What should I ask for a mint Canon A-1 with lenses?

[nathan_johnson3]

<p>I have a mint Canon A-1 with equally mint:</p>

<p>Canon 50mm f1.4-absolutely no scratches on the glass<br>

Elicar 28mm f2.8--absolutely no scratches on the glass<br>

Nikura 70-210mm f3.9-absolutely no scratches on the glass<br>

I also have a leather case for the camera and a hard and soft case for the other 2 lenses.</p>

<p>I am wanting to sell those to move into a DSLR, but have no idea what I should be asking. None of the equipment has been used much (I estimate less than 30 rolls of film). Thank you in advance for helping me out with this!</p>

[gene m]

<p>The non Canon lenses are worth next to nothing. Even a Canon zoom fetches at best $20 nowadays. A mint A-1 with 1.4 prime is worth about $125 - $150 in a good economy.</p>

[gary_turner1]

<p>You might check completed listings on eBay. I missed a bid on an A-1 body awhile back and I think it sold for $35 or $40. Had some wear but was listed as working shutter & meter. I always figure the book value such as McKeown's ($150 or a bit more for A-1 with f1.4) is now rather inflated. Many such items are now selling for half or less although their are some exceptions (most Nikkor & Pentax lenses are holding good value). The lenses that can be used on digital SLRs (Canon EOS, Pentax) also seem to hold good value especially if they are a well regarded name brand. Unfortunately Canon FD is not one of those favored lens mounts. I bought a nice f1.4 FD lens a few years ago for about $60 and now they seem to fetch around $35 to $40. A chrome front FD is less common so it will fetch a bit more. I'm amazed to see the original F1 Canon now often selling for under $150 (about the cost of a good CLA on that model). A-1 might be selling for much less than F1 as some folks are skeptical about the longevity of its inner sophisticated electronics and the challenge to make affordable repairs.</p>

[gene m]

<p>"A-1 might be selling for much less than F1 as some folks are skeptical about the longevity of its inner sophisticated electronics"</p>

<p>And those folks don't know their asses from a hole in the ground.</p>

[rjjackson]

<p>keep it. </p>

<p>i have two ae-1 canons with similar lens set ups to yours that i store ready for use either for when i need a reliable camera in a risky situation or when i want to loan one out to a friend interested in getting back into shooting film. one of these i picked up for 30 bucks with 4 lenses (plus two for minolta) and 3 rolls of 10 year old tri-x that was perfect. even came with a groovy neck strap. the monetary value of these kits pales in comparison to their usefulness. </p>

<p>in fact, why not buy an excellent portrait lens and put this beast back in service?</p>

<p> </p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Robert has some good advice. I used FD for years, sold it all ,save one body (FTbn) for sentimental reasons, "went digital", then realized what great image making tools those Canon's were and I missed the film look. I re-purchased an entire kit anew at remarkable low prices. Although I have some high end digital gear, that is very nice, when conditions are stormy, dusty, wet, muddy, salt spray, rough urban areas, etc. I pull out my Canon FD kit . Oddly, I find myself shooting more with FD than my Nikon D300! It's very freeing not worrying about the camera getting banged up or stolen. The A-1 is a wonderful, lightweight camera and FD lenses are excellent. Selling it is not going to add substantially to your digital war chest and your third party lenses, as Gene mentioned, are worth very little. Considering the age of the A-1, many have seen hard service but with the current mint condition of yours, I'd say keep it and use it. Focus your energy into making interesting images and no one will care what camera you made them with.</p>

[astral]

<p>I just bought (UK) <em>very </em> clean A1 & Power Winder A, Tokina AT-X 28-85mm, Vivitar Series-1 70-210mm f3.5 (Tokina-made version), beefy Sunpak auto flash, good holster case and <em>lots </em> of other bits ..... £65 / $87. Prices continue to drift downwards.</p>

[tom_cheshire]

<p>I got $70. for mine and had it hussle to get it. I would say, with 2 "cheese" lenses, you could get about $100. The 50mm just goes with the camera. </p>

<p>Yes, sold mine because just don't like the control layout and fear the electronics will crap out one day. I'm sticking with all manual and simplified controls like on a Spotmatic. </p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Have to agree with Robert, don't sell the Canon with the 50mm 1.4, really nice combo, and when you see the light and come back to film.....it will be there waiting for you!<br>

Really, it's very much a buyers market as everyone dumps their film gear, and as others have mentioned, the FD stuff seems to have taken a bigger hit than some others. In some ways this is good, because I have built up a great selection of Canon goodies for peanuts, and this is really fine equipment by any standards. The aftermarket lenses, however, are best suited to paperweights.<br>

....and Gene, this could explain why so many people walk around staring intently at the ground!<br>

Tony</p>

[neil_parker]

<p>I've known a few photographers who didn't know their aperture from a hole in the ground...</p>

[nathan_johnson3]

<p>Thanks for your input...I'll mull over keeping it if it is worth that little-monetarily. It is in perfect condition...might make a perfect piece of art in a bookshelf or something! :)</p>

[ron_wood4]

<p>I am currently selling on Craigs a MINTY A-1 with winder,50 1.4. It has no mirror squeal, not a tiny scratch,no brassing and a really cool strap that's like glove leather with 2 film puches. Also...a Speedlite 199, the big deluxe dedicated bounce flash. Also, a set of Auto Macro tubes, a Canon 35 2.5 (older type) a Vivitar Series One 70-210 3.5, the first version (Kino) and a Samyang 18-35 zoom that's a lot of fun. Also..a dead but complete parts body + user/service manuals on cd. Nice roomy camera bag. Have posted it all at $295. I'd guess it cost around $200 to assemble that set.<br>

A "Pretty good" body the a seller says is good runs $35-70 on ebay. If the seller won't claim anything....then its less-but may be DOA,or have the famed mirror squal,or be a bit ugly. With GOOD lenses...winder,a tested+quality flash,extras, prices can go over $100.</p>

<p>Canon FD and Minolta MD are both mostly not compatible with anything newer than manual focus. I consider the A-1 Canon and the X 370 Minolta real "sweet spot" cameras as nice bodies you can get lots of low $ glass for. I do like my Tamrons though, so my 4 favorite Tamrons can go on most anything. If (big if) I ever make some $, I'll get a K10 Pentax digital and all my best glass will work on it.<br>

As older Pentax, Nikon lenses CAN be "poached" by digital users...the prices tend to run higher.<br>

Something like a 50 1.4 or a 100 mm Macro will go quite a bit higher in N/AI or PK.</p>