Film camera prices.

swanseamale47

swanseamale47

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Whilst our Christmas shopping yesterda I nosed around a few camera shops. What a shock at the prices of film camera, Zenith were going for £150 ish and a good Bronny was the price of a used digital dslr.
Last time I looked they were cheap as chips. Might be worth me digging all my film cameras out of the safe and dusting them off. I'm sitting on a fortune.. ;)
 
swanseamale47 said:
Whilst our Christmas shopping yesterda I nosed around a few camera shops. What a shock at the prices of film camera, Zenith were going for £150 ish and a good Bronny was the price of a used digital dslr.
Last time I looked they were cheap as chips. Might be worth me digging all my film cameras out of the safe and dusting them off. I'm sitting on a fortune.. ;)
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When ever I have had those thoughts I 'just run a roll of film through it to make sure it works' which is fatal as I remember how much fun I had using it and the people I was with at the time it was in regular use, best case is that I keep the camera, worst case is that I buy more lenses for it.
 
In the last couple of weeks, I bought an Pentax SP II and a Zenit 12XP, both with lenses, both look very good, and both work well. And both had cases
Both were well under £20 including postage.

I wouldn't even look in a shop or dealer for them, so no idea how those prices have changed.
 
£150.00 for a Zenith!!!!!! The shopkeeper is an idiot.
 
I'm not sure there's many things that have appreciated as quickly as some film cameras in recent years, although we seem to have hit a bit of a plateau now with some dipping slightly.

Although £150 is insane for a Zenit, that must be a one off. They seem to go for £40-£50 in my recent experience and that's basically buying the lens. That Helios has become popular with people adapting them to (mostly) Sony for film making.

Leica M2/M3 not that long ago were around £400-£500. Now, £1,200-£1500 for really good ones. Anything that shoots 6x7 negative has gone insane. (Mamiya 7/7ii, P67ii)
I bought a 500c/m for £750 a few years ago and sold it 2 years later for £1,500.

The MJU II for £250 is crazy, too. It is a lovely camera to use and the IQ for a 35mm compact is VERY good, but the current price point is a little much. Ha.
 
WRT the Olympus MJU II.

There has been an increase in demand for PAS film cameras - and I guess prices have followed.

My daughter was after one as that 'aggressive flash' look became popular on Instagram. She even bought a couple of disposable cameras for her last holiday.

And then got shocked at the cost of printing and the time it took. :rolleyes:

It will probably die down once it falls out of favour again.
 
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Plain Nev said:
£150.00 for a Zenith!!!!!! The shopkeeper is an idiot.
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Or possibly "crazy like a fox"?

There are a surprising number of people who might just fall for that.
 
Downhill Specialist said:
I'm not sure there's many things that have appreciated as quickly as some film cameras in recent years, although we seem to have hit a bit of a plateau now with some dipping slightly.
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Perhaps it's time for me to sell my Canons...

Camera Canon film cameras with Tamron lenses TZ70 P1030467.JPG

I bought both of them from charity shops about ten years ago: £12 for the FT-QL with a Soligor zoom and £16 for the AE-1 with a Vivitar zoom. I sold the lenses on for something like £30 the pair so I think these were reasonably cheap cameras. :naughty:
 
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Kell said:
WRT the Olympus MJU II.

There has been an increase in demand for PAS film cameras - and I guess prices have followed.

My daughter was after one as that 'aggressive flash' look became popular on Instagram. She even bought a couple of disposable cameras for her last holiday.

And then got shocked at the cost of printing and the time it took. :rolleyes:

It will probably die down once it falls out of favour again.
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When the reality of cost hit them, they will go back to their phones again.
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Perhaps it's time for me to sell my Canons...

View attachment 405604

I bought both of them from charity shops about ten years ago: £12 for the FT-QL with a Soligor zoom and £16 for the AE-1 with a Vivitar zoom. I sold the lenses on for something like £30 the pair so I think these were reasonably cheap cameras. :naughty:
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In a shop now, the AE-1 with a 50mm f/1.8 would go for £200-£220
 
Supply and demand. More people are wanting to try film photography, and there is a finite and ever dwindling supply of cameras and lenses to meet that demand. Same thing will happen with petrol cars over the next 30-50 years after we're all forced to buy EVs.
 
Raymond Lin said:

London Camera Exchange

The London Camera Exchange supplies second hand cameras, new cameras, digital cameras and other camera equipment and provides a camera part exchange in photographic shops all over England, UK.
www.lcegroup.co.uk

£140.
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That's a cheap one by all accounts. LCE won't have that for long at that price.

realcamera.co.uk

Canon AE-1 35mm Film Camera, with Canon 50mm f/1.8 Prime Lens

Available at Real Camera Manchester
realcamera.co.uk realcamera.co.uk

Real camera sell them daily for £200 and get through lots of them.
 
All the film gear was expensive in there, and they had tons of it. I was looking at a Zenith for the lens. Someone posted a bubble lens made from I think a Zenith lens on here recently, so I though that looked fun for a few quid. Not so few quid!
I've got I think 3 Pentax, a few Chinons, 2 Yashicas plus about 6 compacts like a rolle and Oly XA even a few Lubitels knocking about somewhere. Blimey I'm nearly a millionair on paper.... :exit:
 
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Downhill Specialist said:
I'm not sure there's many things that have appreciated as quickly as some film cameras in recent years, although we seem to have hit a bit of a plateau now with some dipping slightly.

Although £150 is insane for a Zenit, that must be a one off. They seem to go for £40-£50 in my recent experience and that's basically buying the lens. That Helios has become popular with people adapting them to (mostly) Sony for film making.

Leica M2/M3 not that long ago were around £400-£500. Now, £1,200-£1500 for really good ones. Anything that shoots 6x7 negative has gone insane. (Mamiya 7/7ii, P67ii)
I bought a 500c/m for £750 a few years ago and sold it 2 years later for £1,500.

The MJU II for £250 is crazy, too. It is a lovely camera to use and the IQ for a 35mm compact is VERY good, but the current price point is a little much. Ha.
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You are right about Hasselblad.
Even what I'd consider junk is fetching good money.
 
Downhill Specialist said:
I'm sure you know this already but the FM2, IMO is a much, much better camera than the AE-1.
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I'd assess them as pretty much the same, having used both.

On the other hand, quite small differences can influence someone's response to a camera. When I was recording on film, I used many cameras but was always drawn back to the plain old Nikon F, because it did exactly what it was supposed to and seemed unstopable...

Nikon F camera FX55 1010613.jpg
 
I wonder if I should cash in a few film cameras? Maybe not though, I don't need the money now, and maybe the prices will dip soon then come back even higher in 10 years time...
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
I'd assess them as pretty much the same, having used both.
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Depends what you're assessing, I suppose. As you say, small differences can influence different people.

For me, the AE-1 feels a little more plasticky (it is) and once those electronic go, you've had it. With the FM2, you only need a battery for the meter (you know this, I'm sure). Just feels better made and nicer to use (I have used both BTW).

But with the original F, you're talking seriously built, there. Proper solid workhorse as you say. For me, they made the F2 better ergonomically and was a little more user friendly and my absolute favourite is the F3, specifically the T but then you're back to electronics which can and do fail.
 
I can only compare it to the OM2...the OM2 feels like a jewel, heavy, solid, smaller than the FM2 but my hate with it is not the foam determination inside the mirror box....but the fact that you can't really turn it off. I leave the lever unpulled for the next frame until I am ready to shoot, and then wind it. But once I wound it, I need to take the shot or its going to go off when I put it in my bag and hit the shutter accidentally.

The FM2 locks out the shutter when the puller is pushed back into position. A smart design.
 
Downhill Specialist said:
...but then you're back to electronics which can and do fail.
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This is true but as the technology matures, it becomes more reliable.

Nikon's best attempt at an electronically controlled film camera was, I think, the F4: a big, tank like beast and the brightest SLR viewfinder that I've ever used. I found that carrying two of those alongside a 180mm / f2.8 was the most effective, and most painful, way to lose weight...

Nikon F4 front.JPG
 
Raymond Lin said:
I can only compare it to the OM2...the OM2 feels like a jewel, heavy, solid, smaller than the FM2 but my hate with it is not the foam determination inside the mirror box....but the fact that you can't really turn it off. I leave the lever unpulled for the next frame until I am ready to shoot, and then wind it. But once I wound it, I need to take the shot or its going to go off when I put it in my bag and hit the shutter accidentally.

The FM2 locks out the shutter when the puller is pushed back into position. A smart design.
Click to expand...

I do like the OM-2 but personally in my hand it's a touch too small. Looks lovely though, especially with one of the chrome nose lenses.

AndrewFlannigan said:
This is true but as the technology matures, it becomes more reliable.

Nikon's best attempt at an electronically controlled film camera was, I think, the F4: a big, tank like beast and the brightest SLR viewfinder that I've ever used. I found that carrying two of those alongside a 180mm / f2.8 was the most effective, and most painful, way to lose weight...
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The only one I haven't used is the F6. I had a really mint F5 but recently got my hands on a 1V HS and comparing them side by side, the 1V had it (IMO of course). Also being able to remove the grip from the 1V was an advantage, as well as those lovely L lenses which I can swap with the 5D IV.
 
Downhill Specialist said:
I do like the OM-2 but personally in my hand it's a touch too small. Looks lovely though, especially with one of the chrome nose lenses.


The only one I haven't used is the F6. I had a really mint F5 but recently got my hands on a 1V HS and comparing them side by side, the 1V had it (IMO of course). Also being able to remove the grip from the 1V was an advantage, as well as those lovely L lenses which I can swap with the 5D IV.
Click to expand...

kUojrzz.jpg
 
I'm just running a film through my F5, prior to selling it - a bit well-used but seems to be fully functioning. It's a bit too much of a weight to enjoy really, I have always preferred Pentax film cameras for their small and handy size which suits me. The Nikon is a very impressive beast of a camera though, I can see why Pro's liked them in their day.
 
I might need to dig my film camera out of the loft and see if it is working/sell it.
 
Or use it Lewis! FPOTY is calling you...
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
This is true but as the technology matures, it becomes more reliable.

Nikon's best attempt at an electronically controlled film camera was, I think, the F4: a big, tank like beast and the brightest SLR viewfinder that I've ever used. I found that carrying two of those alongside a 180mm / f2.8 was the most effective, and most painful, way to lose weight...

View attachment 405611
Click to expand...
Great value this, dont have the snobby prestige of the f3 (pushing up prices) or the extra pzazz of the f5, a sleeper camera
 
Downhill Specialist said:
although we seem to have hit a bit of a plateau now with some dipping slightly.
Click to expand...
I'm seeing this. I work in a charity shop and regularly see old cameras. Mostly Olympus OMs, Pentax and Minolta. Rarely, we'll get a Canon or Nikon. Even over 12 months I've seen cameras I could sell for £150 now going for £100 or less. I think prices have definitely stabilised and for most things, are dropping a little.
 
Downhill Specialist said:
Anything that shoots 6x7 negative has gone insane. (Mamiya 7/7ii, P67ii)
I bought a 500c/m for £750 a few years ago and sold it 2 years later for £1,500.
Click to expand...
Tell me about it. I really, really regret not stretching myself a few years ago and getting a Fujifilm GF670 or the Voigtlander equivalent when they were roughly £1500. I just love the look and useability of them. Now they are genuinely ridiculous money...
 
I'd be more tempted to go "cheap full-frame" - ie an old, basic model of plastic fantastic ef slr, and pair it with some of the now more affordable pro-quality lenses - than go for the retro thing.

I have a Canon EF (which confusingly has an fd mount) and an ae-1p and they are not great to handhold. Cool, yes, but not amazingly practical. I still enjoy them, but I'd not pay much for them. And the ae1 has the famous shutter sneeze!

I am sad though. I sold a mamiya rz67 Pro ii and 45mm wide angle for under a grand. If only I'd known...
 
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lindsay said:
I wonder if I should cash in a few film cameras? Maybe not though, I don't need the money now, and maybe the prices will dip soon then come back even higher in 10 years time...
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I was thinking much the same, except I might not still be around in ten years. ;)
 
Cuchulainn said:
Tell me about it. I really, really regret not stretching myself a few years ago and getting a Fujifilm GF670 or the Voigtlander equivalent when they were roughly £1500. I just love the look and useability of them. Now they are genuinely ridiculous money...
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I love those but because of the price, will likely never own one. That and the Mamiya 7. I would love to own and shoot either of them but not at the prices they are now. Thankfully, I have a P67 and got it when it was more reasonable than it is now and that 105mm f/2.4 is the whole reason I stay with it over something like a Mamiya 7.
 
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