On 16 May 2023, at 18:34, Larry Colen lrc@red4est.com wrote:
[…]
I think that it is kind of silly for someone to buy a brand new film camera when perfectly servicable ones are practically being given away. I personally bought several when I got back into photography because I wanted the lens that came with it. I honestly lost count of the number of spotties languishing in my drawers, just because I wanted the 50/1.4 supertak that was attached to them.
[…]
The young people buying the used cameras don’t necessarily have the experience to know whether they’re buying something that works or not. Last year I had my original MX, which I bought new, repaired after it had been languishing in a cupboard unused for years. I’ve had to have the repair fixed under warranty.
But I enjoy using the camera so I decided to buy another MX. I tried and returned five, including 2-3 from reputable dealers, not just Joe Random on eBay, before I finally found one that is in perfect condition that had been serviced by somebody competent.
I also decided I wanted an LX again. I’ve tried two and returned them both, and am now having the third serviced by the same competent person who sold me the good MX. I had sent it to the technicians with the best reputation here, after I shot a roll of ektachrome to flush out any issues. They sent it back unusable, telling me it was already broken when I bought it. My reliable guy assures me I would not have been able to shoot more than one frame, let alone a full roll, if the other tech was correct, and he thinks they broke it. He has told me today that he will have it back in my hands in perfect working order by the end of next week.
It’s the Wild West out there.
I think if Pentax comes out with something stylish and simple like the 1960s / 1970s fixed-lens rangefinders (Oly 35 RD et al) at a decent price they’ll be onto a winner with a lot of young people around the world.
> On 16 May 2023, at 18:34, Larry Colen <lrc@red4est.com> wrote:
>
> […]
>
> I think that it is kind of silly for someone to buy a brand new film camera when perfectly servicable ones are practically being given away. I personally bought several when I got back into photography because I wanted the lens that came with it. I honestly lost count of the number of spotties languishing in my drawers, just because I wanted the 50/1.4 supertak that was attached to them.
[…]
The young people buying the used cameras don’t necessarily have the experience to know whether they’re buying something that works or not. Last year I had my original MX, which I bought new, repaired after it had been languishing in a cupboard unused for years. I’ve had to have the repair fixed under warranty.
But I enjoy using the camera so I decided to buy another MX. I tried and returned five, including 2-3 from reputable dealers, not just Joe Random on eBay, before I finally found one that is in perfect condition that had been serviced by somebody competent.
I also decided I wanted an LX again. I’ve tried two and returned them both, and am now having the third serviced by the same competent person who sold me the good MX. I had sent it to the technicians with the best reputation here, after I shot a roll of ektachrome to flush out any issues. They sent it back unusable, telling me it was already broken when I bought it. My reliable guy assures me I would not have been able to shoot more than one frame, let alone a full roll, if the other tech was correct, and he thinks they broke it. He has told me today that he will have it back in my hands in perfect working order by the end of next week.
It’s the Wild West out there.
I think if Pentax comes out with something stylish and simple like the 1960s / 1970s fixed-lens rangefinders (Oly 35 RD et al) at a decent price they’ll be onto a winner with a lot of young people around the world.
