Time to Brag about your best bargin(s)

A black Pentax K2 in mint condition for $12. It was sold as a parts camera. Seller stated he put in new battery but it still didn't work. New battery alright-just in backwards. I ALMOST returned the camera to the seller. Damn guilt. Stu
 
Was it a bargain??

Was it a bargain??

I do not know if this is a bargain but picked up a M4 (1967) off of ebay for $600.00. The camera is in excellent cosmetic condition, had recently been CLA'd and has the 29/90 50/75 35/135 frames installed. Everything works correctly and smoothly. The only markings on the camera is very light etching of a name and SSN on the back plate. Doesn't bother me at all since I use bought the camera as a user.
 
Hi Stu! I got a similar deal for a brand new Nikon f60 AF SLR with Nikkor AF zoom lens at a garage sale. The camera "doesn't work". The problem was that the lens aperture ring was not set properly to match the camera's Program mode. I only figured that out at home after reading the manual. I got the camera, lens, spare battery, and new LowePro SLR camera case - for $10. I offered $20 but the lady told me it was too much for a camera that was broken.

At another garage sale, I got a Nikon FG SLR and series E Nikkor 50f1.8 lens for $20. It was broken too, and "would make a nice shelf decoration." It needed a new battery.
 
Best Bargain, Ordering a m8 battery from tony@popflash yesterday @3:00and getting it shipped from cal,to nj using priority mail and getting it @11:00 today,est. wow that's quick!
 
The only bargain I've ever got in Leica was back in 2001 when I snagged a new 35/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH, w/full U.S. Passport warranty, on eBay for < $1500. The seller was a camera store in Gary, Indiana (IIRC) that had never sold anything on eBay before & therefore had no feedback.

I was the only bidder.

I've managed to get a few good deals since then, but no real steals, except a possibly factory-painted (i.e., not after-market) black Contarex Bullseye w/50/2 Planar for $200.
 
Last edited:
Today I bought a Olympus XA and A-11 flash in mint condition plus its leather bag for €30 at an open air fair in Lisbon.
 
I got a FED 3b and Jupiter 11 for £15. When they turned up, the camera was immaculate and working perfectly bar a CLA on the lens (usual for an Industar 61!). The J-11 is also perfect with slightly heavy focussing.

I also bagged a perfectly working '62 Zorki 4 for £8. A bit scruffy but it'll get a re-paint soon.

Other bargains include a Sunpak auto flashgun for 99p and a MIR 37mm Zenit-fit for £4.50, optically flawless.

I've not paid over-the-odds for any camera, largely through sticking to sensible bids. Almost all the FSU stuff I've collected turns up often enough not to warrant being silly.
 
Last edited:
A helios finder for 7,19£ Payd today a Kiev 4a with jupiter 3 perfect condition 70 euros and best darkroom stuff Ilford paper 20cmx76M i cant remember price it was low but higher shipping it is heawy.
 
The "best" camera deal I've got was an Olympus OM-1n and a 50/1.4 for $100.

But perhaps my best purchase was a Beseler 23C (with almost 100" of Tri-X, a bulk loader, a dozen or two film canisters, a El-Nikon 50mm f/4 and a safelight) for $25 at a garage sale. I'd be nowhere without that darkroom. 🙂
 
Hmmm, all from charity (thrift) shops:

Contax IIa + 50/2 Sonnar - £5
Rolleiflex MX-EVS type 2 - £10
Contax T2 - £5

The IIa and Rollei needed CLA but I'm certainly not complaining!!
 
Time to Brag about your best bargin(s)

Two of my best bargains and one missed bargain all involve either the Leicavit rapid winder or the old Leica Mooly motor for the screw-mount Leica...

I bought my first Leicavit for $25 years ago and against my better judgement sold it for $800 or so soon afterward...

About a couple of months ago a bought a Leica collection for almost $2,000 only because it came with a Leicavit and the Leica base plate...And since all I wanted was the Leicavit, I sold all the rest on Ebay and the Leicavit cost me zero...

The Mooly was a different story...About 15 years ago, I met a guy at a yard sale who overheard me ask if they had any cameras...He came up to me and asked if I would be interested in some old camera stuff he had... It turned out that he used to be with the CIA in Europe and had a bunch of old Leica stuff, a Rolleiflex, a Robot and a Mooly...I would have bought it all but he couldn't make up his mind one way or the other...What I basically wanted was the Mooly...

I visited him several times every few months and he kept me dangling...

One day I took $500 in cash with me and knocked on his door...No one answered and I soon found out that he had died... I later spoke with a relative who told me the relative got $2,000 for the Mooly...I'm still looking for one....

But what I'm really looking for is a Leica case for my Leicavit from someone who actually has one...
 
Last edited:
I just posted one of my best buys. A Canon 0.95 lens for $5 at a local flea market a few months ago.. Had it converted to Leica-M mount by Ken Ruth for $280..
 
Back in the 90s I went to this little pawn shop and what did I find but a mint condition DS M3 with 50mm Summarit lens in ever-ready case, 400mm f5 Telyt in box and Visoflex.

I didn't know what a Leica was at that point but I knew it looked pretty nice and when the guy was pointing out how the Viso worked and put his hand on the mirror, I knew I had to save it.

Even though it was a hardship for a poor college kid, I went to the bank and withdrew the $150.00 it took to liberate the camera.
 
When I was getting my darkroom together, I bought a brand new Rodenstock Rodagon 135mm enlarger lens for $60. That was a good deal. I thought I could pick up an 80mm Rodagon for about the same price. Every auction had the selling price end at $150+. It was frustrating in the least. A few week went by and I was still being out bid. One day I saw a APO Rodagon 80mm with a buy now price of $100. There was no bidding on that item.
 
I threw down a late night too-much-to-drink pity bid on a set of Leica gear from a first-time seller. Of course I won. The guy was legit and I got the gear in perfect shape. I sold most of the stuff, but kept the 0.72 M6 (non-TTL) and a NIB 35mm Summilux ASPH. The way the deal netted out, I bought the M6 body for a little less than a contemporaneous LN- from KEH and got the Summilux for free. Good karma froma previous life? Or am I paying for this in the next?

- john
 
Wobbly said:
Wow, that looks like a great deal too. Don't know that i'd have the patience to wait 3-4 months. Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...

It's hard waiting that long but in the end it's worth it..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
A Little Story: What I Learned About Leica This Year
2 3
Replies
47
Views
4K
JeffS7444
JeffS7444
J
  • Article Article
(Almost) Everything you wanted to know about Black Paint Leica Rangefinders
2 3 4
Replies
77
Views
11K
Freakscene
Freakscene
D
The Leicas in my life, the Leicas I've missed
Replies
17
Views
2K
571514m3
5
efix
Sell or keep my Planar 50/2? (fomerly: Planar vs. Nokton)
Replies
13
Views
3K
Bob Michaels
Bob Michaels
chris00nj
What's Your Best Bargain Find?
30 31 32
Replies
622
Views
89K
cary
C
Back
Top Bottom