California (Bay Area, Northern) SF Camera Swap this Saturday-anybody going

[bobkonos]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/pho/2526654629.html

I've wondered about going to one of these for awhile. Anybody going?

 

[bob338]

it is usually 7 or 8 tables of the same guys as last month.
the chinese guy in the first booth on the right will have one or two leica items and a TON of sh*tty tokina lenses for nameless slrs.
the filter guy will be a couple of tables down the west wall.
the guy across from him will have the same box of beat up slrs.
okay, keep walking around the room, past the pile of broken enlargers and projection screens.
the next guy on the east wall will have a handful of junky slr irems.
the guy next to him *may* have a rangefinder item, maybe two.
the next guy(almost to the end!) will have a couple of leica items in a glass case that are severely overpriced.

you can probably guess that i went to this thing for 12 or 13 years. i gave up a year or two ago when the chinese guy had a ringer stand behind me saying he would pay more than me for the m6 i was looking at. i finally turned around and handed it to him. they both looked bummed.

it's a pretty lame camera show.

 

[nikon_sam]

bob338,

That sounds like the Pasadena Show...you'll occasionally find a decent deal but most of the stuff there is way over priced or no one wants it anymore...and whatever you do don't question the quality of their goods...or look like you know what you're doing even if you do...I'll just hold up the item, ask how much and either buy it or put it down and walk away...

 

[bob338]

bob338,

That sounds like the Pasadena Show...you'll occasionally find a decent deal but most of the stuff there is way over priced or no one wants it anymore...and whatever you do don't question the quality of their goods...or look like you know what you're doing even if you do...I'll just hold up the item, ask how much and either buy it or put it down and walk away...

bummer. pasadena was the best camera show i have ever seen, 20 years ago!
i guess the internet has put the final nail in the coffin.

 

[nikon_sam]

The Buena Park show was the best in the area 15-20 years ago...

 

[nikon_sam]

Pasadena City College has an Antique Swap Meet every month and sometimes you can get lucky there...I found a Mint in the box Weston Master II light meter with the leather case for $8...you gotta do a lot more looking but you can find some neat things there...

 

[bob338]

is the rose bowl flea market still any good? i haven't lived in LA since around 93, so i haven't been in years. i used to find all kinds of cool stuff at the rose bowl, but there were mountains of garbage to dig through, too.

 

[nikon_sam]

I've never been to that one...I like the digging through mountains of stuff...

 

[bob338]

I've never been to that one...I like the digging through mountains of stuff...

http://www.rgcshows.com/RoseBowl.aspx

i haven't been in years, but it really was pretty amazing back then. it's even bigger now.

bob

 

[nikon_sam]

$8 admission fee!!!
Maybe that's why I haven't been to it...

PCC's swap meet is free and you can park free within a few blocks walk...
I know it's a fraction of the Rose Bowl's size but free will win these days...

 

[Rayt]

Bryant Street, Ft Mason, San Jose, etc., are the same bunch of guys selling the usual piles of junk. I score some filters so not go home empty handed.

 

[coelacanth]

I go there only when I need some small filters and don't feel like dealing with ebay.

 

[PMCC]

It's not a bad place to look for oddball filters and hens' teeth type widgets. I bought a couple of 40mm filters for Canon LTM, and an Ikoflex TLR hood for chump change. Just don't expect to find any RFF cult-of-the-minute items. Admission is free. Exit is free too.

 

[bobkonos]

Thanks Bob-we think alike so I will pass on driving out from Sacramento. All: saddens me that Pasadena has deteriorated. It was also for me the best camera show I ever attended, but that was pre-eBay and pre-Internet (the good 'ol days when Tak would show up with huge wads of cash and buy up beautiful Leica gear for the overseas market). OK, RFF will remain my One Stop Shop.

 

[bob338]

Thanks Bob-we think alike so I will pass on driving out from Sacramento. All: saddens me that Pasadena has deteriorated. It was also for me the best camera show I ever attended, but that was pre-eBay and pre-Internet (the good 'ol days when Tak would show up with huge wads of cash and buy up beautiful Leica gear for the overseas market). OK, RFF will remain my One Stop Shop.

this show is a real waste of time. i'll never know why Vic-the-Dick keeps doing it.
one benefit of avoiding it is you'll probably not have your car robbed!
for what it's worth, i worked at a gallery for 10 years just two doors down from this camera show. the neighborhood is horrible.

bob

 

[bobkonos]

Ugh. Say, next time I am near Sausilito, we oughta meet up. OK?

this show is a real waste of time. i'll never know why Vic-the-Dick keeps doing it.
one benefit of avoiding it is you'll probably not have your car robbed!
for what it's worth, i worked at a gallery for 10 years just two doors down from this camera show. the neighborhood is horrible.

bob

 

[bob338]

Ugh. Say, next time I am near Sausilito, we oughta meet up. OK?

Sounds good. PM me and we'll get together.

Bob

 

[bobkonos]

Sounds good. PM me and we'll get together.

Bob

OK, I'll do that.

 

[filmtwit]

I went, and it eerily spot on to Bob's post.
I then spent an hour over the Cartoon museum to make up for it.