feenej
Well-known
Mr. Sbug gave me a Minolta 7SII last Summer. I turned around and sold it for $160, then split the cash with him.
Spider67
Well-known
@Chris Crawford:
great photo and interesting story.
A colleague of mine gave me a big leather case with an Exakta VX 1000, a 300mm Tair, a 200mm Orestor and a 25mm Flektogon + it's huge UV-filter in its original leather pouch.
The 25mm caught me immediately! It's a huge lens!
great photo and interesting story.
A colleague of mine gave me a big leather case with an Exakta VX 1000, a 300mm Tair, a 200mm Orestor and a 25mm Flektogon + it's huge UV-filter in its original leather pouch.
The 25mm caught me immediately! It's a huge lens!
Last edited:
Damaso
Photojournalist
90mm tele-elmarit, so far, so great!
bean_counter
Well-known
A cousin knew I had Minolta gear, so he gave me his kit when he moved; a non-functional XG-1 (typical capacitor issue), with 45mm and 135mm lenses, and a small Minolta flash.
Dumped the XG-1, didn't need it, wasn't worth tinkering with. 45mm goes out and about occaisionally. Little flash is surprisingly useful.
135 is a cracking portrait lens. A keeper!
Also got two IIIf's from my father; not sure if it was a gift, or if I knicked them... had to put shutters in both, so I guess camera karma caught up with me
Dumped the XG-1, didn't need it, wasn't worth tinkering with. 45mm goes out and about occaisionally. Little flash is surprisingly useful.
135 is a cracking portrait lens. A keeper!
Also got two IIIf's from my father; not sure if it was a gift, or if I knicked them... had to put shutters in both, so I guess camera karma caught up with me
JohnTF
Veteran
Passed along a few cameras, too many to count, but have not had to sell the house to pay for them, and I have had my share of interesting acquisitions.
Several enlargers and a mini lab were passed along to schools for what I paid, nada. My photo friend has just finished a degree in photography, and is a very accomplished photographer. Looking for a user 80mm Blad lens and viewfinder to complete that outfit for her, to add to her arsenal. ;-)
Reasonable return on the gift, excellent work.
Regards, John
Several enlargers and a mini lab were passed along to schools for what I paid, nada. My photo friend has just finished a degree in photography, and is a very accomplished photographer. Looking for a user 80mm Blad lens and viewfinder to complete that outfit for her, to add to her arsenal. ;-)
Reasonable return on the gift, excellent work.
Regards, John
Michael P.
Bronica RF
Free Mamiya TLR
Free Mamiya TLR
Just last week my neighbor, who is retired from the newspaper business, gave me an old Mamiya C220 and three lenses. At first I was excited. Then I found that all three lenses have fungus, the normal lens shutter only works on B, the telephoto lens PC synch doesn't fire, and a gasket inside the camera body has turned to sticky gum. I shot and developed a roll of Ilford Pan F that came out OK. The camera works, but it's not what I expected. but I have to say that I am grateful nonetheless.
Free Mamiya TLR
Just last week my neighbor, who is retired from the newspaper business, gave me an old Mamiya C220 and three lenses. At first I was excited. Then I found that all three lenses have fungus, the normal lens shutter only works on B, the telephoto lens PC synch doesn't fire, and a gasket inside the camera body has turned to sticky gum. I shot and developed a roll of Ilford Pan F that came out OK. The camera works, but it's not what I expected.
but I have to say that I am grateful nonetheless.
Last edited:
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I am a lucky guy.
Free Camera Number One: My dad gave me a Voigtlander Bessa I, a 120 folder that had an interchangable mask for 2 1/4 square negatives or 3 1/4x 2 1/4. The value added to this gift is my dad was poor, even though he worked hard his whole life, and didn't have much. I still have this camera, but the lens needs to be taken apart and cleaned professionally. I clouded the lens up by attempting to get the shutter from sticking.
Free Camera Number Two: Nikon F3HP in minty condition. Girlfriend lost interest in photography and kinda gave it to me to use indefinately.
Free Camera Number Three: Found a Contax T-3 by almost stepping on it. It was just laying on the ground in its leather pouch in an abandoned part of Brooklyn. Evidently someone lost it, but I was the luckyone to find it.
Free Camera Number Four: 16mm Bolex movie camera with a lot of accesories. I worked for a big Aerospace company. They were excessing some equipment as junk. The girl in charge was a friend, so I asked her if I could have the Bolex. I told her I could really use the Bolex. I used my good looks and blinked my eyes three times. She caved and handed me the box. Since then, I never did use the camera, but I ended up buying a zoom lense for the rig.
A friend bought a darkroom timer for a dollar and gave it to me. Also just happened to visit The International Center For Photography when the were still in Spanish Harlem. The had a help yourself pile of stuff they were getting rid of. The were moving to Mid-town. I carried about fourty pounds of negitive files, Perhaps a lifetime supply for even a avid shooter like Tom A. After several moves I believe I culled this down, but now I have to check.
Calzone
Free Camera Number One: My dad gave me a Voigtlander Bessa I, a 120 folder that had an interchangable mask for 2 1/4 square negatives or 3 1/4x 2 1/4. The value added to this gift is my dad was poor, even though he worked hard his whole life, and didn't have much. I still have this camera, but the lens needs to be taken apart and cleaned professionally. I clouded the lens up by attempting to get the shutter from sticking.
Free Camera Number Two: Nikon F3HP in minty condition. Girlfriend lost interest in photography and kinda gave it to me to use indefinately.
Free Camera Number Three: Found a Contax T-3 by almost stepping on it. It was just laying on the ground in its leather pouch in an abandoned part of Brooklyn. Evidently someone lost it, but I was the luckyone to find it.
Free Camera Number Four: 16mm Bolex movie camera with a lot of accesories. I worked for a big Aerospace company. They were excessing some equipment as junk. The girl in charge was a friend, so I asked her if I could have the Bolex. I told her I could really use the Bolex. I used my good looks and blinked my eyes three times. She caved and handed me the box. Since then, I never did use the camera, but I ended up buying a zoom lense for the rig.
A friend bought a darkroom timer for a dollar and gave it to me. Also just happened to visit The International Center For Photography when the were still in Spanish Harlem. The had a help yourself pile of stuff they were getting rid of. The were moving to Mid-town. I carried about fourty pounds of negitive files, Perhaps a lifetime supply for even a avid shooter like Tom A. After several moves I believe I culled this down, but now I have to check.
Calzone
JohnTF
Veteran
Just last week my neighbor, who is retired from the newspaper business, gave me an old Mamiya C220 and three lenses. At first I was excited. Then I found that all three lenses have fungus, the normal lens shutter only works on B, the telephoto lens PC synch doesn't fire, and a gasket inside the camera body has turned to sticky gum. I shot and developed a roll of Ilford Pan F that came out OK. The camera works, but it's not what I expected.
These lenses are not difficult to service, I would consider it, or pass along the equipment to a student, I know one if you are interested.
Regards, John
SergioGuerra
Well-known
Hi Michael, I would be interested on the wide lenses... for a very special priceJust last week my neighbor, who is retired from the newspaper business, gave me an old Mamiya C220 and three lenses. At first I was excited. Then I found that all three lenses have fungus, the normal lens shutter only works on B, the telephoto lens PC synch doesn't fire, and a gasket inside the camera body has turned to sticky gum. I shot and developed a roll of Ilford Pan F that came out OK. The camera works, but it's not what I expected.
Regards,
Sérgio
pesphoto
Veteran
Ive been given a couple enlargers over the years and other darkroom items, usually old stuff that was sitting around in someone's closet. Most recently, my sister's boyfriend(now exboyfriend) gave me his mom's Konica SLR kit, one camera was DOA, but the other, an FS-1, and several lenses are now being used regularly used by be.