Thrift store amusement...

[Mudman]

I've lost count of the cameras I have found. Don't do thrift shops that often, mostly antique and junk shops. Just got a Nikon F2AS with 50mm f1.4 for $50. Got a Leica Model A for $10 (yes I told them what it was worth and the response was the price is the price). Rollieflex mx-evs with accessories for $40. Leitz minolta cl with 2 lenses (40 and 90) for $175 because I insisted (I knew the ownerof the store) otherwise likely $50. I could go on. I guess I'm lucky where I live.

 

[leicapixie]

In Toronto Ontario Canada, Goodwill folded after a really smart operator ran it into the ground! Non profit organizations are easy prey to dubious people! I received gifts of cameras from an acquaintance, who i learned later, had worked at a charity store! Good items NEVER make it to sales..
Look at the basic PC/laptop specifications for donation!
One never sees any there or online.
Items at charity stores are usually OVERpriced as to be insane.
Good bargains at some camera shows!
Good friends bringing gifts!

 

[CliveC]

Not too many photo gear bargains at Value Village or Goodwill in my area of the Great White North.

Even 12 years ago a beat up common Minolta SRT 101 SLR would go for 60 Cdn dollars when rarely found.

They are getting rarer, but deals are to be found.
Got a Yashica T4 Super D for $6. Olympus Stylus Epic for $4. Nothing beats my biggest score though: a Minolta AF 85mm 1.4 with a dead Maxxum 7000 for $20.

 

[nikon_sam]

Yesterday's find at a not at all local to me Goodwill store...$7.99
It has the battery, 8 GB card but no charging cord...
I looked at the SD card and it has only 19 pictures on it starting in June 2014 to September 2014 file numbers DSC00006 - DSC00024
Not sure why it was at a thrift store with so few pictures on it...I think it belonged to one of the young girls in the photos...she might have gotten bored with it...

 

[farlymac]

I was able to get a Minolta X-700, three lenses, and a flash for $10 once from my local Goodwill store. Had to look all over the place for the items, as they were scattered around, but it made a nice set for $2 to $3 a piece. All the camera needed was a battery to get the mirror back down, and it was good to go.

PF

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Goodwill (USA) puts all their cameras on auction sites. I purchased 2 from them that they said were working. Upon examination threw them in the thrash. The Salvation Army also has an auction site where they put their cameras on.

 

[farlymac]

Yeah, I take that "Tested" with a grain of salt. It's when it says "Not Tested" I shy away from it. That's when I know that they know it's a piece of junk.

PF

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Once outside B&H Photo on a Sunday afternoon I saw a small group of men gathered around a dumpster.
I too looked inside. There were several dozen lenses, mostly older-looking manual focus 50mm models.

Chris

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I have had good luck with thrift stores in the past. But, almost all the cameras that I purchased needed a CLA or more, but I did find some rarities.

 

[rbiemer]

I posted in another thread about "no new toys for a while" but I couldn't resist the camera I found today: new in box Diana camera. Not the Lomography version but the original made in Hong Kong camera.
No strap but the instruction pamphlet, original take up spool, and lens cap were with it. All in at a whopping $3.19. 🙂

Rob

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Goodwill and Salvation Army sell their cameras online. It is not worth buying a less than very expensive or rare camera from a thrift store. Last year, the last time I purchased a camera, I bought a "mint looking Nikonos IV" for $20 however it needed $218 in repair and shipping. I certainly could have done better, though not by much, on the auction site.

 

[rbiemer]

Not from a thrift store but from a yard sale today: I picked up a Kodak #2 Autographic Folding Brownie. Not very rare--something like a half million of 'em were made between 1915 and 1923--but it looks pretty good: no obvious holes in the bellows, the shutter seems to be correctly timed for its two speeds, and the aperture adjusts correctly between its settings. And it came with a case and the stylus. Neither of which are much use.
The best of this one is that it uses 120 film. 🙂
I have a couple older Kodaks that look pretty good on my book shelves but are not really usable unless I wanted to cut single sheets of film or paper to size and darkroom load so this one will get a bit of a work out this weekend.

Rob

 

[nikon_sam]

Wednesday I drove over to a favorite Thrift store and the only thing I almost bought was a very nice Lomo Lubitel 166 Universal...with the lens cap and 645 mask insert...they wanted $15 but I passed...I could go back later...just didn't thrill me all that much...

 

[peterm1]

I almost never see good camera gear at thrift shops. Perhaps this is because I am not too interested in many older cameras and I have never had the good fortune to find something like a Leica sitting unloved and undiscovered on a shelf. Some years back though I did see and buy a lovely Nikkormat with a 50mm f1.4 and got it relatively cheaply.

These days I tend to have more luck with men's clothes. It is still very hit and miss and 90% of the time I see only old junk, but now and then I will find high quality items in my size, some of which are vintage and some contemporary. For example I recently found an unused (well it looked unused) high end Men's tweed fashion jacket in my size for $35. This was a bargain as I know that this would have cost at least $350 when new as I am familiar with that fashion brand's pricing (and high quality). Similarly I have now and then turned up other high end items like Ralph Loren and Calvin Klein trousers / jeans which appeared to be new. One thrift store told me that following the end of year sales some department stores give unsold fashion items to them to sell for charity so perhaps they were new. I have also found a couple of high quality fountain pens which I bought cheaply, as I love using these things. This kind of experience is common enough that it keeps me looking in these stores every few months just to see what is on their racks. It is fun - like a treasure hunt and much cheaper than buying new providing you limit yourself to high end clothes. It may cost a dry clean after purchase although most items n be machine washed (and in many cases this is only a precaution anyway since as I said they look new).

For those interested in such shenanigans the following web site is what put me onto thrift shopping for men's fashions. Called "Broke and Bespoke" the owner seems to have a great time thrifting fashions although because he is based (I think) in New York his options for finding high end stuff are much greater than mine. http://brokeandbespoke.tumblr.com/

 

[rbiemer]

Peter M,
Never seen any pens, fountain or otherwise, at the two local shops here.
Have long used fountain pens but only recently started down the vintage rabbit hole. I did get a couple of decent Parkers this spring at a yard sale, though. 50¢ each. After getting them restored--new ink sacs--they're good daily pens.
Hadn't really thought about designer clothes, not my style. But the Salvation Army store has two interesting signs on a display case: the first I noticed was "we cannot guarantee the authenticity of any handbags in this case." and the second was "only one handbag sold per person per day from this display case"... seems to be a bit of cynical marketing to me. 🙂

The two stores here both use the money from the sales pretty directly in our local community in a couple of different ways--employment for some folks and direct aid to others. So, I don't mind spending some money in either. And, as you say, the "hunt" is fun in itself. I do not truly expect to find a Leica or Nikon for silly cheap money but I might...

Rob