Conditions Affecting Camera Value
People value cameras in distinct and different ways. For instance, a camera in mint cosmetic condition, but not functioning, may be perfectly acceptable to a collector. On the other hand, a user may not care as much about the appearance of the camera, as long as it works really well. I believe collectible cameras should be judged on a combination of cosmetic condition and functionality. The tables below list my general rating categories for both cosmetic value and functionality of used cameras.

Cosmetic Condition		Functional Condition
Rating	Cosmetic Description	Rating	Functional Description
Mint	New in box with original warranties, or as new, never used, with absolutely no signs of wear.	Mint	New, everything functioning perfectly. Still has factory warranty or seller guarantees functioning.
Excellent	Very minimal signs of wear. If it had a box, you'd have a hard time telling it from new.	Excellent	Everything functioning well. Recently cleaned, lubed and overhauled.
Very Good	May have signs of slight use, but not abuse. Very Clean.	Very Good	Everything is functioning. Major functions recently professionally tested.
Good	Camera is complete, but showing signs of normal use or age. Lens is clean and clear.	Good	Fully functioning, but not cleaned or overhauled recently. Accuracy of shutter speeds or meter not guaranteed.
Fair	Complete, but showing signs of heavy use. Lens glass may show light, inoffensive cleaning marks.	Fair	Usable, but not fully. Shutter may stick at slow speeds. Meter may work sporadically, or not at all.
Poor	Restorable. Refinishing may be required or truly necessary. Minor parts may be broken or missing.	Poor	Not usable without repair or cleaning. Shutter, meter and/or film advance may be jammed or broken.
Parts	Major damage or severe abuse evident. Consider major restoration effort only if rare or hard-to-find.	Parts	Major damage, non-functioning. Probably not worth repair. Toss, or use for service parts only.