Question:
I’m just starting to experiment with photography after spending many years building collages out of found objects. It’s an entirely new way to see and I’m loving this perspective. But because I’m a young user, I’m looking for lots of equipment at the best price. My friends say they get cameras, digicams, scanners, all this stuff from uBid.com. I’m likely to follow their lead, but you know how it is when you’re new at something. You don’t want to throw a lot of money at it in case you retreat into your regular medium after an initial sweetheart phase and then you have to unload all this equipment, or worse yet, store it. So, since I haven’t had dinner with all you guys for years, give me some *unbiased* advice if you can. Are online auctions reliable? Do they really offer good equipment? Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff? )Sylvan(
Response:
You will probably get varied opinions. Mine is that no, it is not a place for the best prices and it is a sellers market, at least for photography equipment. My view also is that people are paying far too much and that simply keeps prices higher than average on eBay. It is an interesting phenomenon but don’t bother if you expect a good deal. Private individuals and many dealers offer better, realistic pricing. Check out http://www.photo.net and of course the rec.photo.marketplace newsgroups.
Response:
I’m just starting to experiment with photography after spending many years building collages out of found objects. It’s an entirely new way to see and I’m loving this perspective. But because I’m a young user, I’m looking for lots of equipment at the best price. My friends say they get cameras, digicams, scanners, all this stuff from uBid.com. I’m likely to follow their lead, [snip] Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff? )Sylvan(
Hey, nice little advert for Ubid.com. eBay is the real auction spot, even though prices will run high on popular items! -dan
Response:
I have bought a lot of gear via ebay, as well as r.p.m and the auction runs hot and cold. I have purchased several thousands dollars worth of lens and stereo gear, and a couple hundred CDs. But write this down and use it as a mouse pad: Buyer Beware In fact, write it down a couple times every time you think about bidding on something. There are more than mere rip offs to worry about. You need to know about things like, older stuff might not be compatible with newer parts, or, the older systems require batteries no longer made, like many folks with antique Luna Pro meters discovered. (I wondered why there were so many up for sale…) The overbidding wars on ebay have been documented. Especially the digital camera rage. I’ve seen some items at Amazon where the item is offered at retail price. (one advantage with Amazon, temporarily I think, is that they are guaranteeing up to $250 the buyer’s side against fraud or misleading items, I should read it again, I don’t think it is a satisfaction guaranteed deal. I always double check the items with a reliable used source, KEH or BandH (B&H) and wouldn’t bid over 80% of the grade lower than the items is boasted as. the auction market is running cold now, at least on the Mamiya items I track. there seems to be a lot of dealers now, and many items are not getting up to the reserve price. But I went to a large photo collectors show, about 50 or more dealers from all over, and I was shocked at the requested prices. While holding a camera in you hand and checking it out is very comforting, it is no more proof against many problems than dealing with an ebay stranger. The buyer has to be ware of more than the seller, but themselves too! In my own case, I bought some acoustat spectra two speakers. They are electrostatic speakers, they have a tall thin plastic membrane between two metal grids and a base speaker in the bottom. I saw a set in an audiophile store and loved them. These looked like metal CD towers, with a heavy base that you can mount of the wall. Wondrous sound but out of my price range, $2,500. I saw some on ebay, asked a lot of questions, they were bigger and older models, tall thin panels with an 8 inch woofer in the base. Sounded familiar and I bid on what I saw in my mind. What I didn’t ask was the condition of the fabric, cause I didn’t know these had a fabric cover. What I got was two dirty (twenty years of dust on the white canvas cover, closet doors in two foot square bases, yeah, there was an 8 inch woofer in the base. Oh, and for best sound, the speakers should be placed three feet from the wall, right, which would place them right in the middle of my apartment. (I moved…. the speakers sound wonderful, ugly as a blind date but every box speaker now sounds like a box.) I bid on my own expectations. But for a grand, I have a $5K sound system all from ebay. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You will probably get varied opinions. Mine is that no, it is not a place for the best prices and it is a sellers market, at least for photography equipment. My view also is that people are paying far too much and that simply keeps prices higher than average on eBay. It is an interesting phenomenon but don’t bother if you expect a good deal. Private individuals and many dealers offer better, realistic pricing. Check out http://www.photo.net and of course the rec.photo.marketplace newsgroups.
Response:
My view also is that people are paying far too much and that simply keeps prices higher than average on eBay. It is an interesting phenomenon but don’t bother if you expect a good deal. Private individuals and many dealers offer better, realistic pricing. Check out http://www.photo.net and of course the rec.photo.marketplace newsgroups.
My obervations have been that certain categories such as popular 35mm systems bring a premium on ebay. On the other hand, medium and large format items tend to be selling at or slightly below what dealers asked for them used. C. Wood
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You really need to know what you’re buying (and some good luck) to get a real good deal with those places, yes, it’s great if your selling… Buy from a reliable store or site that offers a good warranty and will offer info for you. Consider spending a little more to get something with good resale (Older Nikon or a Pentax K1000 come to mind).
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I always double check the items with a reliable used source, KEH or BandH (B&H) and wouldn’t bid over 80% of the grade lower than the items is boasted as.
Most of my equipment has come from ebay, and I have been very pleased. I just purchased a canon T-90 for only $350. The local stores want $600-750 for the same camera. BUt I agree with the above, I never ever bid close to what KEH sells it for. The had a T-90 for $484, so my highest bid on the camera would have been $400. After that, I’d rather pay the extra for the one from KEH. I would highly recommend you get on their mailing list as you will have a nice handy price guide. B&H is also a nice guide, but their prices do tend to be higher, so I use KEH’s to determine my maximum. Meghan Friesians in the Northwest www.zoocrewphoto.com/friesian.htm
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I always double check the items with a reliable used source, KEH or BandH (B&H) and wouldn’t bid over 80% of the grade lower than the items is boasted as. Most of my equipment has come from ebay, and I have been very pleased. I just purchased a canon T-90 for only $350. The local stores want $600-750 for the same camera. BUt I agree with the above, I never ever bid close to what KEH sells it for. The had a T-90 for $484, so my highest bid on the camera would have been $400. After that, I’d rather pay the extra for the one from KEH. I would highly recommend you get on their mailing list as you will have a nice handy price guide. B&H is also a nice guide, but their prices do tend to be higher, so I use KEH’s to determine my maximum.
The above is good advice for eBay. Let me add: On eBay, Try to purchase photo equipment from people that sell photo equipment only. Check their other auctions !! If they have a pile of junk and one camera the risk for a lemon goes up substantially. Everything is "Mint" or "Works real good" to a junk-man. Alot of Positive Feedback is not always indicative of a good deal. Someone who has sold 2000 beanie babies to satisfied customers may be a poor choice to buy a camera from. Try to buy with a credit card if possible, that way you have protection. I have bought and sold hundreds of cameras on eBay but I’ll be honest, I only buy and sell collectables and knock around cameras there. I bought my N90s and lenses from CWO and B&H. <cross posting to medium format cut
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Are online auctions reliable? Do they really offer good equipment? Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff?
The advice given is sound – check out prices on KEH or B&H as a guide. i just saw a USED Nikkor 20mm 2.8 AF ("mint") on sale at e-bay for $421. The same lense, BRAND NEW from B&H is $420 with USA warranty, and $399 grey! So beware of the premiums that are sometimes found on e-bay and the like. But i guess if you keep your eyes peeled you should be able to pick up a bargain. Richard — Richard Mansell M.Phil Management Studies Trinity Hall and Judge Institute of Management Studies Trinity Lane Cambridge CB2 1TJ United Kingdom (01223) 505-698 http://rattlenet.connect-2.co.uk/default.htm Gravity always wins.
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Okay, yeah, eBay does most of the auctioning online because they’re the bigger name and they’re a good site, but I do go through uBid because they sell refurbished stuff. A little bit riskier, okay, but cheap. They also get huge quantities of things. If uBid’s selling 57 lenses, I can keep my bid low and still pick one up. Also, the best thing about eBay was that people could unload their own stuff from anywhere in the country, like one big garage sale. Now, uBid does something similar (smart choice) but there’s not this huge national audience running up the prices. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -dan edwards wrote… I’m just starting to experiment with photography after spending many years building collages out of found objects. It’s an entirely new way to see and I’m loving this perspective. But because I’m a young user, I’m looking for lots of equipment at the best price. My friends say they get cameras, digicams, scanners, all this stuff from uBid.com. I’m likely to follow their lead, [snip] Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff? )Sylvan( Hey, nice little advert for Ubid.com. eBay is the real auction spot, even though prices will run high on popular items! -dan
Response:
You can certainly find some unique and hard to find stuff there…but calling it a good deal is a bit of a stretch. You will pay near or more than full retail for essentially used equipment. Case in point. Last night I saw a Canon 80 to 200 II (non-USM) lens that sold for $101 and some change. Just bought that lens from B&H new in box for $109 and shipping with a warranty and never been touched by any other photographer. I have seen a few things used sell for more than you can buy them new. The only real deals I have gotten are on the group rec.photo.marketplace and similar groups (.35mm and .mediumformat), or from garage sales and estate auctions. There are TOO many bidders on ebay trying to buy the good items and the price gets out of hand. Just my $.02 Scott Wuerch – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Are online auctions reliable? Do they really offer good equipment? Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff? )Sylvan(
Response:
I’m just starting to experiment with photography after spending many years building collages out of found objects. It’s an entirely new way to see and I’m loving this perspective. But because I’m a young user, I’m looking for lots of equipment at the best price. My friends say they get cameras, digicams, scanners, all this stuff from uBid.com. I’m likely to follow their lead, but you know how it is when you’re new at something. You don’t want to throw a lot of money at it in case you retreat into your regular medium after an initial sweetheart phase and then you have to unload all this equipment, or worse yet, store it. So, since I haven’t had dinner with all you guys for years, give me some *unbiased* advice if you can. Are online auctions reliable? Do they really offer good equipment? Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff?
Online auctions are just like a "live" auction: sometimes you get a deal, but most times, the seller gets more than what the item is really worth. That’s the whole point of an auction. Since you’re new to photo equipment, you don’t know what stuff is really worth. Avoid auctions until you have a better handle of the price of used equipment. As far as rec.photo.marketplace, most of the stuff I see there is over priced and people refuse (for the most part) to deal. If you really want to pay a fair price for used photo equipment, I recommend Shutterbug magazine. I use it as the standard for what an item is really worth. A little research here over a couple of issues will really help you. I bought my entire Hasselblad system (about 15 years ago) from a single seller in Shutterbug and got it for well less than what used dealers were selling the stuff for. I’ve bought other things from Shutterbug and have never had any problems. The equipment arrived when promised and in the condition advertised. Good Luck… — Patrick Bartek NoLife Polymath Group
Response:
I’m just starting to experiment with photography after spending many years building collages out of found objects. It’s an entirely new way to see and I’m loving this perspective. But because I’m a young user, I’m looking for lots of equipment at the best price. My friends say they get cameras, digicams, scanners, all this stuff from uBid.com. I’m likely to follow their lead, but you know how it is when you’re new at something. You don’t want to throw a lot of money at it in case you retreat into your regular medium after an initial sweetheart phase and then you have to unload all this equipment, or worse yet, store it. So, since I haven’t had dinner with all you guys for years, give me some *unbiased* advice if you can. Are online auctions reliable? Do they really offer good equipment? Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff? )Sylvan(
FWIT. If you have to ask, then you shouldn’t risk it. You have to know what you want, what are buying, assume it is probably not as good as advertised, and what it should cost if it were as advertised. Compare it to what retail dealers are selling as used. If you can get if for substantially less, as others point out, then maybe it’s worth the risk. Otherwise, stay with those in the business and who have to make a regular, continuing living out of selling used equipment. Even if there is no consistency among dealers, there is (or more likely will be) consistency within one with a larger inventory.
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I’ve bought several thousands worth of Canon /nikon equipment over rec.photo. and gotten amazing deals. I just picked up a booster for a EOS 1n for $150, almost $120 off mailorder. i have never been bilked.
Response:
Online auctions are just like a "live" auction: sometimes you get a deal, but most times, the seller gets more than what the item is really worth. That’s the whole point of an auction.
This may be true for some stuff, but not all. Most of my equipment has sold for less than the shutterbug prices. I’ve only had two items go for high prices, a lens hood, and an eyecup. I was amazed at their prices. I have purchased many items, and I’ve gotten many good deals. I just bought a Canon T-90 in excellent working condition, and very good cosmetic condition for $350. This is very low for this item. Since you’re new to photo equipment, you don’t know what stuff is really worth. Avoid auctions until you have a better handle of the price of used equipment.
This I agree with. I use KEH prices as my guidleine when I don’t know the prices. And I will not bid close to that price. For example, KEH has a T-90 for $484, so my highest bidding price was $400 since I can get the warranty from KEH, I consider it more valuable. Plus most sellers can accept credit cards and ship faster. If you really want to pay a fair price for used photo equipment, I recommend Shutterbug magazine. I use it as the standard for what an item is really worth. A little research here over a couple of issues will really help you.
I will not buy anything through shutterbug. Many bad dealers advertise there. At least ebay has a feedback system, and scams through this newsgroup are reported to the newsgroup. Meghan Friesians in the Northwest www.zoocrewphoto.com/friesian.htm
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m just starting to experiment with photography after spending many years building collages out of found objects. It’s an entirely new way to see and I’m loving this perspective. But because I’m a young user, I’m looking for lots of equipment at the best price. My friends say they get cameras, digicams, scanners, all this stuff from uBid.com. I’m likely to follow their lead, [snip] Is it the best option for finding inexpensive stuff? )Sylvan( Hey, nice little advert for Ubid.com. eBay is the real auction spot, even though prices will run high on popular items! -dan
Be careful and know what the price range is on what you are buying. I watched some bids on scanners where people paid way too much. Look at the outside world before you bid. Some of their items are remanufactured or are at the end of their product cycle. Set your price limit and don’t get swept up in the bidding frenzy. —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You can certainly find some unique and hard to find stuff there…but calling it a good deal is a bit of a stretch. You will pay near or more than full retail for essentially used equipment. Case in point. Last night I saw a Canon 80 to 200 II (non-USM) lens that sold for $101 and some change. Just bought that lens from B&H new in box for $109 and shipping with a warranty and never been touched by any other photographer. I have seen a few things used sell for more than you can buy them new. The only real deals I have gotten are on the group rec.photo.marketplace and similar groups (.35mm and .mediumformat), or from garage sales and estate auctions. There are TOO many bidders on ebay trying to buy the good items and the price gets out of hand. Just my $.02 Scott Wuerch
Agreed. I was trying to bid on a standard focusing screen for my ETRS this past week and kept getting outbid. The final selling price was $56 for a screen with some marks on it when a brand new one from Calumet is only $66.95! Kinda stupid if you ask me… Now if it was "Intenscreen" or "Britescreen" then maybe the price would have been good. — Bill Bill’s Homepage http://fly.hiwaay.net/~wrainey/index.htm Oz Images http://apn.net.au/cgi-bin/2/redeem.pl?ozim120
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You can certainly find some unique and hard to find stuff there…but calling it a good deal is a bit of a stretch. You will pay near or more than full retail for essentially used equipment. Case in point. Last night I saw a Canon 80 to 200 II (non-USM) lens that sold for $101 and some change. Just bought that lens from B&H new in box for $109 and shipping with a warranty and never been touched by any other photographer. I have seen a few things used sell for more than you can buy them new. The only real deals I have gotten are on the group rec.photo.marketplace and similar groups (.35mm and .mediumformat), or from garage sales and estate auctions. There are TOO many bidders on ebay trying to buy the good items and the price gets out of hand. Just my $.02 Scott Wuerch Agreed. I was trying to bid on a standard focusing screen for my ETRS this past week and kept getting outbid. The final selling price was $56 for a screen with some marks on it when a brand new one from Calumet is only $66.95! Kinda stupid if you ask me… Now if it was "Intenscreen" or "Britescreen" then maybe the price would have been good.
TRY to understand that there are a million people on eBay that have never heard of Calumet, KEH, B&H, CWO, Adorama etc… These people are used to buying at their local retailer and they have no idea what people (like you) are paying at huge discount mail order houses like those listed above. For instance: My local "pro" camera retailer sells the Nikon FM2n for approx. $600.00 which is $150.00 more than B&H. Someone that is used to paying these high prices would think that they are getting a great deal on an FM2n at an eBay price of $500.00 because they do not know about B&H’s price that is still $50.00 lower… They will consistantly outbid you because they are used to paying more.
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My recommendation is to be very careful. Get a B&H catalog and check their selling price for the equipment, new and used if they have it. I would not pay much more than 60% of B&H’s new price for anything. Even 60% is high unless the equipment is is excellent condition. — Joint the Pacific Northwest Photography mailing list at: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/pnwphoto —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—
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Hadn’t thought of it that way, but I see your point! Guess I won’t be bidding on E-Bay anymore! ;-) —
Do you always expect to win? I bid on many auctions. I win some. I lose some. But I never pay more than my limit. So every auction I have won has been a good deal for me. Meghan Friesians in the Northwest www.zoocrewphoto.com/friesian.htm
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hadn’t thought of it that way, but I see your point! Guess I won’t be bidding on E-Bay anymore! ;-) — Do you always expect to win? I bid on many auctions. I win some. I lose some. But I never pay more than my limit. So every auction I have won has been a good deal for me. Meghan Friesians in the Northwest www.zoocrewphoto.com/friesian.htm
No, I just expect to win sometime! So far, I’ve always been outbid by someone who paid more for something than it seems to be available from other sources for. For example, the ETRS focusing screen that was just auctioned off this past weekend. The winner paid around $56.00 for it, plus shipping and handling, and that with some marks on the glass. Whereas B&H sells brand new ones, your choice of style for $49.95! I hadn’t priced them from B&H yet when the auction ended but had already found them at Calumet for $66.95. There was no way I would pay that much for a screen with marks on it when a little over $10.00 more (again, before I found them at B&H) could get a new one! Then, Henry at B&H e-mailed me and tipped me off to what they had. I immediately ordered one yesterday morning! My total cost including shipping is only $61.40, and that’s with a $5.00 C.O.D. fee on it! There have been several other examples in the past, mostly on items costing more than KEH (my favorite used equipment dealer) sells them for. With a reputable dealer like KEH I get a 14-day return policy plus a warranty, but buying from an individual means no warranty and the possibility of getting scammed. Due to this possibility, I must get what I consider a good deal (at least 10% less than I can buy it anywhere else for), but so far it hasn’t happened. Just my 2
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