My recent charity shop finds.

Messages
41
Name
Robert
Edit My Images
Yes
I've been on the hunt for cheap lens to use in my Canon 350D project, and I have found a few interesting items. Some of them may be of interest to Talk Photography members, so I thought I would start a thread to list, and possibly discuss them. Please feel free to comment, or to add your own finds. The first item is a pair of vintage binoculars manufactured by Charles Frank, and I understand that he was an English manufacturer of optical products in the 1950s. I don't have any caps, and the case has seen better days, but I'll have a go at sorting out those problems when I get a chance.
20191031060059-bd66a58f-me.jpg


The picture was taken using a FujiFilm HS59EXR in auto mode, and cropped using Irfanview.
 
Charles Frank was a well respected as a quality manufacturer, repairer and retailer of mainly binoculars and telescopes.

Dave

BTW The company was Scottish.
 
Sorry about not knowing that Charles Frank was Scottish.

The bins look fine, but I'll give them a full test when I get to the lake. I saw some black swans there the other day, and that is a first for me. I'm going to try to find some lens caps by using old plastic pot caps - hopefully some of them will be imperial in size. I'm not sure about the case though. Maybe I'll just use a linen bag with an elastic band round the case. As you can tell, I'm very high tech. :)
 
Sorry about not knowing that Charles Frank was Scottish.

No problem, Robert. I only remember because I had contact with them many years ago. From your shot the binoculars seem to have been well looked after. Hope they are optically OK.

Dave
 
This fun item cost me 20p in a small charity shop.
20191103030057-f5ed6f45-me.jpg


I was out on one of my hunts for cheap vintage lens, and I spotted this on a shelf. As soon as I picked it up, I realised that it was too light for a camera lens. On removing the "front lens", which unscrewed, it became apparent that it was a coffee flask, and I couldn't resist it. What a great accessory for a nomadic photographer.

btw - The McDonalds black coffee next to it was free, as I swopped it for a full loyalty beans card.
 
Last edited:
I keep promising myself that I'll get around to converting my "L" cup to F mount with a pinhole, just to show that it's possible to mount L lenses on Nikons. Until then, it'll stay as a holder for metal straws and long handled teaspoons!
 
I've found a few images that contain this beaker on Shutterstock, and I was hoping I might be able to use it to create some unique commercial content, but I haven't thought of anything yet.
 
Hmmmm?

If the Canon lens coffee mug is a copyrighted & TM protected item, can it be used in the creation of an image for commercial gain???
 
Hmmmm?

If the Canon lens coffee mug is a copyrighted & TM protected item, can it be used in the creation of an image for commercial gain???
Campbell Soup Can?
 
Charles Frank was a well respected as a quality manufacturer, repairer and retailer of mainly binoculars and telescopes.

Dave

BTW The company was Scottish.

I remember going to their shop in Glasgow with my father and being fascinated when I was a kid, but that was a long time ago!

Wiki says the business closed in the 70s, but staff bought the name and continued to sell optical goods from a shop in Rose Street, Edinburgh. Can't say I remember it, but I would have been a student by then and I was probably more interested in the many pubs that Rose St offered...

Pretty sure it's gone now, but I'll have a look next time we're in the city centre.
 
I'm sure there is a shop in Rose St selling optical goods but as to the name I've never looked it.
 
Back
Top