box_camera | i brought my camera collection up to an even 20

I took last Friday off work to go to the bi-annual antique sale at the old schoolhouse in the town of Washington. They have it every April and October, and I haven't missed one yet. They always have cool vintage cameras.

yashica mg1, originally uploaded by pinstripe_bindi.

This is a Yashica MG-1, a 35mm rangefinder from the mid-70s. It came with the flash, but the batteries had been left in it and the entire inside was corroded. But the camera itself works fine, and I can use my Diana F+ with it.

If I'd written Inferno, the innermost circle of hell would be reserved for jackasses who leave batteries in cameras.

polaroid land camera 100, originally uploaded by pinstripe_bindi.

I found this Polaroid Land Camera for just $25, and it came with a case and a lot of accessories. It even had the original manual. It's a 100, a model that was made from 1963-1966.

There was also a battery inside this one, but it wasn't actually hooked up, so the corrosion was just kind of loose inside the compartment instead of sticking to anything. Other than that, it was in great shape, and I figured $25 was an acceptable risk. I've been looking for a Land Camera for a long time.

So I took it home, cleaned it up with vinegar then scrubbed the battery contacts with baking soda paste, and ordered a new battery from Radio Shack. I got it today, and... it works!

I have no idea why the vendor was selling it for such a low price. I'm thinking maybe he thought that the kind of film it takes is no longer made (a lot of people don't realize that Fuji still makes pack film), and the only reason anyone would buy it is for the novelty or as decoration.