The Collectability of Vintage Cameras

 

QUESTION: Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, I used several Nikon 35mm cameras and lenses to shoot photos for the articles I wrote. In the mid-1990s, I began using the new digital cameras and never looked back. Besides my 35mm cameras, I have several other older cameras. What can I do with them? Are they collectable?

ANSWER: Now that digital photography has become firmly a part of people’s lives, people want to know what to do with their old 35mm cameras. Even though photography has been around for well over 150 years, it’s taken a long time for traditional photographic gear—cameras in particular—to become collectible.

Today, old cameras dot the tables at yard sales and flea markets. Most are 35mm castoffs, but a few are older. With the ease of taking photos with a digital camera, let alone not having to buy film, it’s no wonder dealers have so many cameras and lenses on hand. But are these recent castoffs worth anything in the collectible market? That’s the big question.

Unfortunately, in the world of photographic memorabilia, recent 35mm cameras aren’t worth much unless they’re classic cameras or rare or unique models. Over 30 years after the introduction of digital cameras, the value of used 35mm cameras still hasn’t risen much.

So what types of cameras can be collected without breaking the bank? There are lots of modern cameras that have long ago outlasted their usefulness that can create an interesting camera collection. You can pick up a decent 100-year-old Kodak box camera for about $10 to $25 at flea markets. Folding cameras go for a bit more. 

Established by pioneering George Eastman in 1888, Kodak soon became one of the world’s most widely recognized brands. Photo historians credit Kodak’s first box camera  with broadening the appeal of photography to a wider audience, as these cameras were both less expensive and easier to operate than those designed for professional use. 

But since the appearance of digital cameras, people often ask about the worth and collectability of 35mm cameras, of which there are two types—rangefinder and single lens reflex cameras.

The first cameras to use 35mm movie film to create still photographs were called rangefinders. These cameras came outfitted with an additional rangefinder that allowed the photographer to assess distance in their frames to capture precise, clear images. But these rangefinders had a problem. The image the photographer saw in them was slightly shifted to one side, so the resulting image wasn’t exactly what the photographer saw. The Kodak 3A, which was introduced in 1916, was the first of the brand. The most famous rangefinder cameras were Leicas, precision optical cameras made in Germany. These became the camera of choice for photojournalists.

Though first patented in the 1860s, the single lens reflex(SLR) camera didn’t become popular as a consumer and professional camera until the 1960s. The SLR camera created crisp images with exceptional color thanks to its use of a complex combination of a mirror that moved with the shutter and a prism that refracted light to capture the image. 

Created in the late 1910s, primarily as a lens manufacturer, Nikon grew over the course of the 20th century to become one of the leading producers of both lenses and cameras. The company’s SLR cameras dominated the market in the 1950s with their modular camera systems that afforded users a variety of compatible camera components that could be changed out depending on conditions and preferences. So trusted was Nikon camera technology that they became one of the main suppliers of cameras to NASA.

The price of a vintage camera can vary widely, depending on the condition of the camera and its rarity. For example, prototype vintage cameras – those designed to pilot new camera models – tend to sell for more money because they are often few and far between on the market.

For more information on collecting cameras, read Collectors Snap Up Old Cameras.

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More on Organizing Your Collections

You’ve figured out a numbering system and assigned numbers to the items in your collection. The next step is to apply them to your objects. Whichever technique you used depends on the surface of the object. The labels must be removable in case you sell an item from the collection, but they must also be durable and long-lasting. Choose a place for the label on the bottom or back of objects, being careful not to obliterate any trademarks, serial numbers, patent dates, or maker's signatures. Use a thin pointed Sharpie marker to print the numbers on the labels. Removable labels work the best.

Paper items can be labeled with a soft pencil, never with ink or a rubber stamp. Apply the label in an inconspicuous place, preferably on the back, always keeping in mind that it may have to be removed. Place the label on a sturdy portion of the paper, not so close to the edge that the paper will tear if the number is erased.

For such textiles as rugs, quilts, samplers, wall hangings, and clothing, use small fabric labels numbered with a laundry pen or fine ballpoint pen. Always test the pen first on a piece of scrap label to make sure that the ink does not bleed or smear. Attach the label to the fabric with only one or two stitches at each corner so that the label can easily be removed without damaging the fabric. Although self-adhesive labels or iron-on tape may seem quick and easy, they are not recommended because they fall off in time. They sometimes permanently discolor the object or leave a residue that can damage it.

If you recorded your collection on cards or in a looseleaf notebook, you can break it down into individual classifications for filing purposes. You may wish to even break down those classifications further.  Some specialties may not require such complete listings, and some individual headings may need to be expanded. For example, if the specialty is Eastlake-inspired furniture, subheadings can be added in the furniture category to identify makers or types of furniture. In the case of bottles, for example, specify the type of glass, blown or molded, the color and shape, and the type of bottle—whiskey bottle, flask, bitters bottle, or house-hold bottle. The contents of your collection and your planned future acquisitions will determine the headings you choose.

Using a digital camera or camera-equipped smartphone, you may wish to add photos of the items in your collection to your listings or database. Photograph the items individually. If you’re working with small objects, consider buying or making a lightbox—a box with white paper on three sides and bottom—in which you can photograph them. Save the originals as is, but make copies of all the photos first and rename them using the catalog number you’ve assigned to that object.

Most growing collections represent substantial investments of time and effort as well as money. Besides its obvious uses for insurance claims, a carefully kept catalog is valuable to those who may buy or inherit your collection. Cataloging is also a way of becoming intimately acquainted with all the objects in your collection, identifying the collection's strengths and weaknesses, and  taking the time to enjoy it thoroughly.