Your best used gear vendors nowadays?

Michel Hardy-Vallée

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A long, long time ago, you could get 600$ hassies from KEH or eBay, all sorts of weird bits and pieces, and plenty of parts.

Is it just me, or it seems like the supply of available gear has dried up now that all the kool kids are doing analog?

Looking at cameras on eBay, it seems that the majority of vendors are from Japan. Quality appears good, generally speaking, but shipping is high for Canada.

As for KEH, their inventory has dwindled. There used to be way more stuff, especially in the realm of classics (Zeiss, Rollei, etc). I looked at Blue Moon, and they have inventory, but nothing like the choice I used to see.

So who do you trust nowadays for used gear?
 

Paul Howell

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I buy from Roberts Camera, KEH, Calagaz, and here in the Lower 48, Shopgoodwill.com. Finding good used gear is becoming harder and more expensive. As time goes on, the all of the film gear is aging, parts hard to impossible to find, and with an increase interest in film a fair amount of competition. Here is Scottsdale most Saturdays cars clubs meet in oldtown for a coffee meet, today I saw 5 film 35mm cameras. At this point when I buy a used camera I figure up to $120 for servicing.
 

Sirius Glass

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KEH.com, Samy's Camera, B&H, Adorama, Photrio & Large Format Photography Forms Classified and the usual suspects.
 

Down Under

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Oh, the memories. In Tucson, Arizona in 1979 I bought a Speed Graphic kit for $50. I can't recall what happened to it - I rather suspect I sold it some years later for a lot more than I paid, but time and memory have conspired to fail me on this.

Anyway, here in Australia, at least in Melbourne, which is closer to where I live -

Best ever is Camera Lane in Spotswood, a little out of the way from the "mainstream" city center - on Hardware Lane, CBD for many years, but relocated last year. Tons of film and digital gear, including some hard-to-find items if one will pony up the prices. The owner is super fussy on quality and stocks only the best, so prices can be the high side. Good warranties. Super good service. More old Leica stuff than I've seen around for a long time. Highly recommended.

Camera Exchange was in the city for ages, but relocated to the outer 'burbs, now not so convenient for many of us. No longer quite as good as they were in their heyday, many prices too high for my retired duffer's budget, service can be haphazard. Long managed by a South African photographer who was widely lauded as a consummate seller, diplomatic and efficient, but who left abruptly (legend has it after a stoush with the owner over business policy) and I hear has passed on. Vale, Dave. A good web site, if skimpy on descriptions and details. Has some good gear,. Bargain hard for anything you want, a "show us the cash" attitude prevails. Warranties seem okay. Buy with confidence, but check carefully before you do.

Most Melbourne city photo shops have closed or are closing. All had small secondhand cabinets. Now only Ted's Camera on Elizabeth Street is left standing, no film gear, mostly last year's hottest prosumer digitals. Prices up and down, some bargains as the store policy seems to be "move the stuff, get the cash". Good service, polite staff, okay warranties. Ted's has a good reputation, long may it endure!!

The rule of thumb in Melbourne these days is, If you see something you want at Ted's, buy it - , you won't find it there tomorrow.

I've not been to Sydney for a decade but we plan a visit in June and I want to browse the camera shops (if any are left) there. Is Grace's Pawnbrokers in Victoria Street, Pott's Point still in business?? In the '70s and '80s I picked up a lot of good gear there. Old cameras (and old memories) endure.

Will a Sydneysider please post an updated list?? I (and, I'm sure, many others) will be very grateful.
 
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jimjm

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KEH and Igorcamera are my go-to sources these days. Igor's prices are sometimes lower than KEH and he carries a lot more large format gear as well, if you're looking for that.
I've always been 100% satisfied with Igor's service and item descriptions, whereas KEH has slipped up a few times in recent years. They've always been great about their return policies and warranties, though.
Photrio and LFF classifieds are good sources as well.
 

gone

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Robert's Camera is kinda like KEH used to be. They're very conservative on their ratings, and always accurate on their details and descriptions. Excellent customer service and communication too. I'd rather buy from them than anyone.

Sammy's Camera is good, National Camera and Camera West too.
 

bdial

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What I like about Robert’s is that the have pictures of the actual item. MPB.com is another, newish source. Haven’t bought from them, so far, but prices seem good, and, like Robert’s, they have pictures of the actual items.
 

Nitroplait

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www.Kamerastore.com are very honest and have very reasonable global shipping rates - EU shipping is actually quite cheap.
All they sell is checked, or if not, it is clearly stated and their ratings are conservative.
Their prices have rocketed along with the general market and it is no longer a place for bargains, as it could be just 2 years ago. But if you want a large selection and peace of mind - it is a good place.

For reasonably priced used gear and bargains I depend on local classifieds and keeping my eye out for estate auctions where prices often are so low that I can afford to take a chance on even high-end items.
 

Bill Burk

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There are collectors making discoveries at flea markets and garage sales in places around the US that are too far from where I live so be I don’t get those deals. But I did get an almost mint ES II for twenty bucks on eBay the other day.

 
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Pieter12

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I have purchased from the major players: KEH, Adorama, BH Photo, Roberts (Used Camera Pro), Samy's, National Camera as well as MPB and Camera West (for Leica, Hasselblad & Rollei mostly). Most are pretty good about describing the items, sometimes you get something way better than expected. Igor lists a lot of items, not always in stock. I try to stay away from ebay unless I am looking for something that is hard to find. Leica Store Lisse on ebay has a lot of new & demo Leica and Rollei items and I have always been happy with my purchases there.
 

mrosenlof

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In the last two or three years, I have purchased from eBay seller recycledphotolistings, victorycamera.com (both of these are local to me), a Japanese eBay seller irohas, and igorcamera.com I would not mention them here if I was unhappy with the service. None are really bargain places.
 

GregY

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Michel, I've bought a bunch of stuff over the years off ebay Japan, including Leica lenses, Plaubel Makinas. Recently i bought a pretty much mint Pentax 645 200mm for $35. Contrary to your experience, i find their shipping prices (to Alberta) cheaper than i could ship across the country with Canada Post. Delivery times have been exceptionally fast. I bought a lens on thursday afternoon and it showed up at my door tuesday morning! Like mrosenlof I've had exceptional service from irohas a number of times.
 

Cholentpot

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I'm at the point where it's either Photrio classified or, 'I know a guy yeah?'
 
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Michel Hardy-Vallée

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I would say that when you factor in quality, the overall experience is worth it. I bought a Fujinon 90mm enlarging lens the other day, and it's just a stellar performer that arrived quickly in excellent condition. But again, Alberta is a tad closer to the Pacific than Québec, so you might have some edge on shipping.
 

awty

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The last time I bought a used camera from a camera store was 1989. A used Nikon FG-20 my first SLR, that served me till I bought a digital camera in the 2000's. Still have the camera and it still works fine. Buy everything on EBAY, i hate shops and sales people.
 

McDiesel

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Only eBay and only from Japanese sellers. Premium products (where else can you buy new old stock Nikon F3 and have several to choose from?), premium service, at a higher price. My Leica and the Rolleiflex came with Kanto Kamera CLA receipts, they're practically brand new!

eBay also trumps everything else for selling. I listed my Hasselblad lens here and also on Fredmiranda for $1K. It sat there for two weeks. Sold on eBay for $1,450 in half a day.

KEH, Roberts, Samy's and others have great service, but they don't have any gear.
 

GregY

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That's true Michel, but I've also bought & sold a few things shipped and received from the USA and goods from Japan certainly arrive faster, and often the shipping costs are still cheaper than across the border to the south. In addition, many ebay sales from Japan include "free shipping & free returns." Having been to Japan a number of times, I can say that as far as supply goes....if it exists in the photo universe....Japan has it. Nowhere else have i been able to see so many black paint Leicas or Nikon F2 Titans in one day.
 

Pieter12

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Strangely, I recall a discussion not long ago (in person as well as online) that there are a lot of scams coming from supposed Japanese eBay sellers. All the equipment is described as mint or close to it and doesn't end up living up to said condition and being very difficult to contact for returns. I believe there was a U.S. connection in the whole mess, posing as a Japanese seller or the Japanese acting as an agent.
 

logan2z

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I've had good luck buying from Roberts/Used Photo Pro and CameraWest. I've also bought a handful of used items from Seawood Photo, but their prices aren't the greatest and they only seem to list a subset of their inventory online. I've purchased one piece of equipment from KEH but it was not in the condition described (IMHO) so I returned it. To their credit, they took it back for a full refund without a hassle. I'd buy from them again.

I've bought a few inexpensive SLRs on eBay and haven't been burned yet. I recently bought an enlarger on eBay (which I thought I'd never do because of the high shipping costs), and it worked out great. It helped that the seller had all of the original boxes/packaging so shipping wasn't that risky. The seller turned out to be a terrific guy and teaches photography at a college in the Denver area. We've actually become long-distance friends.

It's good to hear positive accounts of Japanese sellers on eBay. They do seem to have a lot of very cool stuff, but I've been reluctant to buy from them due to the potential hassles with communication/returns. Maybe I'll take a chance at some point.
 
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