Expert: John Oliverio - 6/1/2007

Question
QUESTION: I have this Canon camera my friend wants me to sell on ebay. On the camera itself it says "DC-1000" in the instruction manual it gives these specifications.
Type: 35mm prefocusing motor camera
Film Size: 24x36mm
Lens: 50mm color optical lens (1:6.3)
Shutter speed: 1/200s-1/100s mechanical shutter

These are some of the specifications. I was wondering the value of this camera?

ANSWER: Cordell,

Well, you've got me stumped.  I've never heard of any 35mm camera from Canon designated with "DC".  I guess it could be European or Gray Market....  but I can't track it down.  If you could post a picture of it somewhere then I could have a look at it and get an idea what it is worth.

John

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Here is a picture of the camera at this ebay site:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=003&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT

Answer
Cordell,

OOHHH!  I haven't seen one of those in about ten years!  I used to see them all the time when I ran a shop in Medford, Oregon.  I guess you could call it a counterfeit but I'm not sure it would qualify as that.  It's not really a copy of an actual Canon camera but they are using the name illegally.  A lot of folks would come back from Mexico with them.  And I also saw the same camera with a different name on it in a store called "AS SEEN ON TV".  Ten years ago, they had a retail price in the us of around $50 USD and they came with something like 20 rolls of film.  Unfortunately it has no real value now.  A machine like that would probably go for around $5 USD.  

John