Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2013 22:24:15 GMT -5
Today was the first day of a two-day estate sale three doors down from us. Anything not sold on the first day is half price the second day. I dropped in this morning, and what to my wondering eyes did appear but a Nikkormat FT3 in excellent condition. The FT3 may be the epitome of Nikon mechanical cameras. It can use the old forked lenses of the newer AI (auto indexing) lenses and uses silver instead of the banned mercury batteries.
I once had an FT3, sold it and have regretted it since. The camera at the estate sale was priced at $105 which is on the high side. But it also included a lens. I didn't look at it too closely but saw it had a focal length of 55mm. I assumed in the a micro Nikkor which would be worth more than the asking price for the camera. Still, I haven't been actively collecting in recent years and haven't shot film in about five years, so I held off. Late in the afternoon, however I strolled back to the sale and asked the woman if the camera hadn't sold by the end of the day, could I get it that day for half price rather than waiting until morning. She said she would go one better and let me have it for half price right then. So I bought the FT3 and lens for $52.50.
When I got home I got a surprise. The lens on the camera wasn't a micro Nikkor. It was a 55mm f/1.2 Nikkor--the fastest lens Nikon has ever made. And this one was the auto indexing model that was only made the last two years the lens was produced--1978 and '79. Went of Ebay and discovered the lens fetches anywhere from $200 to $350. So I put it on the auction with a starting price of $200 and already have a bid with 6.5 days left to go. So I will get my FT3 and should come out way ahead financially.
I have long dreamed of finding a photographic pearl at a yard sale. Although this isn't like getting a Leica M for a pittance, I should do all right on this deal.
W.
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Jul 27, 2013 1:46:22 GMT -5
Oh boy! The pot at the end of the rainbow.
For me that would be a good 5 years or so.
ƒ something or other and you were there.
Mickey
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hansz
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Hans
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Post by hansz on Jul 27, 2013 5:47:11 GMT -5
Why don't you keep it and shoot with that magnificent piece of glass? Hans
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Post by vintageslrs on Jul 27, 2013 7:44:25 GMT -5
Wayne
What a great find! Congrats! Maybe you will break that 5 year no film shooting streak? I hope at some point you do use that FT3.
all the best
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casualcollector
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Post by casualcollector on Jul 27, 2013 9:34:19 GMT -5
Good Catch, Wayne! I faced a similar choice several years ago when I found an R.E. Auto Topcor 25mm f-3.5. Beautiful, valuable lens. Do I keep or sell? I sold and recovered my investment many times over.
FT3 was an impressive piece. As a rule, the chain I worked for didn't carry Nikon or Nikkormat cameras but we did have the FT3. I think sales of the newly introduced Nikon FM were beginning to undermine the Nikkormat so Ehrenreich went looking for more outlets.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2013 15:38:18 GMT -5
I may have to put a roll through the FT3. I shot some nice images with that model years ago. It was the last true Nikkormat in that it has the shutter speeds surrounding the lens mount. And Casual you are correct. The FT3 came out just about the same time as the much more compact FM and hurt sales. It was only made two years. It was supposed to be an industrial quality backup body for pros and advanced amateurs shooting the F2. FM on left. FT3 with f/2 Nikkor on right. 55mm f/1.2 below. The FT3 also was one of the last hand-built Nikons.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2013 19:15:57 GMT -5
The lens fetched over $300 so I made a tidy profit -- paid $52.50 for the camera and lens and I still have the camera which is what I wanted anyway! I using some of my windfall to get my mate a new compact digital for an upcoming trip overseas. A friend in a local camera store (an old guy like me) pointed out that with the F/1.2 Nikkor if you shot wide open if a person's eye is in focus his nose isn't. In the images below the truck tailgate and chair were nuts at f/1.2. Notice only the front edge of the chair is in focus. I think the tree was shot at about f/8. W.
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Post by SuperDeluxe on Aug 2, 2013 21:44:24 GMT -5
I had the exact same lens. I was giddy when I got it... but not so much when I took it for a ride. It's reasonably sharp from f/2.8 and up, but at f/1.2 and f/1.4 it's anything but. I sold it within a month, and then for less than 1/3 of the price of the 55mm I got myself a Nikkor-S.C 50mm f/1.4 Ai-converted, a lens that in my experience is sharper than the 55/1.2 at all apertures. I haven't looked back.
In other words, congrats on the find and on the decision to monetize it to fund something else.
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Aug 3, 2013 0:02:58 GMT -5
Wayne, "A friend in a local camera store (an old guy like me) pointed out that with the F/1.2 Nikkor if you shot wide open if a person's eye is in focus his nose isn't." Read more: cameracollector.proboards.com/posts/recent#ixzz2asX6pCn3
You are complaining about the depth of field. Isn't that dependant solely upon the focal length, the aperture and the distance from the subject? I think if the lens were of poor quality the overall image would suffer not just the d. of f. Mickey
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2013 17:13:28 GMT -5
Well, my auction ended Aug. 2 and here's what happened:
About halfway through the auction' a buyer contacted me and wanted me to bypass the auction and sell him the lens. I said there were already bids so I would do that, and posted his requested under item comments so everyone could see them. So, with two seconds left in the auction this guy drops in a bid $5 higher than the previous bid and wins. That was Aug. 2. Haven't heard a peep from him since despite attempts to contact him. I filed a complaint with Ebay but it will be at least another week before I can do anything with the lens. If I cancel the transaction now, I'll have to pay the Ebay fees. UNLESS the buyer agrees to the cancellation, which he won't.
I'm sure what happened was that when I wouldn't play ball with him and posted his request for all to see, he decided to get even by screwing up the auction. I also discovered that the guy is apparently in Vietnam and completes his Ebay purchases through a contact in San Jose.
So now I'll wait until I get Ebay to cancels the fees. Then think I'll take a picture of my hand giving the international single finger salute and mail it to the San Jose address. Then I may contact the second place bidder and see if he's interested. Or I might just hold onto the lens for a while, use it, then sell it in the fall when bids are usually higher.
Seems like there are more A$$h01es in the world than there used to be.
W.
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Stephen
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Still collecting.......
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Post by Stephen on Aug 10, 2013 17:44:09 GMT -5
Ebay can be a minefield for sellers at times, a nuisance when things go wrong because of these troublemakers. Stephen.
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Post by yashica1943 on Aug 11, 2013 13:58:56 GMT -5
I have had one or two problems with ebay recently (been buying and selling on there for 9 years.) One was particularly bad. This was all over a defective £2 exposure meter. The heading of the description said 'Excellent' Further down, it was the good old cheat's let-out 'untested'. When I found that the meter didn't work I was quite happy to keep it, but just sent a message saying that it didn't work, but not returning it. The abuse and threats were unbelievable. I knew that the seller's address were 120 miles away, but I was really worried this went on for about a week , I ended up by saying, if you hadn't tested it how do you know the item is excellent?. I contacted ebay, they acted, but wouldn't say what they had done. So eventually I was concerned about leaving feedback, but I did. There were more thrats, and eventually I had to contact the Police about the abuse.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2013 20:45:56 GMT -5
Re-listed the lens last week and sold it to a legit buyer (meaning he already paid) for five or six times what I paid for it - - - - and I've still got the Nikkormat FT3 which is the only thing that really interested me. Now what to do with the profits. Hmmmmmmm.
W.
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SidW
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Post by SidW on Nov 19, 2013 8:58:18 GMT -5
The only bother I've had when buying is sellers requiring credit card number before bidding "to show good faith". Even when they're expecting payment by Paypal. I always back off and let the thing go.
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daveh
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Post by daveh on Nov 19, 2013 12:20:15 GMT -5
Sid, like you if I'm asked for anything - credit card number, address, email or whatever - before I have bought "it" I go somewhere else to get it.
I did buy a Pentax K-x in the summer at a reasonable price on Gumtree - like ebay, but more local without the bidding war. The reason why the seller put it on Gumtree was so he wouldn't have to be bothered with packaging it up for the post. He said he got several asking if he could post it to them, and when he said "No" some of them got quite shirty.
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