The VL that got away....

[Bill58]

I found a VL w/ 50 f1.8 in Exc. condition online the other day for $450. Needing NO more lenses, I asked the seller to sell me just the body. He wouldn't, so I declined. Was I an idiot or not? I really want one.

Bill

 

[Jack Ketch]

If you have to ask.........

 

[Bill58]

If you have to ask.........

An informed, helpful answer is far more welcome than rude sarcasm (or was that some sort of asinine humor) on this site........

 

[Jack Ketch]

Well, you know yourself. If it was a good price, and you wanted it, you could have taken it with the lens and then sold the lens.

Why do you need your judgement or lack of it validated?

So now you're sitting here fuming over losing the camera. So do you feel you acted like an idiot or not? You asked the question, not me.

 

[raid]

Guys ... let's have some better choice of words here.


Bill: I feel bad about trading off a mintish Canon VI-L with its leather case. Other cameras will come along with time.

 

[xayraa33]

You should have bought the whole shebang Bill.
Then sold the lens on our classifieds or kept it and sold another 50 mil to balance things out.

 

[januaryman]

On the other hand, you didn't lose anything and you're $450 richer than if had pulled the trigger. Everything is relative.

 

[dexdog]

Bill, I would not feel too bad- the Canon VL is readily available, and assuming $125 to 150 for the 50/1.8, I think that you should be able to pick up a nice VL for less than $300

 

[LeicaTom]

Bill, I would not feel too bad- the Canon VL is readily available, and assuming $125 to 150 for the 50/1.8, I think that you should be able to pick up a nice VL for less than $300

Yeah, I agree......no more than $300/$350 for a "minty" VL with a case and the f1.8 combo.

I was bought a Photoshoot Barter 1956 VT (CORRECTION THX: to Dexdog ~ see below) with it`s original f1.5 lens! ~ the model paid $325 on ebay for it 2 years ago, I kept the lens and traded the VL for a 1945 IIIC K chrome "non stamp" needless to say I got the better end of the deal........😉

I never was a fan of the internal Rapid Winder on those later 1950`s Canon`s ~ the PRE -1956 ~ "Knob Top" bodied Rapid Winder`s I feel were more robust, I hear and have seen too many VT`s that have failing Rapid Winder triggers. (they were a real problem with the marque.)

Tom

 

[LeicaTom]

I don`t want to seem like I`m HighJacking this thread.......but, here was a valuable Canon that "got away"

I would have bid on this one.....(but I have TWO 1945 Leica IIIC K Grey`s now on the fire, and every penny`s going into their CLA`ing and preperation, so sadly no $ for vintage Canon stuff now).

Have a look at this RARE Canon;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110384283557

$335!!!!!

Someone got a real deal here, while this is a 1955 Canon IIF2
(LESS THAN 3,000 MADE!)
a very collectible camera that looked to be in very nice shape, yeah someone (*more than likely a dealer *) got a great deal 😉

Tom

 

[dexdog]

I never was a fan of the internal Rapid Winder on those later 1950`s Canon`s ~ the PRE -1956 ~ "Knob Top" bodied Rapid Winder`s I feel were more robust, I hear and have seen too many VL`s that have failing Rapid Winder triggers. (they were a real problem with the marque.)

Tom

The VL is lever wind model, the VT is trigger wind. 🙂

 

[ZeissFan]

I tend to agree with the first sarcastic reply.

Side note: While you might not need another lens, you could have bought the set and then resold the lens. I probably would have done that.

But yeah, the curmudgeon in me doesn't quite understand why people need to ask if they got a good deal or if they should have bought this or that. Hell, I don't need anyone to tell me that in 1982 I shouldn't have passed on the opportunity to buy a Leica M4 + 3 lenses for $500 and a 2.8F Rolleiflex for $300.

 

[xayraa33]

I don`t want to seem like I`m HighJacking this thread.......but, here was a valuable Canon that "got away"

I would have bid on this one.....(but I have TWO 1945 Leica IIIC K Grey`s now on the fire, and every penny`s going into their CLA`ing and preperation, so sadly no $ for vintage Canon stuff now).

Have a look at this RARE Canon;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=110384283557

$335!!!!!

Someone got a real deal here, while this is a 1955 Canon IIF2
(LESS THAN 3,000 MADE!)
a very collectible camera that looked to be in very nice shape, yeah someone (*more than likely a dealer *) got a great deal 😉

Tom

Nothing better than a pair of IIF2s with two 50mm f1.5 Canon lenses with proper Canon lens hoods.
One loaded with colour film the other with black and white film for two fisted shooting.😀

 

[LeicaTom]

The VL is lever wind model, the VT is trigger wind. 🙂

See what I mean?

That Canon collecting is really CONFUSING!!!!!! Hahhahaha yeah I had a VT with the f1.5 *THX Dexdog!!!*


With the Leica I just have to look for a K after the serial number!!!! lol!!!!!! 😉

Tom

 

[LeicaTom]

Nothing better than a pair of IIF2s with two 50mm f1.5 Canon lenses with proper Canon lens hoods.
One loaded with colour film the other with black and white film for two fisted shooting.😀

WOW THAT`S NICE!!!!!!!!!!! 😀


Hahahahahaha!!!!!! "Two Fisted Shooting"
(I`ll be doing that soon with TWO 1945 IIIC K Grey`s, great that you suggested that, I`ll shoot a speical photoshoot with one of my PinUps holding aiming BOTH cameras!!!!)

Yeah, I sold my #2 IIF2 to a Museum up North ~ stamped <EP> ALL OVER!!!! ~ f1.5 <EP> with <EP> Rapid Winder case, only the Rapid Winder did`nt have an <EP> on it......

Tom

 

[xayraa33]

WOW THAT`S NICE!!!!!!!!!!! 😀

Yeah, I sold my #2 one to a Museum up North ~ all stamped <EP> ALL OVER!!!! ~ f1.5 <EP> with <EP> Rapid Winder case, only the Rapid Winder did`nt have an <EP> on it......

Tom

I got the rapid winder for them but I don't use it.
It just adds bulk and weight and takes away from the Barnack purity.
If I feel like rapid winder I just use the VT or my VIT.

Actually, collectors aside, I find all Canon bottomloaders all pretty much the same for a user camera.
The so called improved models are no great shakes.

 

[John Shriver]

My Canon 7s was cheaper than that V-L (after selling the lens for $100). Same price for a VI-L would have been a deal, those are much harder to find, more desirable shutter controls.

A Canon V and VI collection would get expensive fast, the correct lumi-field auto-parallax finders are quite pricey.

 

[Bill58]

I've got Jiri Ecer in Japan looking for one (VL) for me now. Thanks for all your advice.

Bill

 

[ItsReallyDarren]

Best of luck getting ahold of another VL. They come and go. Prices might not remain the same though who knows. Maybe you'll get one for less.

 

[bobkonos]

Idiot? Not at all. But...you could have bought it and easily sold the 50mm f1.8 to a number of Canon RF users. So it is a question of really wanting a VL or REALLY WANTING a VL.