Where to Donate Inoperable Film SLRs

[das]

As with many folks I Imagine, I have a few inoperable, maybe repairable film SLRs, that are not worth much anyway. A few Konica AR SLRs (a T4 and FT-1) and a Contax 167MT with a shutter malfunction (I was told by an experienced shop that the 167 shutter problem could not be fixed because spare parts do not exist any longer). I would like to donate them as parts cameras to repairpeople, but not sure who takes such things. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[02Pilot]

Not sure about the Konicas, but there's I guy I know through another forum who deals with a lot of Contax SLRs - he might be interested. You can reach him through his website: http://www.contax139.co.uk/

 

[monopix]

Not sure about the Konicas, but there's I guy I know through another forum who deals with a lot of Contax SLRs - he might be interested. You can reach him through his website: http://www.contax139.co.uk/

That'll be me then.

I don't really do much with the 167. There's so many about they're not worth spending time on. I have one complete non-worker and a bag of bits but I doubt I'll ever get around to doing anything with them.

But thanks for thinking of me. Appreciated.

 

[monopix]

You could try Greg Weber for the Konicas.

http://www.webercamera.com/home.html

 

[Bolo Kukus]

An alternative viewpoint.

Do something that benefits the local economy. Donate your old cameras to a local charity shop. Ideally, one supporting local projects, not a 'biggy' raising funds for head office salaries in a faroff city or country, or a 'let's pretend' charity operating in the guise of a private business. We all know who the latter are...

Better to keep the money close to home.

Your local op shop will sell the old cameras to students, home tinkerers or the usual mob of Ebay punters for $10-$20.

No repair shop I've dealt with in my long life has wanted most old cameras for spare parts, excepting the ancient mechanical Rolleis, Leicas and Contaxes. By the time your 'average' SLR is worn out, the old electonics are usually burnt out and mostly worthless anyway.

 

[retinax]

We had a thread for give-away parts. It should be a sticky in the repair forum, but isn't. I suppose that's why it hasn't gained the traction it deserves. I can't find it, can anyone help out?

 

[monopix]

There's this one

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168074

but I think there was an earlier one I can't find any more. Maybe message Stephen to create a sticky.

 

[monopix]

An alternative viewpoint.

Do something that benefits the local economy. Donate your old cameras to a local charity shop. Ideally, one supporting local projects, not a 'biggy' raising funds for head office salaries in a faroff city or country, or a 'let's pretend' charity operating in the guise of a private business. We all know who the latter are...

Better to keep the money close to home.

Your local op shop will sell the old cameras to students, home tinkerers or the usual mob of Ebay punters for $10-$20.

I can't disagree with your principles and I support my local charity shops but, in my experience, they're not interested in non-working items and will likely throw them away. Better to give direct to the person who has a use for them rather than rely on a third party that knows nothing about the item and doesn't have the time to find out.

No repair shop I've dealt with in my long life has wanted most old cameras for spare parts, excepting the ancient mechanical Rolleis, Leicas and Contaxes.

And yet they are the shops that will tell you they can't fix your camera as they have no spare parts. Fact is, they are just not interested. But there are many individuals out there (like me) who can and will fix old cameras and will be interested in non-working cameras as spares.

By the time your 'average' SLR is worn out, the old electonics are usually burnt out and mostly worthless anyway.

I've never seen 'burnt out' electronics. Yes, they sometimes fail but it's usually the mechanics that fail and, once fixed, the camera is usable again. There are also many mechanical SLRs that don't depend on electronics.

 

[Bolo Kukus]

Monopix,

Excellent points overall. I agree on all save one - all our local charity shops are happy to accept cameras in any condition as it seems the Ebay 'runners' (this may be an Aussie term for resellers who buy cheap and then post on Ebay at inflated prices, although whether or not they sell most of their items will never be known) are keen to grab anything photographic in whatever condition it is as and when donated.

My downfall is enlarging paper - one in every two packs I pick up (often for $1 or $2, so I'm just saying, not complaining) in op shops has been opened by well-meaning volunteers who believe it's inkjet print paper. When I find a totally fogged pack or box I usually donate it to a camera club as some of its members play with obsolete printing techniques and are strangely happy to recoat old papers. I rather like the idea of the paper being reused and not ending up in landfill as sadly our local council's recycling program is 95% let's pretend...

As for the rest, the sad truth is that almost all repair shops can't be bothered taking old cameras apart for the bits and pieces they contain as almost every customer won't cough up the cost of all the work involved. Repairing a faulty Minolta or Pentax isn't really worth the effort as a replacement camera in working condition can often be picked up super cheaply. Who wants a $200 repair bill for an SLR worth $20-$30? (Rolleis, prewar Leicas and Contaxes excepted.)

The fact is that we live in what is basically a throwaway culture and it's often easier to just dispose of the old and buy another. For all that, I'm amazed that anyone is prepared to try to buy and then try to flog off some of the crappy cameras I've seen in our four local charity shops - someone out there is buying them. Another of life's mysteries.

Collectors and collections can be odd. There was my (late) neighbor in Tasmania who after retiring from his civil service post set to collecting old IBM Displaywriter PCs from the 1980s. It was as if he was determined to corner the market on these obsolete (and unsaleable) relics. When he eventually went off to the bone orchard his widow had to get three skips (or 'hoppers' as they are known down here) to dispose of his lot of 100+ units.

Admittedly, cameras are less bulky than PC units but a few dedicated collectors I know have enough photo gear (= enlargers) to easily fill a big bin.

More fun, I reckon, to collect vintage wine - there is always the incentive to drink up the supply before passing on to loftier places.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Give them away here if anyone is interested, or else put them in the recycling bin.

 

[Bolo Kukus]

Give them away here if anyone is interested, or else put them in the recycling bin.

A recycling bin should be the last-gasp resort, unless your community has a well-set up recycling operation such as we have many in Australia. Even then it would be best to treat the camera kindly and deliver it in person, not drop it in a bin.

I fondly recall a visit many years ago to the massive depot in Canberra, our national capital, where I snagged a Contax II with two lenses and a box of accessories for A$25.

As I'm not into Contaxes, the kit went to a friend who lovingly took the camera apart but then couldn't put it back together in working order - as a 'bag kit' it went to various camera club members and eventually to someone who had worked on Contax cameras in Europe, who reassembled it and got it functioning. This gentleman has now passed away and I believe his son has it and still uses it.

So here I am again agreeing with ruby.monkey and monopix and several other posters. Wheels and full circles, ha!