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Antique Camera Pricing
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Ivan the Butcher
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About 6 years ago I was talking with the photographer that did our company work. He had started out of college with 2 Hasselblads in 2" format. He had sold them off when everything started to go digital for fairly good money, but 4 years later he bought them back for about 5% of what he sold them fore, and that was way below what he paid for them new in the 80's.
There is a very extensive used photo equipment company in Columbus, Ohio called, The Midwest Camera Exchange. They could give you some idea of that camera's current value, but I'm sure you will be disappointed.
Ivan
There is a very extensive used photo equipment company in Columbus, Ohio called, The Midwest Camera Exchange. They could give you some idea of that camera's current value, but I'm sure you will be disappointed.
Ivan
Beemer-mark
Member
As a camera collector myself, IMHO your Voigtlander isn't worth much. Maybe $25, $50 tops. Your best bet is to sell to the antique crowd looking for a neat accessory to put on the mantle.
Texas Star
US Veteran
What's an Olympus OM-1n worth in new-like condition?
A Nikon FG?
Both have silver tops. I think I MAY have the box to the FG.
Both have basic 50mm lenses by the camera makers, 1.8 lenses.
Not selling, but think I should know the current value. I'll probably will these to my kids.
A Nikon FG?
Both have silver tops. I think I MAY have the box to the FG.
Both have basic 50mm lenses by the camera makers, 1.8 lenses.
Not selling, but think I should know the current value. I'll probably will these to my kids.
Who Knows
My father had a Kodak Medalist which he sold to a camera dealer for pocket change. They saw him coming.
Your camera is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I think we get a false sense of value from shows like Antiques Roadshow where experts in various fields pull prices seemingly from the sky.
If this camera was important to your father, an option would be to keep it in remembrance or pass it along to a grandchild if applicable.
My father had a Kodak Medalist which he sold to a camera dealer for pocket change. They saw him coming.
Your camera is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I think we get a false sense of value from shows like Antiques Roadshow where experts in various fields pull prices seemingly from the sky.
If this camera was important to your father, an option would be to keep it in remembrance or pass it along to a grandchild if applicable.
Watchdog
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You might check with Pacific Rim Camera, or maybe KEH. Looking at your photographs of the camera, it appears to be in slightly below average condition. If that's the original instructions with it, that might add to the value just a bit, but not much.
Speaking frankly, if you try to sell it, you're going to be disappointed, unless you're just looking to pick up a few bucks for a couple of burgers and some fries.
If it'd belonged to my dad, I'd make space for it on a bookshelf or somewhere and just keep it, maybe display it with a couple of old photos.
steveno
Member
you might look at this website
Used Camera Equipment | Buy and Sell on KEH Camera | KEH Camera
I have a Nikon FE2 with some Nikkor lens and have found they really aren't worth that much. I still my fathers Argus C3
Used Camera Equipment | Buy and Sell on KEH Camera | KEH Camera
I have a Nikon FE2 with some Nikkor lens and have found they really aren't worth that much. I still my fathers Argus C3
Watchdog
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Maybe $90 for the Olympus, certainly no more than $100. If it was the all black body, it'd bring more. Plus, the f/1.8 lens is ordinary...if it had the f/1.4 lens, it'd be worth a bit more.
$140 max for the Nikon.
They're both just fairly ordinary film cameras. I've found that students of film photography actually prefer the Olympus (if they can't find an old Pentax), for whatever that's worth.
Yeah, I have a Canon AE-1 (black body) that I have had since high school. Since everything is digital now, you just don't see any film cameras anymore. I wonder if there is even a place that still develops film locally in most cities.
Watchdog
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Yes, but they're few and far between. Charlotte used to have several high-end camera shops and film labs, and quite a few small boutique film labs, but we're down to just one pro camera shop now.
We also do still have The Light Factory, an instructional photography institution which has a good sized chemical darkroom.
I still have my old Pentax K1000. I don't use much any more, but I will keep it anyway.
If you still shoot film, the Pentax is a great camera to have. It can use every lens Pentax ever made for their 35 mm line, although you will need an adapter for the older screw type lenses, and you may not be able to use some of the newer lens' functions. Until the recent introduction of their full size digital, old lenses were very affordable. Some increases in price has occurred with the new body introduction. Still, the lenses are still much more affordable than their Nikon / Cannon counterparts.
DWalt
Member
Just Google it. Lots of internet pricing sources for cameras are available, also might try sold eBay listings. eBay would be the best way to sell. It won't be worth much, very few film cameras are. About the only desirable film cameras with collector followings are some Leicas and Rolleis. Even some very nice early Nikon Fs, the high-prestige 35mm SLR camera of its day, sell for very little. I still have a few high-end film cameras, still as good as they ever were, but worth very little. No one wants them today.
Hoov
Member
I bought a Canon A1 for $100 back in the 'Nam. It's worth $50ish now. I'll just hold onto it. Someday it will be worth $100 again.
DWalt
Member
The only problem is that you might not be alive by then. I don't even know where one would get film developed today. The places that used to do film developing and printing don't even have the equipment today, all have gone digital. But I guess there are still places around which do film developing and printing. Some Pros reportedly still use film, but not many. Over the past five or so years, I sold off my darkroom equipment (I had some good stuff), and ended up mainly giving much of it away just to get rid of it. I had several hundred rolls of 35mm and 120 film, sold it all on eBay, was surprised because it brought some pretty good money, much more than I expected, even though mostly outdated. And lots of flashbulbs, also sold pretty high.
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Ben_hutcherson
Member
As someone who has dabbled in camera collecting, I'll just make a blanket statement...
Most cameras really aren't worth a lot of money.
Good quality pro equipment of any age still brings good money, as do some high end consumer items. Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and Graflex products still bring good money. Quality large format optics of any brand and vintage can bring eye popping prices. That's not a comprehensive list, but covers a lot of the high dollar stuff you see.
Outside that, though, the money just isn't there. People who buy the cameras to use(as I'm usually doing) want good equipment. People who just like having a shelf full of old cameras(as I use to do) don't want to pay much for them. The only remaining market out there is decorators, who will sometimes pay inflated prices but that's a pretty small market share.
Most cameras really aren't worth a lot of money.
Good quality pro equipment of any age still brings good money, as do some high end consumer items. Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and Graflex products still bring good money. Quality large format optics of any brand and vintage can bring eye popping prices. That's not a comprehensive list, but covers a lot of the high dollar stuff you see.
Outside that, though, the money just isn't there. People who buy the cameras to use(as I'm usually doing) want good equipment. People who just like having a shelf full of old cameras(as I use to do) don't want to pay much for them. The only remaining market out there is decorators, who will sometimes pay inflated prices but that's a pretty small market share.
Texas Star
US Veteran
Well, both are very good cameras, and I really like the OM-1 line. The Nikon FG has auto functions, but I''ve usually used it in manual mode.
Ive seen pics of early Leicas on the Net, some in quite good condition. If I'd lived in the 1920's, I'm sure I'd have wanted one. Probably not worth a lot now. How the mighty have fallen!
One of those little Leicas was used by Henri Cartier-Bresson. I bet that one might be worth a lot, because of the photographer's fame.
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DWalt
Member
35mm Leicas, at least older ones, have held value better than most. Maybe three or so years ago, I sold off all my 4x5 large-format view cameras (I had 3 of them), they were difficult to sell, and I was disappointed. I did very well selling my last Rolleiflex TLR from the late 1950s, but most of my 35mm cameras (viewfinder and SLR, mainly Nikon, Canon, and Olympus) brought scrap prices, mainly on eBay. I would imagine Hasselblads have also held up well, but I didn't have any of those. The cheaper point-and-shoot 35mm cameras are totally worthless. Can't even give them away.
I've got 30+ vintage camera's, mostly from late 1800's to about 1930's, as well as some nice Nikon F2 equipment. I've tried selling some off and on for several years, and get no offers. Film cameras are practically worthless. I've never found any website dedicated to vintage camera's sales, and every time I contact one of these big "We Buy Camera's" ad's the answer is Not Interested.
Just a few.
Just a few.
cowart
US Veteran
Its still doable to get film processed by mail, but its expensive. One of the best places is
The Darkroom photo lab - Film Developing | Develop Film by Mail for $11
They can do most film sizes including 35mm, 120, 220, and sheet film from 4x5 to 8x10. Black and white, color negative, and transparencies/slides.
BTW, its relatively inexpensive to set up to develop black and white film at home, and the techniques are not difficult to learn. I even used to develop my own slide film, but that is a higher level of difficulty.
You can also get scanners to scan your negatives for use on computers.
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