and finally snagged the one I have now, in pristine in shape in a strapless case, for $225. If you’re motivated to acquire a flawless example now, it’ll set you back $500 to $550, still well worth it in my arrogant opinion.
Many thanks to acclaimed Leica expert James Lager, renowned Nikon authority Robert Rotoloni, and George Eastman House and its esteemed curator Todd Gustavson for providing images for this article.
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No, you can’t take it with you, but you can keep it and sell it at a profit!
By Jason Schneider
I’ve often mused about writing a 700-page tome entitled Things I’ve Foolishly Sold which would include everything I’ve ever collected—cameras and photo gear, pocket watches, fountain pens, motorcycles, straight razors, teapots, mantel clocks, and assorted bric-a-brac. Well, this is the abbreviated version, a partial listing of the collectible cameras and lenses I’ve thoughtlessly unloaded over the years, often for silly reasons, and stupid prices, often on the spur of the moment. Not every bygone camera or lens included here makes me cry in my N.A. beer—occasionally I’ve sold something to help a friend or in deference to a fellow collector’s greater passion. But with the benefit of hindsight, I would retract most if these transactions if I only could.
Bronica De Luxe (Model D) outfit in original Bronica hard case: Sometime around 1970 a close friend of mine was a struggling medical student who was lusting after a Nikon FTn but couldn’t scrape up the requisite cash. His dad, a wealthy doctor residing in the affluent suburb of Roslyn on Long Island’s North Shore, had gifted him a Bronica De Luxe outfit including 3 lenses, 2 film backs, prism and waist=level finders, and much more, all in a fitted hard case, and all in pristine, barely used condition. Tou can guess what happened next—my buddy offered trade me the Bronica outfit straight across for the “like new” Nikon FTn with a 50mm f/1.4 Nikkor I’d recently acquired, and I said yes.
Bronica DeLuxe (Model D) of c.1960 had internal improvements and eliminated auto first frame positioning, but is still no paragon of reliability. It's a collector's prize!
The Bronica De Luxe (aka Model D) is a somewhat improved version of the very first Bronica SLR, the notoriously unreliable Model Z of 1959, with upgraded metallurgy in the wind gears, and a simplified film magazine that requires manual first frame positioning (unlike the Z magazine that provided automatic first frame positioning—when it worked). The rest of the camera (including the 1/1250 sec top shutter speed) was essentially unchanged, and the Bronica D was, and still is, considered delicate and unreliable by most users and tech experts who have opined on the issue. Because I was hip to its bad reputation, I handled my “new’ Bronica D with kid gloves, being especially careful not to advance the film roughly or too fast. Maybe this helped, maybe the camera I got was an especially good example, and maybe both, but over the course of the next 18 months I ran at least 200 rolls of film through the beast and encountered no problems whatsoever. Indeed, the on-film results were stunning.
About that time, another dear friend and college classmate of mine was in the throes of trying to start his career as a professional photographer. He had finally landed a great assignment and here was a chance to prove his mettle to a promising client. The problem: He thought he needed a Hasselblad or equivalent medium format SLR to execute the project to the highest standard, and he begged me to give him, sell him, or lend him, my Bronica outfit. After agonizing over his proposal, I decided to sell it to him for what I thought it was worth—about $250 if memory serves.
Happily, my NYU buddy did succeed in establishing himself as areasonably successful pro for about 10 years (he has since gone on to
other creative pursuits), but I will never forget visiting him in his Greenwich Village studio shortly after he’d acquired my Bronica. He was photographing a beautiful young woman in high fashion attire illuminated by a strategically placed hot light setup and the Bronica D with the 135mm lens mounted on a Tiltall tripod. As soon as he fired
shutter, he whacked the hapless camera with the flat of his palm, and Iheard a faint click. I immediately bellowed, “What the hell are you
doing!” “Oh, I do that to get the mirror to return to viewing position,” he calmly explained. “I’ve been slapping it for about a month now and it doesn’t seem to hurt the camera any.” At that point I knew I had sold the Bronica outfit to the right guy, and I’m OK with that—even though the current value of a Bronica D kit in pristine shape is at least $3,500!
The Konica Auto Reflex: The Konica Auto-Reflex of 1965 to 1968 (aka the Autorex) was the world’s first autoexposure SLR with a focal
plane shutter (the very first AE SLR was the Topcon Auto 100 of 1964, but it incorporated a Seikosha leaf shutter and had a limited lens
range). Another reason collectors are attracted to the Auto Reflex is its unique ability to switch between full frame (24 x 36mm) and half-frame
(18 x 24mm) formats at any time, even in mid-roll. This must have been challenging for photofinishers but provided framing flexibility and fun
for shooters. The camera features a Copal Square metal focal plane shutter (1-1/1000 sec plus B), a fixed eyr-level prism an external non-
TTL, coupled CdS meter cell powered by a PX625 mercury battery (conversion required!) and a Konica II bayonet mount that was
employed on all succeeding Konica Autorefllex models up to and including the last of the breed, the Konica Autoreflex T4 (1977-1978).
Konica Auto-Reflex of 1965 was first focal plane shutter SLR with (aperture-priority) auto-exposure, but it used an external (non-TTL) CdS cell.
I acquired my first, last, and only Konica Auto Reflex in the mid ‘70s for the grand sum of 150 bucks, complete with an excellent 52mm f/1.8
Hexanon lens. I used it quite a bit with great satisfaction, running about eighty 36-exposure roll through it over the next 2 years. I then
unloaded it for the equivalent roughly $100 as part of an elaborate trade deal for a pristine Linhof Technica 23 with a 105mm f/3.5 Xenar
lens, and I’ve regretted it ever since. Why? The Linhof is lovely to look at and the half dozen rolls of 120 film I’ve shot with it (using a Rollex 6 x
9 roll film adapter) turned out extremely well, but it’s essentially a showcase collectible whereas the Konica Auto-Reflex was an every day
user. Finding a Konica Auto-Reflex in working condition is challenging (the meters go south and aren’t always repairable) and if you do find
a clean one with a working meter it’ll likely set you back $300 or more.
The elusive Konica F: If you hanker for a truly rare and impressive Konica SLR, consider the Konica F of 1960, Konishiroku’s attempt at a top-tier, match-needle, selenium-metering 35mm SLR. The first of the breed to employ a metal focal plane shutter (a vertically running Copal Square with speeds up to 1/2000 sec) it featured a removable pentaprism, a 52 mm f/1.4 Hexanon lens, an a unique “Konica F” mount that is incompatible with later Konica AR lenses. The Konica F was soon discontinued, allegedly due to high production costs and poor reliability after only about 600 to 1,500 units were produced, making ay a rare and coveted collector’s item. Current price range based on recent auctions: $3,500 to $4,500 with 52 mm f/1.4 Hexanon lens.
Konica F: Konishiroku's ill-fated 1960 attempt at creating a top-tier 35mm SLR is now a rare collector's prize.
Agfa Automatic 66: Introduced in 1956, this audacious 6 x 6cm (on 120 roll film) folding rangefinder camera provides aperture priority automation using a unique selenium light meter linked to a shutter control mechanism that uses a pneumatic spring-loaded piston to delay the shutter’s closure based on the light level, thus determining the proper-exposure shutter speed for the user-selected aperture! Other high-end features include a superb coupled, unit-focusing 75mm f/3.5 Agfa Color-Solinar lens (a Tessar type), a special Prontor SVA shutter with speeds of 1-1/300 sec plus B. A direct successor to the Agfa Super Isolette line of rangefinder roll film cameras, the Automatic 66 is solidly built, reasonably compact, somewhat temperamental according to user reviews, and fetchingly rare—only about 1,000 units were produced.
Agfa Automatic 66. Agfa's audacious mid-50s autoexpoure 6 x 6 cm folder used a unique (and persnickety) pneumatic shutter speed control system.
I snagged mine in the late ‘60s for the astonishingly low price (even back then) of $140.00, shot with it on and off for about a decade with very nice results and no technical issues, then let an Agfa fanatic acquaintance wheedle me out of it for a mere $175. Current value: $2,400 to $3,200. What was I thinking? The problem is, I wasn’t!
Vanity Kodak Ensemble: Introduced in 1929 and designed to appeal to posh, style conscious women, this was a kit that features a color-matched Kodak Petite (a basic compact folding camera that took eight 1-5/8 x 2-1/2-inch images per roll of 127 film) in a suede-lined clutch case. The set includes a matching compact, lipstick, mirror, and change purse, an enticing combination of 1920s art deco fashion and photography that was marketed to the “modern girl,” and as a fashionable, functional and novel gift. Original price in rose, beige, or green, a blistering $15.00 (equivalent to $285.31 in 2026)!
Kodak Ensemble in "Old Rose." This elegant color-coordinated "vanity" kit was aimed at fashionable women picture takers of the 1920s.
I acquired mine online in near-mint condition, and in an exquisite “Old Rose” color, in the late ‘80s for a mere 60 bucks, and I sold it to my fashion-conscious great aunt (who was enchanted with it) for precisely the same amount in 2001—never make money on your relatives is my maxim. I’m sure happy that it’s made her happy for the last quarter century (she’s now 97!), but I must admit that my joy is tempered by knowing that its current value is $1,200 to $1,800!
Leica II (Model D) with 5cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor: Introduced in 1932, the Leica II (Model D) was the first Leica with a built-in coupled rangefinder and a standardized (LTM) screw mount. it had no slow speed dial, so shutter speeds were limited to 1/20 to 1/500 sec plus Z (Zeit, same as T for Time). The 5cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor, a 6-element, 3-group collapsible lens designed by Max Berek (and named for his dog!), was produced (in nickel- and chrome-finished versions) from 1930 to 1936, and is considered the first “high speed” lens for the Leica. Only about 10,600 units of these beauties were made in total, so it’s considered “rarish.”
Leica II (Model D) with 5cm /2.5 Hektor lens in chrome finish. Note: The Hektor on my Leica II (not shown) was in much rarer nickel finish.
Back in the early 1960s there were camera collectors all right, but camera collecting was not yet considered a “thing,” so many retailers consigned old cameras to the “junk pile” and offered them at giveaway prices. Such was the case with Willougby’s, located on 32nd St, just west of Sixth Ave, then the largest camera store in New York City. As I ambled over to the junk camera display at Willougby’s and peered down into the glass case, looking up at me was a little black Leica with its glossy enamel finish almost perfectly intact. It was fitted with a nickel finished collapsible 5cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor, a lens I’d read about but wasn’t familiar with. I asked the guy behind the counter to take it out and show it to me, turned the knob and fired the shutter a few times and asked the price. “Thirty-nine dollars and its yours,” said he. “But I must tell you that all the cameras in this case are sold as is—no guarantees, and no returns.” For about 2 seconds I thought about haggling for a lower price, but I decided not to and forked over the 39 bucks plus 3% city sales tax and walked out with the Leica.
I kept that Leica II for nearly 15 years and probably ran at least 100 36-exposure rolls through, discovering that the 5cm f/2.5 Hektor was quite soft at its widest apertures but could capture images with excellent definition and gorgeous vintage rendition at f/6.3, f/9 and even at f/4.5 if you can live with some corner falloff. In short, it’s a great combo.
Sometime around 1977 I sold my beautiful Leica II (Model D) with 5cm f/2.5 Hektor to a well-heeled Leica collector for less than 100 bucks ($85.00, if memory serves) because I needed the money for some serious emergency like fixing my car. I still miss it, and the agony is exacerbated when I contemplate its current value: about $2,200 to $2,500 in clean working condition!
5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens in Leica (LTM) screw mount: The 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor lens for Nikon and Leica rangefinder cameras was designed by Zenji Wakimoto ad Hideo Azuma of Nippon Kogaku K.K. with the goal of providing an ultra-high-res closeup lens that delivered better image quality than anything available at the time. The resulting lens, inspired by the 80mm f/2.8 Schneider-Kreuznach Xenotar, was a modified 5-element, 4-group collapsible design with a 7-bladed diaphragm that provides apochromatic color correction and has a resolving power of 200 to 300 lines per mm—beyond the capability of most films. In its extended position it focuses from 3 feet to infinity, but by adjusting the helicoid, it can get down to about 18 inches. Using it at its close range required a ground-glass back, external distance measurement, and manual parallax compensation back in the day, but it can now be used much more easily on a DSLR or a mirrorless with a suitable adapter.
5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor in LTM mount on a Leica M3. This requires an LTM-to-M mount adapter (shown on camera).
The 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor rangefinder lens was introduced in October 1956 in both Nikon S and Leica (LTM) screw mounts and in production until the mid ‘60s. Approximately 1,500 units were produced, and out of that total only about 300 were in Leica (LTM) screw mount, making them rare and coveted user collectibles. The 1958 Nikon catalog lists both versions at the breathtakingly low list price of $199.50 but bear in mind that that’s equivalent to a little over $2.184.00 in 2026 dollars. I acquired my 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor in Leica (LTM) mount in the early ’80s from a fellow camera collector who generously charged me a pittance, $68.00, for this priceless gem.
5cm f/3.5 Micro Nikkor with front cap. This lens was made in Nikon S and LTM screw mount, the latter being much rarer and pricier.
I didn’t use the 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor extensively, but I can affirm that its overall performance at moderate apertures is spectacular. I forget exactly why I decided to let it go for $300 to a Nikon fanatic sometime in the late ‘90s, but I rue the day I ever parted with it. Current value in LTM mount in pristine condition: $3,500 to $4,000 and up. Evidently there was a Nikon S-to-LTM adapter so you could theoretically mount the Nikon version on a Leica, but we can’t vouch for its performance, and a clean 5cm f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor in S-mount will set you back at least $2k anyway!
Yashica YF: Yashica’s answer to the Leica M3, this rare and intriguing interchangeable lens rangefinder 35 was introduced in 1959 shortly after Yashica acquired the Nicca Camera Company. A successor to the Yashica YE, it included an M3-style back-loading door, a single-stroke film wind lever, and an advanced bright-frame 0.7x range/viewfinder with projected, parallax-compensating frame lines for 50 and 100mm lenses. The horizontal cloth focal plane shutter provides speeds of 1-1/000 sec plus B; 1/60 to 1/1000 sec via the top shutter speed dial and 1 to 1/30 sec via the front-mounted slow speed dial. However, the YF retained the traditional screw mount. Generally regarded as well-made and reliable, the Yashica YF retailed for $149.95 in the U.S., complete with high quality 6-element, 4-group 5cm f/1.8 Yashinon lens.
Yashica YF : Inspired by the Leica M3 and pursuant to Yashica's acquisition of Nicca, it's dual frame line, parallax compensating range/viewfinder is outstanding.
I purchased my Yashica YF with 5cm f/1.8 Yashinon in pristine condition for 100 bucks at an unnamed small town camera store in the Midwest for a piddling 100 bucks, probably because the store owner was sick of looking at it. I used it with great satisfaction (and had great fun twitting my Leica M-toting buddies) for about 8 years before foolishly selling it to a Leica copy collector for $180.00. Current value in near mint condition with 5cm f.1.8 Yashinon lens: $700 to $950.
E. Leitz Wetzlar 90mm f/2.2 Thambar: Leitz certainly put considerable effort into designing sharp, high-resolution lenses but that didn’t prevent them from also designing the 90mm f/2.2 Thambar, a soft-focus masterpiece, to meet the needs of Leica users who wanted to capture classic dreamy Hollywood-style portraits that maximized glamour and minimized skin defects. The original uncoated 90mm f/2.2 Thambar produced from 1935 to 1942 used a unique 4-element, 3-group formula that employed a cemented doublet as the middle group, creating a lens that was inherently soft at its widest apertures due to under-corrected spherical aberration, and prone to flare, which could be a positive in some applications. It also came with a separate soft-focus filter with an opaque dot in the canter that increased the soft-focus effect by blocking the central image-forming rays from reaching the image plane. Using this filter meant the lens had to have dual aperture scales, one in red when the “spot” filter is used, the other in black for shooting without the filter. The original Thambar kit also came with a dedicated lens hood and lens cap, an instruction manual, and a cool red cylindrical box to hold everything.
Original 90mm f/2.3 Thambar lens on a Leica III. Note accessory Leitz viewfinder with manual parallax compensation control.
Original 90mm f/2.2 Thambar lens, Note distance scale in feet, dual aperture scales near top (see text for details).
According to the official records, only about 3,500 original Thambar lenses were made, although there are gaps in the sequence and some experts claim that only 3,000 were made, while other conjecture that a small number were assembled after WW II. The original Thambar was only available in Leica screw (LTM) mount, with either metric or footage focusing scales, has a minimum aperture of f/25, focuses down to 1 meter, and weighs in at a hefty 500g (1.1 pounds) thanks to its brass barrel. I acquired my original 1930s Thambar in excellent cosmetic and optical condition from a Leica collector friend in the late ‘90s at the bargain price of $300 plus a clean 100mm f/3.5 Canon screw mount lens and foolishly sold it about 5 years later to a dealer for 750 bucks. It’s a great soft-focus lens and I did at least get the chance to shoot some beautifully “romantic” portraits with it. Current value: $4,500 to $7,000. Note: Leica reissued a modern versio of the 90mm f/2,2 Thambar in 2017 at a list price of $6,495 and discontinued it sometime around 2021 after producing about 1,200 units. These beauties are available used at prices in the $4,400 to $5,000 range and are probably the best choice for soft-focus shooters.
Leica IIIg of 1956 -1960, with superb 5cm f/2.8 Elmar lens. The last and maybe the best of the screw-mount Leicas, and the only one with parallax-correcting frame lines.
Leica IIIg with 5cm f/2.8 Elmar lens: The Leica IIIg (1956 to 1960) is the final and most advanced iteration of the classic screw-mount (LTM) Leica rangefinder camera series that began with the Leica II (Model D) of 1932. Designed after the M3, it was created to provide a premium compact, compatible alternative for Leica users that had invested in the screw-mount system. Featuring a larger, brighter viewfinder than the Leica IIIf, with projected, parallax-compensating frame lines for 50mm and 90mm lenses, geometric shutter speeds from 1 to 1/1000 sec plus B and T, a built-in self-timer and back mounted film reminder dial in a body only 4-5mm taller than its predecessor, the Leica IIIg is an elegant conclusion to a superlative series, a great shooter, and a coveted collector’s piece. According to unofficial production records, 43,925 units were made in total, mostly in chrome except for 125 in black enamel finish with “3 crowns” logo made for the Swedish military.
The most common lens sold with the Leica IIIg was the collapsible 5cm f/2.8 Elmar, a faster, recomputed version of the classic 4-element, 3-group Elmar that took advantage of high refractive index lanthanum glass for its front and rear elements. Known for its high contrast, excellent color correction, vintage rendition, and attractively understated bokeh it’s a somewhat underrated classic.
I acquired my Leica IIIg, my very first “new” Leica, in 1960. It had been languishing in the window (fortunately in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight) of Village Photo Shop in Rockville Centre, a town on the South Shore of Long Island. I knew the camera had been sitting there for at least 2, maybe 3 years, and after some protracted negotiating, the proprietor, a kindly but uncompromising old German guy, agreed to sell it to me as a “display model” for !0% off the list price of $223.50. It came in a red snap case with 5cm f/2.8 Elmar lens with a 15-bladed diaphragm, and an original chrome Leica lens cap. I was overjoyed, and I used that camera somewhat sparingly over the next 8 years (it was so beautiful I was afraid of damaging it) and then I stupidly traded it away (for the equivalent of roughly $275) to acquire another camera I lusted after, namely a mint Rollei 3.5F TLR with a 6-element 75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Planar lens. Needless to admit, I’ve had misgivings ever since, though I must confess that I’ve run a lot more film through the Rollei than I ever did with the IIIg. If you hanker for a Leica IIIg with a 5cm f/2.8 Elmar, a truly mint example will set you back about $2,500, but clean ones in working condition go for a lot less—around $1,200 to $1,500.
Zeiss Super Ikonta IV: The last of the Zeiss Super Ikonta line of medium format folding roll film rangefinder cameras, the Zeiss Super Ikonta IV of 1955 to 1959 dispensed with the elaborate rangefinder system using contra-rotating prism wedges in an external “semaphore” to provide the moving image, and installed a conventional mirror and moving lens coupled range/viewfinder system built into the top section the camera.
Zeiss Super Ikonta IV )1955-1959): Last of the breed, it incorporated a mirror and moving lens range/viewfinder in the top husing, and a built-in uncoupled selenium meter.
This elegant 6 x 6 cm folder takes 12 pictures per roll of 120 film, provides automatic frame spacing, frame counting, and double exposure prevention, and has a built-in uncoupled selenium meter that reads out in EV numbers that are transferred to the camera’s EV scale to set the exposure. The lens, which focuses down to just under 4 feet, is a superb, coated, front-cell-focusing 75mm f/3.5 Tessar in a Synchro-Compur MXV 1-1/500 sec plus B shutter with a built-in self-timer. Though robust and substantial, the Super Ikonta IV (and the meter-less model III) are smaller and lighter than previous 6 x 6 cm Super Ikontas such as the Super Ikonta B. The Zeiss Super Ikonta IV measures 5.33 x 4.15 x 1.75 inches (W x H x D) when folded, and weighs in at 1 pound, 9.1 ounces. Original price of a Zeiss Super Ikonta IV in 1957, $89.00, equivalent to S1,030.16 in 2026 dollars.
I bought my first Zeiss Super Ikonta IV around 1988, in mint condition and in its original leather case, for a mere 120 bucks at a high-end flea market in Westchester County, NY, took some great pictures with it for 5 years or so, and then foolishly sold it to a Zeiss Collector for a tad under $150. I missed it so much I searched for another and finally snagged the one I have now, in pristine in shape in a strapless case, for $225. If you’re motivated to acquire a flawless example now, it’ll set you back $500 to $550, still well worth it in my arrogant opinion.
Many thanks to acclaimed Leica expert James Lager, renowned Nikon authority Robert Rotoloni, and George Eastman House and its esteemed curator Todd Gustavson for providing images for this article.
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