Excess cameras

[JoeV]

Excess cameras? I don't understand this concept.

~Joe

 

[robbeiflex]

I preferably sell here and as second try on eBay. There is a local store that does consignments as well, but judging by the amount of time stuff sits on their shelves, I would only go there if I was looking for free long term storage before having cash in a few years.

 

[kdemas]

When I sell my digital cameras I will usually do so:
- Here
- At Nikonians if a Nikon product
- On Ebay
- On craigslist
- To a friend

Sold quite a bit in the last year, both film and digital. Certain places work for certain equipment.

 

[Richard G]

The only thing I'm hardly using is my more than 10 year old Nikon Coolpix 4500 but it can't be worth anything and I don't need the money, and the macro is terrific as is the waist level finder. If I was a seller of anything photographic I would by now have sold at a loss and then rebought my 135 Elmar. And I would have sold and not rebought my tabbed 50 Summicron. Long-term loan might be the thing for me.

 

[Archiver]

I tend to bond with all of my cameras for various reasons, so selling them isn't an option for me. When I buy cameras, they tend to either be for a specific purpose, or as a second or third gen upgrade of a previous model, so despite having a lot of cameras, I tend to avoid the constant upgrade trap. The cameras that I simply do not use are given to close family. The others do get occasional use, so they sit in shelves and wait their turn.

 

[swoop]

Why not try here?

I have. This forum is the worst. If it's not someone from some far off land that's wants you to jump through hoops to ship something internationally as a "gift" it's someone who's expecting a used camera/lens to be in showroom condition just back from a CLA at below market rates. And they all have the same sob story, "I just bought a XXXX so I don't have the cash right now but I can give you $1.99 for it." or "I just saw one sell at $4 on XYZ forum/ebay, can you sell me yours at that price since I missed that I need to pay my rent today sale."

 

[helen.HH]

I have. This forum is the worst. If it's not someone from some far off land that's wants you to jump through hoops to ship something internationally as a "gift" it's someone who's expecting a used camera/lens to be in showroom condition just back from a CLA at below market rates. And they all have the same sob story, "I just bought a XXXX so I don't have the cash right now but I can give you $1.99 for it." or "I just saw one sell at $4 on XYZ forum/ebay, can you sell me yours at that price since I missed that I need to pay my rent today sale."

Ouch.... Sorry to hear of your Troubles
RFF Classifieds for me has been Easy & Worthwhile. 😉

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Digital camera systems are evolving rapidly. Buying successive models of digital cameras, sometimes with incremental improvements, sometimes with major improvements, has left many with more cameras than they can use. (And less money in their bank accounts…) We use some while others sit on the shelf. (Not like the film world when major improvements to a camera system could take many years…) So what do you do with those cameras sitting on the shelves? It would be nice to sell them. Where do you sell your excess cameras? Friends, the camera store where you bought them, Ebay??? Your thoughts… Your experiences…

My thoughts...
Financially it is better to keep Ms on the shelves. The rest is exactly the same.
My experience - few digital ones and a lot of film ones. For the price of single M 😎

 

[SausalitoDog]

I've been pretty good about selling something the minute I buy a newer one...only way you can really get anything worthwhile out of the digital ones.

If you wait at all, the price you get starts going down dramatically... And I think this is accelerating...though at some point, the aftermarket has to bear some relationship to the new market minus a reasonable percentage?

 

[willie_901]

It is rare that I sell one of my film cameras.
I sell my digital stuff on this forum or to KEH.

Me too.

KEH gets it if I don't use it anymore.

They travel to my city at least twice a year.

 

[Dirk]

I don't have surplus digital cameras yet (currently own only one), but have many film cameras, both compacts and SLR's, that I no longer use. I have a couple that may bring some money, but most are probably only going to fetch in the $20-40 range. Hardly worth the trouble. I usually sell them on Ebay. This time around I may donate some; the tax write-off may be worth more than selling on Ebay, after all their fees and Paypal's.

 

[shadowfox]

I have no excess digital cameras.
I have plenty of unused film ones, I don't call them excess, though 😀

 

[akptc]

I keep many cameras just because I think they are pretty.

 

[Chris101]

I have never sold a camera, but I do live in a bad part of town. Twice in the last 30 years, burglars have broken into my house, and taken all of my cameras. Now always my "excess" ones, but it does cause me to occasionally retool.

 

[rfaspen]

Um, I have a few cameras...probably about 300 to 350.

I have all kinds of cameras, and that's really point. I casually collect cameras because they're neat and pretty and the history of photo equipment interests me. Thus, I have a smattering of cameras of various film formats, or general design, or historical importance. You know, some key SLR designs (Nikon F, Exacta) or subminiature (Minox, Minolta 16), boxes (early box brownies, Agfa), rangefinders (of course!), TLRs, stereo, medium format folders, 35mm folders, large format (studio, field), Polaroid, and so on.

Most come to me cheap. Some free. Some at cost. A few at serious cost.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Um, I have a few cameras...probably about 300 to 350.

Wow! I used to own about thirty cameras and thought that wildly excessive. 😀

 

[Brian Atherton]

Um, I have a few cameras...probably about 300 to 350.

Respect. Doubt if my favourite camera shop in London has this many! 😀

 

[Rodchenko]

I think my current collection is wildly excessive, and I've only got ...mumble mumble...* cameras.

Still, if you can afford that many, and get to enjoy using them all, then good on ya!

ETA: Just counted up - I've got 23 cameras. Some are for sale. Some even work!

Also counted up my wishlist. Makes 15 cameras, of which I have 6, with stand ins for 7 others.

 

[Murchu]

I sell them usually, through national classifieds here in Ireland. Selling/ shipping internationally is a little too hit and miss for me, and prefer to get a feel for the buyer, and conduct the sale then in person. A nice conversation, and awkward exchange of a sum of money in public later, and its done. The buyer has gotten to see things in person before handing over any money, and anytime I've sold anything this way, its nearly always been a problem-free sale.

I think the main issue I have with unused equipment, tends to come from the value of the item in question being below the threshold where I'm willing to go to the hassle of selling it. Otherwise the minimalist in me gets bothered by the sight of something of some value gathering dust 🙂

 

[raydm6]

I gave my younger sister an old Fujifilm FinePix 6800 camera which I payed a lot for in the day but she hardly uses it as she ended up getting an Android phone 🙂 But, I felt good giving it away.

I still have a Canon ELPH APS camera that needs to go at some point 🙂