One of the beauties of life is never knowing when you'll wake up and live out your lucky day. This amateur photographer just did, and they shared their good fortune through a Reddit post in r/ThriftStoreHauls.
The accompanying photo shows a Nikon camera with a massive lens. It looks to be in great shape.
"$42 auction find," the Redditor captioned their post. "Title included 'For Repair or Parts' and was described as having an error when powered on. The error? No SD card inserted. I am thrilled! a capable DSLR has been on my non-priority list for quite some time now."
For context, Nikon cameras sell at retail price for hundreds of dollars, or even over a thousand, depending on the model.
But it's not uncommon to stumble upon treasures while secondhand shopping — whether it's a funky vintage lamp for the cost of two dozen eggs, a "white whale" in the form of a pink KitchenAid, or a professional-level camera at an auction.
Purchasing quality items secondhand is not only economical, but it also contributes to a cycle that is good for the environment. The Redditor who claimed this camera prevented it from winding up in a landfill, along with 2.12 billion tons of waste that does so each year, according to The World Counts.
Fortunately, thrifting is a popular activity. According to BusinessDIT, about 16-18% of Americans shop at thrift stores, and people who do so are expected to save almost $150 per month.
This particular Redditor may have saved an even more substantial amount. Others took to the comments section to compliment the camera and share their own experiences with it.
"That's great!" one user commented. "Looks like it came with a hefty lens too!"
"It's a great camera," another said. "I still use mine today. Purchased in July 2010."
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