I think I am becoming a camera dealer or something…As well as selling my Canon 60d and all it’s accessories I am also selling a load of old point & shoot film and older faulty digitals. I already sold one rangefinder earlier this year and have another old Bolsey RF for sale too.
Earlier this month I was browsing around in my ‘special area of interest’ and I find myself drawn to large format and some other cameras I think are missing from my collection.
Firstly, on the large format front; I start looking at Graflex Speed Graphics and I end up buying a Busch Pressman Models C; it’s not really proper large format as it’s 2¼ x 3¼ but I love the art deco features and it’s in great condition.
I stumble across a video about 5×5 Burke and James Press cameras and then spot one at a low price and in what looks like useable condition and go for it; success!
As I said it’s useable and no way perfect; needs a new ground glass and some leatherette both of which are available and should make a good camera. Okay so 4×5 is the small end of large format but it’s a good place to start, right?
I also love the little Yashica Electro 35; and it’s been on my nice to have list for a while. It’s an easy to use camera with a good 1.7 lens on the front (trivia fact the Electro 35 was the camera used by Peter Parker in the recent Spiderman movies). Anyway I see one for not much money and after taking a punt by offering them less (which they accept) I am suddenly the owner of one.
At the same time I am looking for my favourite Voigtlanders and on searching for misspellings I find a mixed job lot of 7 cameras a couple of which I know I could sell and make more than my money back – bought!
The box arrives with; a Kodak Instamatic, a Kodak Pony, a dirty old Minolta SLR (and lens) which needs some TLC, a Herbert George Insta Flash (including the flash), another Electro 35 (in better condition than the one I just bought!) a sorry looking Voigtlander Vito II (missing some parts) and a modern-ish Canon Snappy. All of them (apart from the Voigtlander) are in reasonable condition and appear to be mostly working. After a little bit of cleaning I should be able to double my money (and keep the little Vito II which can get added to my collection and may get repaired later 🙂 ).
Some of the cameras still have film in them! They originated from an estate sale I understand so may have someone’s family pictures on them (or they might have nothing).
Should I get them developed????? Leave a comment below….
I did a post ages ago listing all the cameras I had at that time, I think I might start a new series of posts for this year detailing each of the cameras I have and if possible include some photos taken with them.
View from the Carrot Room 
January 11, 2017 at 9:47 am
Develop the film?
Absolutely!
Though be prepared for disappointment…..!
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January 11, 2017 at 10:12 am
Yes! 🙂
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January 31, 2017 at 2:52 pm
Sadly nothing exciting was resulting from those films, I got one developed and it was blank (unexposed), another was a film from Seattle Filmworks which due to them using 35mm movie film which is incompatible with most labs equipment was also no good. lastly I had some film holders with sheet film but without opening them (and fogging the film) I cannot know what is in them to determine how they need developing and at $10 a sheet it’s a costly mistake, so i didn’t bother.
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