Old vintage cameras have something that could be described as a patina of the past - they may have a scratch or the glass of the flash has a crack. Like a patina on a pot, these signs of use make the camera even more interesting than its original appearance because all these little things tell a story and reveal a past: You might get a glimpse into someone else's life and how they used the camera. When you are buying a second-hand camera, you get a piece of history. A brand new camera sealed in plastic will never have the charm of an analogue legend.

Maybe your second-hand analogue camera has been a companion in some of the most memorable moments of someone's life. Maybe it was there at all the important celebrations, the best holidays near and far away, maybe it captured the most breathtaking sunsets.

Perhaps someone used this camera to take portraits that meant the most to them. Those pictures could bring back a fond memory of someone they loved. Those photographs could be the only proof left that this love has ever existed.

How to buy an analogue camera in 2024

A film camera could come to you in various ways: as a gift, a flea market find, an inheritance, you can find them in second-hand shops and many other places.

Buying a vintage camera is also a treasure hunt. It can sometimes take months to find the perfect deal, so be patient and careful.

If you want to buy your first second-hand camera to try your hand at analogue photography, I would recommend checking out online second-hand markets which sell everything from clothes to technical equipment. Unlike a flea market, you can compare prices and conditions for the same type of camera.

In Austria we have a second hand platform called "Willhaben" where you can set up an alert to be reminded when the camera you desire is available for purchase.

For an ever-growing selection, I would recommend "Ebay Kleinanzeigen" from Germany. If possible, pick up the camera yourself and take some batteries with you to check if the camera is still working. Don't forget to check if the lens is still in a good condition, and in case it's a zoom lens, try out the zoom function as well, as this mechanical part is prone to getting defect. If the price seems too good to be true, there may be a reason for it; it may not work properly or be broken.

If the camera is worth a few hundred euros and the only way to get it is by post, make sure to buy from a trustworthy private seller. If possible, always choose a buyer's protection. When I was looking for my Leica analogue camera, I noticed a few scammers online. There were several different sellers using the same pictures of the camera – be rather safe than sorry and use the "google lens" for a reverse image search to see if you can find the pictures somewhere else on the internet or ask for a specific photo with the camera in it. The scammers will stop at nothing, so check the pictures you receive very carefully as they may have been manipulated.

For a more secure option, there are also many official second-hand camera shops – both online and offline – which offer a wide range of old analogue and digital cameras. These cameras have been tested, cleaned and repaired, are usually in a very good condition and often come with a one-year warranty.  Of course, these services and the camera itself will cost more than buying from a private seller, but you can be sure of getting a great camera.

Look out for shops like Safelight (Berlin), Kameratori (Tampere), Mint and Rare (Vienna), Leica Classics store - they have a great reputation and usually ship worldwide.

Check out which cameras I bought in 2023 and 2024:

The story of my Leica Minilux

I wanted to be Columbo for a day and solve the case of my camera and its past. My camera provided some clues. On the bottom of my Leica Minilux, I found a serial number which told me that the camera was manufactured in 1995, which means that it will be 30 years old next year.

I bought my Leica Minilux on Ebay Kleinanzeigen from a man in Hamburg, Germany.

The pictures on the internet showed a man holding the camera in his left hand. His arm was covered with tattoos. On the camera I could see a round, coloured sticker with the name of a company. The camera belonged to a film director who makes successful commercials for “Volkswagen” or “About You”. The internet is like an open book for biographies and on the agency's website I found out that he is even a year younger than me and that his love for cameras intensified when he worked as a sailor on container ships, isolated from the rest of the world, at the age of 17. In 2012 he started his own business where he has integrated all his knowledge and experience. Quite impressive!

I suppose he has used the camera for behind the scenes shots of his work or family shots as he has a wife who sent the camera to me. So the camera has definitely seen some great places and has been used very creatively!

There is another indication of a previous owner on the camera itself. It's an engraving that reads "1925 - 2000, 75 Jahre H. J. Blömer, 75 Jahre Leica". The camera was probably a birthday present for H. J. Blömer when he turned 75.

Leica was founded in 1869; in the early years they produced microscopes and then began to develop various products like cameras. 1925 was the year when Leica introduced the Leica I camera at the Leipzig Spring Fair. The Leica I is known as the camera that changed photography. The Leica I was not the first 35mm camera, but it was the first to make 35mm film truly viable, leading to the most popular film format of all time.

After some research, I found out that H. J. Blömer stands for Hans Joseph Blömer, a publisher and founder of the C.A.T. publishing house (named after his sons Christoph, Andreas and Thomas, but also for "Creative Advertising Team"). He was born on 22 March 1925. He attended the master school for German book printers in Munich. Later he set up his own publishing company, mainly for the photographic trade.

What I liked most about his biography was that he published a magazine for female photographers called "Charmant - Fotofreundin der Frau". The idea was to create a magazine for the photographic trade that not only dealt with the subject of photography, but also with the increasingly self-confident target group of women. As well as being a publisher, he also wrote several articles for these magazines, sometimes published his own poetry or song lyrics.

As I can see from the pictures, he was a happy looking man with a bold choice of suits. In the pictures he often had a brown briefcase with him and it seems he travelled a lot. I spotted pictures of him in Las Vegas or playing golf. He sadly passed away in 2019 at the age of 94. I am sure the camera was in very good hands and I am honoured to called it mine now.

Photos of my Leica Minilux