Is this Hiyoca 35mm Rangefinder worth much???

[debugnus]

Hi all,

After showing off some photos at work I took with my Nikon S2, one of my co-workers came at me with his dad's old 50s camera. To my surprise it was a rangefinder 😀 ...He asked if I was collecting and if i'd want it? I asked if he was going to sell it, but he said it's not worth anything to him.

Link to Hiyoca gallery: http://smu.gs/xdtMMW

So my question/s is:

1 - is this camera worth anything much?

2 - would it be worth more if it had an overhaul?

Important Notes about camera are:

- It is quite dirty!
- Shutter Speeds are stuffed - 2 or 5 down to B, acts as Bulb and 25 also acts as Bulb
- The focus mechanism is stiff as anything - really hard to move and feels as thought it may strain something if I play with it anymore.
- The Rangefinder does look out of wack and does not even move with the focus mechanism
- The Frame Counter does not advance.
- As seen, the film advance leaver is without its top - so easily falls off when handled the wrong way.
- the button underneath the camera "I assume" this is for multi exposures??? if so - does not stop the film rollers.
- Lastly the black Viewfinder support at the back is swinging on 1 lonely screw.

Thanks,
Dave.

 

[btgc]

Seems to be solid camera from around 60ies, built more substantially than later cameras like Yashica Electro un similar. It's rather decent picture taking machine but lens is rather common and thus isn't going to be highly sought after. Value? Nowadays you will be lucky to sell it for something, I don't think it's a market mover.

 

[konicaman]

Probably not much monetary value. Could be a nice shooter though, if working properly. The 10-blade aperture should give a nice bokeh.

 

[debugnus]

Probably not much monetary value. Could be a nice shooter though, if working properly. The 10-blade aperture should give a nice bokeh.

Yeh I was also thinking about keeping to shoot with if i can get it fixed.

 

[sevo]

Seems to fall into the same class as e.g. Beauty, Taron or Aires - generally not worth much, these lesser brand FLRF sell for anything between one and fifty €/$, depending on condition, beauty, lens speed and phase of the moon. Certainly not worth a repair unless for personal use - you will never recoup the repair bill in a sale...

 

[JasonH]

Hiyoca and Royal Camera

Hiyoca and Royal Camera

Your Hiyoca is a rebadged 1957-59 Royal 35P, made by Royal Camera (DSK) and distributed by I.S. Photo. It is similar to Hanimex's C35 rebadge. Hiyoca distribution was maybe as low as in the 20-30,000 unit range. The markets for Royals and its rebadges fluctuates, going from below $40USD for common ones to inflated over $250USD for rarer ones (like the first Royal 'no name', or a rarer Ogikon). Most of these pieces just get tossed when they're in that 'haven't been used in years and been lost in the closet' state this one's in, and that makes the left-overs artificially rarer. For this one, the case is as valuable as the camera.

The camera itself is basic but solid, and easy to fix. The shutter is frozen from lack of exercise, lens helical is just gummed up from old grease, rf easy to realign. And that bottom button is the rewind release button. Yours still has good chrome (Royals have fragile chrome), black trim brassed a bit, advance lever screw-cap is a simple part to salvage from any Royal: would guess offers would be in $25-50USD range at an auction site.

1950's off-brand orphaned Japanese cameras seem to be cultish. For Royal Camera, the mystery remains how this company developed its wide distribution network, then vanished after 4-5 years in business. If you want to see what Royal made, visit Colin J Clarke's Royal Gallery pBase pages. You might want to ask Colin if he's interested, if only for the case.

 

[DiegoI]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I wanted to let you know that I have a Hiyoca f:2.8 (serial number 24472), which was my first camera, inherited from my grandfather. It's in excellent condition! It's working and comes with its original case, although a little worn with age. It's logical, especially considering it's at least 70 years old. From what I've seen in the comments, it could go for up to USD 250. It seems to be a rare model. I'd appreciate any information. Thank you very much.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Royal 35p

The Royal 35P was a fixed lens rangefinder camera made by Royal Camera of Tokyo from 1957, featuring: Rangefinder-coupled Tomioka Tominor f1.9 / 45mm lens, to f16, with 40.5mm filter size. Unmarked shutter with speeds: B, 1, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/300s. 10-blade aperture diaphragm...

camerapedia.fandom.com

Your camera, as mentioned, was made by Royal Camera.

Royal Camera

The Royal Camera Company, Daiou Shashin Kōki or DSK, was a camera fabricator established in Tokyo, Japan, during the latter half of the 1950's. As well as producing and exporting cameras under its own company label for approximately four-to-five years, it developed ties worldwide through Ogino...

camerapedia.fandom.com

The camera was sold under many different names, with different lenses- ranging from F1.9 to F3.5.
These cameras do not sell for much these days, $25~$75. Ebay sellers ask for more- but are not selling at higher prices.

Pardon Our Interruption...

The closest I could find that actually sold.

 

[DownUnder]

Interesting to read about these odd-bod cameras. In the 1950s-1980s small cameras like yours were rebadged and sold, usually by retail chains like Walmart, K-Mart, Woolworths et al where in that now long-ago analog film era you would always find a photo section full of interesting items. I bought a lot of color neg films and now and then slide film (when the latter was sold off at discounted prices) at K-Mart, especially when I was driving across the USA. 120 Verichrome Pan for 79 cents a roll, amazing!! Now all ancient history...

As much as I dislike home-tinkering with gear, your camera is likely not worth spending money on. Clean it up, maybe do a quick CLA, and see if you can get it functioning. The results (in film image terms) won't be much toc crow about, but better than the 110 junk popular with amateur shooters back then.

I have a small box of these cast-offs somewhere at home. In Australia almost anything sold on Ebay seems to fetch eye-watering prices (PT Barnum's famous saying comes to mind here) but a fast check of sold gear revealed that most no-name brands usually go for AUD $25-$40. So not really worth any effort or time for me to unearth that box and clean up my finds to try to raise some quick travel money.