Determining a price for Nikkor 14mm AF

My father is selling his as new 14mm Nikkor AF lens and asked me for advise on how much he can ask for it. What is, or rather is there a general consensus or rule about how to determine the price of secondhand equipment? It's a lens that he used only a few times for interiorshots, and it looks new. No scuffs or marks and the glass is still in perfect order.
I know that on auctionsites it's more 'what one is willing to pay' that determines the sellingprice but I am not sure he is comfortable with going international with an auction. I could probably convince him offering it here first
Thanks!

Aodhán said:

I know that on auctionsites it's more 'what one is willing to pay' that determines the sellingprice ...Thanks!

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Can you name anything where the price is MORE than one is willing to pay? I hate to break it to you, but that IS that market value, that is ALWAYS what determines the price. Unless you enjoy having a lens for sale and not actually selling it.
Have a look at KEH's web-site, scan eBay (completed listings), look at places local to you - its the only thing that will give you a picture. Make sure you judge the shape of the itmes against yours, as that can affect the price greatly.

KEH sometimes buys lenses and usually at a higher price than you can get on ebay, unless you can get a couple of idiots bidding against each other

bohica said:

KEH sometimes buys lenses and usually at a higher price than you can get on ebay, unless you can get a couple of idiots bidding against each other

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I am not saying this is not so, but I have noticed that KEH often sells lenses for less than they go on eBay in same or even better shape. I wonder how they can buy them for more and sell them for less...

Peter.

gnashings said:

I am not saying this is not so, but I have noticed that KEH often sells lenses for less than they go on eBay in same or even better shape. I wonder how they can buy them for more and sell them for less...

Peter.

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They don't, I have never had KEH offer me more for any of my gear than I got on ebay, and nope, I didn't end up with two idots bidding their brains out to a point above what the parts were worth, I have purchased from KEH, but if you want to gauge a good range of what it is worth(that is what someone will pay) Ebay is the best place to check what the current market is doing, I know sometimes things go way above and sometime they go way below, but for the most part it is a good place if you look through several complete auctions and do some averaging, it will give you a very good indication..

Dave

gnashings said:

Can you name anything where the price is MORE than one is willing to pay? I hate to break it to you, but that IS that market value, that is ALWAYS what determines the price.

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My mistake...

Dave, I'll be watching ebay and Keh, to see what prices are paid for similar lenses.
Thanks for the helpfull comments!

Maybe I was lucky, they gave me $110 more than what the same lens , nikkor 50mm f1.2 AI, was going for on ebay

I was just informed that in internet circles, capital letters denote screaming - that was not my intent, I guess I should have used to italics to emphasize my points - not caps. My apologies.
But as Dave pointed out, the fact remains: that is a good place to look for what people are willing to pay, which is market value. Contrary to what some would have you believe, it is not populated by idiots and thieves any more than any other large gathering of random people. Its pretty obvious, when you look at the prices, which results are unusual in either direction (extremely high or low), and you can easily take those out of whatever census you are conducting. One thing I wanted to add is to be especially conscious of items in original boxes, mint or unused, etc. Understandibly, they commmand a higher price, but - I find that since those are often sought by collectors (as opposed to users), the prices are out of proportion with other items that may be identical, but are not collectible. The prices are still fair and fairly consistent among other items in that condition, but the market is comprised mainly of totally different buyers, with different objectives in mind - and therefore, a different value placed on a given product. Hope that makes some sense.
Once again, sorry about the apparent tone of my initial post.

Peter.

Thanks Peter, and apology accepted, although you were right. I know that not all on ebay is evil, but my only real experience with ebay is with buying old vintage camera's and that's somewhat of a weird market most of the time. I might have to admit I am slightly prejudiced . I'll definately keep the different buyer aspect in mind.

Well, you know, eBay does have some detestible aspects that go hand in hand with dealing with a very wide range of the public. But in the end, any survey benefits from the largest possible sample, and right now, it just does not get any bigger, or more accessible than eBay. Hope you get a fair price for you lens - best of luck,

Peter.

gnashings said:

I am not saying this is not so, but I have noticed that KEH often sells lenses for less than they go on eBay in same or even better shape. I wonder how they can buy them for more and sell them for less...

Peter.

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Gnashings
They make it up in volume

OT: Screaming

gnashings said:

I was just informed that in internet circles, capital letters denote screaming

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I've often wondered why some people insist on perpetuating a rather bizarre notion, especially when there have existed terminals where caps are the only means of emphasis. I realize that I'm dating myself by speaking of these, but there is a profound difference between capitalization and verbal assault. YOUR EARS ARE NOT IN PAIN NOW, AND MY USE OF U/C SHOULD NOT REASONABLY FILL YOU WITH ANY LEGITIMATE CONCERN FOR YOUR WELL BEING. YOU WOULD NOT FIND MY SHOUTING VOICE PLEASANT, AND I THINK YOU WOULD LEAVE, SUMMONS THE POLICE, OR DEFEND YOURSELF PHYSICALLY IF I WAS GENUINELY SHOUTING IN YOUR PRESENCE. Capital letters as assault makes about as much sense as Sontag's equation of photography and rape/murder. Does this clarify?

We defend the Virgin Mary in elephant dung, and get our noses out of joint about caps lock. Gotta ponder this!

\begin{shouting}
Some conventions are affected twaddle!
\end{shouting}

cao said:

I've often wondered why some people insist on perpetuating a rather bizarre notion, especially when there have existed terminals where caps are the only means of emphasis. I realize that I'm dating myself by speaking of these, but there is a profound difference between capitalization and verbal assault. YOUR EARS ARE NOT IN PAIN NOW, AND MY USE OF U/C SHOULD NOT REASONABLY FILL YOU WITH ANY LEGITIMATE CONCERN FOR YOUR WELL BEING. YOU WOULD NOT FIND MY SHOUTING VOICE PLEASANT, AND I THINK YOU WOULD LEAVE, SUMMONS THE POLICE, OR DEFEND YOURSELF PHYSICALLY IF I WAS GENUINELY SHOUTING IN YOUR PRESENCE. Capital letters as assault makes about as much sense as Sontag's equation of photography and rape/murder. Does this clarify?

We defend the Virgin Mary in elephant dung, and get our noses out of joint about caps lock. Gotta ponder this!

\begin{shouting}
Some conventions are affected twaddle!
\end{shouting}

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Cao,

I agree with what you wrote and I quoted here 100% - in principle. I have often mentioned this myself as the ridiculous nature of it had me bouncing between amusement and loss of faith in humanity. However, as ridiculous as the "convention" is, I still didn't want the orignator of this thread to think I was "screaming" - and that is why I clarified, as my initial post was obviously taken that way. I don't want to fight an uphill battle on web-conduct - just to make sure the person it was directed at recieved it properly and as intended.

Cheers,

Peter.