Old stuff.
My buddy at Kaufmann’s Cameras in San Mateo suggested I swing by this camera show:
In a poorly lit hall vendors display their wares on trestle tables. Entry was $6. Prices are rarely marked. The predominant pricing mechanism seems to be that of the kasbah. Haggle.
Most of the gear is pretty tired film era hardware, but there were some interesting things.
A KEH employee checks a customer’s camera offered for sale.
The Contarex – the camera which bankrupted Zeiss Ikon. Both the ones
with lenses I tried were faulty. Repairs are almost impossible, owing
to the vast mechanical complexity.
Mountains of lenses, mostly crap.
Psst! mister. Wanna cheap Rolex? This about
sums up the sleazy feel of this operation.
I bought a 77mm filter UV for my 16-35 Nikkor G from this nice man for $12.
Of course, when I got home I checked B&H and they have it for $9 ….
Lovely 8″ x 20″ wooden plate camera.
Six Pack Joe. Strangely I was the only person actually using a camera!
Don’t go to one of these fairs expecting to find bargains. With eBay providing perfect price discovery in the marketplace for old gear, bargains are as rare as integrity in politics. But if you want to go along and enjoy handling a nice selection of mechanical era hardware, it’s quite fun. I could not resist trying a few Nikons – F, F2, F3 and F4 – reveling in their magnificent construction.
All on the Nikon D3x with the 35/1.4 Sigma at full aperture, ISO400. The Sigma’s AF nailed focus every time.
We have a Photographica show here in Boston similar to this. http://vimeo.com/41233223 . Good place to browse and stroll but prices are not necessarily better.. I did get a nice Rolleiflex leather strap replacement for $1.