Buy an analog camera on eBay

Why should you listen to me?

I founded Ausgeknipst 7 years ago. Back then, I was on my own, and instead of manufacturing accessories and replacement parts for analog cameras, I bought analog cameras, lenses, and accessories on eBay, tested them, repaired them in my shared apartment, and (usually) resold them at a profit.

I financed my second degree back then by buying and selling analog cameras. I want to pass on the knowledge I’ve gathered over the past 7 years here. Even if you’re not planning to open a camera shop and are simply looking for a bargain, this guide should help you.

P.S. By now, at Ausgeknipst we only sell accessories that we manufacture ourselves for analog cameras. In other words, I can share my “secret knowledge” with you here without feeling guilty ;)

The same seven years as a video, in case you prefer watching to reading.

If you don't know your way around, buy from a reputable dealer with a 30-day return policy

All analog cameras on the market are now over 30 years old, and in roughly half of all cases they are more or less defective. As a result, many private individuals who own these cameras have little or no idea what exactly they are selling—for example, when selling an inheritance from their grandfather. But even commercial dealers often reach their limits when it comes to reliably testing all the functions.

There are several reasons for this: On the one hand, the necessary testing equipment and specific know-how are lacking; on the other, a complete inspection as outlined in the service manual is simply no longer profitable. Disassembling, servicing, and cleaning an analog SLR camera usually takes an entire day. Few customers can or want to bear the cost of a skilled precision mechanic specializing in analog cameras—especially since there are hardly any left. This effort is therefore worthwhile only for high-priced professional cameras from Hasselblad, Leica, Alpa & Co.

One exception to this rule is individual specialist workshops that focus on a particular camera model. For a long time, Germany had the so-called “OM Doctor,” Frank Timmann, a specialist in repairing Olympus OM system cameras. I myself once had my Kiev 88 medium-format camera serviced by Arax Foto in Ukraine, and it was affordable. These specialist workshops can work faster and more efficiently because they know the specific cameras inside out. As far as I know, the only business that can still do this on a broad scale today is the Finnish dealer Kamerastore.com. To my knowledge, it is the only professional dealer of analog cameras that employs its own mechanics to repair and service analog cameras—and continues to train them.

If you are not familiar with analog cameras, it is advisable to buy from a reputable dealer with a return policy. This ensures that, in the event of a defect, you won't be left with the costs and, ideally, that you receive a working camera.

And where can you find these dealers? We have compiled a list of which camera shops and specialist mail-order retailers in German-speaking countries still carry analog equipment: Analog camera shops in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with a map, radius search, and a filter for used cameras. Some of these shops inspect every camera before selling it and provide a warranty. Compared with eBay, you pay a premium for this and get exactly the peace of mind this chapter is about.

Choosing the right camera

There are dozens of camera manufacturers and over 1,000 different models, including various types such as easy-to-use point-and-shoot cameras, medium-format cameras for professionals, large-format cameras for photographers with artistic ambitions & much, much more. If you have no idea where to start and simply want to try out analog photography, I always recommend a 35 mm SLR camera for beginners. It is compact, versatile, affordable, and in demand. That means that if you realize after a few months that the hobby isn't for you, you can also resell it for roughly the same price (especially if you followed this guide and found a good bargain).

The most popular 35 mm SLR cameras, sorted by manufacturer, are:

Canon AE-1, A-1, F-1, FTb, T50, T70

Minolta SRT-101, X-700

Nikon EM, F2, F3, FE, FM, FM2

Olympus OM-1, OM-2

Pentax K1000, ME Super, MX, Spotmatic

With these camera models, you can't really go wrong. They are all relatively robust models that have stood the test of time and can also be resold easily at any time.

Determine the camera's price

In most cases, to get started you first need the camera body and a single lens. I recommend an original lens from the manufacturer with a focal length of 35 mm or 50 mm (so-called standard focal length). These lenses offer the best value for money, are fast (good for indoor shots in low light), are easy to resell, and, like the 35 mm SLR camera itself, can be used universally.

Generally, though, buying in a lot is the cheapest option. You can often find online lots consisting of several camera bodies, various lenses, and accessories such as a flash, motor winder, expired analogue films, and more. If you feel confident selling part of your equipment again, this is the cheapest way to get your dream gear. At the beginning of my “career,” I did exactly that. If I wanted, for example, a Canon AE-1 with a 50 mm f/1.8 lens, I bought a lot with a camera & 5 different lenses (including the 50 mm lens I actually wanted). I simply sold the remaining 4 lenses again, thereby financing the purchase of the camera.

eBay's Advanced Search

To determine the price of the camera or the lot or set, it's best to use eBay's “Advanced Search” and search for “Ended Items” and “Sold Items”:

It's best to display only offers from Germany (I advise against buying internationally, because it's always good to be able to return the camera if necessary).

Depending on whether you prefer to take a risk or play it safe, you can also search by seller type: “Commercial” or “Private”:

Return periods for commercial and private sellers on eBay

Commercial sellers must grant you a return period of at least 14 days. This gives you enough time to unpack the camera and test it “dry.” Testing requires a little technical skill and, ideally, some prior experience with analogue cameras. If you have neither—or lack both—it's better to buy from a dealer who offers a 30-day return period.

You can find the return conditions on the right below the auction title.

With a one-month return period, you have enough time to test the camera with a film & develop the film. Any defects often only become apparent after development. If the camera has a defect, you can simply send it back.

With a private seller, of course, such a return is more difficult. You can talk to most sellers. If you tested the camera after purchasing it and it doesn't work, or if its condition and functionality differ from the item description, be sure to contact the seller, whether private or commercial.

Most users on eBay are keen to maintain their good feedback scores and are therefore cooperative. Even though private sellers do not have to accept returns of goods they have sold (at least legally, it is a gray area), in most cases you can negotiate a discount. In any case, if there are problems, it helps to initiate a return through the eBay returns portal. If the seller refuses to cooperate, you can contact eBay Support after a certain period, and they will generally decide in your favor (i.e. you will get your money back), especially if the seller does not respond.

It is important to note that broken does not necessarily mean unusable. Most cameras you find online will have one or more major or minor defects. That is simply because they are so old. You can often live with these faults. For example, a mechanical camera with a defective light meter can still be used wonderfully with an external light meter or a light meter app for your smartphone, and you can replace defective light seals with our light seal kit simply replace it yourself. It gets more difficult when the camera’s shutter is defective. In that case, you can usually only return the camera or use it as a paperweight.

Determining the camera’s purchase price: search for completed listings

Below, I’ll explain using a very specific search example how I would proceed if I were buying a “functional Canon AE-1 with an original Canon 50 mm f/1.8 lens.”

Example search for determining the price—business seller: Canon AE-1 / business seller from Germany, Buy It Now

Once you have entered the search criteria (see above, e.g. business seller from Germany, Buy It Now), you can see that a used and functional Canon AE-1 with an original 50 mm f/1.8 lens costs between €150 and €190:

Analysis of an example search for determining the price—business seller:

1. Canon AE-1 + 50 mm f/1.8 lens: exactly what we're looking for—and from a seller with top-notch service and a great many (13,000) reviews. You can't go wrong here, but this seller's camera also achieved the highest sale price.
2. Canon AE-1 + 50 mm f/1.8 lens: this seller has significantly less experience and therefore cannot charge the same price. However, they have excellent average feedback of 98.8% and, as a business seller, offer a return period.
3. Canon AE-1 with a no-name zoom lens: I can already see in the small preview photo that the third camera in the list was sold with a cheaper zoom lens (which we don't want).
4. Canon AE-1 without a lens: the fourth camera was sold with its original packaging, but without a lens at all.

So now I know that I have to pay between €150 and €190 for a (probably) functional Canon AE-1 with a 50 mm lens. Since dealers can usually estimate the prices of their goods relatively well, you can generally only dream of finding real bargains here. Tip: Business sellers often have the “Make an offer” function enabled. Deduct about 10% from the actual purchase price and submit that as your “offer.” Most dealers will be happy to accept your offer.

Private seller example search price analysis: Canon AE-1 / Private seller from Germany, Buy It Now

Want to find a real bargain? Then you have to take a risk and buy from a private seller without a warranty; that way, you can get significantly better prices. In the “Advanced Search,” I now set it to show ended listings from private sellers and get, for example, the following four results:

Private seller example search price analysis:

1. Canon AE-1 with 4 lenses + flash: One of the lenses is the 50 mm f/1.8 we are looking for; the other three and the flash are nice extras that we could potentially resell. The price for this set is the same as for the second business listing above (for the same price, we get more here, but without the right of return)
2. Canon AE-1 with original 35–105 mm f/3.5 lens: As an expert, I know that the black Canon AE-1 fetches somewhat higher prices because it is rarer; in addition, it was sold here with a slightly more expensive lens. Overall, however, it is still not what we want.
3. Canon AE-1 with 35–70 mm 1:3.5–4.5 lens: The price is fair, but the lens does not match what we are looking for.
4. Canon AE-1 with 50 mm f/1.8 lens: Exactly what we are looking for, from a private seller with 100% positive feedback. This would have been worth going for. We’ll remember the €100 price for the set.

Finding the right camera to buy now

Next, we search for current Buy It Now listings from private sellers. I continue to search only for “Canon AE-1” and not for “Canon AE-1 50 mm,” because many private sellers have no idea how to title the lens correctly. If the search term we are looking for (e.g., 50 mm f/1.8) is not in the title but is included in the listing (as can be determined from the product photos), you usually pay less than you otherwise would. The reason is simple: when sellers describe the equipment well, they know what they are doing and are more likely to know what price they can ask. This time, I sort by “Lowest price” first and get the following results:

Private seller example search analysis:

1. Canon AE-1: body only, without a lens: not suitable for us
2. Not a camera at all, but only a special back: not suitable for us
3. Canon AE-1 with zoom lens: not suitable for us
4. Canon AE-1 with lens: I click through the photos and see that in the fourth photo, the camera is being sold as a set together with the lens we are looking for:

Check the listing description, photos, and reviews

In other words, I could buy the set I was looking for from a private seller for €80, but the seller has relatively few reviews (12). In addition, the 87.5% shown after the seller’s name indicates that the seller has received negative reviews. That is reason for caution. Not every negative review is justified, but when in doubt, you should always read the negative reviews if you want to buy from a seller with negative reviews (especially if this is a private seller without a right of return). Clicking the rating points shows me the following:

The second review in particular puts me off, because the seller apparently sold the same listing once before and then did not want to send it. So we keep looking.

So I scroll further down and find the following listing for €85:

On the right side of the photo, I can see the 50 mm f/1.8 lens I was looking for. There is also a zoom lens. The price is right. The only downside is that the seller has just three reviews. If in doubt, I check the reviews and item description again:

The seller name “wilhol_0” suggests that the user did not choose the name themselves. eBay often assigns usernames based on a person’s first and last name. The seller could therefore be called Wilfried Hofmann or something similar. So he is probably an older man who wants to sell his old photography equipment and does not spend much time online. The item description only says, “There is also a Cullmann flash unit (30T-DS) and a shoulder bag.” In my experience, scammers do not write like this. The three positive reviews also sound good. This looks like a safe purchase, and the price is fair.

If I want to push the price down even further, I may have to be patient and keep an eye out for auction listings.

Win the right camera at auction (at the best price)

The motto here is: Be patient, create a search alert, and use Auction Sniper.

Not always, but most of the time, with a little patience, you can find better bargains by bidding in auctions than by using the “Buy It Now” option.

If I next search for auction listings, I get the following list:

Analysis example: searching a private auction:

1. Canon AE-1 with a 50 mm lens from Makinon: not the desired original lens, but not bad for the price.
2. Canon AE-1 with a 35–70 mm lens from Canon: not the desired 50 mm lens, but a good original Canon zoom lens.
3. Canon AE-1 Program with two lenses: this is even a more expensive Canon AE-1 Program, but unfortunately combined with relatively inexpensive Soligor lenses.
4. Canon AE-1 Program: here too, there is a Canon AE-1 Program with a relatively good Sigma zoom lens, thanks to its wide aperture.

Among the inexpensive auction listings today (19 Dec 2024), there wasn’t a single Canon AE-1 with a 50 mm f/1.8 lens. That means that anyone looking for a bargain needs to be flexible. You won’t find a suitable auction at every moment. If you want your camera as soon as possible, you’ll have to compromise on specific combinations of camera + lens + accessories, or create a saved search and be patient.

Of course, you never know what final price an auction will ultimately end at. Often, bidders get caught up in a bidding frenzy during the final minutes of an auction and end up buying the items for more than they could have paid for them at the Buy It Now price. Ideally, we want to avoid that.

Additional software for ambitious collectors and resellers

If you have some time and want to get a good bargain, I recommend using an auction-sniper tool, such as the one from myibidder.com. You can log in there with your eBay account and set a maximum bid for the auction you’ve chosen. It will then be submitted during the last 8 seconds of the auction. The important thing is to enter your honest maximum bid directly—meaning, be honest with yourself. No more and no less. This prevents you from continually outbidding a competitor and driving the price higher, while also keeping you from regretting later that someone else got the camera for a price you could and would have paid.

Using tools like these is sometimes controversial, but eBay tolerates them. If you want to play it safe, your only option is to set an alarm and place a bid shortly before the auction ends.

If you want to take your eBay game to the next level, I recommend using another tool: Auctionsieve.

With Auctionsieve, you can save searches just like on eBay (called Sieves here), but with the major advantage that you can:

1. You can save Catch Words: these are search terms that are moved to the top of the results (in our case, this could be the designation of the lens you’re looking for, such as “50 mm f/1.8” or similar).
2. You can save Trash Words: these are search terms that are immediately hidden from your results (for example, you can hide cheap lenses from “Sigma”, “Tamron”, and others).
3. Already-seen items are hidden: Auctionsieve’s most important feature is the “Hide Items shown before” option. It lets you hide everything you’ve seen before. That may not sound like much at first, but you need it if you search for all kinds of cameras weekly or daily and then only have to sift through 100 instead of 10,000 search results.

What should you look out for from a technical standpoint?

Analog cameras are technically highly complex, and even after seven years of experience with hundreds or thousands of different cameras, I still often have trouble determining a camera's technical condition precisely. This naturally becomes even more difficult, or impossible, when all you have are shaky, blurry, and dark pictures of the camera (as you often will when looking for bargains on eBay).

Of course, we want to maximize our chances of buying a good, fully functional camera, so we try to extract all the information we can from the item description:

1. The seller's reliability: I already described above how I generally assess a seller's reliability. Check the number of reviews, especially the negative and neutral ones, and read the description (if there's nothing in it, it's often simply due to laziness and not necessarily a bad sign). Ideally, someone has put in a lot of effort and checked as much as possible themselves. Pro tip: never buy anything that comes from a basement. Basements are often damp, and moisture destroys every camera.
2. Look at the pictures very carefully:

1. Look for haze or fungus on the glass of the lenses and viewfinder.
2. Look at photos showing the open back and check whether the light seals are intact (usually they aren't, but you can replace them yourself relatively easily; we sell a light-seal kit for this).
3. Look out for missing or broken covers and battery doors.
4. Check whether the camera looks clean and is free of major scratches and dents (this is usually an indication that it was handled and stored with care).

3. If you can inspect the camera on-site, you can naturally assess its condition much better. You can then insert a battery, for example, and check whether the light meter still works, operate the film advance, look through the back, and check whether the shutter opens and closes. Operate the aperture ring and check whether the aperture closes reliably or is oily, etc.

Most of the time, you won't have the opportunity to inspect the camera on-site. And even if you do, carrying out such a technical inspection is difficult for a layperson. So all you can do is take a good look at the seller, the description, and the photos, rely on a bit of luck, and, as a last resort, of course return the defective camera.

If you want to play it safe, buy from a trustworthy source.

In the end, you have to decide whether to take a gamble and buy a camera cheaply from a private seller, only for it to arrive broken. Or play it safe and buy from a reputable seller with good reviews and a 30-day return policy.

If you choose the safer route: Our directory of analogue photography stores lists dealers and specialist mail-order retailers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, sortable by distance. This also helps you find out where you can still handle a camera yourself before buying one. That beats any listing description.

I hope this buying guide has helped you and that it helps you find your dream camera. If so, you can support us by buying the appropriate accessories (such as a battery or any necessary covers) from our shop. If you have any further questions, feel free to leave us a comment or message us on Instagram @ausgeknipst.de

Best regards!

Your Vladi @ausgeknipst

Which camera should you choose?

Half the work is done once you know which model you’re looking for. These buying guides help you narrow down the selection:

• Comparing Rollei 35 variants, which of the many versions is worthwhile
• Pentax ME vs. ME Super vs. MX, compact SLR without the price-trap premium
• Nikon FM, FM2, FE, FE2 and FM3a, Nikon’s compact classics
• Canon F-1 vs. F-1n vs. New F-1, the three are not the same
• Buying a Rolleiflex, 2.8 or 3.5, Planar or Xenotar
• Beaulieu Super 8 and Canon Scoopic if you want moving images

And if the camera starts acting up once it arrives: Does every “broken” film camera need a CLA? explains whether servicing is worthwhile, and in the repair workshop directory you’ll find someone who can do it.