Minolta SRM (rare motorized "SRT")

[kelvination]

Hello all,
I am just curious. Where do you all recommend I go to try to sell my Minolta SRM? It's complete and works well and is in unusually good condition. I've been trying to sell on E-bay, but no bids of yet.

As many may know, it's quite rare. Just don't know if there any many actual Minolta collectors out there to care. I doubt this would happen if I was trying to sell my Leica gear🙂

 

[Addy101]

I don't know where you're from, but I would ask at the German Minolta forum.

I guess this is your listing. Price seems to be right (maybe even good) looking at collectiblend. One thing that lets go off all my warning bells: the VERY RARE in all caps. It makes me distrust you... If you have to scream it is rare, it probably isn't. And for the people who know it is rare, you don't have to yell.

Come to think of it, seeing that listing, I do of course know where you're from as it is in the add 😉

 

[kelvination]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. They are very insightful. The item I am selling is actually http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-rare-M...148905?hash=item3f685212e9:g:QHwAAOSwCfdXpq2W
The link you provide is to the other such SRM for sale right now. I thought by setting my price a fair bit lower ($450) my chance of getting bids would go up. I did use the other seller's listing as a template (including the "very rare" part). If it doesn't sell, I will relist in less ostentatious fashion as you make a very good point about approaching this with the correct tone. I'm actually located in Washington state.

If I have to repost, I will provide a make offers option per the earlier recommendation.

 

[Addy101]

Aha, I see, that is Kevin, you're Kelvin - one letter and an ocean apart. Your add sounds much better. You limit your market by only shipping within the US.

On a side note. Did you get permission to use that bit from the Rokkorfiles? It is copyrighted.

 

[abearman]

As a reference point, an SRM sold recently on shopgoodwill.com for US$182, without the flash handle.

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/auctions/Minolta-Camera-SRM--1002072--Vintage-Japan-Made-31674031.html

Hmmm...Looks like that's the same camera! ;-)

 

[CameraQuest]

Hello all,
I am just curious. Where do you all recommend I go to try to sell my Minolta SRM? It's complete and works well and is in unusually good condition. I've been trying to sell on E-bay, but no bids of yet.

As many may know, it's quite rare. Just don't know if there any many actual Minolta collectors out there to care. I doubt this would happen if I was trying to sell my Leica gear🙂

Rarity does not always translate to high demand and high prices.

Minolta collectors are few and far between compared with Leica or Nikon collectors.

Stephen

 

[kelvination]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I will revise my future listing to reflect everyone's advice. I will also be patient. I will wait to relist until September since photomoof advises against listing in August (too slow).

To abearman. Yes, busted🙂 I've become a kind of accidental Minolta collector but I'm not really a collector (of any sort) at heart. I just like to see what the rare stuff is like in person. I've gotten some very nice Minolta lenses to use on my Sony A7ii and learned about the Minolta system on the way. Having been around a bit, I have some idea which of the Minolta stuff might have value and often people bid the good Minolta stuff up less so I can get some relatively good deals. The Goodwill seller wasn't aware that the grip was a necessary accessory so I won it (for $7) in a separate auction. ALso, I had noticed that it didn't have any noticeable brassing in the listing, which I understood was a rare situation. I imagine that if the camera had been selling WITH the grip, the selling price would have been higher and I wouldn't have won it.

Of course, any profits get turned right around and applied to new Sony and Leica gear🙂 (currently, I'm saving up for a 50mm ASPH summilux). That being said, I really love, and use my Minolta XD11. My other acquired Minolta bodies (including the Maxxum 9, another masterpiece) just sit on the shelf usually.

If anyone here has an interest in buying the SRM let me know, but otherwise, I will be reposting on Ebay in September. I ran some XP2 through it with my 85mm F2.0 and they came out very nicely. All modes worked well (S and C). Just miss the XD11's light meter and aperture priority. This camera (the SRM) only really functions as a collector's item in my opinion once you compare it to later, superior models. But a nice and "rare" collector's item it is, once I find a "collector" that is🙂

 

[farlymac]

I thought about getting the one that went on Goodwill, but then I saw that dent on the corner, and all I could think of was what a mechanical mess it would be with that kind of a drop.

I also had to remind myself that I need to be getting rid of Minolta gear, not buying more.

PF

 

[Nokton48]

I have a couple of SRM's, and the 250 back for it. There is interest if the price is more in a bargain range (I paid a bit less than your listed price both times). Also no doubt it will need an overhaul to be usuable (Yes I do use my cameras). But your price is reasonable and I would wait until Fall as you said; not much at all is moving right now.

 

[kelvination]

farlymac: Yes, I saw the dent too. Took my chances. Lucked out as the camera works beautifully with perfect shutter speeds and proper winding. No light leaks on the roll I shot. The dent ain't pretty, but appears to be the only flaw (except a few small scratches).

Will try again in September.

 

[farlymac]

It would have fine to me as a collection piece, but I would want to use it, and the last Minolta I had with that kind of a dent was messed up internally. I don't have a mint anything around here. Well, the Pronea 6i body was NIB, but I used it today.

PF

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

There is a Facebook group for Minolta collectors. They're generally more interested in collecting stuff and talking about it, than they are in using it, so it wasn't a particularly good fit for me, but you could try mentioning it there, at least it will be your target demographic.
Cheers,
Brett

 

[kelvination]

Thanks for the information on the Facebook page. I'm not a member so never looked there. I will look into it.

I agree with farlymac, generally dents can be bad, and have had some bad experiences with them. This one is more superficial/cosmetic. To my eyes, quite a pretty specimen, this one, even with the corner "lesion". The solid nature of the SR series saved it's "guts". It still amazes me just how smooth the operation of these older cameras is. But heavy. and awkward compared to newer models. Still, looks quite pretty on the shelf with my black XD11, SRT-SUPER, XE-7 and Maxxum 9.

Will see what September brings, I guess. I may try to list on Fredmiranda, though minolta stuff there goes very slow too.

thanks again. It's great to have sparked a conversation about collecting and the process of selling and the question of what rarity means in markets like this one.
Kelvin