First: congrats. :) Second: What was the price of the Rolleiflex? :) Third: consider edit the video, the serial of the Leica is exposed in one shot and maybe some false owners could appear...
I think he's shaking because this is absolute made up bullshit. "The reason it took me so long to upload the video is because I scoured the webz with the serial number because this had to have been stolen!" Goodwill are not idiots in 2024 there's protocol on pricing shit and what to do when they come across items that are worth a decent amount of money. An M3 did not get taken to Goodwill, and even if it had, there's no way a big youtuber is the one who found it. THEN even if a big youtuber did happen to find the one M3 at a goodwill, there's no way that someone just priced it at $30. This story is made up.
I wouldn’t even bother trying to “find the family”. They donated it to the thrift for a reason. Many times they’re trying to clean up the estate of the loved one who passed. Best you can do is hang on to both and honor the legacy by using the gear and taking beautiful photos! Great finds!
Agree, and when you consider an estate (with someone who previously owned a Leica), they were highly likely very financially established. When you consider a 1k camera in comparison to a multi-million estate, it's pennies. Just enjoy the camera.
At first I was a little jealous of the two amazing finds you made, but your story and how you approached ensuring that they were not stolen was heartfelt and incredibly thoughtful. You are a very honorable man, and I am happy that you found these and that you intend to keep them together. Well done!
No reason to be Jealous, regardless if our Video Host did theft checks or not. Seems like you got some emotional issues to work out, if watching a Video of a Thrift Find is making you Jealous. If it can happen to him, it can happen to you as well. So instead of just sitting and stewing in your Jealousy, why don't you get out there and thrift around, or look at the Used Market online and see if you can find a treasure too.
I once stupidly tried to help someone who didn't know the significance of a black m2 + 50mm. I could have bought at a low price as they just wanted to get rid of a whole collection of cameras (incl rollei as well). Told them the real worth and then they went to a shop and got ripped off there anyway. Moral is I wouldn't expect the people who dropped these cameras off to appreciate them as much as we would, so just enjoy them!
The fact that this is your 335 Thrift episode just shows how hard it is to find such a camera during one of those searches. Cool to know you did though!
WHATTT?!?! That’s the endgame of camera thrifting. It’s like finding a Birkin in the thrift store at the price of an extremely worn bag. Congrats on this find 🙌🏼.
Awesome story and thrift man! I guess the original owner would love someone like you continue to use her/his camera. A few weeks ago I got myself also a M3 from a private sale, because the son wasn't interested in photography. We had a great chat and wanted to make sure this inherit M3 will continue to be used, when I bought it. The first image I took with my M3 was of the seller, the son of the M3 owner and after developing the film I sent it to him. It made him very happy to see the M3 continue to be used. I made and uploaded my own short video on YT about the story of my M3, but it really blows my mind and somehow honours me to be a owner of a Leica M3 I know the history, when and where it was bought and being the second owner after 70 years! Would love to see future videos about your M3 after it being serviced. You did your best to check, if it was stolen, but I also think your theory is correct, since it is very similar to my M3. Keep up your great work. Until now I was just a silence watcher :)
Also another great tip that i learned is go to rich cities to thrift 👍 i have found gems in more affluent communities than regular cities. Most well off people or retired folk just donate a lot of their top tier items. Cameras, clothing, decor 👏. Trust me this is a big tip!!
I had a similar experience a week ago, when my friends wife who is working at a college, contacted me, because the college was getting rid of all their analog cameras they had been lying around in a closet. Then she send me photos. It was a Leica M2 with two lenses and a Linhof super Technika IV 6x9 with 3 lenses. In the end I got these cameras for free. I also had my heart beating when I first saw the pictures. So I can relate to you and I can only congratulate you on these great cameras.
So, I'm fortunate enough in my life to have owned some lovely expensive items. Things like luxury handbags or jackets, artists grade painting supplies, etc. But from my mother I also inherited this ingrained belief that if you aren't enjoying an item to its fullest, it is just sitting dead on your shelf. While I often resell items like these, I just as often decide the money has already been spent, and someone else deserves to enjoy them. That is the most important thing, is to not being greedy with your joy. I can't tell you how many very valuable items I've donated to goodwill just for the knowledge that someone might find a holy grail piece with shaking hands like you did. They probably think Im stupid for giving something like that away, but the point of owning wonderful things is to SHARE them. These cameras made it to you the way they did, and while it's admirable that you hope to return them to the original family... YOU are the one who saw their value when no one else did. You DESERVE this gift. You are worthy, just by seeing their beauty. Im so so happy for you, and you deserve this!
I went to an antique store today, and found a 1955 Zeiss Contaflex II with the leather case, for $40. Its very clean, and still works. Waiting on my 35mm film to come in.
Outstanding! My dad bought a Voigtlander Vito B in 1957 when he was in the Navy in Morocco. He and I used it until the early 1980s when I seized up. My son has it and plans on getting it fixed. I bought an identical one from a guy in Germany that is fully functional with the original case. It’s great.
I'm always on the lookout for a Leica find and have instructed my wife to always look for camera's and send me a picture when she finds one.. That's a heck of a find... Grats
No guilt. This isn't really even luck. Everything is paid for in one way or another. Japes has put in the work of hunting for thousands of hours. Great find! Must've been crazy fun! These were probably donated from a lot of possessions from a relative who passed on. Those chain thrift stores are for profit, and make zillions of dollars of of these donations. These cameras came from a film lover, and landed in the hands of easily the most film loving person who could've possibly found them. Right on karma universe. Good looking out!
Man what an incredible thrift find! I’ve always hoped something like this would happen, but I did get super lucky and have a family member who asked if I wanted some older cameras they had from a deceased relative. Got my Rolleiflex 3.5F that way and bought my DS M3, but man. What finds and great cameras.
As a Goodwill employee, I can tell you that we receive a lot of fascinating and valuable donations. Sometimes donors contact the store to reclaim their items, but other times, items like CIB video games, consoles, early-to-mid 2000s Pokémon cards, and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and audio equipment are left behind.
I’ve been following you for a while man and you definitely deserve that awesome find! Especially after the way you were so thoughtful about finding a possible owner who may have gotten it stolen. Keep up the great work man!
Hey bud, I think you are quite admirable for being so considerate of someone's old cameras. I shoot as well, and seeing your sincere response to trying to find the original owner.. hit me in the feels. Keep carrying the flame :) Much love from the Pacific Northwest of USA.
Haha, I felt that excitement through the screen 😂. Congratulations! I love thrifting, and always dream of finding something like this. I think someone passed away and left these behind as well, and it’s honestly pretty cool that they ended up with someone who appreciate them and understand what they are, like the previous owner did but their relatives didn’t :)
You've done your due diligence, which many would not have likely even thought to do. In the meantime, get it serviced and use it. It's something that has stood the test of time. Great video!
I truly respect the level of care you're showing for that camera, its photographer, and their family, but honestly, I think you'll take so much better care of that than they would have. I imagine they would have sold it to the highest bidder if they'd known. But again, respect your effort for sure.
Thats exactly what I see every day at our store. Family members do know or see the value of cameras and just dump them on a store. Look just keep the cameras and do what the original owner would want and that is you use it to create more memories. Your hands were shaking and I het your heart was pounding out of your chest. Those cameras were meant to be yours. Just enjoy them, I know you will.
glad you got a nice thrift find! got mine a few months ago, exakta varex vx with a P. Angenieux 50mm type s21 lens, paid $125 and flipped it a month later for $9k! still kinda in disbelief about it lol
Absolutely unbelievable. That's the dream find, we all hope for. Glad to see that you tried to find out who the owner was. That's very honorable of you. I probably just would have enjoyed the camera and given it a new life at my side without really thinking about the possibility of it being stolen or anything like that. Thanks for widening my horizon on that matter. I will keep that in mind in case I ever find anything remotely similar.
Love what you do/did here!! Amazed at how "good" you are... very rare. The effort to find the owner is remarkable. More info and shooting results for BOTH is very welcome. I'msure everybody down below are saying..."Why doesn't this happen to me" I'm glad it happened to you. (Umm BTW that motivational speech was inspiring..headed out looking for gear)
I have a same stroy. I got into photography as an old man passed and we were cleaning up his house. unfortunately the camera was already taken or sold but I got a lot of gear for the Pentacon Six. So I went online and bought a broken Pentacon. It was a mess but eventually I did a clean, repair and lube and now it's working like a charm. Soon on I got more into photography and my life changed with it. Im very happy to still hold the gear of an old man and use it for my new hobby.
I got an m3 earlier this year and it’s the greatest rangefinder I’ve ever used. I absolutely love shooting with both eyes open on the 50mm. As someone who has been using a rangefinder for a while now it was a transformative experience to be able to upgrade to it. Make sure you give it a good CLA.
A holy grail type of find. The best i did was a mint nikon fm 2 with 55mm macro, for 35$ and a super mint nikon f2 with strangely enough ,a 55mm macro for 15 $ a few years ago.
Incredible man, what a dream come true. I like the lengths you went through as well to do the research and make sure it wasn't stolen or anything of the sort. I would've felt the same way 😂 too good to be true. love this and the way you handled it
I agree with your assessment of someone getting old and the camera's being donated. Ultimately those cameras went to the right person. The previous owner would be happy. Subbed
Wow KJ, amazing find-- -$30?? for a Leica, that's literally a steal! killer deal, love your honesty in going down a rabbit hole with the serial numbers etc. awesome!!
Congrats on the awesome finds!!! Last January, when I needed to buy a film camera for Darkroom, I was lucky enough to get a Leica R3 because it and a lens were going to be the same price as a Nikon F3HP and a lens. When the R3 showed up, it was engraved with a name and year. Quick Google search turned up a former Leica employee a few hours away. I found them on Facebook and sent a message. No response, so I just focused on class and made photos. The day of the final critique a friend calls me asking about a camera that I might be interested in. I reply send me pictures. The pictures arrived of a Rolleiflex with original box, leather case and strap. Show my professor after class and he freaks, so I go get it for him to look over. Turns out it is a 2.8E. I got the camera for a awesome deal due to being a student, friend and was going to keep using it. Almost a year after messaging the person with their name on the R3, he responds. Turns out he’s tickled pink his camera is being used by a student. We still message each other and I share my work. Use the cameras and make new stories with them.
Congratulations on such a goldmine of a find, and kudos to you for your integrity and honesty. That speaks volumes to who you are and the love for the community of photographers that you have. You have my deepest respect! I would try to see if Leica itself has any leads. Maybe the original or last owner had it serviced or registered the camera with the warranty when it was first purchased. It's a long shot, but it's worth the try. I hope you find the owner's family and if not, enjoy!
All I can say is wow!. Glad to see your the kind of guy to be honorable about trying to find out if it was hot and to seek out the original owner or family. That's really cool of you.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! I think the previous owner of both of those cameras would like nothing better than to have you take some really nice shots with them.
My goodness, you are lucky to have so many second hand stores nearby and at the same time, they have many models of cameras. Here in my country there are few and the models are always the same... Enjoy it and keep looking for cameras, I do it because of you.
Glad to hear you’re gonna keep them and put them to good use, this is the way. My wife purchased a rolleiflex from a friend whose wife passed away, she was a photographer. The funds were donated to charity on her request so we all felt good about the transaction full filing her wish that the camera went to a good home for use and it raised funds for a good cause. Good on you for doing the right thing and looking around in case it was stolen but it seems more likely someone donated it without having any value for it even sentimental.
Ended up going to a yard sale a little while ago and the guy was selling a camera from a professor in Arizona in the 90-60-70s. Had a talk with him because I love collecting cameras too. The guy ended up giving me a Minolta SRT102, a Cine-Kodak Magazine 8, a TDC Bell & Howell Stereo Vivid, and a Bell & Howell PZ3000. Then on top of that, a BUNCH of photos (with PanaVue things) from 1950-80 for 25$ lol. Definitely a steal!
Keep them and use them, thats the best you can do. I go very often to flea markets, they dont know anything about old cameras, that's the life, you have been lucky. I dont re-sell, I use them.
Bro all that waxing poetic it’s great that you appreciate the find but it’s yours now. No sense in feeling some kinda misplace guilt about it - the old owner is long gone now it’s time to keep it moving. So RIP them and that Rollei case 🫠
We have all dreamt of thrifting a Leica, you did it, living the dream! Totally understand the shakey hands, best camera thrift find ever caught on camera? 😄
Bro I had the same experience. I found a Leica CL with the lens in mint condition for $10 at a thrift. Hands shaking and blood pressure went through the roof!
I hope you're going to do a follow up video about the Leica and details about its condition. My first real camera was a very beat-up Leica M3 that my father gave me. It was a double stroke model and it had a cloudy rangefinder prism. I brought it to an official Leica place in northern New Jersey. A guy in a white lab coat and told me it would cost around $200 to fix it. This was around 1973. $200 back then is about $1400 today in 2024. I could not afford that and neither could my father. So I traded it in to a camera store in NYC. I got a Canon Canonet QL17 GIII. Thanks! P.S. I still have the receipt.
A few years ago, I was in a good will and saw a camera bag,. When I opened it it was a the small Leica. I took it to the counter . They charged by the ounce. I paid 39 cents. It worked perfect. I sold it for $275 2 years later
The thing about valuable antiques is the people that have them don’t have a clue and the people who want them have to turn over every stone looking for them.
Value center in the V got some dope stuff but their prices are ridiculous for a second hand shop. Theres another spot here in the V, I think it’s called happy trails…. They have some dope stuff there with lots of vintage cameras and a ton of vinyl.
KING : this is a very nice video about the Love of a Legacy ; thank you for sharing. I have purchased Leica and my M3 is a Single Stroke , but with buddha ears .. very rare , the gentleman in ITALY purchased it through Bellamy Hunt at JCH then Bellamy had it CLAD by KANTO of Japan , then sent to the man in Italy , I now have this lovely SS Leica that is of a " run " of less than a year , very rare M3 that used the DS body and had updated inside built by LEICA for a very short time , my example has a new leatherette wrap applied by KANTO and the unit works better than my MA Leica , yes: BETTER it is indeed their best as the view finder is so bright and my 64 year old eyes can enjoy that beautiful finder ... I hope to pass the cameras I have on to children , or Grand children God willing. Ah , yes there are certain cameras that carry a heritage of love with them and indeed I also feel very blessed to have the opportunity to use a beautiful M3 from the 1950's . 🙏🏻
I think you are right. The original owner passed, it was part of an estate sale or siblings either sold or donated the camera to the store. Can you trace this camera to the store it was originally bought at, if it still exists? Just enjoy it. Maybe one day someone will find you and tell you about the camera.
I highly doubt it would of been stolen if you found it at a Goodwill store. I grew up in the Bay Area and would go to the local flea markets, Goodwills and garage sales for decades before moving out of the area. Found a Leica iiif at a flea market for $20 - the guy told me a story about his parent in laws passing and the family rummaging through the home and found the leica in the attic. Found a Nikon 50mm f/1,1 in LTM at a flea market from a gentleman who's brother was a photographer and passed. Found a Contax T2 in box from a garage sale for free - it was thrown into the pile of stuff I bought. My pops found a Nikon S2 for me one time at a garage sale for $10. It happens all the time although those stories are over the past 10-14 years. Personally I'd be more suspicious if it was bought off Facebook Marketplace or the flea market but I think there would be other indicators.
I had a Cannon AE1 Program with many lenses stolen, I never turned it in to the police as stolen. I just figure I would never get it back, and a few years later I replace it with a digital point and shoot camera. As a kid I had a Argoflex Rollie when I was first learning to develop black and white film
There are no degrees of uniqueness, KJ.... unique is an absolute, and means, "no other like it"! A Leica?! I probably would have passed out on the spot!
Congrats on the M3 and like you said, honour whoever owned it previously by making the best pictures you possibly can. Whoever donated it to the thrift had no idea or just didn't care. Nevertheless it's in good hands now. Good luck!
Drop a like for more thrift videos! Hope you all enjoyed this one ❤
where is the thrift stores that you go and search for cameras? I’m curious to know 😮
First: congrats. :)
Second: What was the price of the Rolleiflex? :)
Third: consider edit the video, the serial of the Leica is exposed in one shot and maybe some false owners could appear...
How much did you buy Rolleiflex f2.8?
That's my Rolleiflex & Leica
You bought Rolleiflex for $49.99. Is that right?
The poor Rollei Leather case... bro please...🥺
This is exactly what I was thinking that shit was shredded 😂
Yeah that actually made me mad
glad i wasnt the only one who noticed
The family won't be happy when he returns the shredded leather ✌🙊
@@rayrayg9 🤣
Dude is shaking cause he ripped the shit out of that rollieflex case lol😅
I think he's shaking because this is absolute made up bullshit. "The reason it took me so long to upload the video is because I scoured the webz with the serial number because this had to have been stolen!" Goodwill are not idiots in 2024 there's protocol on pricing shit and what to do when they come across items that are worth a decent amount of money. An M3 did not get taken to Goodwill, and even if it had, there's no way a big youtuber is the one who found it. THEN even if a big youtuber did happen to find the one M3 at a goodwill, there's no way that someone just priced it at $30. This story is made up.
Yeah : Excitement 😂
the shaking hands has me weak omg 😭
Dream find! This just goes to show that when you're thrifting for anything, the secret is to go consistently and regularly.
100% good stuff is there when you least expect it
I agree! When I go thrifting I never go with the mindset of looking for a specific item. That way I always keep my eyes open for unexpected finds :)
just like gambling
oh wait
Found a Brownie Beau blue like this, for $13 and a Contax 137 with a Zeiss 50mm f1.4 for $10
Seconds count.
I've walked into thrifts only to see someone buying an item I wanted.
C'est la vie😢
I wouldn’t even bother trying to “find the family”. They donated it to the thrift for a reason. Many times they’re trying to clean up the estate of the loved one who passed. Best you can do is hang on to both and honor the legacy by using the gear and taking beautiful photos! Great finds!
I agree 100%.
Agree, and when you consider an estate (with someone who previously owned a Leica), they were highly likely very financially established. When you consider a 1k camera in comparison to a multi-million estate, it's pennies. Just enjoy the camera.
Exactly!
@@roundingcorners totally!!
I agree as well. The best we can do is to give a second or a third life to gears, else they would throw it into a trash
At first I was a little jealous of the two amazing finds you made, but your story and how you approached ensuring that they were not stolen was heartfelt and incredibly thoughtful. You are a very honorable man, and I am happy that you found these and that you intend to keep them together. Well done!
Yes.
No reason to be Jealous, regardless if our Video Host did theft checks or not. Seems like you got some emotional issues to work out, if watching a Video of a Thrift Find is making you Jealous. If it can happen to him, it can happen to you as well. So instead of just sitting and stewing in your Jealousy, why don't you get out there and thrift around, or look at the Used Market online and see if you can find a treasure too.
@@Cocytus It was just a joke, man. Relax.
I once stupidly tried to help someone who didn't know the significance of a black m2 + 50mm. I could have bought at a low price as they just wanted to get rid of a whole collection of cameras (incl rollei as well). Told them the real worth and then they went to a shop and got ripped off there anyway. Moral is I wouldn't expect the people who dropped these cameras off to appreciate them as much as we would, so just enjoy them!
The fact that this is your 335 Thrift episode just shows how hard it is to find such a camera during one of those searches. Cool to know you did though!
WHATTT?!?! That’s the endgame of camera thrifting. It’s like finding a Birkin in the thrift store at the price of an extremely worn bag. Congrats on this find 🙌🏼.
Facts Lmaoo I would never buy a camera from a thrift again, that’s the white whale
Hell yeah bro. You deserve this. Remember, good things happen to good people. Love ya, dude.
Also: bad things happen to good people; good things happen to bad people.
Awesome story and thrift man! I guess the original owner would love someone like you continue to use her/his camera.
A few weeks ago I got myself also a M3 from a private sale, because the son wasn't interested in photography. We had a great chat and wanted to make sure this inherit M3 will continue to be used, when I bought it. The first image I took with my M3 was of the seller, the son of the M3 owner and after developing the film I sent it to him. It made him very happy to see the M3 continue to be used.
I made and uploaded my own short video on YT about the story of my M3, but it really blows my mind and somehow honours me to be a owner of a Leica M3 I know the history, when and where it was bought and being the second owner after 70 years!
Would love to see future videos about your M3 after it being serviced. You did your best to check, if it was stolen, but I also think your theory is correct, since it is very similar to my M3.
Keep up your great work. Until now I was just a silence watcher :)
so much respect bro. What you did with the search was admirable. Now yours to own and love throughout the years.
Dude, you hit the freakin lottery!!!! I've literally had dreams that went like this LOL.
Also another great tip that i learned is go to rich cities to thrift 👍 i have found gems in more affluent communities than regular cities. Most well off people or retired folk just donate a lot of their top tier items. Cameras, clothing, decor 👏.
Trust me this is a big tip!!
Your due diligence is really commendable. Well done for being honest and lovely.
I had a similar experience a week ago, when my friends wife who is working at a college, contacted me, because the college was getting rid of all their analog cameras they had been lying around in a closet. Then she send me photos. It was a Leica M2 with two lenses and a Linhof super Technika IV 6x9 with 3 lenses. In the end I got these cameras for free. I also had my heart beating when I first saw the pictures. So I can relate to you and I can only congratulate you on these great cameras.
Whoa that is nuts.
So, I'm fortunate enough in my life to have owned some lovely expensive items. Things like luxury handbags or jackets, artists grade painting supplies, etc. But from my mother I also inherited this ingrained belief that if you aren't enjoying an item to its fullest, it is just sitting dead on your shelf. While I often resell items like these, I just as often decide the money has already been spent, and someone else deserves to enjoy them. That is the most important thing, is to not being greedy with your joy. I can't tell you how many very valuable items I've donated to goodwill just for the knowledge that someone might find a holy grail piece with shaking hands like you did. They probably think Im stupid for giving something like that away, but the point of owning wonderful things is to SHARE them.
These cameras made it to you the way they did, and while it's admirable that you hope to return them to the original family... YOU are the one who saw their value when no one else did. You DESERVE this gift. You are worthy, just by seeing their beauty. Im so so happy for you, and you deserve this!
That’s pretty cool of you
Real
This vid speaks volumes about your honesty, integrity and love of these vintage cameras. What a find. Well done.
Dude I'm shaking FOR you!!! You are such a stand up guy for trying to find the original owner. So happy for you, you truly deserve it.
ive been out of the film game for a while now, just getting back, first video in a very hot min, bro is looking GOOD. glow up is fire
I went to an antique store today, and found a 1955 Zeiss Contaflex II with the leather case, for $40. Its very clean, and still works. Waiting on my 35mm film to come in.
Having some kind soul like you find this camera, and using and loving it, is probably the best thing the family of the previous owner could hope for
People go to pawn shops with stolen stuff not thrift stores. That thought of “it might be stolen “ doesn’t even make sense.
Outstanding! My dad bought a Voigtlander Vito B in 1957 when he was in the Navy in Morocco. He and I used it until the early 1980s when I seized up. My son has it and plans on getting it fixed. I bought an identical one from a guy in Germany that is fully functional with the original case. It’s great.
I think that's beautiful dude. They found who they were meant to.
Great finds! And your mission with these cameras is phenomenal.
I'm always on the lookout for a Leica find and have instructed my wife to always look for camera's and send me a picture when she finds one.. That's a heck of a find... Grats
No guilt. This isn't really even luck. Everything is paid for in one way or another. Japes has put in the work of hunting for thousands of hours. Great find! Must've been crazy fun! These were probably donated from a lot of possessions from a relative who passed on. Those chain thrift stores are for profit, and make zillions of dollars of of these donations. These cameras came from a film lover, and landed in the hands of easily the most film loving person who could've possibly found them. Right on karma universe. Good looking out!
still fucked up how you ripped the top off that rollei case
Shit happens. If you can't forgive yourself how are you going to forgive someone else?
Man what an incredible thrift find! I’ve always hoped something like this would happen, but I did get super lucky and have a family member who asked if I wanted some older cameras they had from a deceased relative. Got my Rolleiflex 3.5F that way and bought my DS M3, but man. What finds and great cameras.
As a Goodwill employee, I can tell you that we receive a lot of fascinating and valuable donations. Sometimes donors contact the store to reclaim their items, but other times, items like CIB video games, consoles, early-to-mid 2000s Pokémon cards, and thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and audio equipment are left behind.
I’ve been following you for a while man and you definitely deserve that awesome find! Especially after the way you were so thoughtful about finding a possible owner who may have gotten it stolen. Keep up the great work man!
Hey bud, I think you are quite admirable for being so considerate of someone's old cameras. I shoot as well, and seeing your sincere response to trying to find the original owner.. hit me in the feels. Keep carrying the flame :) Much love from the Pacific Northwest of USA.
kind heart of you. keep it up! every camera, in itself, has a life of its own. quite noble you think of it that way.
We need more people like you in this world. I am a fan now.
The way you were shaking! God i love that feeling! The find! How lucky are you!
Brah shaking! Haha such a dope find brother
Haha, I felt that excitement through the screen 😂. Congratulations! I love thrifting, and always dream of finding something like this. I think someone passed away and left these behind as well, and it’s honestly pretty cool that they ended up with someone who appreciate them and understand what they are, like the previous owner did but their relatives didn’t :)
Once got a Hasseblad 500c/m for about 200 and a Yashica 124G for 50. Those were my best deals.
30 bucks for a Leica M3 is BEYOND insane.
You've done your due diligence, which many would not have likely even thought to do. In the meantime, get it serviced and use it. It's something that has stood the test of time. Great video!
Daaaaaaaaaaang, absolute grail find. But dang man, mad props to you to have done so much leg work to make sure it wasn't stolen gear. Congrats!!!
It’s the shaky hands for me. What a find! Congrats Jonathan!
I truly respect the level of care you're showing for that camera, its photographer, and their family, but honestly, I think you'll take so much better care of that than they would have. I imagine they would have sold it to the highest bidder if they'd known. But again, respect your effort for sure.
Thats exactly what I see every day at our store. Family members do know or see the value of cameras and just dump them on a store. Look just keep the cameras and do what the original owner would want and that is you use it to create more memories. Your hands were shaking and I het your heart was pounding out of your chest. Those cameras were meant to be yours. Just enjoy them, I know you will.
glad you got a nice thrift find! got mine a few months ago, exakta varex vx with a P. Angenieux 50mm type s21 lens, paid $125 and flipped it a month later for $9k! still kinda in disbelief about it lol
I don't know why but seeing your hands shake from excitement made me excited too LOL. Great video brother!
Absolutely unbelievable. That's the dream find, we all hope for. Glad to see that you tried to find out who the owner was. That's very honorable of you.
I probably just would have enjoyed the camera and given it a new life at my side without really thinking about the possibility of it being stolen or anything like that. Thanks for widening my horizon on that matter. I will keep that in mind in case I ever find anything remotely similar.
Love what you do/did here!! Amazed at how "good" you are... very rare. The effort to find the owner is remarkable. More info and shooting results for BOTH is very welcome. I'msure everybody down below are saying..."Why doesn't this happen to me" I'm glad it happened to you. (Umm BTW that motivational speech was inspiring..headed out looking for gear)
Well the plus side is that as long as you didn’t rip the actual leather and just the stitching; it can be repaired. Take it to a leather specialist.
I have a same stroy. I got into photography as an old man passed and we were cleaning up his house. unfortunately the camera was already taken or sold but I got a lot of gear for the Pentacon Six. So I went online and bought a broken Pentacon. It was a mess but eventually I did a clean, repair and lube and now it's working like a charm. Soon on I got more into photography and my life changed with it. Im very happy to still hold the gear of an old man and use it for my new hobby.
I got an m3 earlier this year and it’s the greatest rangefinder I’ve ever used. I absolutely love shooting with both eyes open on the 50mm. As someone who has been using a rangefinder for a while now it was a transformative experience to be able to upgrade to it. Make sure you give it a good CLA.
A holy grail type of find. The best i did was a mint nikon fm 2 with 55mm macro, for 35$ and a super mint nikon f2 with strangely enough ,a 55mm macro for 15 $ a few years ago.
Incredible man, what a dream come true. I like the lengths you went through as well to do the research and make sure it wasn't stolen or anything of the sort. I would've felt the same way 😂 too good to be true. love this and the way you handled it
I agree with your assessment of someone getting old and the camera's being donated. Ultimately those cameras went to the right person. The previous owner would be happy. Subbed
Such a nice person you’re. Heartening. God Blessed
Wow KJ, amazing find-- -$30?? for a Leica, that's literally a steal! killer deal, love your honesty in going down a rabbit hole with the serial numbers etc. awesome!!
Congrats on the awesome finds!!! Last January, when I needed to buy a film camera for Darkroom, I was lucky enough to get a Leica R3 because it and a lens were going to be the same price as a Nikon F3HP and a lens. When the R3 showed up, it was engraved with a name and year. Quick Google search turned up a former Leica employee a few hours away. I found them on Facebook and sent a message. No response, so I just focused on class and made photos.
The day of the final critique a friend calls me asking about a camera that I might be interested in. I reply send me pictures. The pictures arrived of a Rolleiflex with original box, leather case and strap. Show my professor after class and he freaks, so I go get it for him to look over. Turns out it is a 2.8E. I got the camera for a awesome deal due to being a student, friend and was going to keep using it.
Almost a year after messaging the person with their name on the R3, he responds. Turns out he’s tickled pink his camera is being used by a student. We still message each other and I share my work.
Use the cameras and make new stories with them.
So happy for you man. I understand why you went above and beyond to justify your intentions etc but there's really no need - you deserve this. enjoy!
Congratulations on such a goldmine of a find, and kudos to you for your integrity and honesty. That speaks volumes to who you are and the love for the community of photographers that you have. You have my deepest respect! I would try to see if Leica itself has any leads. Maybe the original or last owner had it serviced or registered the camera with the warranty when it was first purchased. It's a long shot, but it's worth the try. I hope you find the owner's family and if not, enjoy!
All I can say is wow!. Glad to see your the kind of guy to be honorable about trying to find out if it was hot and to seek out the original owner or family. That's really cool of you.
Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! I think the previous owner of both of those cameras would like nothing better than to have you take some really nice shots with them.
My goodness, you are lucky to have so many second hand stores nearby and at the same time, they have many models of cameras.
Here in my country there are few and the models are always the same...
Enjoy it and keep looking for cameras, I do it because of you.
Awesome find, good on you for trying to do right by the original owner! Enjoy the camera🎉
haha mans so excited straight ripped the cover of the rollei right off top! haha
great finds tho bro! well deserved! 💪🏽💪🏽
Glad to hear you’re gonna keep them and put them to good use, this is the way. My wife purchased a rolleiflex from a friend whose wife passed away, she was a photographer. The funds were donated to charity on her request so we all felt good about the transaction full filing her wish that the camera went to a good home for use and it raised funds for a good cause. Good on you for doing the right thing and looking around in case it was stolen but it seems more likely someone donated it without having any value for it even sentimental.
Ended up going to a yard sale a little while ago and the guy was selling a camera from a professor in Arizona in the 90-60-70s. Had a talk with him because I love collecting cameras too. The guy ended up giving me a Minolta SRT102, a Cine-Kodak Magazine 8, a TDC Bell & Howell Stereo Vivid, and a Bell & Howell PZ3000. Then on top of that, a BUNCH of photos (with PanaVue things) from 1950-80 for 25$ lol. Definitely a steal!
Keep them and use them, thats the best you can do. I go very often to flea markets, they dont know anything about old cameras, that's the life, you have been lucky. I dont re-sell, I use them.
Bro all that waxing poetic it’s great that you appreciate the find but it’s yours now. No sense in feeling some kinda misplace guilt about it - the old owner is long gone now it’s time to keep it moving. So RIP them and that Rollei case 🫠
We have all dreamt of thrifting a Leica, you did it, living the dream! Totally understand the shakey hands, best camera thrift find ever caught on camera? 😄
Bro I had the same experience. I found a Leica CL with the lens in mint condition for $10 at a thrift. Hands shaking and blood pressure went through the roof!
I respect and appreciate your ethics. God blessed you with these cameras. Put them to work and make the person who provided you the blessed proud.
Holy cow! Lucky bugger! So happy for you. I love your take on them and your desired to treasure them. ❤
I hope you're going to do a follow up video about the Leica and details about its condition.
My first real camera was a very beat-up Leica M3 that my father gave me. It was a double stroke model and it had a cloudy rangefinder prism. I brought it to an official Leica place in northern New Jersey. A guy in a white lab coat and told me it would cost around $200 to fix it. This was around 1973. $200 back then is about $1400 today in 2024. I could not afford that and neither could my father. So I traded it in to a camera store in NYC. I got a Canon Canonet QL17 GIII. Thanks!
P.S. I still have the receipt.
If you find a Kodak Retina IIIC make sure to snag it! They're super cool rangefinders! Old but gold!!!
I love seeing your passion for cameras, we’re all just a bunch of dorks
BRO U DESERVE THIS FIND! good shit you hunted that - manifested - conquered.
Love this! Camera Karma is real, bro. I hope you make beautiful images with that Leica.
I have an MA and a M6, but my everyday is a M3…the greatest Leica of all of them. Rolleiflex 2.8f. Amazing find.
Sooo nice of you to check to see if it was stolen gear. that is monumental! Congrats on your new pick up !
A few years ago, I was in a good will and saw a camera bag,. When I opened it it was a the small Leica. I took it to the counter . They charged by the ounce. I paid 39 cents. It worked perfect. I sold it for $275 2 years later
never change brother
The thing about valuable antiques is the people that have them don’t have a clue and the people who want them have to turn over every stone looking for them.
Value center in the V got some dope stuff but their prices are ridiculous for a second hand shop. Theres another spot here in the V, I think it’s called happy trails…. They have some dope stuff there with lots of vintage cameras and a ton of vinyl.
KING : this is a very nice video about the Love of a Legacy ; thank you for sharing. I have purchased Leica and my M3 is a Single Stroke , but with buddha ears .. very rare , the gentleman in ITALY purchased it through Bellamy Hunt at JCH then Bellamy had it CLAD by KANTO of Japan , then sent to the man in Italy , I now have this lovely SS Leica that is of a " run " of less than a year , very rare M3 that used the DS body and had updated inside built by LEICA for a very short time , my example has a new leatherette wrap applied by KANTO and the unit works better than my MA Leica , yes: BETTER it is indeed their best as the view finder is so bright and my 64 year old eyes can enjoy that beautiful finder ...
I hope to pass the cameras I have on to children , or Grand children God willing. Ah , yes there are certain cameras that carry a heritage of love with them and indeed I also feel very blessed to have the opportunity to use a beautiful M3 from the 1950's . 🙏🏻
I think you are right. The original owner passed, it was part of an estate sale or siblings either sold or donated the camera to the store. Can you trace this camera to the store it was originally bought at, if it still exists? Just enjoy it. Maybe one day someone will find you and tell you about the camera.
I highly doubt it would of been stolen if you found it at a Goodwill store.
I grew up in the Bay Area and would go to the local flea markets, Goodwills and garage sales for decades before moving out of the area.
Found a Leica iiif at a flea market for $20 - the guy told me a story about his parent in laws passing and the family rummaging through the home and found the leica in the attic. Found a Nikon 50mm f/1,1 in LTM at a flea market from a gentleman who's brother was a photographer and passed. Found a Contax T2 in box from a garage sale for free - it was thrown into the pile of stuff I bought. My pops found a Nikon S2 for me one time at a garage sale for $10.
It happens all the time although those stories are over the past 10-14 years. Personally I'd be more suspicious if it was bought off Facebook Marketplace or the flea market but I think there would be other indicators.
Amazing finds, and give them a very good CLA so will be perfect for the next 20 years.
bro hit the thrift OF A LIFE TIME
I had a Cannon AE1 Program with many lenses stolen, I never turned it in to the police as stolen. I just figure I would never get it back, and a few years later I replace it with a digital point and shoot camera. As a kid I had a Argoflex Rollie when I was first learning to develop black and white film
yoo!! i’ve been waiting for this moment since the first time i watched you. nice find man and hope you can find the original owner in the future!
There are no degrees of uniqueness, KJ.... unique is an absolute, and means, "no other like it"! A Leica?! I probably would have passed out on the spot!
I know the original owner is smiling on you with this video! Props buddy.
Ok... I thought this was fake but looking at how your hand shakes when you see the Leica... that can't be faked. Bravo!
Congrats on the M3 and like you said, honour whoever owned it previously by making the best pictures you possibly can. Whoever donated it to the thrift had no idea or just didn't care. Nevertheless it's in good hands now. Good luck!
the worst part about finding these gems is to stay cool and not freak out lmfao
Duuuude, congrats 😁 Of all people who put in the hours & miles rolling the thriftstore dice, you deserved this strike 💪
Glad they found their way to you, no better person to take care of them and give them new life.
Bro, you won a lottery! 😮 Congrats on getting Leica camera for a bargain.🙌🏼
Dude is opening camera cases like kids removing gift wrapping on Christmas morning