[murrelet]

I'm assuming you've checked out the Marketplace here. That's a good place to start. Also, there are a couple Facebook buy/sell groups. Those are typically populated by camera users, i.e., people who have actually used what they are selling and honest about if their camera needs a CLA.

As stated by others, if the seller doesn't say "film tested" or something similar, I always factor in a CLA when considering price.

[SOS7]

Having worked in a camera shop I prefer to see equipment. Generally I have been disappointed with eBay purchases.

[gofour3]

I have a camera & photo supply store one block from where I live. They have a huge selection of used gear, including Pentax.

Anything you buy from them (camera or lens) has a 30 day money back trial period, where you can test the item and decide if you want to keep it.

Even with these cameras, you still have to factor in a CLA to replace the foam/seals. Even if the camera has no other issues, the foam/seals will likely be near the end.

Phil.

[TwoUptons]

I have a camera & photo supply store one block from where I live. They have a huge selection of used gear, including Pentax.

Anything you buy from them (camera or lens) has a 30 day money back trial period, where you can test the item and decide if you want to keep it.

Even with these cameras, you still have to factor in a CLA to replace the foam/seals. Even if the camera has no other issues, the foam/seals will likely be near the end.

Phil.

I have a shop like that a little farther away (2km, a nice bike ride).
Right now they have one 35mm SLR in stock (A very lonely SF10) but a decent selection of lenses (Nikon 500mm mirror?)
They can't keep them in stock...

There still seems to be a surge in film camera popularity...

And yeah, I'd expect some service required on any camera more than 20 years old...

-Eric

[andrewd]

I buy from a mixture of ebay, online camera dealers and a local dealer.
The highest priority is that there are absolutely no signs of fungus or corrosion. Even small signs of this means the camera has been stored in sub-optimal conditions and likely to have more issues inside.

The second priority is that everything works, even if not in perfect calibration. I assume that all cameras will need a service to calibrate the shutter speeds and meter and to lubricate the film transport mechanism. In my experience most dealers will not do a full service on used cameras before selling, there is too much labour involved which means they can’t sell at an attractive price to move the camera.

In my experience a camera that shows signs of regular use is more likely to be usable straight away compared to mint condition cameras.