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Post by paulatukcamera on Oct 14, 2005 5:37:58 GMT -5
I didn't want to post this - it's been my little secret see! I have been buying Beautys very, very, cheaply and I didnt want you all to know how good they were and jump in and raise prices. However, conclusively outbid on the third one in a row last night, I know it is my secret no longer, so I thought I'd publish a beginners guide. Konica? Mamiya? Petri? Sorry folks (especially Ron) these Beautys are much, much better built. That is the early ones. The last of the line, the Light o Matic 111 tarnished the reputation a bit, as it was built down to a price. In the end Dixons were selling it for £29 and more than any other camera model they smashed the old monopoly of the German Manufacturers in the UK in 1961. Retina/Zeiss/Agfa all had models that cost around £50 and only had a f2.8 lens. In the UK market, this camera, in particular, signified the Japanese had arrived! The first one is a Beaumat (top left) - strange meter pod - a sort of transition between the built in meter and the annular ring ones (Beauty was definitely prior to Petri with this feature - so that's a few more of you offended then!) The second (top right) is the original Lightomatic (sold as the Beauty LM in the States) I will do a complete post on this one. The quality of construction has to be seen to be believed and I have just acquired an "as new" one. (it weighs 1lb 11ozs! - just weighed a Nikon FE2 with 1.8 lens - 1lb 12oz) The third (botttom left) is the Lightomatic 11 and the fourth (bottom right) the Lightomatic 111 (Quite commonplace and still very cheap) A Beauty Beaumat. I have been buying others since I took the photo and hope to write a web page's worth in the near future on this make. Paul P.S. Any other secret Beauty collectors here?
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Post by Randy on Oct 14, 2005 6:33:49 GMT -5
Very nice Paul, thanks for posting this.
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Oct 15, 2005 9:40:55 GMT -5
Ok, ok you caught me. Time to 'fess up, I have a Beauty Super L, and 2 Lightomatic 111's. One is jammed and a future project, but the others are very nice. The Lightomatic 111 sure does remind me of the Petri 7S both in looks and feel. I've never seen a Beaumat. Nice camera, thanks for sharing this. (and letting the cat out of the bag, LOL)
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Post by paulatukcamera on Oct 27, 2005 16:54:46 GMT -5
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Post by Just Plain Curt on Oct 28, 2005 7:29:41 GMT -5
Good luck Paul, I've switched collecting themes several times from Retina/Contina/Voigtlander to Kodak/Argus to Bolsey/Minolta/Yashica to Agfas/Tower. All seem to be increasing waaaay too fast in price. Even my Tarons and Petris seem to be taking off. Maybe Ciro's/DeJurs/Baldas next? Been picking up vintage SLR's for dirt cheap lately. Laughlin, Nevada was a huge disappointment. The Watchman's Watch & Classic Camera store no longer sells cameras, all 5 pawn shops I tried either had only plastic doohickies or wanted both arms and a leg for two Olympus OM 1 & 2 that didn't even seem to work properly. Picked up a black Canon FTb dirt cheap but even SLR's are creeping up unless you buy re-badged versions.
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Post by herron on Oct 28, 2005 8:28:37 GMT -5
It's funny, but I've noticed the same thing recently. Mamiya SLR prices (bodies with standard lenses) had been dropping slightly but, suddenly, that seems to have turned around a bit -- except for individual lenses, where only the extreme wides, teles and macros seem to be going up, while everything else continues to drop!
The cost of Mamiya rangefinders seem to be increasing slightly, too.
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Post by paulatukcamera on Dec 20, 2005 18:00:52 GMT -5
A month ago I posted an auction link where a Beauty LM had gone for $107. Well last night I got one that looks equally good for $30 (will know in about 8 weeks as it takes the clipper ships some time to reach the UK)
The vagaries of eBay!
Paul
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Post by elviscat on Jan 24, 2016 17:31:58 GMT -5
Hi All,
I have a Lightomatic III camera with lens in it's own leather fitted case and would like to know if you may be interested?
Thanks v much
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Post by camfiend on Jan 24, 2016 19:13:17 GMT -5
I've managed to collect just the 2 Beauty's Lightmatic SP and the Light-o-matic Both are nice cameras .. I think your secrets been out for some time but it's not confined to 'Beauty' all collectible cameras seem to be rising in price.. you still find the occasional bargain but they're getting fewer.. or at least seem to be
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Post by johnbear on Jan 25, 2016 18:26:19 GMT -5
Paul: you are not alone. I too have a Beaumat, Lightomatic III, and a Lightmatic SP. The SP is knackered, but the other two are good to go. I think the SP lacks the quality and charm of the III, although it's a very similar camera. I'm finding that prices are generally up too - indeed I haven't grabbed a bargain for some months. I don't think it's so much a case of there being increased demand, but rather sellers expecting silly prices. I've been watching a Canter that keeps appearing on eBay for £30. That's too much, and others would appear to agree, because it doesn't sell, but still gets listed at the same price.
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Post by philbirch on Feb 1, 2016 19:14:52 GMT -5
I have a couple of Beautys, one is the Beautyflex TLR, sadly the focusing mechanism is loose inside.
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beeza
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by beeza on Mar 31, 2016 7:27:23 GMT -5
I've got a couple - a '35' (viewfinder) from about 1955, and a Canter from around 1957. The Canter was my 'return-to-film' camera, and is a delight to use. I've not had chance to use the '35' yet (known as the Montgomery Ward 35 over the other side of the pond I believe).
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Post by belgiumreporter on Mar 31, 2016 13:49:31 GMT -5
I've got a few beauty's myselve, bought them while they were cheap, prices do seem to go up but i've learned my lesson with the yashica electro GSN's. I went with the hype that these were extraordinary cameras, next only to leica, paid way to much for them (black and chrome) only to find out they weren't all that great and did have some (electronic) issues. Now after the hipsters have had their fun with the yashica, prices dropped rapidly to yard sale level again, wich is a bit more realistic for these cameras. Will the same happen to the beauty's? who knows, but i surely won't get fooled again and keep the ones i've got but won't buy any more if prices get out of proportion, after all beauty's may be interesting but they are not THAT good.
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Post by conan on Apr 1, 2016 4:50:12 GMT -5
I've got a few beauty's myselve, bought them while they were cheap, prices do seem to go up but i've learned my lesson with the yashica electro GSN's. I went with the hype that these were extraordinary cameras, next only to leica, paid way to much for them (black and chrome) only to find out they weren't all that great and did have some (electronic) issues. Now after the hipsters have had their fun with the yashica, prices dropped rapidly to yard sale level again, wich is a bit more realistic for these cameras. Will the same happen to the beauty's? who knows, but i surely won't get fooled again and keep the ones i've got but won't buy any more if prices get out of proportion, after all beauty's may be interesting but they are not THAT good. Agree - Yashica GSNs are overhyped. Beauty and a few others disappeared after the Canonet caused a major market disruption that led to the eventual demise of the German intermediate cameras.
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Post by philbirch on Apr 10, 2016 12:30:39 GMT -5
I also have a Canter.
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