How low can you go?

[dostacos]

One of the joys of rangefinder photography is that we have access to very good quality gear at very attractive prices as well as the most expensive cameras and lenses ever made. I have a challenge for you.

Just how little can you spend on an outfit?

I want hear from you about your cheapest gear. Here's the test:

What did you spend on a 35mm rangefinder body, 50mm, 35mm (or 28mm) and 135mm (or 90mm) lens? Everything had to be working when you got it and acquired reasonably legally (at least you shouldn't have got caught yet). Inherited and given gear doesn't count.

The person with the cheapest outfit gets glory but no prize, I'm afraid. There will be extra glory for included bonuses (multi finders, leather cases etc) that were thrown in with anything that you bought.

Also, post photos from or of your cheap outfits. My 4k features in my gallery quite a bit.

To get us started here's mine:

Zorki 4k with case, box and instruction manual in mint condition = £24
Jupiter 12 = £19 in Jessops sale
Jupiter 9 = £35 also in Jessops sale

That makes £73 for a lifetime of high quality photography, which is pretty cool, I think.

I also got a Leningrad 2 meter for £2 in Cash Convertors in perfect working order.

Can anyone prove they got a Leica for £5?

Canonet Ql 17 GIII $76 INCLUDING a trip to greyhoundman since it had no lube and no seals Got a canonet 28 for less than $60 including the CLA by greyhoundman

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Box-o-cameras for $31 with shipping. Inside was a Yashica MG-1 (which just needs the battery compartment cleaned out and it should be good to go), a Bosley B2 (which I sold later on), a Voigtlander Vito CLR (which I thought was around here somewhere but I can't *find* the thing), and an Argus C4 with the conversion (only the 50mm lens though and the thing doesn't work). I also got a box Brownie, the Meopta Flexaret, the two half frames (Canon Demi and Olympus Pen EE), my Bella, and the trump card of them all (even if it is worth almost nothing it turns out: a 1913 Kodak Vest Pocket. My grandfather says that my great grandparents owned one. Still works, bellows is intact and in great shape, and the shutter speeds seem on (all two of them). Seems to be nothing wrong with the lens, either. If only I could get my hands on 127 film without emptying my wallet.

 

[allthumbs]

Zorki 6 w/ collapsible I-50 & case + shipping from Russia: $25.50US

It worked out of the parcel; shutter curtain #1 had some holes, but the leaks were avoidable. Eventually I just painted over the holes. So Perhaps I should add $5 for textile paint and a brush, and elbow grease and alcohol for cleaning, and working the mechanisms to smoothness.

However, once we warmed up to each other, I spent extravagantly:
silver Jupiter 12: $45 shipped
black Jupiter 8 with oily blades: $22.50 shipped
Soft shutter release+Petri tele-wide finder: $18 shipped

All of it found on the auction site.

 

[RJBender]

$10 Minolta Hi-Matic 7S (Camera swap meet special)

R.J.

 

[nwcanonman]

Does getting an Olympus RC with original manual for FREE count?
I still need to have the meter repaired though.

 

[cbass]

In December I found a near-mint condition black Vivitar 35 ES (Minolta Hi-Matic 7sII clone) with original case and mini bounce-flash for $90 USD. That wasn't a bad deal. The camera works perfectly and is a joy to use.

In the SLR world, last week I found an EX+ condition Minolta SR-T Super (SR-T 102) with a near-mint MC Rokkor 55/1.7 lens, original Minolta metal lens cap, a metal square Minolta lens hood, original ever-ready case and strap for a whopping $36 on evilbay.

RJ -- that's a sweet Hi-Matic 7s you got there. Probably one of the most under-rated "full-size" fixed lens RFs of all time. 😉 I've previously owned two and sold them both to my continued regret.

Jeez, can you tell I'm a Minoltite? Minoltian? Rokkorite? 😀 Once you get Minolta lust, you get it bad!

 

[agoglanian]

my best deal was $20 for an Olympus 35 RD at a thrift store. i had gman clean it up too. just like hes going to do to my 35 SP thats in the mail.

 

[Rob]

I have found a ton of deals at flea markets and oddly enough antique malls heres just a few:
Canonet GIII, like new $0 (given to me by antique dealer)
Canonet GIII, $1 flea market, at least 7 more GIIIs never paid more than $20 for, Yashica GSNs at least 8 of them for $5 to $25, one GT for $20, one mint GTN for $45. Minolta 7s $20, Minolta 7s II $20, minolta himatic 11 $20, several canolite flashes $2-$10, Olympus 35rc $8, lots of other SLR stuff, 1 Rolleicord $45, 1 Rolleiflex 2.8 $150, many more photo items. No Leicas.

 

[Rob]

Forgot Yashica 35cc for $45 too.

 

[varjag]

Kiev-4A, J8M, J12, J9, J11, Helios 103, 35mm finder, universal turret finder and cable release have set me back $120 total. Not a single purchase though, and I've spent fair amount of time cleaning/adjusting things.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I've got a £4 Rolliecord, Art Deco edition.

 

[ZeissFan]

I got a Rollei XF 35 for $7.99 at a thrift shop and a Voigtlander Vag with the excellent Voigtar lens (kidding about that part) at a flea market for $15. I also got a Retina for $20 and two half frame Olympus Pens (viewfinder models) for $40 for both.

Other than that, I'm willing to pay a little bit more for a camera that is old, diry and hasn't been tinkered with.

I got a Nikon S for about $225 or so.

 

[Byuphoto]

Leica M4-2 and 35mm Summicron $500 and then the same guy sold me a 50 cron for $250. Now if someone had a 90 for a couple hundred life would be good.

 

[Byuphoto]

Zorki 4 and J8 $40, J12 $30 and an 85 FSU for $40
$110 total

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

GBP4 for a Rolliecord.