The show was in the Main Hall at the Croatian Cultural Center in Vancouver. This was the first time we had this much space and it was wonderful. Lots of space for people and vendors.
The current Covid 19 crisis shut everything down about a year and a half ago and some of the casualties were camera shows, antique markets and swap meets. And I have missed them. I did not realize how much until things began to move back towards normal.
I had to miss the first two post Covid camera shows, Portland and Seattle, because of US restrictions on non-essential travel to the USA. There was the Richmond camera show here in Vancouver a few weeks ago. I went to that as a spectator and quite enjoyed it. It is
the smaller of the two shows we have in Vancouver. I have never had a table there simply because of the time it takes to prepare and then to attend as a vendor.
Susan came with me to help set up my table and watch it while I visited with the other vendors, chatting with them and looking at what they had to offer. To celebrate the return of the Vancouver Camera Show I took two tables so I had lots of room to spread out my wares. Susan took this picture of me at my table before the public was admitted.
My friend Tonchi Martinic organizes the Vancouver Camera Show which he holds in the Croatian Cultural Center. It is a beautiful venue. There are two halls in the building and the show has always been in the small room. But this time, to celebrate the return of the show, Tonchi booked the big hall. There is much more space so I took two tables which I have never done before.
The first thing I noticed on arriving at 7:00 am to set up was that the Center had redone the floors and we must have been one of the first to use them. It was splendid! The second thing to notice was the space we had. The isles were wide with lots of space for the public and really easy access for the vendors behind their tables. A really pleasant experience.
When I find a “Point and Shoot” in good condition at a good price I pick them up for the collection. This Canon Prima Twin was just a few dollars and is in good contition.
This little A710 was in an excellent original box with most of the original contents. The only thing missing was the User Manual but fortunately I already had that.
The show seemed to start out slow but by the end of the day I found I had sold a good deal. I have amassed too much in the way of duplicate cameras and non-essential gear and it was good to see some of it go to people who might appreciate it more than me.
I had a “Free Stuff” box on the table and that got rid of a lot of things for me as well. Better some of this gear be in someone else’s basement rather than mine!
I did not buy very much, at least in dollar amount. My problem is that I already have most of the inexpensive stuff and anything I want now is really expensive. Unfortunately there are limits to what I can spend on this hobby and I am already way past that mark.
But let’s have a look at what I did find. For all of this stuff, all of it, I spent less than $100.00 so I am pretty happy. My sales more than covered this small expense.
I found three Point and Shoot cameras. The Prima Twin is one I did not have and it appears to be working (of course that means I will have to put film in it and try it out).
Then I found two others in their original boxes with most of their accessories intact. And they both work as well. For a collection, a good copy of a camera does
Canon brought out the G1 in October of 2000 as their top line Point and Shoot. I found this fully functioning beauty with its box and contents. Treasure!
not have to work. But it is a bonus when it does!
I found a brochure for the EOS 650 camera, Canon’s first EOS camera. It is an excellent addition to the Library.
Finally, I found two Canonet cameras. What attracted me to them was the excellent black leather case each was in. These cameras are over fifty years old and to find leather cases in pristine condition is not common. And the cameras are in new condition.
And finally a friend and fellow collector came by my table and gave me a bag which contained a partially disassembled Canonflex RM. This too is a treasure although the camera will never be reassembled. It is a wonderful source of spare parts. Of particular interest is the fact that the selenium light meter seems
I found this brochure for the EOS 650, Canon’s first EOS camera. It is in beautiful condition and will make a really good addition to my Canon Library.
to be working even after all of the abuse this camera has been subjected to. One day I will find an RM with a dead light meter and I will be able to repair it. Well, that is the plan anyway.
And those are my treasures from this show. I didn’t spend much money and I increased the range of my collection. I also got rid of (sold in most cases) a bunch of stuff I had accumulated that really did not fit in my collection. So, yes, it was a successful show.
Look at that black leather case! Now that is nice. And in it is a very nice Canonet camera. The camera is the original Canonet with its bottom wind lever and the case is cut out so that the lever can be operated with the case on it. The camera is in excellent condition but does not appear to function. That will be a project for a winter’s evening!
This leather case is in excellent condition with the exception of missing paint on the logo badge on the front. Easily remedied. The camera, a Canonet QL25, appears to be working. I’ll take that out in the next few weeks and try it. I did not have one of these in the Collection so I am happy to have it regardless.
I enjoy the camera shows. It is a chance to buy, sell and trade. It is also a chance to handle cameras of all sorts, cameras that I don’t have and don’t collect. In many cases they are cameras I cannot afford. It is a learning experience.
However, more than that, it is a social experience. I have made many frends in the community of people who are fascinated by cameras. I have noticed in other clubs for collecting other things, stamps, antiques, guns, that it is very easy to talk to someone who likes the same things you do. The conversation flows easily. We all have the same problems We all recognize the essential foolishness in collecting these little machines. And we laugh at ourselves. And we enjoy our cameras.
I don’t see these friends that often and it is good to catch up. I come away from a show with a renewed interest in my hobby.
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