Mistake?

[rbiemer]

This is a bit OT from rangefinders but:
I bought a big pile of Kiev medium format gear last year. All from ARAX and have been very happy with the camera and lenses. When I bought the Arax60 I also bought what I hoped would be all the lenses I'd want/need( 🙄 shoulda known that idea wasn't gonna work)--30mm arsat,45mm mir,250mm telear and a 500mm mirror lens. I have extemely limited space where I live and the 500mm lens I have used exactly once so I thought I would sell/trade it for some thing else.
For my own info I went back to the arax web site to see what the lens is selling for new, so I wouldn't be asking some ridiculous price. The lens is listed as N/A so
in a moment of inspiration I emailed Mr. Vartanyan and asked if he would consider trading my lens(which came from him and is as he sent it:caps,filters,case)for another lens(I want the 150mm Kaleinar). In minutes he responded"sure thing!"
Now, I like Gevorg and the gear I got form him has worked well for the last year and I will be happy to do more business but I wonder if I should have asked for something more in trade?
I made an offer and will honor it. And I don't feel cheated , just slightly stupid.
Oh well. I think the lesson here is RESEARCH.
Thanks all for letting me vent a bit!
Rob

 

[kiev4a]

The standard in camera stores for years was to figure what they would sell a piece of equipment for and then offer half that amount on a trade. Might be less now.

 

[rover]

I talked to Photo Village about trading in some stuff. I was told that their offer would be 60% of what they felt they could sell the item for. So, if you have a camera that sells on the used market for $500, they will only pay $300. For some items, those that will be easy to sell, it just makes sense to sell privately instead of trading them in.

Another thing to think of though is what is the value to you? How much did you pay for the lens. Is it comparable to the current price of the 150mm? If you will use it more, is the 150 more valuable to you?

I don't think a trade lens for lens will necessarily be a bad deal. It is just important to make sure you are getting what you want.

It sounds like your experience with ARAX was positive. I have considered getting an ARAX 60 just for fun, when someday I have some just for fun money hanging around.

 

[rbiemer]

I absolutely didn't mean that Gevorg was teating me badly!
The lenses are fairly close in price and the 150mm will be a much better value for me as I will use it quite alot more.
I guess my thnking is that with some more thought/research I might have either sold the lens outright to some one else(no telling how long that process would take) and got maybe a better deal or I might've asked for better terms for the trade.
Either way Mr. Vartanyan is not at fault, if anyone is I am.
It might have been better to ask him something like"would you be interested in buying back the lens or trading something else for it?" and left whatever offer he might be willing to give up to him instead of the way I did ask-"would you trade my lens for the 150mm?"
I am getting a lens I will use for one that is currently sitting unused and taking up way too much space with no $ out of my pocket but the packing and shipping. Not often can one do a deal like this with used anything(try it with a car for a laugh--the dealers not yours 🙂 )

 

[Sonnar Brian]

If the lenses cost about the same originally, you got a good deal. If the 150 had now costs a lot less than you paid for the 500, different story- but not YOUR story! The 500mm may be harder for him to get, and he may have a waiting list for it. If so, he has a sure-sell on it but would have had your new lens around for a while.

 

[taffer]

The thing here as well is subjective value, a 500 mirror lens in the closet was useless for you, and in exchange you got in trade what you were looking for 🙂

Similarly, I prefer not to look at prices of things once I've bought them, just as I don't like looking at the uni books after doing an exam, I just prefer to be given the mark, experience taught me it was better that way 😀