Saw this on Craigslist

[blumoon]

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/col/pho/5431921586.html

He says:
Vintage Nikon FG with motor drive, in good shape with exception that the shutter is not working., but would imagine shutter function is repairable!

Really...It's in good shape???

 

[valdas]

dead, but looks like alive so... in good shape 🙂

 

[hepcat]

I suppose it's all really a matter of semantics and comparatives...

compared to this one, it really IS in "good shape."

 

[Timmyjoe]

.............

You can probably fix that. Doesn't look too bad. What are you asking for it.

😉

 

[bmattock]

You can probably fix that. Doesn't look too bad. What are you asking for it.

😉

That'll buff out.

If I put it on eBay, I'd make the photo much more fuzzy, and describe it as 'minty'.

🙂

 

[sreed2006]

Here's a Minolta Autocord on Craigslist in "excellent condition." However, it looks to me like the focusing lever is missing, which is just a minor defect, I guess?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/atq/5417932297.html

 

[FrankS]

There's a difference between cosmetics and functionality. The ad said good cosmetics, pooched shutter. Sounds accurate to me, except for the repairability opinion.

 

[Tim Murphy]

Dear Board,

It's a Craigslist ad. I wouldn't guarantee that the seller knows how to operate the camera? Take a pocketful of AA's and a pair of LR44's and apply battery power to the camera to see if the shutter works.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[BillBingham2]

Dear Board,

It's a Craigslist ad. I wouldn't guarantee that the seller knows how to operate the camera? Take a pocketful of AA's and a pair of LR44's and apply battery power to the camera to see if the shutter works.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

+1

Don't forget a nickel and a handkerchief to open up the battery compartment. On the Nikkormat EL the battery was under the mirror, but the FG and the EM I think it was on the base of the body. I don't remember if it could run with just good batteries in the motor or not, but test both/all.

B2 (;->

 

[Timmyjoe]

There's a difference between cosmetics and functionality. The ad said good cosmetics, pooched shutter. Sounds accurate to me, except for the repairability opinion.

This is becoming a bigger issue IMHO. A reputable camera seller (who will remain nameless) had a lens from the 1950's listed as in Mint condition. I had been looking for this specific lens for a number of years, the difficulty is finding one that doesn't have "cleaning marks" on the front element (which is very soft). I was ecstatic, thinking I finally found one. When I called the seller, he let me know that the Mint condition only applied to the barrel, mount and aperture of the lens, it did not apply to the glass. I was shocked, as I figure the glass is probably the most important part of a lens.

 

[BillBingham2]

Mint, Faster, Better, all words that drive different groups of people to drink. I haven't heard the "only the barrel" is mint dance, but there are many others.

How many marks make glass go from Very Good to Good?

A person looking for a good camera to use might have a different excellent than say a collector.

Buyer ask questions, get pictures, become educated in what you are buying and odds are you will be happier with what you end up with. A bit longer than Trust but Verify, more positive than Buyer Beware.

B2 (;->

 

[Huss]

I 'won' a perfect/mint Nikon FA w/ 50 1.4 lens off ebay. When it showed up, the shutter looked like this:

And the lens had this:

The serial # of the camera and lens in the ad was different than the one sent... I got my refund in an instant, and the seller told me to just throw the camera away after I challenged him..

 

[sevo]

I was shocked, as I figure the glass is probably the most important part of a lens.

Not to a true collector.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Not to a true collector.

Silly me, I'm a shooter and actually want to use the lens they want me to pay them $500 for. 😀

 

[CK Dexter Haven]

I suppose it's all really a matter of semantics and comparatives...

compared to this one, it really IS in "good shape."

"My dad's got a wicked set of tools. I can fix it."

 

[colyn]

Here's a Minolta Autocord on Craigslist in "excellent condition." However, it looks to me like the focusing lever is missing, which is just a minor defect, I guess?

http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/atq/5417932297.html

It's non-working too. I checked it out. The only way to replace the focus lever is to find an intact parts camera..

 

[sreed2006]

It's non-working too. I checked it out. The only way to replace the focus lever is to find an intact parts camera..

Glad you checked it out, Colyn. Saves me the effort. I almost replied to ad to ask if the camera could be focused, but I am under a no-GAS-allowed :bang: moratorium at the moment, so did not actually send the email.

 

[colyn]

Glad you checked it out, Colyn. Saves me the effort. I almost replied to ad to ask if the camera could be focused, but I am under a no-GAS-allowed :bang: moratorium at the moment, so did not actually send the email.

The remains of the focus lever is barely showing and extremely difficult to use. Shutter speeds are only partly working and there is some scratching and separation in the lens. Maybe only good for parts but not at the price he wants.

He's also trying to sell a Rolleicord for $2,000. Not worth it..

 

[mwoenv]

Those selling cameras who know nothing about them typically do not indicate both the cosmetic and operating condition of the camera. Do not buy from these people because both conditions need to be known.

In this case, at least the shutter problem was included in the description.