Value and information of equipment

Hi to everyone,

My name is Francisco. I recently came across of a few cameras and a couple of lenses. I been doing some research trying to get info and trying to get the actual value on the items I have. I have come with different answers from the web, but not an specific and accurate answer. This is the list of items I have

 

1. Asanuma auto-tele 1:5.5 f=300mm

No.110917 with a

Hoya HMC 58mm skylight(1B) lens attachment they are both made in Japan it comes with a case

If someone knows where I can find info on equipment value from the 70s and 80s I appreciate if you can point me to the right direction thanks.

Edited May 5, 2020 by James G. Dainis

This isn't likely from the 80's. You're looking at the 60's or 70's when screw mount and T-mount lenses were popular.

 

This is worth no more than $100 and you might have trouble finding someone who will pay you that. The filter (attachment) is mostly there for protection and is worth a few dollars.

 

All that I did was copy "Asanuma auto-tele 1:5.5 f=300mm" into Google. You will see a few for sale (ignore the prices) and a few videos on the lens.

If charity shops were still open, that would be the easiest way to rid yourself of that old junk!

My favorite place to check for prices is: CollectiBlend: classic, collectible and old cameras price guide.

 

but otherwise, you can check eBay, especially for sold items.

 

I don't see a 300mm lens, but a 100-300mm zoom seems to have sold

a few on eBay for between $6 and $50.

 

I got a Nikon AI 80-200/4.5 zoom a few years ago from Goodwill for $12,

which I think is a good deal. This is a fun lens, with the slide zoom.

 

Thrift stores are a good place for them, or eBay if you feel like doing that.

The value depends very much on condition, also on the lens mount - I guess it is a T-Mount lens with an M42 screw fitting. Nikon mount lenses tend to go at a premium. And lenses with multiple blade apertures are popular because of their alleged Bokeh qualities.

 

Having said that, these small aperture long third party telephoto's aren't at all sought after in my experience. Best to keep it and see what kind of results it's capable of.

As said, not likely to be much wanted.

 

Asanuma was a re-brander, "made", that is, sold, some good stuff, mostly so-so, however.

 

Give the filter to somebody - thrift shops might actually get a buck or two for it.

I see an Asanuma 300mm f/5.5 listed in Popular Photography January issue for $129. Even with inflation it's only $364 new. I don't think it's worth more than $20 today.

For better and worse, eBay has become the primary source of item values. Not the active listings, but the history of examples that actually sold recently and for what prices.

 

Off-brand lenses have dwindled in value to almost nothing, esp slow manual focus zooms and teles like this one. The sort of thing where if you wanted one, its a buyers market and you could find it for little money, but if you want to sell one, it fetches so little its almost not worth the trouble of posting a listing and paying commission fees. Donate it to a school, or bundle it with a camera you want to get rid of.

 

Here and there you find specific models of third-party lens that do hold some significant value, but its very niche and cult-driven, so can be difficult to decipher. Vivitar Series One lenses from the '70s and '80s are well regarded, but only some, and of those some are prized more than others depending on what company actually mfr'd the lens for Vivitar. Kiron, Tokina, Tamron, Sigma all offered some outstanding (or at least good) models, but they tend to get lost in a sea of mediocre lookalikes. Up until the past decade, when they all went more upscale, noteworthy lenses from third-party brands were the exception, not the rule.

 

Most Japanese brands aside from Vivitar, Kiron, Tokina, Tamron, Sigma were/are considered a step below third-party: names like Asanuma, Soligor, Sunset, Phoenix, Prinz, Sears (and other store brands) are dismissed as "discount off brands" that never offered anything beyond "average", so have negligible resale value today.

 

The Hoya HMC 58mm Skylight 1B filter is of good quality, but such a common item that it doesn't have significant resale value (a few dollars maybe). If its clean, hold onto it: could be useful on a more valuable lens you acquire in future (new similar filters cost $20 or so).

Edited May 14, 2020 by orsetto

From my experience as a seller, I would say there are few hard and fast rules. Prime lenses are far more popular than zooms - third party zoom lenses tend to be pretty much worthless, especially the very common 80-200 types, apart from, as stated, the Vivitar Series 1's.. Prime lenses with multiple aperture blades are sought after for their expected smooth Bokeh, typically 10 to15 blades, of course these are invariably preset rather than auto stop down. Fast standard lenses and fast medium telephotos are also popular. A few weeks ago I sold a Komura 105mm F/2.0 with a multiple blade near circular aperture for nearly £300. I've just acquired a similar Aico 85mm F/1.9. The Zeiss Flektogon and Pancolars are always sought after.

 

Lens mounts are also a factor. M42 and T-Mount lenses are easy to adapt to digital. Nikon and Pentax will fit directly on to DSLR's - with caveats of course. And condition is everything. Fungus and haze, stiff focus, sticky apertures and inappropriare cleaning are perennial problems.

Even Canon and Nikon zooms go for low prices, and can be used with current DSLRs.

 

Some of the more unusual prime lenses are surprisingly valuable,

others just ordinarily priced.

 

Donating it to a school or club is a good idea.

 

Near me there is a photography school that sometimes has a used equipment

fund-raising sale. I suspect that they take donations.