Camera Fair

[chrisy]

Hi All,Wife(aka 'Banker') and I went to the Cottenham camera fair on Sunday on the lookout for,well, nothing in particular really although I am still hankering after a Super A Pentax.Disapointingly small turn out;there seem to be less punters there every time we visit However after the usual trawl round the stalls muttering the (now familiar) litany, got one,got one... I spotted a Chinon CP-7m Bit quirky bit unusual. Had a 1.7 50mm Chinon lens on it fully electronic - the guy was asking £15 so I knocked him down to a tenner (Well you've got to!) and the camera was mine. Nice.
But wait! On the way out I spotted a Pentax looking lonely; on picking it up I discovered it was yes- the Holy Grail- a Spotmatic F! Fully working C/W case for only 65 of our English pounds. So I knocked him down to 50 quid and home we went rejoicing!
To cap it all, I found out that the Chinon comes in Pentax PK fitting
Double 'ansom as we often say round these parts
Regards
Chris

[Rachel]

Hi Chris,

I was there as well. What time were you there as I thought it was quite busy and some of the dealers I spoke to said that they were making some good sales for a change?

I picked up some Leica books at very good prices, a few lens caps of various sizes and a Sigma 24mm lens for my Canon EOS cameras.

[Randy]

Great haul Chris. I've got the Spotmatic F also, one of my favorite users.

[chrisy]

Hi Rachel I think we arrived about eleven; I've been going since day one and can remember when at that time you could'nt move for the crowds! Glad to hear that some of the dealers had a good day Perhaps only the serious spenders go now or maybe with this credit crunch people are buying second hand rather than new?
Randy, yes I'm looking forward to using the F; just need a nice day or two....
Regards
Chris

[Rachel]

Hi Chris. I think I arrived there about 9.45am and it was heaving then so it's probably very busy only early on. I did stay, with a break for coffee and cake, till about 12.30pm so we probably passed each other. I know it's nowhere as big a fair as it used to be years ago but I still enjoy them. It's the only fair that's a reasonable distance for me to travel to and, as there are only three a year, a do try and attend them all.

[drako]

I've never even heard of a camera fair in the US. Any of you fellow Yanks been to one?

[Deleted]

Always wanted a Spotmatic F because it was the only one that would meter without stopping down.

Don't think I've ever heard of a camera fair in this area--used to be a few computer fairs. Everything seems to be sold at garage sales here but you have to go to a lot of sales to have a change of finding something photographically worthwhile.

[casualcollector]

Ah! Spot F. The best looking of the Pentaxes and the best looking 35 ever! That's the opinion of this nearly 40 year Canonite. Nice find Chris.

I used to attend regular camera fairs near Hartford, Connecticut and Albany, New York. The biggest I know is held twice a year by the Photographic Historical Society of New England or PHSNE. It has moved around a few times but takes place in the Boston suburbs.

Haven't heard of any locally since moving to Florida. Must be one in Orlando at least once a year.

[mickeyobe]

I guess we CC's here in Toronto are very fortunate.

We have four camera fairs every year.

Two are held by The Photographic Historical Society of Canada and two are by a private company/individual.

All four are very good with well over 100 tables each.

I don't know if attendance is falling or not but I have heard no complaints.

Mickey