My $60 thrift store camera turned out to be a mold farm

Picked up a vintage film camera from a flea market in Nashville, thought I got a steal. Got home, opened the lens compartment and the whole inside smelled like wet basement. Took it to a shop and they said the mold had eaten the shutter mechanism, clean-up would cost more than the camera itself. I mean, I knew buying used gear was a gamble but I didn't think to check for fungus. Anyone else get burned by a hidden defect on a secondhand tech purchase?

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gavin_kelly911mo ago

Heard this exact thing on a camera repair podcast last month. They said mold on vintage gear is way more common than people think, especially if it sat in a humid garage or basement for years. The seller probably knew too, some folks wipe the outside and call it good but the inside is toast. I guess a UV light is the cheap way to check for fungus before you hand over cash. Sucks you got burned though, that's a rough $60 lesson.

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