Korean Job Discussion Forums

[marlowe82]

I have been toting around an old Olympus OM-2 35mm film camera for the last year without using it. I am thinking about selling it. I know the technology is dated, but for it's time it was of the highest quality. I have an OM-2 body in perfect working order. I have a Zukio MC 28mm wide angle lens in immaculate condition. I also have a Zuiko 75-150mm zoom lens with a Soligar2x telephoto converter. I also have a working Olympus flash and a variety of filters. Also, I have the original manuals as well. I am assuming all of these things might have some value to die hard 35mm fans, but I have little idea of their current value. Any guidance, suggestions, or offers will be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

[ChinaBoy]

I wouldn't pay anything for it and would probably just throw it out.

[Golem]

They sell some manual cameras in Namdaemun underground below that ugly gray building near the other camera shops.
Unfortunately they don't offer much for them and they sell them at prices that aren't usually competitive with ebay. I think if you are lucky you might get 150,000-200,000won for the gear if you sell it on a Korean SLR site rather than in Namdaemun but that is just an educated guess. Koreans prefer Canons and Nikons.

[feckingreal]

If everything is in good order I would pay 200,000 W for the lot...

[Ji]

What kind of filters do you have (IV, ND, etc) and at what mm?

[marlowe82]

feckingreal, that is a tempting offer. once i have a better idea of the value i may take you up on it. to reassure of the quality, i am the 2nd owner of all of this. i inherited the camera and filters from my dad and the lenses from my grandfather. i know that all of these things have been taken extremely well cared for.

and Ji, i am not sure about the filters. i can do more research when i get home, but i do know they attatch to the front of my Nikon D60 just fine.

[pkson]

I will be willing to pay 250,000 KRW for the whole set, everything you have.

[Chamchiman]

Are you semi-serious about photography? If so, why not just keep it? If you're going travelling I can certainly see not taking the Olympus, but selling it for a measly 200 bucks?

I've had several cameras through the last ten years - a Nikon point-and-shoot film camera, a Nikon point-and-shoot digital, and now a D40 with an 18-200mm VR - but I love going back to my 25 year old Pentax K1000, especially for black and white. Now I've been given my father's old FM2 (complete with four lenses). The K1000 and FM2 are going to be around LONG after the other three cameras have crapped out, they both still produce terrific quality prints, and they both came from my old man. NO reason to get rid of them.

[Johnny Conqueroo]

Now that digital is no longer new, a number of photo enthusiasts are returning to film cameras for aesthetic reasons, but of course they tend to be dyed-in-the-wool types and don't mind the inconvenience versus digital immediacy.

However, older cameras DO tend to require some servicing after a decade or 2, as lubricants petrify, causing problems with film advancers, as well as shutters tending to slow down or stick - all potentially costly repairs.

Also, lenses can often become contaminated with fungus after time, requiring dismantling and thorough cleaning for them to operate correctly - another potentially expensive proposition..

Because of all that, resale value tends to be lower than one usually expects for older cameras, even high quality ones - in addition to the effect of reduced market interest.

I began my interest in photography decades ago with 35mm cameras, and have owned several over time. I gave them over to digital about 10 years ago and have owned 8 or more digital cameras since that time.

Recently, I began acquiring 35mm gear again as well as 2 1/4" twin lens cameras, but have had little time to indulge this renewed interest. I'll probably keep one set each of 35mm & 2 1/4" cameras, but God only knows when or if I'll actually get around to using them.

My point in all of this is...perhaps you may rekindle an interest in film photography some day, but who knows when that may be...and if you can get a good price for the gear you have now, it may be wisest to sell it off, and deal with a return to film at another time.

There will always be film cameras and lenses available, and unless they are truly collectors items (early Nikon, Canon or Pentax rangefinder cameras from the '50s & '60s come to mind), prices will likely always be reasonable.

i.e. I bought a Petri FTee 35mm camera - circa late '60s, in like-new condition with virtually every lens in the series - 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 105mm, 135mm & 200mm and paid less than U$400 for the lot.

So if you don't use the Olympus you have, and don't foresee using it, you may as well get its value out of passing it on to someone who will use it, and if you ever think of returning to film photography at a later time, do so then.

Or...you can just keep it all.

Anyway, that's my 200 Won's worth of advice.

[zeldalee13]

I saw an ad for a Foreigner Flea Market in Itaewon subway station. You could check that out.

[marlowe82]

hey pkson i can't pm yet, but if you are still interested email me at [email protected]