Yrstetday I scored a really great deal on an old Pentax SP 500 with a 55mm f2 Super Takumar in great condition for $28.00. I've never owned an older screw-mount Pentax (only "newer" K1000 and Super Programs). So, I thought I'd search online for a couple of wide angle lenses.
I was in shock to see the high prices on used film gear!! I would say the prices have doubled since last year from what I can tell.
Is there a reason for these price hikes that I'm not aware of?
EB-1 wrote:
It's probably a bunch of internet hype. There are also places where you can make an offer.
EBH
I noticed that even KEH hiked up prices as well. It would be great if these price hikes are a result of supply/demand; that would mean (hopefully) that more people are taking an interest in film!
snegron7 wrote:
I noticed that even KEH hiked up prices as well. It would be great if these price hikes are a result of supply/demand; that would mean (hopefully) that more people are taking an interest in film!
Well I don't know about demand, but I'm pretty sure supply is trending down.
Somehow the title doesn't make sense to me if you got a great deal on a *camera* and are shocked by the price of *lenses* ...
I recently picked up a Spotmatic F for a good price.
M42 primes around 50mm are dirt cheap, but from my research there aren't that many great wide-angle lenses in M42. Even 35mm are relatively rare compared to later bayonet mounts. And some of the better ones carry the Zeiss price premium.
Maybe prices are trending up a bit, but I don't really see evidence for skyrocketing tbh. Might be different here in Europe compared to the US..
In the US, prices on gear shipped from abroad has increased due to tariffs. Domestic gear seems to have risen a little too, but there are also plenty of deals if you're patient.
Film camera prices started rising in the mid teens, peaked during the pandemic and have been trending downward since then. Some models will continue to demand a premium price but often they sit, waiting for a buyer. A lot of sellers still think it's a booming market and continue to ask more than market value and that's what looks like rising prices.
Heron's right about the tariff's. There used to be a steady stream of bargains from Japan to the US, the bump in import fees changed that.
fjablo wrote:
Somehow the title doesn't make sense to me if you got a great deal on a *camera* and are shocked by the price of *lenses* ...
I recently picked up a Spotmatic F for a good price.
M42 primes around 50mm are dirt cheap, but from my research there aren't that many great wide-angle lenses in M42. Even 35mm are relatively rare compared to later bayonet mounts. And some of the better ones carry the Zeiss price premium.
Maybe prices are trending up a bit, but I don't really see evidence for skyrocketing tbh. Might be different here in Europe compared to the US.. ...Show more →
The place where I purchased my Pentax SP 500 was an "Antiques Mall"; a large venue that sells old things. In that "mall" there were many cameras for sale. The prices were high. For example, they had a Nikon EM with a 50mm f1.8 E for $375.00. Not sure about prices in Europe, but $375.00 for a Nikon EM is extremely expensive. I saw several Nikon EM's online a few months ago in the $20.00 range, plus another $30.00 for the lens. The only reason I got a good deal on that Pentax SP 500 was because it was hidden away toward the back of a cluttered display shelf. Only reason I spotted it was because they had an old Sekonic light meter that caught my attention. I spotted a tiny corner of a grey camera hidden in the back of that bottom shelf. A store employee had to unlock the display case so I could see what camera it was and what the price was.
A quick look on KEH shows the Nikon F3HP in EX condition for $704.00. The average price of the F3HP in EX condition a couple of years ago was on the $300.00 range.
Old Canon FL mount (not FD mount) lenses have increased in price as well.
snegron7 wrote:
I noticed that even KEH hiked up prices as well. It would be great if these price hikes are a result of supply/demand; that would mean (hopefully) that more people are taking an interest in film!
The sales of ILC digital cameras per capita is quite low and film users are a small fraction of that.
Does anyone have data? I'd be surprised if more than 10 million people globally used a film camera per year (not counting the current instants).
I doubt data are available except from the companies that make and sell film.
Most bricks-and-mortar stores that sell film cameras generally sell them for a lot more than you can get online; the lab where I buy my film sells film cameras at ridiculously high prices, easily twice what I see even on eBay, because they have to make a commission and also because they figure people will be willing to spend more on a camera or lens they can have in their hands today versus buying sight-unseen equipment from online sellers.
But online prices have gone way up as well, and I suspect that's due to increases in demand. The cameras that are less in demand haven't increased much, but the popular/legendary/influence-touted cameras have gone way up. I remember wanting to get a Plaubel Makina a few years and deciding against it after I checked prices, but they're now almost double what they were back then. But the Fuji Work Record is still selling on eBay for about what I paid for mine two years ago.
A lot more reviews are available now of old film cameras, and lots of forums are discussing them, so people are honing in on the most desired models.
In simple words summarizing my experience here: I wouldn't buy nowadays the film gear I started vesting in about 10 years ago. My darkroom enlargers, my rangefinder cameras, lenses - all went significantly up in pricing since. Even a slight dip after the pandemic price hikes didn't change this.
bjhurley wrote:
I doubt data are available except from the companies that make and sell film.
Most bricks-and-mortar stores that sell film cameras generally sell them for a lot more than you can get online; the lab where I buy my film sells film cameras at ridiculously high prices, easily twice what I see even on eBay, because they have to make a commission and also because they figure people will be willing to spend more on a camera or lens they can have in their hands today versus buying sight-unseen equipment from online sellers.
But online prices have gone way up as well, and I suspect that's due to increases in demand. The cameras that are less in demand haven't increased much, but the popular/legendary/influence-touted cameras have gone way up. I remember wanting to get a Plaubel Makina a few years and deciding against it after I checked prices, but they're now almost double what they were back then. But the Fuji Work Record is still selling on eBay for about what I paid for mine two years ago.
A lot more reviews are available now of old film cameras, and lots of forums are discussing them, so people are honing in on the most desired models....Show more →
My local store - Paul’s Photo in Torrance - sells for what the stuff sells for online/ebay. So the bonus is you get to check out the gear before you buy. And zero issues w returns because they are cool peeps.
They just sold two immaculate F90s/N90s w the battery grips (and still had the original battery chamber covers) for $90 a piece. I checked them out and they were perfect.
Some retail stores do mark up like crazy, just avoid those places.
Obviously that is not hard data as we get from CIPA, so to be taken with a grain of salt (or two) but at least it's something. Also seems to include Instax because they quote a high camera market share for Fujifilm and they quote expanded film production capacity which I think is all Instax..
Desmolicious wrote:
My local store - Paul’s Photo in Torrance - sells for what the stuff sells for online/ebay. So the bonus is you get to check out the gear before you buy. And zero issues w returns because they are cool peeps.
They just sold two immaculate F90s/N90s w the battery grips (and still had the original battery chamber covers) for $90 a piece. I checked them out and they were perfect.
Some retail stores do mark up like crazy, just avoid those places.
Just encountered one of those stores a few weeks ago when I was in New York. I went to a local shop to see about developing and I saw a regular F3 sitting in a cabinet below their film negatives. Looked somewhat worn with brassing/marks but overall, not bad. Asked how much they wanted for it and they said $1000. Walked out.
tile_86 wrote:
Just encountered one of those stores a few weeks ago when I was in New York. I went to a local shop to see about developing and I saw a regular F3 sitting in a cabinet below their film negatives. Looked somewhat worn with brassing/marks but overall, not bad. Asked how much they wanted for it and they said $1000. Walked out.
Two weeks ago Paul’s Photo had a nice F3 for $400. If I didn’t already have one…
Desmolicious wrote:
Two weeks ago Paul’s Photo had a nice F3 for $400. If I didn’t already have one…
+1. When I was living closer to NYC for > 10 years, I never even once bought something used for my photo gear from this city! It was without exemption always significantly overpriced no matter if directly looking in stores for used camera/lens gear or online via fb marketplace or Craigslist. I suspect these kind of prices are only of interest for people who actually reside in the NYC bubble. They might be more used to higher prices in general.
When buying film gear, I got several excellent deals from private sellers and stores in central and south NJ instead. Very different market here with lots of photographers. I have moved out of state 5 years ago, but I miss to have had very good choices there especially when it comes to used photo gear (including film).
