Expert: David Silver - 4/28/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello David,
I have several cameras and lenses that belonged to a friend who has died. I'm planning to list them on ebay, but would value your thoughts on age and value. The Leica is No. 268598 and has a 5 cm 1:2 Ernst Leitz Wetzler lens, No. 408823. (There's also a longer lens that I cannot describe at the moment)

The "Super Baldina" seems in remarkable condition. It's No. 5536602, and has a Carl Zeiss Jena 5 cm, 1:2.8 lens, No.2212408.

There's a Nikon FE (no. 3964691) with a Nikon Series E 35 mm, 1:2.5 lens.

And, finally, a Nikon F (no. 6573431) with two viewfinders, one a simple, direct view, and a second, a pentaprism, which incorporates an exposure system. This camera has no lens because my friend used it with his Questar, which I'm also going to sell for the benefit of his widow.

In advance, many thanks for any information you can share about my friend's collection.
ANSWER:
Hello,

From the serial number, you have a Leica IIIa, a very common 35mm rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1938.  They sold over 90,000 of them between 1935 and 1939.  In truly excellent condition, you would expect to get around $250 today.

The Super Baldina is a compact folding bellows camera for 35mm film, with coupled rangefinder, made by Balda of Germany from 1937 to 1940.  Not a lot of collectible interest.  A really fine one might get $75.

The Nikon FE, introduced by Nikon of Japan in 1978, is one of those 35mm single-lens-reflex cameras (really one of thousands and thousands) whose current value has been gutted by the rampaging popularity of digital.  Just a couple years ago, this used to have good resale value, in the $250 range, but today is a hard sell at $75.  A shame, since this is a superb camera.

The original Nikon F is a classic 35mm single-lens-reflex camera that maintains some value despite the rise of digital.  Yours dates from about 1965.  With the meter viewfinder in place (this is a Photomic prism, so you can actually call the camera a Nikon F Photomic), if everything is in excellent condition, you can probably still get about $150.  That simple viewfinder...sell it seperately because they're much harder to find and the collectors want them.  In excellent shape, you'll get $75 for that alone.

Best wishes,

David Silver



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

QUESTION: Hi David,
I've now found the longer lens. It's a Ernst Leitz Wetzlar 9 cm, 1:4 lens, No. 455160. With protective caps. What can you tell me about its value?
Many thanks, in advance, and for your previous helpful reply.
-Gordon

Answer
Hi Gordon,

This is a pretty common lens.  Over 120,000 were made from 1933 to 1963, and yours dates to 1938.  The Elmar 9cm f4 was the least expensive telephoto lens Leitz offered.  A truly excellent example today only sells for about $75.

Best wishes,

David Silver