Rare Camera Auctions

eBay / Paypal Coupons

Link — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:51:34 +0000

Occasionally PayPal will issue coupon codes that work for every account. Other times they work for a single account, group of accounts, or a certain region (e.g. the UK vs. the USA).

I got these in my email today and I figured I would pass them on. No idea if they’ll work for sure, but it’s worth a shot.If you do get them to work, please share it with us in the comments.

CJUNE0810P is 10% off any eBay auction up to a $100 discount.

CJUNE10SHIP is $10.00 off on shipping. The shipping
discount can be used up three times on one account.

Both coupons expire June 30th.

I’m also told that they may only work if your eBay and Paypal account are linked.

SMC PENTAX-A* 85MM F1.4 LENS

Link — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:47:16 +0000

This 85mm f1.4 lens is rated as one of the sharpest ever made. Photodo.com rates it as a 4.6 out of 5.0. Only the $1700.00 Canon 85mm f1.2 EF rates higher.

The 85mm is regarded as a portrait lens, as it gives life-like perspective on photographs of peoples faces. These lenses tend to be fast to allow the photographer to have a shallow depth of focus and blur the background behind the subject. The low f/no makes them excellent lenses for astrophotography.

$565.00 (two days left)

Avenon 21mm F 2.8 Super Wide Leica Screw Mount Lens

Link — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:38:24 +0000

For auction is a silver version of the excellent and hard-to-find Avenon 21mm F 2.8 Super Wide lens for cameras that use Leica Screw Mount (also known as Leica Thread Mount and M39). With an adapter, it will also fit cameras that use the Leica M Bayonet mount. These lenses were made by Y.K Optical from Yokohama and sold under the name Avenon (in Japan), Kobalux (in the U.S.), Pasoptik, and Bower. They are superb both optically and mechanically, and deservedly have very high reputation.

The lens is used, but very lightly, and it’s excellent without any problems. There are no scratches, haze, or fungus. As one would expect from a used lens there is only small amount of dust inside, but the lens is very clean. Mechanically the lens also works perfectly. There is no oil on the blades, and everything (focusing, aperture) works smoothly.

The serial number of the lens is 95897. The lens comes the original front cap, a rear cap (it’s probably original too, but I am not sure), and the original 21mm viewfinder. The viewfinder has its rear cap.

$273.50 with one day to go.

Nikkon AF-S 600mm 1:4 Lens

Link — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 15:34:59 +0000

I really wish I had the spare $2,000 to bid on this lens.

Super fast, super quiet - perfect super-telephoto for photojournalism, sports and nature photography. One thing though, I HATE buying lenses for Hong Kong and other overseas places. Waaaaay too many fakes.

Original 1860’s Dubroni Wet-plate Camera

Link — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:26:38 +0000

Another nice rarity here.

Here’s a complete genuine 1860’s Dubroni wet-plate camera outfit! The camera is the classic original No. 1 model, for 4cm diameter round exposures, with the internal amber glass bottle (not a later ceramic bottle!), fitted with the proper original matching brass Dubroni lens and cap, and the swiveling brass rear panel, with ornate Dubroni lettering, that reveals the red glass preview window. It’s in excellent overall condition, with perfect remarkably crack-free wood body, intact pressure plate springs, the original clasps and hinges, and the proper ground glass. The outfit features the original fitted wood case, the pipette with rubber bulb, another pipette, a tiny box with a supply of glass plates, another tiny box with a supply of ferrotype plates, the rare original Dubroni printing frame, and all seven original Dubroni chemical bottles with stoppers! The Dubroni system, invented by Jules Bourdin of France (Dubroni is an anagram of Bourdin, and the legend states that this anagram was used instead of the family name because Bourdin’s father night not have approved of his son’s little endeavor) was the first “instant picture” system, predating the Polaroid by some eighty years! A blank glass or ferrotype plate was loaded into the back of the camera. The collodion solution, followed by the appropriate silver sensitizing compounds, was poured through the baffled hole in the top of the camera, allowed to flow over the inner surface of the plate, and the excess was siphoned out with the pipette and rubber bulb. The camera was replaced on a tripod, the exposure was made (usually a lengthy time exposure, controlled simply by removing the lens cap), and then processing had to begin before the wet collodion emulsion could dry. The processing and fixing chemicals were introduced through the top and siphoned out in their proper order, and the finished negative was removed from the back when all was done.

Just under $4,000 with half a day to go.

Leica M3 Prototype

Link — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 13:31:24 +0000

With auctions like this, there isn’t a whole lot you can say. therefore, I’ll just steal from the auction description:

Before Leica brought the M3 on the market they made 65 M3 prototype cameras for testing and evaluation. The numbers of these cameras are 001 - 0065. As they had only experience with screw mount cameras the M3 was a complete new type of camera and needed to be tested intensively. After testing the cameras came back to Leica factory to be dismantled and the internal parts were completely analized. Most cameras were finally destroyed, but some were sold to the employees of Leica. According to several experts a few (it is said about a dozen) of these cameras are still on the market. Most of these cameras however are in collections of course.

Compared to later style M3 bodies (also compared to the first 600 M3 cameras) the prototype cameras had several different features such as:

- External frame counter
- Release button which can be turned and switched in
the B-position
- Shape of transport lever
- Shape of self timer (this one has the one which was
used on the production M3 bodies)
- Built-in film punch in back door
- Engraving on top plate is different. Only a 4 digit serial
number is engraved
- Top and base plate with corners
- Reversed direction rewind knob (turns counter clockwise)
- Film spool type (right one on picture no. 28 is the later M
style spool)
- Die-cast mechanism

The camera shows signs of use which of course is normal. As described Leica made these cameras for testing and it was used as such. But besides some marks here and there the camera looks great. No dents. Some fine pin head marks are visible. Furthermore some bright marks and scratches but the camera definitely is not abused. A must for every collector. If you want to use the camera one of the curtains should be replaced. Although the curtain is light tight it is not 100% perfect. As the curtain can be the original one I would prefer to keep it as it is and not replace it unless definitely needed to. Having the test session in mind and as it is a more as 50 years old camera most people would probably rate it higher as B+. Definitely a rarity 10 scaled item which is historically very important. Not often seen.

Price has already broke $10,00 with six days to go.

Long Pentax Glass

Mike — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:24:59 +0000

Pentax

PENTAX SMC-A* 300mm F2.8 - A rare A* lens from Pentax. Not too many of these show up on eBay, so take advantage of thsi auction!

Pentax Takumar SMC 50mm f4 Macro Lens - They don’t make lenses like this anymore! Solid metal, beautiful focus ring, and a high quality lens design.

SMC Pentax-FA* f 4.5 300 mm IF&ED autofocus lens - Another amazing lens from Pentax! This lens is one stop slower than the 2.8 listed above, but it’s autofocus. A must have for any budget birder!

Pentax SMC-A 1.4x L Rear Converter - This converter will make your long glass just a little bit longer! Works best with A, F, FA series lenses longer than 200mm

SMC PENTAX - F 300/4.5 ED(IF)* - Must be the day for long fas glass from Pentax! This is the same as the previous FA* 300 f/4.5 except for the very useful tripod mount! Pair this with the 1.4-L converter and you have an amazing long lens!

Pentax SMC M* 300MM f/4 - Continuing with the long lens theme, here’s an older M* 300mm f/4!