Prices on Medium Format Film Gear

[MrFus]

Now, I wouldn't want to accuse anyone of price fixing, but the Japanese sellers control a lot of the used camera market on ebay. Other sellers follow suit with the prices the Japanese sellers set. With so many cameras of similar condition, it's easy to find the price that the market will bear and run with it. It's a supply/demand and fear/greed cycle that happens in nearly every kind of economic system. Supply decreases, prices rise, consumers fear that they'll miss out, pay higher price, sellers see demand, raise price again.....and so on. It's like the old pile-ons in football (American for you Ronaldo fans) - everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon and will pay whatever it takes to get on because of the perceived scarcity. Then, no one will admit to wagoneering when prices fall and they jump off muttering to themselves "I got a good deal, really, I did."

You are correct, i got my Mamiya on ebay from a seller on Japan, the camera and lenses are on good working condition for the age, zero rust, a few small scratches here and there but just what you will expect for +-40 year camera... I paid around $375 two months ago, today cameras rated on similar condition are on the $450-500 price range, anything on the +-$350 point is listed with fungus and haze in the lenses or bodies that will need more than just cleaning before go on service.