I love me some camera thrifting. Thrift stores, like Goodwill, offer great opportunities to find cool and interesting old cameras. You just never know what you are going to stumble upon when you walk in. Here are some of my most recent camera pickups as of January 2024.
Nikon Coolpix S9100
I've been thrifting for cameras for several years now. For the first few years, my main target was film cameras. I knew when I started my film journey back in 2018, film cameras could be had for cheap at thrift stores. I would often see old digital point and shoots on the shelves and balk in disgust at them. They represented technology that was not quiet as cool as film and not as good as my modern digital cameras. But, hidden within them was sweet digital gold that I was not aware of at the time.
Film as a medium is not perfect. There is grain and other imperfections in the final image. Older digital cameras, like the Coolpix S9100, have legacy sensor technology. Plainly put, they produce an image that is not perfect either. I was chasing the "film look" with my hunt for film cameras. What I was really after was an "imperfect look". In my most recent studies into photography (watching a lot of YouTube), I found my way to channel called Snappiness. The host, James, has a love and passion for older digital cameras and the imperfect images they produce. His content helped me realize the opportunity these older digital cameras have to offer. Highly recommend you check out his channel.
During the Fall, my buddy Billy and I were on a foliage photo nature walk. During our walk, I found out that he is an avid thrifter of Blu-ray's. I took that admission as an excuse to stop by my local Goodwill to shop around. It was late on a Saturday, so I expected the place to be ransacked. Thrifting is all about timing, and usually late in the day on a weekend is a no-go for me. So it was no surprise that the electronics section was void of any cameras. I worked my way over to my other thrifting passion, golf clubs, when I noticed a little black camera case laying on some furniture. Inside, I found black, plastic gold. The S9100 was in good condition, but like most battery operated cameras in thrift stores, it would not power on. Price is always a factor in risky purchase decisions like these. Too high, then I would most likely walk. Luckily, it was only $5, so I will willing to take the risk. After some internet research, I found out that I could charge the camera via USB (the tiny little USB cable that I can never recall the name of and most people probably don't have). Back at home I tore my house apart looking for this specific cable. After dumping a few camera accessories boxes, I was able find the cable and charge the camera. It took a few hours, but it eventually powered on!
Since owning this camera, I have taken it on a few family walks and a trip to the beach. I have not used it extensively, so I cannot comment on its long term use. But, I do enjoy how compact it is and the fact that it takes a standard SD card. I plan on taking it on a few street photography sessions once it warms up a bit.
Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80
My first Stylus experience was not a good one. Several years ago I picked up a Olympus Stylus Zoom 70 off of Marketplace for around $10. The buyer said that it "should function correctly", but it was obvious once I got it home that this thing had some serious electronic problems which prevented the lens from deploying from the camera fully. So I put it on my bookshelf as camera décor and swore off buying any more 90's plastic point and shoot cameras.
Earlier this month I was on rummaging around Goodwill when I unearthed a Olympus camera box. Inside was pretty clean looking Stylus Epic Zoom 80 with its original manual and warranty card. Side note on camera manuals; if you ever find one, buy it! They sell well on eBay. Just like with the Nikon, it would not power on, but there was enough juice in the battery to display a "battery warning" icon on the top LCD display. It was priced around $3, so cheap enough to risk the purchase. If it was broken, then it would make a nice addition to my camera décor shelf.
I had previously bought a new battery when I was going through the original Stylus debacle, so I would know as soon as I got home if it worked or not. I swapped out the batteries and to my surprise the thing turned on! My next test was to make sure that it would take film. I have several "test" rolls on hand for reasons such as these. I loaded the canister and closed the door. Then I heard the sweet sound of gears spinning and the shot count turn to 1.
I still need to put the Epic Zoom through its paces. I do plan on taking it out with me on some film adventures in the near future. Stay tuned for more.
Asahi Pentax Digital Spot Meter
Ok so not a camera, but still pretty cool and probably the most expensive item I have thrifted so far. I picked up a Hasselblad 500CM in 2019 so I could see what the medium format hype was all about. The Hasselblad 500CM has a ton of accessories that allow the photographer to customize their shooting experience. This includes a variety of viewfinders, some which include light meters. My camera came with the standard waist level viewfinder (WLVF) which, unfortunately does not contain a light meter. I was able to find a solid deal on a Sekonic L-308 meter on Marketplace, so my exposure woes were solved. There were times when shooting my 500CM, that I wished I had a spot meter. In several instances, I did not properly exposure for my subject, which resulted in severely under exposed images. The frustration got the best of me and I decided to take a break from shooting the Blad.
Thrifting is a grind. The best strategy I have surmised so far is to go as often as you can. But, it can be frustrating to go to a series of stores multiple times a week only to come away empty handed. After a series of failures, I will often question my decision to stop at my local Goodwill on my way home from work. One Wednesday afternoon, I debated while sitting at the traffic light if it was worth it or not. My curiosity got the best of me, and I rolled into the parking lot. Of course, I was not surprised to find no cameras in the electronics section as I had experienced two other times that week. However, a small black case marked "Pentax" caught my eye. I had to refrain myself from shoving all the other plastic junk on shelves to the floor. I opened the case and saw the minty spot meter inside. I put the viewfinder to my eye and pulled the trigger and saw "3" appear. I was happy to see that it worked, but had no idea how to use the thing. It was $7, so I figured I could find out later.
I knew from researching light meters in the past that they are not cheap. The Sekonic I found on Facebook was $100, a steal when compared to its new price of $230. While $230 is not cheap, it is the cheapest model when compared to other Sekonic light meter offerings. The Pentax was old, so I wasn't really sure of its value. Back in my car, I did a quick Google search. I was shocked. On eBay, this meter was going for $325-$400! Now that was a score.
Outside of me fooling around with the meter in my basement and comparing its readings with my Nikon Z6II exposure readings, I have not used this meter in the wild. Shocker, I know. I do plan on dusting off my 500CM once the weather gets a little nicer and shooting some Portra 400. For now, it has been relegated to my film gear box where it sits and waits for nice Spring day. Or until I need to sell it for funds towards some other ridiculous camera gear.
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