"What you really want to watch out for are dents. Dents are bad!
About the only way a camera gets dented is when it's dropped."

With the rise in popularity of digital cameras, many photographers are clearing their closets of classic 35mm film cameras and they are winding up on eBay. Many of the film cameras for sale on eBay were made in the 70's and 80's and are well built classic cameras that cost a pretty penny in their day. Many photographers still prefer film over digital and the classic film cameras of the 70's and 80's are hard to match when it comes to quality. Today you can find these camera bodies on eBay for less than a hundred dollars and if you want extra lenses, motor-drives and other accessories, those can be had as well... all for bargain prices. If you've decided that an older, 35mm classic film camera is for you, keep reading. The purpose of this guide is to help you find and purchase a good 35mm Single Lens Reflex film camera on eBay.

This guide will be divided into two sections:

1: FINDING A GOOD 35mm SLR ON EBAY
2: SOME OF MY FAVORITE FILM CAMERAS

FINDING A GOOD 35mm SLR ON EBAY
I see a lot of cameras for sale on eBay where the seller says... "I don't know if it works or not. I'm selling as-is." You'll also find camera auctions in which the "battery is not included."  Unless you are prepared to service the camera yourself or have it professionally serviced, bidding on these cameras is like playing a slot machine. There's a chance you'll get a great camera for a great price. But there's also a chance you will get a camera that doesn't work that needs service which could cost $100 or more. Phrases like "as-is" or "don't know if it works or not" should be red flags.

It really shouldn't cost much to buy a battery and take some pictures to see if the item in question DOES work. If it works the seller can then say it works. If it doesn't work the seller should tell you up front. If the seller is not willing to buy a battery, this may also be a clue that the battery or batteries for that particular camera are rare, hard to find and/or expensive.

I also find it strange that some folks say a camera works perfectly, but they do not include a battery. If there's no battery, how do they know it works perfectly? If there is a battery, why are they not including it in the auction? Selling a camera without a battery is like selling a car without gas in the tank.

Before bidding on a camera on eBay read the seller's item description carefully to see if you can find the answers to these six questions:

1: Does the camera work?
2: Is the Viewfinder clear?
3: Are the light seals in good condition?
4: What is the cosmetic condition of the camera?
5: Is the original instruction manual included?
6: Does the camera include a battery?

1: DOES THE CAMERA WORK?
Of course the best way to determine if a camera works or not is to take photos with it. Many eBay sellers will do this. Some tell you they did it while others actually show you the pictures taken. Many times a camera will appear to work just fine. The flash works, the shutter fires, the film advance is smooth, the seals look good, the light meter works and the LEDs light... but you really can't be sure it works until you take a picture and get it developed. One example is shown here:

Sluggish Shutter Curtain

Notice how the left side of the photo above is brighter than the right side? This is caused by a sluggish shutter curtain. The camera that took this photo needed professional service. The only way to spot a problem like this is to take actual photos with the camera and see how they turn out. So keep this in mind when a camera seller says "It appears to be working okay but I have not taken any photos with it."

2: IS THE VIEWFINDER CLEAR?
Over time dust can make its way into the view finder assembly and the focusing screen can become scratched and dirty. This will be evident while looking through the view finder. While this will have no affect the camera's ability to take photos, it may affect your ability to compose a shot. It's important the view finder is clear enough that you can clearly see your subject and focus properly, particularly when dealing with manual focus cameras.

3: ARE THE LIGHT SEALS IN GOOD CONDITION?
The light seals keep light from leaking into the film chamber and exposing your film. This causes areas of splotchy light on your photos as seen in the skyline photo below. Even if a camera has never been used, these seals deteriorate over time and need to be replaced. If they are worn out they will leave a sticky residue on the edge of the film chamber door. If your seller mentions nothing about light seals ask if they are in good condition.

Bad light seals caused the splotch of light on the left.

4: WHAT IS THE COSMETIC CONDITION OF THE CAMERA?
If the seller provides good photos you should be able to get a basic idea of the cosmetic condition of the camera. But beware... photos don't always tell the full story. Often they are not detailed enough to see small scratches and paint loss. Often you will only see one or two photos of the camera so it may be hard to conclude the actual cosmetic condition. Scuffs and minor scratches are not really a problem and are to be expected when purchasing older cameras. You may also notice paint loss or "brassing" near the neck strap lugs. This is usually caused by the neck strap or its attachment rubbing on the camera. This really has no affect on camera operation. It's just kind of ugly. What you really want to watch out for are dents. Dent's are bad. About the only way a camera gets dented is when it's dropped. Either that or somebody's hitting it with a rock. Either way, you want to stay away from cameras with dents as there is a good chance they have damaged internal parts. 

5: IS AN ORIGINAL INSTRUCTION MANUAL INCLUDED?
Unless you already know the camera inside and out, you are going to need the instruction manual. It's really the only way to enjoy all the features of your camera. And you can learn a lot about film photography just by reading the manual from front to back. If one is not included, you can usually find one right here on eBay. But try to get an original instead of a copy or one that comes as PDF files on a CD. It's nice to be able to keep the manual with you for quick reference while you are on a photo shoot.

"Selling a camera without a battery is like
selling a car without gas in the tank."

6: DOES THE CAMERA INCLUDE A BATTERY?
If the camera doesn't include a battery, there's a good chance the seller has no idea if the camera works. It just stands to reason. If you can't turn the camera on and test it, how do you know it works? It's also disappointing to get a camera in the mail only to find you have to go out and buy a battery for it. If the seller makes no mention of the camera battery or batteries, ask if the camera comes with a battery.

Some batteries may take several weeks to procure.  If you can't verify that the camera is in advertised working condition upon arrival, you might very well lose any "warranty" offered by the seller if said warranty is less than 2-3 weeks.  Beware of sellers who say that the battery isn't included to "save on shipping".  No camera battery weighs that much! This is usually a ploy to keep you from being able to test the camera upon arrival.

Beware of sellers who brush off your question by saying that the battery is easily obtained locally.  If so, why isn't he/she including it?

Finding the answers to these questions before you place a bid will help you get a great camera. If you cannot find the answers to these questions by reading the item description, ask the seller. The answers you receive will not only tell what you need to know about the camera, they will often times tell you what you need to know about the seller. 

  SOME OF MY FAVORITE FILM CAMERAS

The cameras listed below are a few of the 35mm manual focus cameras available. They are by no means the best. These are just a few of my favorites that I've learned to use and really like the performance.

THE CANON AE-1

A great 35mm manual focus film camera.  I like this camera a lot. It's easy to use and I've always got great results with the AE-1. One thing to watch for on the AE-1 is the Battery Door. These cameras have a little door that covers the battery compartment. Because people rarely use the hot-shoe cover to open the battery door properly, they often break the door. Also, watch out for the Squeak! When the internals begin the dry out and gears begin to show signs of wear the Canon A series has a tendency to make a squeak sound when firing the shutter. It sometimes sounds as if the camera is coughing. This is a sign the camera needs service. Without service the internals will wear even more and will soon fail.

THE CANON AE-1- PROGRAM

Another great 35mm manual focus film camera from Canon.  It's much like the AE-1 but with an added shooting mode. In Program the camera will set both shutter speed and aperture. All you have to do is focus and shoot. Like the AE-1, these cameras have a little door that covers the battery compartment. Because people rarely use the hot-shoe cover to open the battery door properly, they often break the door. This model also came with a "sport grip" wich fit over the battery door. This makes it easier to hold the camera. You have to remove the sport grip to get to the battery compartment. Often the sport grip gets lost. Take note to see if the sport grip is included. Also, as with the AE-1, when the internals begin the dry out and gears begin to show signs of wear this camera has a tendency to make a squeak sound when firing the shutter. It sometimes sounds as if the camera is coughing. This is a sign the camera needs service. Without service the internals will wear even more and will soon fail.

THE NIKON FE

One of my all time favorite film cameras. I have bought and sold dozens of Nikon FEs and shot at least a roll of film on each one. Of all the 35mm film cameras I have used, this one seems to be the most reliable. Each time I came a cross an FE that wasn't working, I checked and all it needed was new batteries. It's a well made, easy to use manual focus film camera.
 

THE MINOLTA X-700

This is Minolta's top of the line 35mm manual focus film camera. It has withstood the test of time and is a favorite among many professional photographers but has features that allow even a beginner to take great photos. One strike against the X-700 is internal capacitors will wear out over time and stop working. When this happens the camera does not work. The symptom is... no shutter release... no film advance. There's nothing wrong with the film advance. It's just that it won't advance until you release the shutter and the shutter won't release because the capacitors have failed. You can usually have this problem fixed for around $75 to $100 dollars but beware of this problem. If a seller says the shutter won't fire, it could be something as easy as changing the batteries, or it could be the camera needs new capacitors. Here's an easy way to tell the difference. If the LEDs light up in the view finder, that means the batteries are good and the camera is getting power so if the shutter won't fire, the problem is more likely than not, bad capacitors.

All photos appearing on this page were taken by joewest2000 and may not be
used without the express written permission of joewest2000 and the National Football League.

I hope this helps. If you find this guide helpful, please click 'YES' below. Thank you!