KEH low inventory

brian steinberger · Jul 22, 2015

I get the feeling more and more that KEH's inventory is just not what it was just a few years ago. I remember looking (mostly in MF) and was overwhelmed with all the options, tons of Mamiya 645s, or Bronica 645s or Mamiya 6s etc. currently they have zero Mamiya 6 or RF645 bodies, and only 4 Mamiya 645s. Ever since their new site launched I've felt that they just don't have much used gear anymore.

Anyone else notice this? Could this be good news for analog photography? Or rather the high inventory from years ago was from the mass switch to digital and now that switch is over and most of those cameras have found homes?

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 22, 2015

Third option - they're just not buying as much anymore (in part because they're geting chintzy with the prices they offer to sellers). I took some stuff to them a couple years ago at a camera swap meet and they refused some of it and the other things they offered me prices so low they were offensive.

Ken Nadvornick · Jul 22, 2015

I think it may be the latter. There was always only a fixed finite volume of higher quality used equipment out there, which is largely what they deal in. Their business model won't allow them to deal in junk. And with the minor resurgence in film, camera supplies have been drying up everywhere. Especially the nicer ones.

That's why recently I finally put together a long-awaited full Mamiya C330S system, although mostly not from KEH. A very nice body came available here on APUG, so I took the plunge. It was a bucket list item for me. I was afraid if I waited much longer I was going to have to settle for much more beat up used samples, and at higher price points.

I'm glad I didn't wait.

Ken

brian steinberger · Jul 22, 2015

TheFlyingCamera said:
Third option - they're just not buying as much anymore (in part because they're geting chintzy with the prices they offer to sellers). I took some stuff to them a couple years ago at a camera swap meet and they refused some of it and the other things they offered me prices so low they were offensive.

Yea I believe that. They do offer great prices to buyers, so who suffers? The sellers. It's no different than pawn shops. I think more sellers now realize their "old film cameras" still have high value to others and therefor arent settling for though cheap offers.

Ken, this is a realization I'm coming to. It was fun years ago to try different camera systems from KEH and if you didn't like them you could sell them here or eBay and get your money back. Fortunately I have built up the systems I really enjoy as well, two bodies in some cases. But it's a shame for others just getting into film photography that the massive inventory KEH used to have aren't available to them. Though much still is here and also other forums and also Adorama and B&H though at higher prices.

Ai Print · Jul 22, 2015

I have noticed that too in looking for a few odds and ends, no where near the selection they used to have although I have to wonder how much their new and not improved website has added to that effect.

But yeah, 3-4 years ago it was a fantastic place to get top notch gear at any hour of the day.

gone · Jul 22, 2015

Hate to say it after all these years, but I don't buy from them anymore. The website (as always) is awful, and the new owners will not fix it. Plus, their prices have gone sky high! You can forget about getting a great deal on a Bgn item now. Sigh. Things change.

Ai Print · Jul 22, 2015

momus said:
Hate to say it after all these years, but I don't buy from them anymore. The website (as always) is awful, and the new owners will not fix it. Plus, their prices have gone sky high! You can forget about getting a great deal on a Bgn item now. Sigh. Things change.

New owners as in the web hosting or new owners of the company?

Either way, yes, I also feel their glory days are behind them which is really too bad. Thankfully I have pretty much all the gear I need so maybe the loss to me personally is not so bad.

Speaking of "glory days", anyone remember "Del's Camera" based in Santa Barbara California? They took out ads in Shutterbug and had about the most drool worthy list of used Nikon ( and other ) gear one could possibly imagine, aptly coined "Your Nikon Candy Store".

I used to go in person and see the massive coffee table of lenses, super rare items like the 13mm 5.6, 6mm 2.8 and 300mm 2.0. It's been many years since he closed shop, now those were the days!

mgb74 · Jul 22, 2015

Another factor: many of these cameras break or wear out and simply aren't economical to repair. Or parts not available. So the overall inventory is declining.

railwayman3 · Jul 22, 2015

Ken Nadvornick said:
I think it may be the latter. There was always only a fixed finite volume of higher quality used equipment out there, which is largely what they deal in. Their business model won't allow them to deal in junk. And with the minor resurgence in film, camera supplies have been drying up everywhere. Especially the nicer ones.

I'm sure that you're right about supplies of nicer gear drying up. I've been quite surprised by the worn condition of most equipment now offered, even if it's only a reflection of normal careful use.

I'm very particular with my own kit, but I was noticing recently how it has losing its pristine sparkle even with only limited amateur use. My favorite little Minox 35 has given-up-the-ghost, and some of my main outfit will be ready for a CLA at the end of the summer.

Trail Images · Jul 22, 2015

mgb74 said:
Another factor: many of these cameras break or wear out and simply aren't economical to repair. Or parts not available. So the overall inventory is declining.

I think this is surely a contributing factor. The stuff that is still good and owned by long time users are keeping it.

brian steinberger · Jul 22, 2015

Trail Images said:
The stuff that is still good and owned by long time users are keeping it.

Another great point.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 22, 2015

This comes up every once and a while and usually turns out to be temporary or natural cycle of a used inventory.

That said with the new website I too do not buy from them as much as I used to. Stupidest move they ever made. Hope they fired whoever designed it.

nbagno · Jul 22, 2015

brian steinberger said:
I get the feeling more and more that KEH's inventory is just not what it was just a few years ago. I remember looking (mostly in MF) and was overwhelmed with all the options, tons of Mamiya 645s, or Bronica 645s or Mamiya 6s etc. currently they have zero Mamiya 6 or RF645 bodies, and only 4 Mamiya 645s. Ever since their new site launched I've felt that they just don't have much used gear anymore.

Anyone else notice this? Could this be good news for analog photography? Or rather the high inventory from years ago was from the mass switch to digital and now that switch is over and most of those cameras have found homes?

I've noticed that myself that over the last year or more it seems that there is just not that much to choose from. I also thought to myself that since I'm really not in the market that their stuff just does not interest me the way it did a year ago. Maybe a little of both

Tom Kershaw · Jul 22, 2015

railwayman3 said:
I'm sure that you're right about supplies of nicer gear drying up. I've been quite surprised by the worn condition of most equipment now offered, even if it's only a reflection of normal careful use.

I'm very particular with my own kit, but I was noticing recently how it has losing its pristine sparkle even with only limited amateur use. My favorite little Minox 35 has given-up-the-ghost, and some of my main outfit will be ready for a CLA at the end of the summer.

This has been a concern of mine as well, especially with regard to delicate mechanical and old electronic systems that may not be straightforward to repair. Large format has the advantage here.

Tom

brian steinberger · Jul 22, 2015

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
That said with the new website I too do not buy from them as much as I used to. Stupidest move they ever made. Hope they fired whoever designed it.

Could not agree more.

Ken Nadvornick · Jul 22, 2015

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
That said with the new website I too do not buy from them as much as I used to. Stupidest move they ever made. Hope they fired whoever designed it.

brian steinberger said:
Could not agree more.

Me too...

Old-N-Feeble · Jul 22, 2015

I agree... the new website sucks bilge water.

brian steinberger · Jul 22, 2015

Yea the old website was easy to navigate and I could cruise through everything quickly. I think it's quite ironic though that when that new site launched the inventory dropped.

winger · Jul 22, 2015

Well, they've also recently had some brand-specific sales. I'm on their e-mail list and got notices for a 24 hour Nikon sale, then a few days later, Canon, and (yay!) a Pentax one a few days after that. I found a 45mm for my P645N and bought it, so there is still some stuff. But I didn't look around to see how much there was overall 'cause I just wanted a wider angle. I try not to go window/web shopping often.

nsurit · Jul 22, 2015

Folks that are looking for stuff might use the WTB feature on this site. Some of the stuff folks aren't willing to give away might come out of hiding.

brian steinberger · Jul 22, 2015

nsurit said:
Folks that are looking for stuff might use the WTB feature on this site. Some of the stuff folks aren't willing to give away might come out of hiding.

This is a great point. I've been surprised at how much stuff fellow members have and are willing to sell, all at very reasonable prices. I've found quite a few this way, especially in LF.

DREW WILEY · Jul 22, 2015

I think a lot of their momentum has been eroded by competition from EBay. Still, I bought something from them last month because they are
reliable in terms of rating equipment, which to me is more important than squeezing out the very cheapest price around. Lots of film gear has
dropped dramatically overall, so you can't expect them to pay as much as they used to for your used equip. It a great time to buy. But they
aren't the kind of place you go for anything rare or which still commands top dollar.

Roger Cole · Jul 22, 2015

dpn said:
Yeah, the new website is super-frustrating. The old website was, well, old-looking. It worked well!

It looked plain and worked great. It wasn't broke so they had to fix it. Now it looks nice and is functionally almost unusable. Progress.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk and 100% recycled electrons - because I care.

gzinsel · Jul 22, 2015

I find their LF lens section sucks, their website sucks. I will not not buy from KEH

DREW WILEY · Jul 22, 2015

I'm with you, there, Roger. It wasn't broke but they fixed it and made it hard to use. That's what marketing monkeys are experts at.

KEH low inventory

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