bill_lattin

<p>I'm a little surprised that Kiron, Tokina ATX or Vivitar Series 1 FD lenses haven't been mentioned.<br /><br /> <a href="http://cssa.dartmouth.edu/%7Efangq/blog/index.cgi?note/photo/3PartyLens">http://cssa.dartmouth.edu/~fangq/blog/index.cgi?note/photo/3PartyLens</a><br /><br /> The Tokina and Vivitar lenses I've seen on eBay are a bit pricey. Last month I found a near mint Kiron 28-85mm f/2.8-3.8 Varifocal lens on eBay. I got it for $39.95 plus shipping.<br /><br /> NYC's Competitive Camera Corp. wanted $234.50 for the lens in 1982. That would be $520.59 in '09 "dollarettes".<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/">http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/</a></p>

<p>When looking at old prices it's important to keep in mind the purchasing power of the dollar vs our '09 "dollarette". For example: The purchasing power of an '82 dollar was 2.22 times what an '09 dollar will buy. See: <a href="http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/">http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/</a><br /><br /> A few examples using prices listed in an 1982 86 page catalog from NYC's Competitive Camera Corp with '09 values...<br /><br /> Canon F-1n body - $414.95 ($921.19)<br /><br /> F-1n with 50mm f/1.4 FD lens - $514.95 ($1,143.19)<br /><br /> Canon A-1 body - $339.95 ($764.69)<br /><br /> Canon AE-1 Program with 50mm f/1.8 lens - $279.95 ($621.49)<br /><br /> Speedlite 188A - $62.95 ($139.75)<br /><br /> A2 Power Winder - $94.95 ($210.79)<br /><br /> Canon FD 28mm f/2.8 lens - $$108.95 ($241.87)<br /><br /> Canon FD 35-70 f/2.8-3.5 - $432.95 ($961.15)<br /><br /> Canon FD 80-200 f/4.0 - $379.95 ($843.49)<br /><br /> Kiron 28-85 f/2.8-3.8 - $234.50 ($520.59)<br /><br /> Christmas came early at my house last month by way of eBay with the arrival of a mint A-1, an EX++ AE-1 Program and EX T70. I've got $186 in the A-1 with f/1.4 lens and A2 winder, $75.76 in the AE-1 Program with f/1.8 lens, Quantanary 70-210 lens and 188A, and $46.99 in a T70 with four Vivitar lenses.<br /><br /> I "splurged" some on lenses...$49.95 for a Canon 28mm FD, $39.95 for a 28-85mm Kiron and $30.00 for a Canon 70-210mm FD. I've excluded shipping on the lenses and cameras.<br /><br /> I don't know about you guys, but I think everybody who has dumped their film cameras for expensive digital cameras is f__k__g nuts. With a little more trouble and a good film scanner, I can get better digital images than they can get with a digital camera if I want digital images.<br /><br /> <br /></p>