I Love Goodwill

I'd be very happy with a good heavy duty tripod for the Speed Graphic I have. The flimsy JC Penny one I have I am afraid the wind will blow it over or I will bump it while fiddling with the lens or cassettes and boom ...down she goes with the camera. I saw one once in the US for cheap..but shipping to Europe makes it not so cheap . I am a cheapskate and though you can buy for a few hundred a nice sturdy tripod.. can and will are two very different things!! :)

Camera and general auctions are a good source of bargain tripods. Things like tripods, lightmeters and camera bags tend to get overlooked in favour of old Rolleis, Leicas and such that get all the bidding fever.

A couple of years ago I got a nice sturdy Gitzo among a lot of old wooden 'pods for a hammer price of £25.

 

One of the wooden tripods was a mahogany and brass affair that came up nicely with a bit of TLC too. It would make a nice display stand for a vintage plate camera or brass telescope.

I've been after a No.1 Folmer Crown tripod for ages and they rarely popped-up on Ebay, and the I found two going cheap over the course of a month.

 

There's a number on there right now, too.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Rick_van_Nooij

Camera and general auctions are a good source of bargain tripods. Things like tripods, lightmeters and camera bags tend to get overlooked in favour of old Rolleis, Leicas and such that get all the bidding fever.

A couple of years ago I got a nice sturdy Gitzo among a lot of old wooden 'pods for a hammer price of £25.

 

One of the wooden tripods was a mahogany and brass affair that came up nicely with a bit of TLC too. It would make a nice display stand for a vintage plate camera or brass telescope.

 

There are many things that seem to go for low prices. One that I bought some of are Bose noise-canceling headphones with worn out ear pads. Buy replacements for a low price, and you have nice headphones for much less than the usual price.

Well, I bought an original new Quick Release Plate by Gitzo that set me back $50. Just to prove that nothing's cheap!

 

But I used it this weekend, and it is quite a nice setup. The ballhead with a Field Camera on top is going to take a bit of getting used to.

 

Having an empty bag hung from the hook is fantastic. Keeps all my camera gear off the dirt, and weighs down the tripod for even more stability. Very handy.

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You beat me......mine cost me $14!

I'm a big fan of Shopgoodwill.com and have purchased many of the cameras in my collection from there. However, shipping and handling prices from some of the locations are getting out-of-hand and oftentimes exceed the auction price of the camera. Now, before bidding, I always check the S&H cost first.

I'm a big fan of Shopgoodwill.com and have purchased many of the cameras in my collection from there. However, shipping and handling prices from some of the locations are getting out-of-hand and oftentimes exceed the auction price of the camera. Now, before bidding, I always check the S&H cost first.

 

Different stores do shipping differently, but lately I have been more surprised that the shipping costs weren't higher.

 

Some of my more recent purchases are ham radio equipment, but I did not long ago buy my father

a Sawyers slide projector. That was $7.95 for the bid, and $8.45 for shipping/handling. Bigger

and heavier than most cameras. I then explained to him that it cost less than one roll of Ektachrome.

(I didn't tell him it was coming, and surprised him.)

 

So, yes, shipping was more, but the total was still reasonable.

 

But yes I do check shipping costs, and then make bid decisions based on total cost.

Most will do combined shipping, and for two items it is more reasonable.

 

After I win one, I check for other items from the same store to bid on.

Different stores do shipping differently, but lately I have been more surprised that the shipping costs weren't higher.

 

Some of my more recent purchases are ham radio equipment, but I did not long ago buy my father

a Sawyers slide projector. That was $7.95 for the bid, and $8.45 for shipping/handling. Bigger

and heavier than most cameras. I then explained to him that it cost less than one roll of Ektachrome.

(I didn't tell him it was coming, and surprised him.)

 

So, yes, shipping was more, but the total was still reasonable.

 

But yes I do check shipping costs, and then make bid decisions based on total cost.

Most will do combined shipping, and for two items it is more reasonable.

 

After I win one, I check for other items from the same store to bid on.

******

My latest win was a $500 Craigslist posting for a lot of 4x5 gear for which I overbid at $600 which included (wait for it ...)

 

A full Darkroom (Given away at my curbside)

Chemistry (for the haz mat dump)

Crown Graphic

Super Graphic

Optar

2 Other triplet lenses

2 Ektars (working and beautiful, but not my style)

Gossen Digipro F

Rodenstock 65mm Grandagon-N 4.5 (like new)

Rodenstock 90mm Grandagon-N 6.8 (New In Box 7 bladed design, which upgraded my equivalent used Caltar 5 bladed design that I sent to KEH)

Rodenstock 210mm Sironar-S (yes "S"!) (New in Box)

 

I sold off everything through the Ektars and the excess Caltar back to KEH for about the $600. So the Gossen and the 2+ Rodenstocks were (ahem) FREE TO ME!

******

My latest win was a $500 Craigslist posting for a lot of 4x5 gear for which I overbid at $600 which included (wait for it ...)

 

A full Darkroom (Given away at my curbside)

Chemistry (for the haz mat dump)

Crown Graphic

Super Graphic

Optar

2 Other triplet lenses

2 Ektars (working and beautiful, but not my style)

Gossen Digipro F

Rodenstock 65mm Grandagon-N 4.5 (like new)

Rodenstock 90mm Grandagon-N 6.8 (New In Box 7 bladed design, which upgraded my equivalent used Caltar 5 bladed design that I sent to KEH)

Rodenstock 210mm Sironar-S (yes "S"!) (New in Box)

 

I sold off everything through the Ektars and the excess Caltar back to KEH for about the $600. So the Gossen and the 2+ Rodenstocks were (ahem) FREE TO ME!

 

 

Wow I saw these in the "what camera" section... Fabelhaft. I will eventually get around to showing my Speed Graphic and 90mm Optar 6.8 WA . The Speed came with the F4.5 Ektar, but I just splurged and bought a 3d printed lens board to mount a damaged 90 mm Optar. The aperture blades are not seated correctly and they pucker when trying to open up and will jam the shutter blades . one is slightly out of place. When closed down seems to be Ok. The lens is so far back it almost falls off the rails at the break

If you need an Arca-Swiss type QR plate, the ones made by Colorado Tripod Company are a steal at $10. But back on subject, I was looking for a lantern slide projector because I lucked into a vintage collection of hand colored slides, and came across a like new AO (American Optical) cased boardroom one, with 5 lenses of different focal lengths and a pile of projector lamps for $45. I have in mind that it would also make a great slide projector for 6x9 transparencies.

I once saw a 120 sized slide projector at an estate sale, but didn't buy it.

Especially as I have no 120 sized slides.

 

Even bigger does sound fun, though.

 

Reminds me, I do have some Kodak projector lenses that I got from Goodwill, including a 2.5inch one,

which is nice for small rooms. I believe that there is a 2inch lens, but only for 110 slides.

A local Presbyterian charity shop has this for sale

• 1x Asahi Pentax S2 camera body with case including strap
  
• 1x 1:5.6/200mm lens with case
  
• 1x 1:2.3/35mm lens with case
  
• 1x 1:35/135mm lens with case
  
• 1x 1:2/55mm lens with case
  

The 135mm and 200mm lenses are preset, the other two are Auto Takumars. The whole lot is beautifully clean. They want $NZ450 for it...

A local Presbyterian charity shop has this for sale

• 1x Asahi Pentax S2 camera body with case including strap
  
• 1x 1:5.6/200mm lens with case
  
• 1x 1:2.3/35mm lens with case
  
• 1x 1:35/135mm lens with case
  
• 1x 1:2/55mm lens with case
  

The 135mm and 200mm lenses are preset, the other two are Auto Takumars. The whole lot is beautifully clean. They want $NZ450 for it...

 

Seems to be about USD 310. I presume you are suggesting that is way too high.

 

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Asahi/Pentax-S2.html

 

says about USD 50.00 for camera and (one) lens. Random guess, about USD 100.00 with four lenses.

Some stores reduce the price after some weeks.

 

Goodwill stores (but not auctions) go 30% off after some weeks, and then a few days

more down to 50% off. The last day is $1.29.

 

I don't know if other stores do that.

 

I got a dry mount press for $50, which was originally $100, but I waited until

it was 50% off. I think that was a good price, though I haven't used it all

that much.

Seems to be about USD 310. I presume you are suggesting that is way too high.

 

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Asahi/Pentax-S2.html

 

says about USD 50.00 for camera and (one) lens. Random guess, about USD 100.00 with four lenses.

My ancient copy of McKeowns values the set at at least $330.

This site says the camera averages $42. Preset lenses? $10 each? Ancient McKeowns may have been close to accurate for a year or two after they were published but i have seen them mostly used by sellers trying to inflate asking prices..Pentax S2 (H2) - Pentax M42 Screwmount Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

Chances are an old S2 isn't going to work properly and will have crumbly foam light seals unless it's been recently serviced.

 

Most likely the shutter speeds are off, or uneven. Since the blind-tensioning springs tend to weaken over time, and assorted crap gets into the shutter guides to create drag. Then a good professional CLA will set you back much more than the asking price.

This was a Goodwill Auction item. I never win Goodwill auctions but this one time I did. $35.

Chances are an old S2 isn't going to work properly and will have crumbly foam light seals unless it's been recently serviced.

 

Most likely the shutter speeds are off, or uneven. Since the blind-tensioning springs tend to weaken over time, and assorted crap gets into the shutter guides to create drag. Then a good professional CLA will set you back much more than the asking price.

I've sorted light seals and shutters on ancient Pentaxes - the price, though, is a little too rich.