Huss
Veteran
Yeah I have seen some that looked great just painted, then instead of developing 'patina' the paint came off in big chunks..
Timmyjoe
Veteran
Kiu
Looks like something my kid could do with a paint brush and a bottle of Testers model paint.
Went to the linked web site, those are some ugly cameras.
As for the OP, I wouldn't find one of the Olive re-painted cameras valuable. Though I would be interested in an original Canon F1n in Olive.
mpaniagua
Newby photographer
You mean kind of like this?
Borrowed from this page:
http://www.marcocavina.com/articoli_fotografici/Nikon_spigolature/00_pag.htm
There is also an Italian craftsman...
Kiu
Whoa! sure looks ugly
Mackinaw
Think Different
I have one. Bought it year's back from a collector in Australia. I actually had no intentions of buying it, but he made me a deal I couldn't pass up. Beautiful camera.
Jim B.
mpaniagua
Newby photographer
Also, CV Bessa T in green looks quite good probably will get one.
probably will get one.
Timmyjoe
Veteran
I know Canon made the F1n body in Olive green, did they make any Olive green lenses?
I know Leica made an R body in Olive green (R3 IIRC), and I've seen the Olive green Leica R lenses.
I know Leica made a few M bodies in Olive green. Did Leica make any Olive green M lenses?
And did the Nikon factory make any Olive green camera bodies or lenses (aside from the Nikonos V, which wasn't completely green)?
I know Leica made an R body in Olive green (R3 IIRC), and I've seen the Olive green Leica R lenses.
I know Leica made a few M bodies in Olive green. Did Leica make any Olive green M lenses?
And did the Nikon factory make any Olive green camera bodies or lenses (aside from the Nikonos V, which wasn't completely green)?
Mackinaw
Think Different
Highway 61
Revisited
Some people attracted towards anything that looks military at the point of having beautiful classic cameras repainted like that should rather go and see their usual psyc. !
lxmike
M2 fan.
not sure, for me the jury is still out on olive repaints
rbsinto
Well-known
"Everybody does what they do."
RBSinTo's Law.
Me? No. I like my cameras black.
RBSinTo's Law.
Me? No. I like my cameras black.
sebastel
coarse art umbrascriptor
i find them plain ugly. but that's just me.
radi(c)al_cam
Well-known
Dear Kiu,
well, are they planning a remake of «Battle Royale», or another movie, this time in a certain dystopian 1940s/1950s milieu?
If yes: I can think of these olive cameras as very useful stage props.
But if not: put them in a dustbin, please. But tell us which dustbin exactly where, because I'm sure someone will pick them out and bring them to an expert who will remove this a) anachronistic and b) incredibly ugly, pseudo-militaristic, olive.
NIKON KIU
Did you say Nippon Kogaku
Olive me...
Olive me...
Interesting replies, some are quite amusing. Great to see interest in these old camera.
Since this thread created good interest, I'll add my 2 cents hoping there will be more conversation and inter-action. Maybe some others would chime-in too.
Now, my perspective is a little different, just like everyone else I guess.
I work in Automobile industry, in that line of work, it's quite acceptable to have any automobile restored, in addition, they customize cars too, each of course to the owner's taste and liking. Most common would be customized wheels, then in more expensive adventures, it would be to customize paint, interior, drive-train and so on. It's not unusual for a restorer to lose money on the project, markets change and interest with it.
It's also accepted to have Replicas of very rare cars, say a Shelby Cobra or some Old American made super fast cars or even trucks. Obviously, the replicas or even the restored/repaints units are not worth the same as
a pristine, garage kept, low mileage unit, but they are still sought after. Hence there is market for them.
This same holds true in camera world, the old Nikon S2 or Leica M3 are almost impossible to find in black, if you find one, they command extreme prices, hard to afford for casual collectors or users, hard to afford for some serious collectors. There are plenty of replica BLACK cameras as I mentioned above, probably more than real ones! One of the reasons they are called Fake Black cameras.
Now, these Olive Drab cameras were never made by Nikon, they seem to me more in line of being customized than faked, we can't really call them replicas since underneath, they are Nikon cameras, in my opinion these are more like restored/customized examples.
Now, is it wrong to redo a chrome camera?
What if the shop is restoring something like this:
Ebay example. http://www.ebay.com/itm/311696381102
Well if they are restoring old worn out stuff, then more power to them. I don't mind having one of the greens myself, if the price is right.
Now as for value, I agree that they are not really worth more than a nice example, just like those old customized cars don't bring profit to their restorers most of the time.
Kiu
Olive me...
Interesting replies, some are quite amusing. Great to see interest in these old camera.
Since this thread created good interest, I'll add my 2 cents hoping there will be more conversation and inter-action. Maybe some others would chime-in too.
Now, my perspective is a little different, just like everyone else I guess.
I work in Automobile industry, in that line of work, it's quite acceptable to have any automobile restored, in addition, they customize cars too, each of course to the owner's taste and liking. Most common would be customized wheels, then in more expensive adventures, it would be to customize paint, interior, drive-train and so on. It's not unusual for a restorer to lose money on the project, markets change and interest with it.
It's also accepted to have Replicas of very rare cars, say a Shelby Cobra or some Old American made super fast cars or even trucks. Obviously, the replicas or even the restored/repaints units are not worth the same as
a pristine, garage kept, low mileage unit, but they are still sought after. Hence there is market for them.
This same holds true in camera world, the old Nikon S2 or Leica M3 are almost impossible to find in black, if you find one, they command extreme prices, hard to afford for casual collectors or users, hard to afford for some serious collectors. There are plenty of replica BLACK cameras as I mentioned above, probably more than real ones! One of the reasons they are called Fake Black cameras.
Now, these Olive Drab cameras were never made by Nikon, they seem to me more in line of being customized than faked, we can't really call them replicas since underneath, they are Nikon cameras, in my opinion these are more like restored/customized examples.
Now, is it wrong to redo a chrome camera?
What if the shop is restoring something like this:
Ebay example. http://www.ebay.com/itm/311696381102
Well if they are restoring old worn out stuff, then more power to them. I don't mind having one of the greens myself, if the price is right.
Now as for value, I agree that they are not really worth more than a nice example, just like those old customized cars don't bring profit to their restorers most of the time.
Kiu
Timmyjoe
Veteran
For me, there's a difference between restoring something, and buying something someone else restored. Years ago I worked with a very talented artist who was restoring a 1930's pickup truck. He was meticulous, every detail, took him almost a decade. I remember admiring his craftsmanship and mentioning to him that I bet he couldn't wait to finish the truck so he could drive it around. He looked at me confused, and told me he would sell it as soon as he was finished, and probably for a loss. As a young buck, I thought he was totally crazy. But years later, when I was restoring old motion picture cameras, I finally understood what he was talking about. The joy came from the restoration. The working with each part, realizing the original designers intent on how each piece worked with each other. Bringing something mechanical back to life. That was what brought the enjoyment/satisfaction.
I could see restoring an old Nikon rangefinder, for the joy of taking it all apart, understanding the designer's intent, handling the parts, rebuilding it as it had been originally at the factory. And when finished, probably selling it at a loss. Because the joy is in the restoration process.
I could see restoring an old Nikon rangefinder, for the joy of taking it all apart, understanding the designer's intent, handling the parts, rebuilding it as it had been originally at the factory. And when finished, probably selling it at a loss. Because the joy is in the restoration process.
NIKON KIU
Did you say Nippon Kogaku
May be the Bessa R2 in green did start all of this, I don't know.
Some come with matching lens, cap and hood:
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h238260205
I use to not like this color but now I don't know anymore! The Bessa looks mighty tempting!
Kiu
Some come with matching lens, cap and hood:
http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h238260205
I use to not like this color but now I don't know anymore! The Bessa looks mighty tempting!
Kiu
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
taste is individual. I like the olive green bessa's and the olive green Nikon F looks mighty tempting. Part of the repaint craze stems from the high prices asked for original black paint cameras (Leica/Nikon Rf's). I like black cameras - but the difference between an authentic black S2 or S3/SP and a repainted one makes buying one and using it is another thing. I have original black paint S3's - the holy troika of them, S3 Millennium, S3 Olympic and an original S3 black paint. None are mint anymore and I got them over several years and used them - and keep using them today.
Does a paint job add to the value? Only if the buyer is willing to pay. I usually advice when this comes up "Take the price of the original body, add the cost of the re-paint" and let that be the bench mark.
We are not talking about defacing Mona Lisa is something like that. As long as these cameras are not passed off as rare "original" painted cameras, it is fine with me.
Does a paint job add to the value? Only if the buyer is willing to pay. I usually advice when this comes up "Take the price of the original body, add the cost of the re-paint" and let that be the bench mark.
We are not talking about defacing Mona Lisa is something like that. As long as these cameras are not passed off as rare "original" painted cameras, it is fine with me.
farlymac
PF McFarland
I wonder what an F FTN would look like in ivory with black and red accents?
I'm kind of in the camp of whatever floats your boat, but would like to see better quality in the work than what the OP has exhibited here. Especially that F2.
PF
I'm kind of in the camp of whatever floats your boat, but would like to see better quality in the work than what the OP has exhibited here. Especially that F2.
PF
gb hill
Veteran
I recall seeing an olive green bessa that came out but to paint a camera like a vintage Nikon Rf I'd rather keep it original. They do some very nice looking work.
Huss
Veteran
The only green camera worth talking about as it is also the best street photography camera made.
Huge OVF, auto exposure, zone focusing, any weather, indestructible, super quiet.
Huge OVF, auto exposure, zone focusing, any weather, indestructible, super quiet.
Crazy Fedya
Well-known
Interesting replies, some are quite amusing. Great to see interest in these old camera.
Since this thread created good interest, I'll add my 2 cents hoping there will be more conversation and inter-action. Maybe some others would chime-in too.
Now, my perspective is a little different, just like everyone else I guess.
I work in Automobile industry, in that line of work, it's quite acceptable to have any automobile restored, in addition, they customize cars too, each of course to the owner's taste and liking. Most common would be customized wheels, then in more expensive adventures, it would be to customize paint, interior, drive-train and so on. It's not unusual for a restorer to lose money on the project, markets change and interest with it.
It's also accepted to have Replicas of very rare cars, say a Shelby Cobra or some Old American made super fast cars or even trucks. Obviously, the replicas or even the restored/repaints units are not worth the same as
a pristine, garage kept, low mileage unit, but they are still sought after. Hence there is market for them.
This same holds true in camera world, the old Nikon S2 or Leica M3 are almost impossible to find in black, if you find one, they command extreme prices, hard to afford for casual collectors or users, hard to afford for some serious collectors. There are plenty of replica BLACK cameras as I mentioned above, probably more than real ones! One of the reasons they are called Fake Black cameras.
Now, these Olive Drab cameras were never made by Nikon, they seem to me more in line of being customized than faked, we can't really call them replicas since underneath, they are Nikon cameras, in my opinion these are more like restored/customized examples.
Now, is it wrong to redo a chrome camera?
What if the shop is restoring something like this:
Ebay example. http://www.ebay.com/itm/311696381102
Well if they are restoring old worn out stuff, then more power to them. I don't mind having one of the greens myself, if the price is right.
Now as for value, I agree that they are not really worth more than a nice example, just like those old customized cars don't bring profit to their restorers most of the time.
Kiu
Now, this what is called a proper patina!!!