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That moment I realized I was buying old film cameras wrong for years
I used to just grab any vintage camera that looked cool at flea markets, you know, the ones with the leather cases and that old smell. After three junkers in a row that had light leaks or stuck shutters, I started asking the seller if I could bring a cheap battery and some test film next time I came around. One lady at a market in Austin actually let me open the back and check the shutter curtains with my phone's flashlight. That one thing changed how I hunt now. I learned to check for smooth advance levers and fungus in the lens before I even ask the price. Now I probably walk away from 8 out of 10 cameras I would have bought before. Has anyone else found a better trick for testing old gear on the spot?
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lee.cole1mo agoTop Commenter
Flashlight trick is genius. Gonna start doing that.
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parkerrodriguez1mo ago
Man that's a solid tip with the flashlight trick. I actually read somewhere online that you can also use a phone camera to check for pinhole light leaks in the shutter curtain by looking through the lens and filming the front of the camera while firing it. @lee.cole you should try that too. My main thing now is I always bring a cheap roll of film just to test the advance lever smoothness and rewind knob action. Feels like 90% of the junkers out there are just gummed up from sitting in attics for decades.
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