How do you Start a Camera Collection?
The Canon AE-1 was the first of the Canon “A” Series and an amazing camera in its day.
I had an e-mail this week from Chris in the Eastern US who was looking at my website and thinking about beginning a camera collection. He asked for any pointers I might be able to offer and that got me thinking. Back in April I wrote asking “Why do We Collect Cameras?“, but I did not really comment
on how one gets into collecting cameras.
It is a big subject. Many of us just drifted into it without any intention or planning. But if you are thinking about it before starting then maybe a few comments might be helpful and they might dovetail nicely with “Why do We Collect Cameras?“.
So where do you start if you are going to plan
this out in advance? Well, look at the cameras you have and ask yourself, “What interests me?”
Some people collect because they like to take pictures. So they will want practical cameras that work. Others just love the process of capturing an image, usually on film. That means a collection of film cameras. Some love the mechanics of cameras, how they are made and how they work. They might even look forward to learning how to repair them. Others are fascinated by the history of a line of cameras or a particular camera company. The interest dictates the cameras to collect. Do what you love! Where do you fit in?
Batteries for the “A” Series cameras are easy to come by. The shutters on these cameras will not fire without a battery in the camera. But if you are not using the camera, take the battery out!
I was given, several years ago before I began collecting, a dozen or more cameras of all kinds. Amongst them were a couple of Canon bodies. I already had been shooting Canon and when I put them all together on the table I was hooked. They looked like a small collection already. I did not think more deeply than that about it.
So what cameras do you have now? What cameras would you like to have on a shelf? What cameras would you like to shoot? What cameras do you already have some experience with?
Now, give this some thought: how much disposable income can you afford to invest in your collection. Acquiring cameras can be addictive and you can spend a lot of money. Set a budget for
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yourself. If you set aside a certain amount each month and let it accumulate you can pace the growth of your collection and control your budget.
This financial consideration will go a long ways to dictating what you collect. Pre-war Canons run into the tens of thousands of dollars each. Canon Point and Shoots can be had for a few dollars each. Have a look on E-bay to see what people are asking for the cameras you are interested in. How much do you have to set aside each month to buy half a dozen of the cameras that interest you in a year?
Give some thought to how many potential cameras there are in the collection you envision. For instance, I thought I was so smart to limit myself to Canon Cameras. How many models could they have made? Well, four hundred plus cameras later and I have no space to keep and show them. And I am still missing many many models, I have been selling books to clear bookshelf space and I still cannot display them all.
Start small. You can always expand your collection later. Chris has an AE-1 that he bought new years ago so maybe he could start collecting the A series Canon cameras, the AE-1, At-1, A-1, AV-1, AE-1 Program, and AL-1. Each would cost for really fine working examples, with lenses, around $150 to 200 each. And there are variations within models, such as the black versions of some of them. You could build a fine collection for around 1200 to 1500 dollars over a year or two or three depending on your budget. And then of course there are accessories for these cameras, lenses, power winders, data backs.
You can expand your collection if you chose to. For example, what about the Canon “F” series. That would be another half dozen cameras, most in the same price range. Once you get going where to expand will become clearer as you better define
The AT-1 is another of the “A” Series. Not only could one collect the cameras but there were dozens of lenses produced for these cameras, although, some of them are expensive. And these cameras are wonderful to shoot if you are interested in film.
The A-1 is
probably the prettiest of the “A” Series.
It was only issued in black and it is a true pleasure to use.
Another source of information are Facebook groups where you can tune into the chit chat going on in camera collecting and old camera forums. These can be very informative. An example I enjoy is the “Canon Historical Society Group”. I have found some interesting history and camera facts there.
And then there is the internet itself. It is often inaccurate but with experience you will learn how to tell the dross from the gold. Searches there will lead you to a wealth of information. But that subject is big and for another post.
You will make mistakes. I know I have. You will pay too much for some cameras while you are learning the market. And you will sell some things for too little through inexperience. Don’t be hard on yourself. We have all gone through it. Just consider the extra money spent or lost as the cost of your education. And then learn and do better next time.
what your interests are. However, once into a collection, it is difficult to reduce its scope. Having once owned a camera, parting with it is no easy thing!
A word about quality: buy the best camera examples you can afford.
There are two reasons for this. The minor reason is that you will
ultimately have possibly fewer cameras but better ones. You will have a collection to be admired. But, more importantly, excellent copies of a particular camera will hold their value better, appreciate more and
sell more easily.
As to where you buy cameras the main sources are on-line, thrift stores, friends and relatives, and the big one is camera shows and swap meets.
Often the camera meet-ups are not well advertised. As you become
known for your interest in cameras you will end up on mailings lists for
camera enthusiasts and news of these events will make its way to you.
Camera clubs are another great source of information about what is going
on in the local photo community. Even if your primary interest is not actual photography you will find kindred spirits to interact with and learn from.
And an active club’s e-mails and newsletters will keep you up to date.
This is the AE-1 Program
in a black finish. Canon issued most of these
cameras in a flat chrome finish but some were done in a shiny black lacquer. This one has a Motor Drive attached which makes film advance automatic.
And always remeber, you are not restricted to your chosen collection parameters. If you see a good camera at a great price, buy it if it interests you. It is possible to have smaller sub collections. I collect Canon cameras but my first camera was a Brownie Hawkeye given to me as a birthday present by my mother when I was in grade six and so those hold a nostalgic place in my heart. I now own a dozen or more Hawkeyes, all the models of flash attachments they used, some original boxes, a leather case for a Hawkeye which is something you seldom see. Not a big collection. It occupies one book shelf. But holding them and using them I am tansported back several decades.
The same is true for my twin lens reflex Yashicas. My dad had a Yashica A when I was in high school and it was the first camera I used that had shutter speeds and a variable aperture. I thought it was amazing. Again, they are very nostalgic. So I have a Yashica A, D and a Yashica 635. And I will find others eventually if the price is right. But these are side collections and there is no urgency with them. That is because my main interest is Canon.
Start a small library. To have a real collection you should know about the things in your collection: their history, the market for them, how they work, and the prices they command. I have a Page showing some of the books I have in my Library. Have a look at what I have collected and how they are organized. I thin it will point the way to your own library.
The books you will find in many places. On-line of course, but also camera shows, book stores and even yard sales. Look for books about the cameras in your collection. And if you are into photography as well, look out for collections of photographs. Like all endeavors, you must study. Look at the work of others, analyse what they are doing and adopt their best features, as you see it, into your own style.
Keep records of your collection. Keep accurate descriptions of condition and serial numbers. I rely on a spreadsheet to catalogue my collection. Also, I keep Notebooks, all carefully indexed, of my research into my collection. All very informal and for my eyes only but indexed in an Excel spreadsheet so I can return to any subject I have studied.
And then there is displaying your collection. The “A Series Canon cameras would occupy a single book shelf and look very attractive. As your collection grows you may need two shelves, and then three and then ….. well, you get the idea. If you get carried away and lose all reason, like I have done, I have several shelves but the bulk of my collection is neatly packed in plastic
And this is the AL-1. Looking at all of these cameras you can see it is a nice little collection. Add a few different lenses, a motor drive, some flash attachments, and you have a great looking bookcase shelf.
waterproof boxes. The boxes are indexed and labeled and I have another spreadsheet that tells me where any particular item is located. It is no good to have them stuffed away so you can’t retrieve them easily to use them, to look at them, or to do some research about them.
Now, I am a bit fanatical about this. You don’t have to be. A nice little collection on a single shelf will bring you just as much pleasure and much less work.
So there are some pointers for you Chris. I have learned almost everything in this post because I didn’t follow my own advice and experienced the consequences. You can plan your hobby and keep things under control. It is too late for me. I have made mistakes. I have bought too many cameras to stop now, and my soul is in hock to the Devil. My cameras have been hard on my bank account, my leisure time and my marriage. Well, maybe not my marriage. My wife is a wonderfully patient person although she does think I am somewhat deranged. So be careful. Step carefully. And enjoy!
“A” Series cameras make a handsome collection that would fit nicely on a book shelf.
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