What are the best eBay finds for people who collect old point-and-shoot cameras?

Best eBay finds for old point-and-shoot collectors are usually premium 35mm film compacts and early CCD digicams.

Top film picks

• Contax T2 — iconic, sharp, collectible, but often expensive.
• Contax T3 — even pricier, with strong demand.
• Olympus Stylus Epic / Mju II — small, sharp, weather-resistant, and a favorite for everyday carry.
• Ricoh GR1 / GR1s / GR1v — excellent image quality and portability; check carefully because some units are finicky.
• Nikon 35Ti / 28Ti — premium titanium compacts with a loyal following.
• Canon Sure Shot, Kodak, Minolta pocket compacts — usually the better value if you want a good working camera without collector pricing.

Top digital picks

• Canon PowerShot SD1000 — a classic early CCD look.
• Other early-2000s CCD compacts from Canon, Sony, Nikon, and Olympus — often cheap, fun, and easy to resell if working well.

What to check before buying

• Look for tested, fully working, or film tested listings.
• Avoid vague untested listings unless the price is low.
• Check for fungus, haze, sticky zoom, LCD bleed, corrosion, and battery-door damage.
• For Japanese listings, read past the grade like Near Mint or Excellent and inspect the full description.

Best strategy: choose the model you actually want, then prioritize clear photos, a real return policy, and specific test results for shutter, flash, autofocus, zoom, and battery compartment condition.