I have some cameras I never use since we bought a digital one. My brother was a camera buff and feels some people are still interested in my cameras for various purposes.m They are all in fine shape, work well and look like new in their bags with attachments. I was told I would need a course to use the various accessories for different needs which I'm too old to do.
They range from; a Polaroid Land Camera > a 35 mm Olympus > a 35 mm Minolta SLR with a light meter and an extra lens.
Are these of value? I would like to find a way to sell them but not be taken advantage of.
If they are of more sentimental value my investigation would stop here.
Thank you for your help.

 

Film cameras really have little value these days.
If you look on E-Bay you will find a few high end models selling for a few hundred dollars but this is a quarter of what they would have sold for before the digital age.
I see Polaroid cameras not even selling for a few dollars at flea markets.

List the model of cameras you have and I can find out what average price they are selling for.
On the Minolta list the focal length and maximum f stop of the two lenses.

And your brother is quite wrong about learning to use an adjustable camera.
You are never too old to learn.
Loading up your mind to learn something is no different that exersizing your body...............No pain - no gain!

 

I, too, have "graduated" to the world of digital photography, but am still hanging on to my two expensive Minolta XE7 bodies and lenses and filters, etc. I still like the smell of a darkroom, but with digital, times are a-changing!

 

It sounds as though digital is the way to go.
One problem is that the human person is made even more outdated.
I will need to spend more to watch tv, run my pc, and many other digital ramifications that hit the wallet.
I am elderly +disabled and my pension does not allow for the upgrades.
For example, unless I pay more I will not even have tv as analogue will be a dinosaur too.
This is not a philosophy forum so I won't preach but to close let me tell you that I read a book while in college in the 50's which predicted that our technology would outpace our civility and morality.
Seems he was on the mark.
Of course , this is a feast for the employed and the young. Hey, I had my day but my point is th increments are too severe for many people to adjust to.
In the short run the Almighty dollar is in charge.
Aren't you glad you replied :-)
Seroiusly, thank you for the information and stay on the sunny side of the street.

 

Did that book you read in college happen to be George Orwell's 1984???

I agree that it is difficult for a lot of people to keep up with all the new gadgets but you need to appreciate that they are just that........gadgets.
Even if your computer is old and digital camera outdated at least you have these toys where a lot of people still don't.

With the stuff you have it would be safe to say that your cup is at least half full.

BTW:
The digital only changeover for television signals is coming but your federal government has a plan in the works to subsidize the $50.00 converter to make your analog set work.

If you get those numbers on your Minolta and lenses I'll check on them for you.

 

Hi Greg
Sorry about the grouchies but after two cancer surgeries which took two organs and severe neuropathic chronic pain for life from those surgeries I overflow at times.
The good part is this has led me to God. I do admit to God I was drawn at first due to selfish fear, but after quite some time, He is an integral part of my being. When I talk with people about this it is not to gain sympathy or depress others; it is to stimulate thought about helping solid charities and to promote the Gospel. Neither can be done in a perfectly acceptable way so I just suggest then walk away. My wife and I use our church to help others.
Let us put all that behind us for good and get to the cameras -o.k?
The camera is a Minolta X370 and the ?light guage is the same brand. The extra lens is a Rokinon wide angle but I don't have more specifics for you.
I suspect we will keep it for the next couple of generations to say, "Can you imagine what they used to take pictures with?"
It was nice meeting you; life is brief so let us walk the way with others and be swift to be kind.

 

There are many retailers that buy used equipment. Just put your feelings aside, most film bodies are not worth much. I just cashed in my beloved Nikon, two lenses and accessories and got a whopping $30. If your equipment has sentimental value you might want to keep it so you can take it out once a year and enjoy the memories.

You can send your equipment to:
KEH (www.keh.com) or B&H Photo Video (www.bhpphotovideo.com) or just do an online search for other camera retailers.

 

That is the word for the equiptment. My wife got it years ago and it was great although hardly used.
O well, the grandchilren will have some funny quips when the open the chest.

 

One idea is if any of your grand kids are older and interested, giving the SLR and lens to one of them may pass down a worthwhile hobby.......... especially since you can still get film developed!
It seems these days that many people are waving digital cameras at the end of extended arms but are not really able to appreciate the finer points of photography that a simple real camera can tech you..

Don't worry too much about the problem of what to do with your obsolete gear, you are certainly not alone.

I too have had to disburse boxes full of camera gear.
I had a complete black and white darkroom that I put together in the late eighties that cost a couple of thousand and recently sold it all for $200.00.
But, I was happy to do so because at least it went to a young person who wanted to take photography after graduating.

I also had a couple of Nikon film cameras that belonged to my father and just passed them on to interested family members.

That only leaves me with a couple of small boxes of misc. cameras and accessories to deal with.

 

You drew such a comic picture I could not help but laugh.
We have all been to affairs where that is so true.
There are things more valuable than har cash in this world; endowments such as these show you care and open doors for others.
I had a little darkroom as a child. I had to put on a red light, and dip my photos in three different solutions before hanging them up. It has been so long yet I must have enjoyed it because I had fond memories of performing all the steps, then, being so proud of the finished result.
As a matter of fact, I saved some family history for a while b/c no one else was using a camera. My brother and I have little square black and whites circa 1945.
Some of the old days offered irreplaceable joy but as we speak about the 'new' stuff, wink and blink and it will all be in the same 'old' category.
I gather from your letters that you can handle an F stop :-)
I was speaking with my brother just the other day about this topic and he told me he took a class in photography and does not consider it a waste. He enjoyed it and enjoys rehashing the types and techniques involved.
Good to speak with you and keep you lens at the ready!

 

I found an Epson Photo scanner & all my old slides, film strips,
b & w photos ,etc. all came to life on my PC. The included software is fantastic.
Who has more fun than people..........

 

Speaking of scanners, I loved the software in my old one but with msie 7 there was a probem. I found the supposed patch and drivers but nothing could resurrect it. I got a new AIO.
When I go to New England again I'll have my brother dig out those little back and whites and put them in the pc.
AAHHH!!! Memory lane.

 

I can guess that msie 7 is Internet Explorer 7 and if it is am wondering how it would affect your scanner.

Also, I pretty much live in the bush and am wondering what an AIO is?

 

There was supposed to be a patch for my 10 year old scanner but it really never worked So I bought an ALL IN One=AIOn printer scanner fax copy etc.

I read about the internet explorer 7 effecting some things ike my scanner but somtimes you just have to move on.

By the bush, do you literally mean Austalia?

 

No................Northern Canada
We refer to the woods as bush also.

Try this and zoom out.
I don't mind sharing these pics mostly taken around my place.

 

Thank you for a look at a beautiful place in the world.
I love remoteness but during a time I was somewhat isolated with my wife I got very sick and it was tough. I now always want to be around a medical facility.
You certainly are in a place that is a photographer's dream at certain times of the year.
I hthnk the Australian outback would not appeal to a photographer as it is pretty boring-from what tv has shown me.
I live 1/2 north of DC b/c my grandchildren are here otherwise I'd be around northern Fl.
Old guys don't like the cold.
I notice you are in hvac. I don't think there is much use for ac accept new work.
I retired from teaching in Mass. some years ago. Never really liked it but the wife and I got used to summers off etc. I have always liked do it your self, pcinng and grandchildren..
Have a warm weekend!