[ctrout]

For several years, there was a screwmount Pentax that traveled the world from artist, to artist, making photos and being enjoyed by numerous Pentax enthusiasts around the world for the mere cost of film, developing, and postage. All that you had to do to enjoy this piece of Pentax history was to add your name to a list and Wait for the camera to arrive. Once you had shot your rolls of film, you found the next name on the list and forwarded the camera on for the next artist to enjoy. Of course, you had to post your results with the camera once your shots were developed.

I was the last in the queue to participate in this awesome opportunity, but when I received the camera, it was not working properly. I don't remember the exact problem but I think that it had something to do with film transport. Anyway, the camera was supposed to be repaired and returned to service but this has been several years ago and I never heard what happened to it.

Ffwd to today. I have a gorgeous S1a in perfect, almost showroom new condition, CLA'd camera that I've been trying to sell for about 3 weeks and there has been zero interest. If it has not sold by the 9th of October, when my access to the classifieds ends, I am planning on Donati it and one of the several, also exceptional, lenses to the group as the next "sightseeing screwmount." Why would I just give away $200-300 worth of gear to this cause? Because I thought the idea was outstanding and I very much appreciated what the organizer of the first such event did for the group. If the camera doesn't sell, it will languish in a box in my garage until I die and my kids sell it for 2 bucks at an estate sale anyway, so what the hell? Since you all are too cheap to even make an offer on a near perfect S1a, then I'll just give it to the group for FREE! No, this won't get me the money I need to fix my wife's broken car or pay for groceries that my family is currently ALWAYS over budget for, but at least my wife won't see it sitting on the shelf anymore, wondering why we bust our budget every single month while I have all of my expensive toys sitting unused, collecting dust on a shelf.

There's one catch though. I do not have the ambition to manage the list. I will need someone to step up and volunteer to do this. If you want to know what this entails, just search for the original thread about the "sightseeing screwmount" and see what is involved. If you feel like you are up to it, send me a message. After some consideration I will decide which volunteer I will entrust the camera to and send it on its way.

Also, I will need to know which of the perfect, collectible lenses you all will want to use with this as-new S1a. Once the poll results are in, I'll confirm the kit here in the thread so you will all know what to expect once the new sightseeing screwmount starts on its way.

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Last edited by ctrout; 09-29-2022 at 10:05 PM.

[jno]

That's awesome.

---------- Post added 09-29-22 at 11:17 PM ----------

Sorry, new to the board. Managed to send before finishing the post, and I can't find an edit button...

It's a great chance to dip the toes back into film, with a very manageable commitment. I hope someone with more reliable management resources than me steps up to manage the list.

[kypfer]

... enjoyed by numerous Pentax enthusiasts around the world for the mere cost of film, developing, and postage.

… and therein lies the nub … the cost of postage of a camera, especially a nice solid all-metal screw-mount SLR with lens, has increased very significantly over the last few years!
I was quoted over $50 US to mail a body-only K-01 (approx. 500gm/1lb) from California to Europe just a few months ago, and that's without any insurance!

[ctrout]

… and therein lies the nub … the cost of postage of a camera, especially a nice solid all-metal screw-mount SLR with lens, has increased very significantly over the last few years!
I was quoted over $50 US to mail a body-only K-01 (approx. 500gm/1lb) from California to Europe just a few months ago, and that's without any insurance!

Well, it may be limited in its travel to the US then. We can mail it anywhere in the country for about $18 in a medium sized flat rate Priority Mail box.

[UncleVanya]

I donated a few bits of gear to a high school. I know how this feels when the gear is great and you just want someone to enjoy it. Smart idea.

[jno]

Well, it may be limited in its travel to the US then. We can mail it anywhere in the country for about $18 in a medium sized flat rate Priority Mail box.

Personally I wouldn't mind mailing it across the Atlantic, but that would probably exclude a lot of people.

An option could be to have a 'European tour' (same for other parts of the world), so only the last one on each continent has to pay expensive shipping.
Of course that's additional workload for the list manager :/

[UncleVanya]

Personally I wouldn't mind mailing it across the Atlantic, but that would probably exclude a lot of people.

An option could be to have a 'European tour' (same for other parts of the world), so only the last one on each continent has to pay expensive shipping.
Of course that's additional workload for the list manager :/

The traveling nifty fifty worked like that.