Your Best camera deal

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canonet
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p.1 #1 · Your Best camera deal

What was your best camera deal ever?

Sep 16, 2009 at 05:35 PM

PaulC
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p.1 #2 · Your Best camera deal

No good camera deals, but I did one buy a Nikkor 50/1.8 in excellent condition for 40 dollars. I thought that was pretty good.

Sep 16, 2009 at 06:58 PM

canonet
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p.1 #3 · Your Best camera deal

I had a few: Bought a Canon 20-35 2.8L for under 300 bucks........worth twice that.

a Nikon 35-70 2.8 AF lens for 250. Worth about twice that and is in excellent condition.

Got a 40D with grip, 2 batteries & charger and a 70-200 2.8 for 800 dollars recently. ( sold the lens!)

a Nikkor GN 45 2.8 AI'D pancake lens and a Nikon F body for 100. The lens is worth 150+

a F3 + a 55 2.8 micro nikkor for about 200 bucks someyears ago; pawn shop.

Sep 16, 2009 at 08:04 PM

taylorb48
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p.1 #4 · Your Best camera deal

A few weeks ago on craigslist, Canon 70-200 2.8 and Canon 100-400 for $1125 total (525 for the 70-200, 600 for the 100-400

The guy was the original owner and I suppose didn't know the current market value or just really needed the cash

Turned around and sold the 70-200 on ebay a couple of days later for $975 and I'm still holding onto the 100-400

Sep 17, 2009 at 01:10 AM

Jonathan H
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p.1 #5 · Your Best camera deal

Bought two mint-condition, low mileage 1Ds Mark II bodies for $5000 total.

In 2006.

Sep 17, 2009 at 02:49 AM

canonet
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p.1 #6 · Your Best camera deal

taylorb48 wrote:
A few weeks ago on craigslist, Canon 70-200 2.8 and Canon 100-400 for $1125 total (525 for the 70-200, 600 for the 100-400

The guy was the original owner and I suppose didn't know the current market value or just really needed the cash

Turned around and sold the 70-200 on ebay a couple of days later for $975 and I'm still holding onto the 100-400

That was an awesome deal on those lenses.
That sounds like my 40D situation where he, I know him, was really hurting for money and sold it to me for a deal. I suggested craigslist to get the most money for the items and he did not know how to use it. Instead he mentioned 800 bucks and I got it.

Sold the 70-200 2.8 for 625 ( it had some issues otherwise I would have let it go for over 900 bucks) and still have the 40D. He wanted to buy back the 40D and I quoted market price of about 750 dollars.

Sep 17, 2009 at 11:49 AM

capt don
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p.1 #7 · Your Best camera deal

I bought a nikonos about 10 or more years ago in the bahamas on close out with lens for $175. Used it a couple times and sold it years later for $200.

Sep 17, 2009 at 04:44 PM

canonet
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p.1 #8 · Your Best camera deal

Good stories here!

I remembered years ago, in 2001, buying a mamiya Rb67, a 127mm-(coated) and a 90mm (uncoated) with 2 backs, a prism, and a Pelican case for 600 bucks!

The guy I got it from was an alcoholic photographer who owed someone else $400 dollars and the camera gear was mixed up in the situation. I paid $600 to the guy who loaned the $400 and walked away with a deal.

The drunk photog first offered it to me about 6 months earlier for $1500 dollars and I said NO! Later he wanted to buy it back and I said $1300 ( i really did not want to sell and knew he had no money at the time!)

Sep 18, 2009 at 12:24 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.1 #9 · Your Best camera deal

That would be a mint 1D for $300.

Sep 18, 2009 at 12:54 PM

canonet
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p.1 #10 · Your Best camera deal

trenchmonkey wrote:
That would be a mint 1D for $300.

Why so cheap for a mint 1D? What was the shot count?

Sep 18, 2009 at 03:50 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.1 #11 · Your Best camera deal

100K and I put another 33K on it before selling....and it still looked new.

Deals pop up all the time, ya just gotta be very quick.

Sep 18, 2009 at 03:58 PM

canonet
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p.1 #12 · Your Best camera deal

trenchmonkey wrote:
100K and I put another 33K on it before selling....and it still looked new.

Deals pop up all the time, ya just gotta be very quick.

Thats something I learned fast about craigslist

Sep 18, 2009 at 05:43 PM

dirb9
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p.1 #13 · Your Best camera deal

I've gotten three rangefinders at this one general thrift store near me (not all at the same time): an Olympus 35 SPn for $6.50, a Konica IIIa for $20 (the advance lever I actually find faster than the top lever, I just wish it wasn't double stroke), and a Voigtlander Vito III for $25, all in pretty much perfect condition; they all go for about 10 times what I paid for them on ebay. I personally like the Vito III the best, but I'm too afraid to scratch/smudge it.

Sep 19, 2009 at 04:22 AM

canonet
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p.1 #14 · Your Best camera deal

dirb9 wrote:
I've gotten three rangefinders at this one general thrift store near me (not all at the same time): an Olympus 35 SPn for $6.50, a Konica IIIa for $20 (the advance lever I actually find faster than the top lever, I just wish it wasn't double stroke), and a Voigtlander Vito III for $25, all in pretty much perfect condition; they all go for about 10 times what I paid for them on ebay. I personally like the Vito III the best, but I'm too afraid to scratch/smudge it.

Dirb9,
They look like sweet deals! The Olympus kinda resembles the Canonet17 and have two of those.

Sep 21, 2009 at 01:38 PM

gilead
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p.1 #15 · Your Best camera deal

Picked up my D80 a couple of weeks ago for $425 Can. Used for less than 2000 pics.

Sep 21, 2009 at 11:19 PM

MSC
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p.1 #16 · Your Best camera deal

The Mark III s I just sold...but it was someone else's best deal.

Sep 22, 2009 at 01:50 AM

Vertigo2020
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p.1 #17 · Your Best camera deal

June, 1992. Passing conversation with a stranger turned to photography. The girl said her father was a photographer and recently passed away. She was going to dispose of all his junk. The junk included 4 prisitine Speed Graphics, about 8 LF lenses, 2 doz film holders, 12 dozen Press 25 flash bulbs, a mint 35mm Stereo camera w/case, a M3 Leica body, Omega D2 enlarger, and tons more misc other stuff. 5 cardboard boxes full. She tried to give me the items but finally accepted $75.

P.S. I know...I'm going to hell for that one.

Sep 22, 2009 at 02:54 AM

canonet
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p.1 #18 · Your Best camera deal

Vertigo2020 wrote:
June, 1992. Passing conversation with a stranger turned to photography. The girl said her father was a photographer and recently passed away. She was going to dispose of all his junk. The junk included 4 prisitine Speed Graphics, about 8 LF lenses, 2 doz film holders, 12 dozen Press 25 flash bulbs, a mint 35mm Stereo camera w/case, a M3 Leica body, Omega D2 enlarger, and tons more misc other stuff. 5 cardboard boxes full. She tried to give me the items but finally accepted $75.

P.S. I know...I'm going to hell for that one.

No, you just got the deal of the centiry. I knew there had to be a deal like that somewhere and you found it. OF all of that, how much do you have today?

Sep 22, 2009 at 05:36 PM

canonet
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p.1 #19 · Your Best camera deal

MSC wrote:
The Mark III s I just sold...but it was someone else's best deal.

How much was their best deal?

Sep 22, 2009 at 05:36 PM

Vertigo2020
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p.1 #20 · Your Best camera deal

canonet wrote:
Vertigo2020 wrote:
June, 1992. Passing conversation with a stranger turned to photography. The girl said her father was a photographer and recently passed away. She was going to dispose of all his junk. The junk included 4 prisitine Speed Graphics, about 8 LF lenses, 2 doz film holders, 12 dozen Press 25 flash bulbs, a mint 35mm Stereo camera w/case, a M3 Leica body, Omega D2 enlarger, and tons more misc other stuff. 5 cardboard boxes full. She tried to give me the items but finally accepted $75.

P.S. I know...I'm going to hell for that one.

No, you just got the deal of the centiry. I knew there had to be a deal like that somewhere and you found it. OF all of that, how much do you have today?

I don't have any of it today. Kept the M3 the longest. Most everything else I sold within a year. Not including the Leica, the total sales amounted to a little over $2700.

Sep 22, 2009 at 05:48 PM

Ed Swift
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p.1 #21 · Your Best camera deal

Vertigo2020 wrote:
canonet wrote:
Vertigo2020 wrote:
June, 1992. Passing conversation with a stranger turned to photography. The girl said her father was a photographer and recently passed away. She was going to dispose of all his junk. The junk included 4 prisitine Speed Graphics, about 8 LF lenses, 2 doz film holders, 12 dozen Press 25 flash bulbs, a mint 35mm Stereo camera w/case, a M3 Leica body, Omega D2 enlarger, and tons more misc other stuff. 5 cardboard boxes full. She tried to give me the items but finally accepted $75.

P.S. I know...I'm going to hell for that one.

No, you just got the deal of the centiry. I knew there had to be a deal like that somewhere and you found it. OF all of that, how much do you have today?

I don't have any of it today. Kept the M3 the longest. Most everything else I sold within a year. Not including the Leica, the total sales amounted to a little over $2700.

In fairness you did try to give her money for it.

My best deal is the two canon ef 75-300mm non usm lenses my girlfriend and i sold. After ordering them they were the wrong type (the amazon picture was the USM version) and never arrived after being posted so we cancelled the order and eventually got a refund.

6 weeks later they turned up, tried getting the company to take them back a number of times. Eventually 6 months later, trading standards told us that they were ours to keep.

Sold them on ebay for a total of £180 (one about £80 and £100). Shame ebay/paypal fees are so high though,

Sep 22, 2009 at 09:46 PM

Vertigo2020
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p.1 #22 · Your Best camera deal

Ed Swift wrote:
Vertigo2020 wrote:
canonet wrote:
Vertigo2020 wrote:
June, 1992. Passing conversation with a stranger turned to photography. The girl said her father was a photographer and recently passed away. She was going to dispose of all his junk. The junk included 4 prisitine Speed Graphics, about 8 LF lenses, 2 doz film holders, 12 dozen Press 25 flash bulbs, a mint 35mm Stereo camera w/case, a M3 Leica body, Omega D2 enlarger, and tons more misc other stuff. 5 cardboard boxes full. She tried to give me the items but finally accepted $75.

P.S. I know...I'm going to hell for that one.

No, you just got the deal of the centiry. I knew there had to be a deal like that somewhere and you found it. OF all of that, how much do you have today?

I don't have any of it today. Kept the M3 the longest. Most everything else I sold within a year. Not including the Leica, the total sales amounted to a little over $2700.

In fairness you did try to give her money for it.

My best deal is the two canon ef 75-300mm non usm lenses my girlfriend and i sold. After ordering them they were the wrong type (the amazon picture was the USM version) and never arrived after being posted so we cancelled the order and eventually got a refund.

6 weeks later they turned up, tried getting the company to take them back a number of times. Eventually 6 months later, trading standards told us that they were ours to keep.

Sold them on ebay for a total of £180 (one about £80 and £100). Shame ebay/paypal fees are so high though,

I repeatedly offered her several hundred dollars for the "junk" She refused, after maybe 30 minutes I got her to take the $75. Someone had told them the stuff was old and not worth anything. They had already sold the man's studio gear at auction. BTW, I didn't know the Wollensak Stereo 10 was in the bottom of one of the boxes.

Trust me I got paid back in spades on August 29, 2005 when looters ransacked my home after Katrina. What wasn't destroyed by the storm was stolen, then 35 years worth of negatives were dumped in the mud and seawater where they sat for 9 weeks.

Sep 23, 2009 at 04:12 AM

canonet
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p.1 #23 · Your Best camera deal

Vertigo2020 says

I repeatedly offered her several hundred dollars for the "junk" She refused, after maybe 30 minutes I got her to take the $75. Someone had told them the stuff was old and not worth anything. They had already sold the man's studio gear at auction. BTW, I didn't know the Wollensak Stereo 10 was in the bottom of one of the boxes.

Trust me I got paid back in spades on August 29, 2005 when looters ransacked my home after Katrina. What wasn't destroyed by the storm was stolen, then 35 years worth of negatives were dumped in the mud and seawater where they sat for 9 weeks.

Wow! Sorry to hear about that. Darn looters really know how to screw up life for people. i would dare say they were not aware of what you had in there. Was anything recoverable from the mud and water?

On the gear, I am guessing someone saw old cameras and quickly deemed it all as junk as if they did not know what was in the box and know the feeling. I once had someone try to buy my vintage Dodge Dart GT ( i thought I'd never use Dart and VINTAGE in the same sentence) for $400 telling me they were totally worthless.

Sep 23, 2009 at 12:37 PM

Vertigo2020
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p.1 #24 · Your Best camera deal

canonet wrote:
Vertigo2020 says

I repeatedly offered her several hundred dollars for the "junk" She refused, after maybe 30 minutes I got her to take the $75. Someone had told them the stuff was old and not worth anything. They had already sold the man's studio gear at auction. BTW, I didn't know the Wollensak Stereo 10 was in the bottom of one of the boxes.

Trust me I got paid back in spades on August 29, 2005 when looters ransacked my home after Katrina. What wasn't destroyed by the storm was stolen, then 35 years worth of negatives were dumped in the mud and seawater where they sat for 9 weeks.

Wow! Sorry to hear about that. Darn looters really know how to screw up life for people. i would dare say they were not aware of what you had in there. Was anything recoverable from the mud and water?

On the gear, I am guessing someone saw old cameras and quickly deemed it all as junk as if they did not know what was in the box and know the feeling. I once had someone try to buy my vintage Dodge Dart GT ( i thought I'd never use Dart and VINTAGE in the same sentence) for $400 telling me they were totally worthless.

All my negatives were ruined. The only camera gear that remained was a Nikon 85mm 1.4 AIS that was full of seawater.

Sep 23, 2009 at 04:42 PM

EmigrantMtChri
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p.1 #25 · Your Best camera deal

I bought a Nikon Micro 105mm 2.8 in excellent condition from a pawn shop that was getting out of the pawn business, and into the payday loan business. They were asking $200 for it, I offered them $175. They replied that they couldn't go that low, but they could give me 25% off of their asking price

I also bought an SB-800 in very good condition for $200 from a local pawn shop, and a Vivitar manual flash for $5 from the Salvation Army. And off of Craigslist, I got an Gitzo 1340 tripod with Manfrotto ball head for $45, both in pretty good condition.

Sep 23, 2009 at 09:42 PM


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