Continuing on the theme of the Collector’s Experience, there is a tale to tell about this Nikon EM. When first spotted it was in the company of two other 35 mm cameras. The three cameras were priced at $3.25, $5 and the Nikon EM at $25. Questioning the $25 price—being considerably higher than the far more recent and equally far advanced other two cameras—the reply was, “The person who priced them said, ‘Interest in 35 mm photography by young people has greatly increased the price of 35 mm cameras, and the EM comes with a case!’”
As a principled collector I was prepared to leave it at that until I noticed a Nikon SB-E flash was priced separately (for $1.75 if my memory serves me well). I told the clerk the flash was made for the EM so they ended up bagging the two together for $25. Already I have helped provide more value for the $25!
Of course at those prices I took the two other cameras. I was prepared to leave the thrift store with a camera of "real value" that some other collector—or that mythical “young person interested in 35 mm photography”—could snap up.
The camera was there several weeks later. The clerk had changed to one who had priced items and has known me for many, many years. I noticed the plastic bag was open, the flash was missing and the price had been lowered from $25 to $15. I explained I still thought the price was high, more from the point of consistency. This thrift store’s highest price for anything photographic—digital or film—had been $5 for most of its history. The clerk said if I was willing to offer $5 for the EM, she would accept that. So I thanked her and bought it.
A week later the now completely unpriced SB-E flash showed up on the shelf. The first clerk was on duty again. I pointed out to her we had agreed the SB-E flash belonged to the EM camera and they had been selling together. I said I had bought the camera and she said I could just take the flash.
What are we learning here about the collecting experience?
We are finding out I value the interchange with thrift store clerks. Treat them fairly and they will bend over backwards to treat you fairly. Don’t try to win cheap advantage for immediate gain as it will cost you in the long run. Let others have a chance every once in a while, as sometimes you are winning because other collectors have passed over something.
As Red Green said on his wonderful show, “We are all in this together!”.
The Nikon EM camera (1979-1984) is an astonishing camera. Instead of Nikon, it was designed by an Italian. It has a surface finish unlike all other Nikon cameras. It is probably the only camera you will meet that has an articulated advance lever. Other than two manual shutter speeds (90 sec and bulb—and they both work even if the camera’s batteries fail) you have no manual settings for the shutter speed. It has a single button that increases the exposure more than a stop. It had special accessories introduced with it like a winder and a special flash. It also had a line of lenses redesigned for compactness and lightweight construction (more plastic). It was smaller and lighter than other Nikon cameras. All EM cameras had black finish. When used with the SB-E flash you could set your choice of apertures as long as you adjusted your shooting range (for more details read the blog on the Nikon SB-E flash). There were millions of EM’s sold
This Nikon EM came with a fine semi-leather case.
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