Bruised, battered, but still clicking

Dangermouse · 10-20-2009, 08:55 AM

Does anyone else have a camera or two that they picked up for next to nothing, yet found to be in perfect working order despite looking a bit rough?

Here's my first entry:

This MV1 cost me around £7, but worked perfectly with fresh batteries. The focussing screen is scuffed (but still usable), the baseplate has a fair bit of brass showing around the edges and the cosmetic plastic top from the winder is missing. It seems to work (even the flash synch circuits communicate with my AF200T), although I've yet to try putting a film through it.

little laker · 10-20-2009, 09:23 AM

I got one of those for $40.00 Canadian, with a nice camera bag and 3 nice lenses.
However, when I tried a flash it must have fried something in the circuits

Your probably safe with a new digital era flash, but please do yourself a favor and don't use any old flash. The one I tried shouldn't have fried the thing, but something happened.

VF-19 · 10-20-2009, 10:30 AM

I've got a KX that clearly had a drop onto the hotshoe; one of the edges was bent downward. I simply bent it back up (so that it didnt' grip my flashes quite so hard), and it's working just fine.

I've also dropped my PZ-1p (heart stopped at that one), and despite a nick on the top of the pentaprism housing, it's ticking along just fine.

Now, how many of us have dropped a lens, and had it come through unscathed?

Dangermouse · 10-20-2009, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by little laker

I got one of those for $40.00 Canadian, with a nice camera bag and 3 nice lenses.
However, when I tried a flash it must have fried something in the circuits

Your probably safe with a new digital era flash, but please do yourself a favor and don't use any old flash. The one I tried shouldn't have fried the thing, but something happened.

The Pentax AF200T flash was designed to work with Pentax film SLRs, so it's fine with this camera (even gets a mention in the manual IIRC). I have no intention of putting it anywhere near my K-m as I don't trust it not to fry the circuits, but it's fine with old film cameras. I did have to give the hotshoe contacts a good clean with some medical alcohol and a cotton bud, but all the right lights came on after that.

The astonishing thing was how much better the old MV1 looked after a good clean. I haven't bothered to get a lens specifically for it as I'm avoiding anything earlier than a Pentax-A, but part of me wants to buy one of those Industar 50mm pancakes and the right adapter to fit it to this thing.

lesmore49 · 10-20-2009, 11:43 AM

I've had my S1a since I bought it new back in 1968. In the early '70's I was in a car that was involved in a head on collision. Unfortunately the S1a was lying loose in the back seat and went flying around like a ball in a pin ball machine.

It still worked. Damage? The shutter cock lever was bent. They bent it back at the camera repair for about $ 3.00.

The only problem I've had with it over the years is that the shutter freezes if I'm out with it exposed to the elements..when it's colder than 25-30 below zero.

My K10D works well under these grueling conditions so I suppose that Pentax has learned a thing or three between 1968, when I bought the S1a and 2007...when I got the K10D.

Did I learn anything? Yes leave your camera equipment in the case and seat belt the case in to the seat.

*ChrisPlatt* · 10-20-2009, 06:33 PM

After only 40 years and just one major car wreck, already it needs CLA. What a piece of junk!

Chris

*Ash* · 10-20-2009, 06:53 PM

I got myself a Ricoh XR10 with crappy kit lens and Vivitar 70-210 in a large camera bag with mini SLIK tripod for AUD$50. Was the best $50 I spent at that stage - I learnt a lot with that manual kit, but over 500 flawless film exposures later I found the lenses were just far too ordinary to give me any decent results, so I gave all that away...

My next 'bargain' was in fact a *ist D with grip in battered physical condition but perfect working condition - probably had gone through 50,000 actuations before I got to it and took a further 10,000 or so. Got that one with a Vivitar M42 135/2.8 for AUD$200. Now THAT was my best $200 I'd spent to date. What an awesome little camera.

lesmore49 · 10-20-2009, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

After only 40 years and just one major car wreck, already it needs CLA. What a piece of junk!

Chris

It froze up the first winter....hardly due to a CLA.

But not a big deal, I just kept it under my parka from then on till I was ready to take the pix.

*Steve Beswick* · 10-21-2009, 04:27 PM

My first SLR was a P3n that I purcased new at Ritz way back in the early 90's. One day, just after swaping the stock 50mm lens back on my brain stopped working. For some reason my left hand let go before my right hand had a grip on the camera. Roughly half a second later I fell in love with the idea of a plastic mount on the camera. When the camera fell it went lens first into the ground (asphalt) at roughly a 45 degree angle. The impact happened in just such a manner that the lens popped right out of it's mount, causing the camera to land on it's bottom plate and roll onto it's back. The filter was a total loss, but everything else was ok! The ony damage that I found was some minor scuffing on the bottom plate of the camera, and a slight tweaking of the filter threads on the lens. The threads were still ok to use, they were just a teensy bit tighter.

Too bad that camera was later stolen, because I really miss it.

Mike Cash · 10-22-2009, 06:54 AM

Rescued from a box of junk cameras, a 1951 Aires Reflex YII:

Click on the image to view it in a larger size

Nesster · 10-22-2009, 07:14 AM

Nice Aries, Mike... I'll contribute a septugenerian Certo Super Sport Dolly from '37.

unixrevolution · 10-22-2009, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by VF-19

Now, how many of us have dropped a lens, and had it come through unscathed?

Dropped a DA 18-55 onto carpet, it's fine. Dropped a Pentax-A 50mm F/2 onto tile, and it's fine too.

I also had to hit the brakes with my Tamron 28-200 attatched to my Super Program, and the camera went flying off the front seat into the footwell. It's fine too.

The FA 28-80 i dropped wasn't so lucky. Still worked but close-focus got really tight. Someone bought it from me and despite the damage (which I was up front about) they're happy.

Brianog · 10-22-2009, 02:14 PM

I had two K1000's. I wanted to give one to my nephew who is very keen on photography. When it came to deciding which one to give him, I found I could not part with the one that had a few dings and dents around the prism. I gave him the one that was in pristine condition. I have no idea whatsoever why I did this and I don't regret my decision for one second. The battered K1000 was the one I trusted the most and somehow felt much more comfortable to use. Human beings defy logic and it is a good thing we do!

)

fearview · 10-24-2009, 08:40 AM

i have pentax KX steal it for 20 bucks. after little service. still can produce this picture.

irchan · 10-24-2009, 10:33 AM

well.. got this

and heres some soots taken with it

K 50mm 1.2 and FA 20-35 f/4 on fuji reala