What to do with Vietnam era cameras and lenses?
Apr 16, 2019 13:07:20 #
genocolo
Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island
A good friend brought a Yashika and Pentax cameras and lenses back from Vietnam. He asked me what I thought he should do with them. They need a little cleaning up but are like brand new. Is there a market for them? What are your suggestions? Thanks.
Apr 16, 2019 13:14:40 #
genocolo wrote:
A good friend brought a Yashika and Pentax cameras and lenses back from Vietnam. He asked me what I thought he should do with them. They need a little cleaning up but are like brand new. Is there a market for them? What are your suggestions? Thanks.
Why did he buy them, for what reason? That's what he should do with them, so its a silly question, go out and have fun with them!
Apr 16, 2019 13:17:47 #
There is a market for Pentax Spotmatics, although the prices are far below the Nikon/Canon/Zeiss/Leica models of similar vintage. The Yashica looks quite a bit newer and is not in demand, IMHO.
Best guide is to look on eBay and compare "actual sales" prices as opposed to asking price. Also note that the value of the lenses varies a lot, based on its specifics. For example, the f/1.4 is worth a lot more than the f/1.8 normal lens, and the SMC lenses are worth more than the ordinary grade "Super Takumars". When you're looking on eBay, compare words exactly.
Andy
Best guide is to look on eBay and compare "actual sales" prices as opposed to asking price. Also note that the value of the lenses varies a lot, based on its specifics. For example, the f/1.4 is worth a lot more than the f/1.8 normal lens, and the SMC lenses are worth more than the ordinary grade "Super Takumars". When you're looking on eBay, compare words exactly.
Andy
Apr 16, 2019 13:28:27 #
genocolo
Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island
speters wrote:
Why did he buy them, for what reason? That's what he should do with them, so its a silly question, go out and have fun with them!
You know, a lot can change in 50 years.
Apr 16, 2019 13:47:19 #
Apr 16, 2019 13:56:22 #
Pentax is the best of the two cameras. Don't let anyone put down the Pentax as a way to get you to sell the camera for none. I don't known the price of the camera. Are the lenses for the Pentax? Have you check out the Pentax and lenses? If not fine someone who can. If not, PM me with your tel# and I will call you and walk you through what to check on the camera and lenses. I NOT LOOKING TO BUY THE PENTAX OR LENSES. If everything is ok, find what it like using a film camera, put film in it and down the road you go.
Apr 16, 2019 14:09:42 #
Old camera can be categorized as to value to a certain extent. Some folks just like using them and shooting film but will not spend lots of money to acquire them- the probably have some of their own and still use them.
Then there are collectable cameras, and again there are categories. Serious collectors may invest significantly in antique, very rare cameras or any particular camera that may complete a series or model that is missing for their collection. They may be old wooden cameras, camera used for wet-plate and tintype photos, cameras used by enemy forces during time of war or gear that has some historical connection of significance. There are user collectable cameras, theses fall in to some of the former descriptions but must be in working order. There are brand collectors such as a groups that specialize in Graflex professional and press cameras or the entire series of Kodak Autographic folders- the ones with the original stylus yield more money. There are Leica collectors who will pay a fortune for the "K" model used by the German Air Force during WWII.
There are collectors of most kinds of cameras- plastic, metal, 35mm rangefinders and SLRs , and medium and large format.
Some folks just like to amass lots of old camera but usually won't pay too much.
The ones you are posting, circa 1960s are not particularly rare but may attract some interest if you advertise them on one of the buy and sell sites or the one attached to this forum- you may generate some interest. I don't think they will yield a big payoff.
You cameras are are from the Vietnam era but have no official connection to the war or the armed services. The may have been acquired in a PX but agan, that has no bearing on their value. The Pentax Spotmatic is a nice little camera and it has the Asahi name on the logo. Some of them have the Honeywell name on the logo as the were marketed, for a time, in the U.S. by Honeywell's photographic division. The lenses were pretty decent for their era. The Yashica was a low to medium priced line.
There are a few "blue-books" that help to evaluate old cameras, the may me some information online.
Then there are collectable cameras, and again there are categories. Serious collectors may invest significantly in antique, very rare cameras or any particular camera that may complete a series or model that is missing for their collection. They may be old wooden cameras, camera used for wet-plate and tintype photos, cameras used by enemy forces during time of war or gear that has some historical connection of significance. There are user collectable cameras, theses fall in to some of the former descriptions but must be in working order. There are brand collectors such as a groups that specialize in Graflex professional and press cameras or the entire series of Kodak Autographic folders- the ones with the original stylus yield more money. There are Leica collectors who will pay a fortune for the "K" model used by the German Air Force during WWII.
There are collectors of most kinds of cameras- plastic, metal, 35mm rangefinders and SLRs , and medium and large format.
Some folks just like to amass lots of old camera but usually won't pay too much.
The ones you are posting, circa 1960s are not particularly rare but may attract some interest if you advertise them on one of the buy and sell sites or the one attached to this forum- you may generate some interest. I don't think they will yield a big payoff.
You cameras are are from the Vietnam era but have no official connection to the war or the armed services. The may have been acquired in a PX but agan, that has no bearing on their value. The Pentax Spotmatic is a nice little camera and it has the Asahi name on the logo. Some of them have the Honeywell name on the logo as the were marketed, for a time, in the U.S. by Honeywell's photographic division. The lenses were pretty decent for their era. The Yashica was a low to medium priced line.
There are a few "blue-books" that help to evaluate old cameras, the may me some information online.
Apr 17, 2019 05:59:57 #
Apr 17, 2019 06:01:44 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
genocolo wrote:
A good friend brought a Yashika and Pentax cameras and lenses back from Vietnam. He asked me what I thought he should do with them. They need a little cleaning up but are like brand new. Is there a market for them? What are your suggestions? Thanks.
Very nice paper weights.
Apr 17, 2019 06:07:11 #
Apr 17, 2019 06:14:11 #
The biggest value would be if the owner wanted them as keepsakes. Beyond that, not much. I contemplated keeping the Pentax I bought in Viet Nam. But at some point years back I realised I didn't need any reminders.
Donating them might make him feel better than getting a few dollars.
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Donating them might make him feel better than getting a few dollars.
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Apr 17, 2019 06:25:11 #
steve49 wrote:
Donate them to a high school photo class.
They have little/ no $$ value.
They have little/ no $$ value.
The High Schools / Collages don't want them!!!! Been there tried that!!!!! Three cameras and a complete darkroom. Gave the darkroom to a UHH member and sold him the cameras for a small song, no dance.
Apr 17, 2019 06:45:26 #
genocolo wrote:
A good friend brought a Yashika and Pentax cameras and lenses back from Vietnam. He asked me what I thought he should do with them. They need a little cleaning up but are like brand new. Is there a market for them? What are your suggestions? Thanks.
I would definitely look at what those are going for on eBay. The Pentax camera could yield at least $20. The Super-Takumar 50mm f/1.4 lens I found just now listed for $105. Clean 'em all up, make sure they work, and see what you can get for them.
Apr 17, 2019 08:12:35 #
I had a Minolta SRT 102 and a variety of Rokkor lenses, including a 50mm 1.4, a bunch filters, and other accessories. All were near mint condition. About 6 or 7 years ago I put them up for sale on eBay starting at $50.00, and no one even bid on them. One of the young girls I was working with at the time, was taking a B&W photo class at the local college, and was looking to buy a film camera. She got the whole box of items for $50.00, and was thrilled. There aren't too many people looking at film cameras today. Donate them to the local college or high school, and make some young kids happy.
Apr 17, 2019 08:18:06 #
Dan Mc
Loc: NM
Donate them to a VA Hospital, any of the VA Regional Offices, or someplace else where they may displayed a memorabilia of that era.
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