There's a Canon AE-1 camera w/ the usual FD 50 1.8 lens for sale on eBay for $278, a Pentax K1000 w/ a 50 lens for $268, a Canon AE-1 Program w/ a 50 1.8 lens (Rare! the ad states) for $268.....and then there's a Nikon F5 (tested, near mint) w/ no lens for $299. Does that make any sense? 3 nice but admittedly old, consumer SLRs w/ budget lenses, and then there's that F5, which is a pro camera in every way. It looks beautiful in the pics too. All priced essentially the same. Bizarre.
Strange prices on eBay cameras
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Pries for everything on EBAY always have been and always will be "BIZARRE". Sellers can ask whatever they want. I hunt through the stuff for the FEW GREAT DEALS -- but that takes time, and knowledge helps.
I look at the absolutely ridiculous prices as a good laugh every morning.
I look at the absolutely ridiculous prices as a good laugh every morning.
Good, I have too many cameras now, high prices take the temptation away. ....unfortunately there are still heaps of cheap cameras luring me in.
What gets me is how much expired film goes for, it's often selling for as much as fresh film.
What gets me is how much expired film goes for, it's often selling for as much as fresh film.
expired film prices on eBay are often more then you can buy it in the US at B&H, I just assume that some film in Europe is hard to get.
I think if people see it on ebay thay assume it much be cheap. Same for Amazon, I have not bought anything there for well over 2 years, as anything I have looked at it twice the price that I can buy it for locally, or at another retailer.
IMO this makes perfect sense because the pro features of the F5 will not be appreciated by pro photographers who happily shoot digital, while its shape and weight make it less appealing for enthusiasts.
It's worth seeing what the price is on eBay and then get a nice surprise by trawling a few camera dealers web sites. Prices can often be considerably cheaper from a dealer but from my experience they can still be prone to exaggerated claims of 'mint' when it's not. And then there are the times when you've read between the lines and gone to the dealer even though the camera is a bit more expensive than a similar one on eBay for the sense of trust and returns policy.
You will be amazed how lazy people are and only go on ebay. In the UK there are a number of reputable shops selling second hand film equipment, yet people keep buying stuff on ebay for prices over what the shop asks for, despite the shop giving you a warranty and a returns policy.
Still, lots of bargains to be found on ebay if you're careful and know how to ask questions.
Still, lots of bargains to be found on ebay if you're careful and know how to ask questions.
That probably depends on what the word "pro" means. To me, it means someone who does professional work. Commercial photographers, who work for clients, certainly do use digital.
I not only looked at the listing prices on eBay, I looked at the completed listings too. Yikes!
That F5 is a better value, and well worth the asking price. A pro film camera is sealed better for climate changes, and would be much more reliable over time. Better engineering, better build quality. I want one. It would be nice to buy it and not worry about it breaking. Plus, that thing can take fire off lots of perfectly exposed shots in no time. Very handy for sports, horse races or portraits.
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I’ve made some purchases on eBay but they have been from “stores” selling new parts for something I am trying to fix. For example, I have a 50-year old electric pencil sharpener that quit working when the main gear’s plastic disintegrated. The company is out of business and by chance I found a guy who 3D prints the part and I bought it, delivered, for $8.
While I haven’t bought photographic equipment there, I have made quite a few vintage audio gear purchases through shopgoodwill.com and prices there are way lower than what the same gear sells for on eBay. They usually have a slew of 35mm cameras that sell for $15-50. No guarantee on condition but for those prices it’s not that much of a risk.
While I haven’t bought photographic equipment there, I have made quite a few vintage audio gear purchases through shopgoodwill.com and prices there are way lower than what the same gear sells for on eBay. They usually have a slew of 35mm cameras that sell for $15-50. No guarantee on condition but for those prices it’s not that much of a risk.
It depends on if you want a big heavy camera with autofocus and settings via an LCD. Some people do. I don't shoot sports or horse races, and you can use a lot of different cameras for portraits, so an F5 would not be very high on my list if I were looking for a camera. It's like a DSLR that takes film. If I wanted a Nikon, I'd be looking at an FM, FE2, or FM3A. An F3 would be good too.
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Last time I shot "real" portraits, I used a 1920s vintage plate camera...
I would expect to pay that $299 for the F5 but I can get the AE-1 and K-1000 for like $5 or $10 and I did. Faberryman said he wouldn't want the F5 but I wouldn't want to shoot with either the AE-1 or K-1000. I bought them just to prove why I hated them.
That's a funny reason to buy cameras, but everyone has to have a hobby I guess.
Asking prices aren't selling prices. About $150 is a more realistic selling price for AE-1, K1000, etc
There are lots of bogus selling prices on eBay. A dishonest seller offers, say, a K-1000 for $300 and a friend "buys" it (but it never ships). He does this multiple times and this establishes a falsely high "average price" for it. Multiple sellers do this and it drives the prices up (they hope) but in reality, they still only sell for about $150 or so.
(I've been selling camera gear on eBay for over 20 years)
If you want to see an extreme case of this sort of scam search eBay for Disney Black Diamond VHS. Then look at the Sold items and sort by highest price and look at all the $10,000+ "selling prices." Ten G's for a VHS tape? Oh, sure!
There are lots of bogus selling prices on eBay. A dishonest seller offers, say, a K-1000 for $300 and a friend "buys" it (but it never ships). He does this multiple times and this establishes a falsely high "average price" for it. Multiple sellers do this and it drives the prices up (they hope) but in reality, they still only sell for about $150 or so.
(I've been selling camera gear on eBay for over 20 years)
If you want to see an extreme case of this sort of scam search eBay for Disney Black Diamond VHS. Then look at the Sold items and sort by highest price and look at all the $10,000+ "selling prices." Ten G's for a VHS tape? Oh, sure!
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On fleabay, you can go look for ANY model of camera and you'll find listings for prices varying from $30 to ten and twenty times that amount (or more!). The prices you find rarely indicate the condition of the camera; the most expensive listing can be worn and obviously damaged, and the cheapest can be near mint. If you expect this marketplace to "make sense" then you're going to invest a lot of energy trying to parse what you see.
You have to look very carefully and do your best to read between the lines when dealing with fleabay merchants.
You have to look very carefully and do your best to read between the lines when dealing with fleabay merchants.
Can you really come out ahead with that strategy after paying eBay its fees and commissions with every sale?
Cameras have fans, in the new to film world the K1000, ME, Spotmatics and the like have become cult favs, the sell much faster and often for more money than full feature system cameras.
You're effectively buying reputation. You make your eBay ID look like you've been doing a brisk business that's satisfying buyers -- which then lets you do a brisk business (and most buyers don't even bother to leave feedback, plus "negative" seems to be disabled for the past few years). And the reason you do this at inflated price is so some stranger won't actually buy the item you listed (and probably don't actually have).
Don't worry, if you think, this makes no sense, ask a Kindle independent author about "buying reads". Short version: $1000 spent on fraudulent activity can boost you into a "sales" tier that earns you tens of thousands of dollars in bonus from Amazon, never mind actual sales.
The same on Amazon. Sellers resell products at 2x to 10x what they paid for retail. Many buyers just have no sense of value or assume that it's automatically cheaper on Amazon. There is also a huge amount of knockoffs on Amazon. For many products, I just won't buy from them and go to the specialty businesses to buy the product or the manufacturers. I found that expiration dates are also a big issue with batteries and film and refuse to buy these items from them. Maybe they're knockoffs or maybe they just sit around on their shelves. Whatever.
I don't use that strategy so I wouldn't know but I doubt it.
BTW, I'm sure eBay isn't the only selling platform where this sort of thing goes on.
Doing a little research before buying will allow one to avoid these pricing scams.
But, having said all that I do think the K1000s and AE-1s and some other cameras are still overpriced due to there being cheaper alternatives that are at least as good if not better. But, newbies often don't know that.
Doing a little research before buying will allow one to avoid these pricing scams.
But, having said all that I do think the K1000s and AE-1s and some other cameras are still overpriced due to there being cheaper alternatives that are at least as good if not better. But, newbies often don't know that.
Well guys, if the asking price is what people pays,then thats the item prices. Period. Simply laws of market. Also, remember that Ebay increased fees a while ago so probably thats a reason. I don't doubt that some people get Leica's for 5 dollars but that is not the usual/accesible market for plenty of people. To be honest, I've sold cameras on ebay for some crazy high prices so yeah, ebay is a weird market.
Related to F5, most people that uses/like Nikon,goes for either the mystic F2 or the F3 workhorse. F4 and F5 are less desirable models I guess. IMHO, F4/F5 are great cameras. If I wasn't a Canon/Olympus users, would be happy to use either F4/F5.
Related to F5, most people that uses/like Nikon,goes for either the mystic F2 or the F3 workhorse. F4 and F5 are less desirable models I guess. IMHO, F4/F5 are great cameras. If I wasn't a Canon/Olympus users, would be happy to use either F4/F5.
I think I will have to sell my K1000 (which I bought for $10) and the ME which I got for free. Don't have a spotmatic but have an S3.
Actually I do doubt that people can get Leica (in any form and shape) for $5.
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