A sad day at the dump

I went to the local landfill today with household junk and branch
trimmings. As I was pulling things off the back of the truck, I noticed
a small black case on the ground a few feet away.

I'm a curious sort, so walked over and picked it up.

It said 'Pentax' on the flap.

I opened it and inside was a very very clean Espio 738g point and shoot
35mm camera. No activity when I tried powering up. I had film at home
and picked up a three volt battery at the drug store. There wasn't a
scratch on the case or the body.

At home, I changed the battery and put in the film. The thing self
loads, much like the Stylus Epic. I closed the cover and it went to
frame one almost instantly.

Now, I'm really happy with my find, but quite saddened that someone
should hold a working camera in so little regard as to dump it. At the
very least, it should have been donated to someone or an agency that
could give it a good home.

As it stands, I'm looking forward to getting the film developed this
coming week.

mike

m II wrote:
I went to the local landfill today with household junk and branch
trimmings. As I was pulling things off the back of the truck, I
noticed a small black case on the ground a few feet away.

I'm a curious sort, so walked over and picked it up.

It said 'Pentax' on the flap.

I opened it and inside was a very very clean Espio 738g point and
shoot 35mm camera. No activity when I tried powering up. I had film
at home and picked up a three volt battery at the drug store. There
wasn't a scratch on the case or the body.

At home, I changed the battery and put in the film. The thing self
loads, much like the Stylus Epic. I closed the cover and it went to
frame one almost instantly.

Now, I'm really happy with my find, but quite saddened that someone
should hold a working camera in so little regard as to dump it. At the
very least, it should have been donated to someone or an agency that
could give it a good home.

As it stands, I'm looking forward to getting the film developed this
coming week.

When you get your film developed, it's quite possible you'll discover a
reason they dumped it...
(Screwed-up shutter...timing off...etc.)
-Hope not, though...

--
Images (Plus Snaps & Grabs) by Mark² at:
www.pbase.com/markuson

"m II" wrote in message news:FLtIg.17304$395.2654@edtnps90...
I went to the local landfill today with household junk and branch
trimmings. As I was pulling things off the back of the truck, I noticed a
small black case on the ground a few feet away.

I'm a curious sort, so walked over and picked it up.

It said 'Pentax' on the flap.

I opened it and inside was a very very clean Espio 738g point and shoot
35mm camera. No activity when I tried powering up. I had film at home and
picked up a three volt battery at the drug store. There wasn't a scratch
on the case or the body.

At home, I changed the battery and put in the film. The thing self loads,
much like the Stylus Epic. I closed the cover and it went to frame one
almost instantly.

Now, I'm really happy with my find, but quite saddened that someone should
hold a working camera in so little regard as to dump it. At the very
least, it should have been donated to someone or an agency that could give
it a good home.

As it stands, I'm looking forward to getting the film developed this
coming week.

mike

gone are the days to worry about what you have got and what you are dumping,
we are in a throw away world now.

I have sitting in my security lockup 1000 ££££'s worth of 35mm Nikon gear
that has become valueless since the take over by digital. I have thought
about dropping my MINT F2AS or F2A into a block of clear acrylic.

http://www.ncaltd.co.uk/paperweights.htm

and having it as a display piece on the shelf.......what do you think.

Lez Pawl wrote:


I have sitting in my security lockup 1000 ££££'s worth of 35mm Nikon gear
that has become valueless since the take over by digital. I have thought
about dropping my MINT F2AS or F2A into a block of clear acrylic.

http://www.ncaltd.co.uk/paperweights.htm

and having it as a display piece on the shelf.......what do you think.



Spoken like a true photographer...

"m II" wrote

local landfill ... picked it up.
very very clean Espio 738g point and shoot
quite saddened that someone should hold a working camera in so little
regard

It may not be the camera that was held in low regard:
You have no idea what a soon-to-be-ex can throw out.

Actually you probably have a very good idea...

In article t,
Nicholas O. Lindan wrote:

It may not be the camera that was held in low regard:
You have no idea what a soon-to-be-ex can throw out.

Maybe. But I think a more generic contempt is more likely. I spend a
good bit of time at garage sales and flea markets, and they're littered
with competent 35mm P&S's - with very low asking prices and no takers.

OTOH, the same venues ask (but do not receive) ridiculously high prices
for anything that appears to be a "serious" camera. I guess they
haven't gotten the word yet. Just yesterday I saw a grubby Nikon EM
with off-brand flash and 135mm lens for $250!

On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 06:47:13 +0100, "Lez Pawl"
wrote:


I have sitting in my security lockup 1000 ££££'s worth of 35mm Nikon gear
that has become valueless since the take over by digital. I have thought
about dropping my MINT F2AS or F2A into a block of clear acrylic.

I'll send ya a dead lizard that you can encase in acrylic in exchange
for the Nikon gear.

--
Colyn Goodson

http://www.colyngoodson.com

Colyn wrote:

On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 06:47:13 +0100, "Lez Pawl"
wrote:



I have sitting in my security lockup 1000 ££££'s worth of 35mm Nikon gear
that has become valueless since the take over by digital. I have thought
about dropping my MINT F2AS or F2A into a block of clear acrylic.


I'll send ya a dead lizard that you can encase in acrylic in exchange
for the Nikon gear.

I'll trade you my broken digital P&S for old nikon lenses!

--
Paul Furman
http://www.edgehill.net/1
Bay Natives
http://www.baynatives.com

"Scott Schuckert" wrote in message
...
In article t,
Nicholas O. Lindan wrote:

It may not be the camera that was held in low regard:
You have no idea what a soon-to-be-ex can throw out.

Maybe. But I think a more generic contempt is more likely. I spend a
good bit of time at garage sales and flea markets, and they're littered
with competent 35mm P&S's - with very low asking prices and no takers.

OTOH, the same venues ask (but do not receive) ridiculously high prices
for anything that appears to be a "serious" camera. I guess they
haven't gotten the word yet. Just yesterday I saw a grubby Nikon EM
with off-brand flash and 135mm lens for $250!

I bought my wife a (like) brand new, still-in-the-box Canon Elf II at a flea
market a few months ago for $12. She has the first model they came out with
10 years ago that I bought her for her 60th birthday. - It cost me
$350.....The "new" one works perfectly......

"Jeff Burke" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 28 Aug 2006 06:47:13 +0100, "Lez Pawl"
wrote:

I have sitting in my security lockup 1000 ££££'s worth of 35mm Nikon gear
that has become valueless since the take over by digital.

It is only valueless if it no longer functions or you are incapable of
operating it.

They all function perfectly and there's nothing I like more than using those
quality cameras BUT I find operating and running a digital sooooo much
easier and quicker.

For the quality I am looking for I can take hundreds of pictures and have
them on visible within minutes. They go onto my computer and run in slide
show mode so that we see them all day and every day if we want.

My 35mm pics would be left either in the packet or slide boxes and never see
the light of day for years.