unexpected low prices on *bay

[dexdog]

Is it my imagination, or are items going kinda cheap on *Bay lately? Recent examples include a contax IIIA w/ 50mm, 135mm and 21mm lenses and 21mm leitz viewfinder for $709, and a canon 7sZ w/ 50mm 1.4 selling for under $1000.

Comments, great thoughts, etc? I remember a reference to the August doldrums in an old thread...

 

[rover]

I think it simply goes in cycles.

The Canon IV I bought went for much less than those which closed just a week or so prior to it. On the other side of the coin, a Canon 35/2 sold for $475, the next week one sold for under $350. It runs hot and cold depending on who is shopping.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Canon 7sz with F1.4 must be up, a year or so ago they were going closer to $600. Despite the low production numbers, they have not sold for that much more than a Canon 7.

The Contax certainly cheap with the 21mm lens. The Biogon typically brought in $1K by itself. I suspect the Package was the cause, and that most bidders did not see the 21mm lens. It is best to sell a high ticket item like that on its own. The 135mm focal length lenses do not command much, usually under $100. A IIIa goes for less than a IIa; I picked up mine for $200 with the F1.5 Sonnar a couple of years ago.

 

[kiev4a]

This time of year is historically the best time to buy and the worst time to sell. A lot of people are on vacation or involved in various summer activities so there isn't as much interest. Best time, I think, is in the middle of the winter when people are stuck inside--next to their computers.

 

[Justin Low]

I saw a M4-P end under $500 last week.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I bought a Nikon M sync'd with 1st run 5cm f1.4 (SN 50052xxx) last week for $30. I don't think it gets much lower than that...

 

[DaveP]

Last gasp before digital death?

 

[ScottS]

I bought a Nikon M sync'd with 1st run 5cm f1.4 (SN 50052xxx) last week for $30. I don't think it gets much lower than that...

Yeah, that beats my Canon FTb+50/1.4 (with hood and UV filter) for $45.


Scott

 

[sockeyed]

A Canon 7 went for $130 yesterday. It had some problem with the framelines that was probably repairable, but otherwise looked good.

I've also seen several M3's go in the $500-700 range.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

The M3 prices are getting to be very nice indeed. Pretty soon they'll be low enough for me to actually go about saving and buying one. 😀

 

[f/stopblues]

How come none of the stuff I want is cheap right now?? I have champagne taste and beer money anyway.. I was pricing some Nikon gear I'm selling and on the bay it was much much cheaper than any of the big retailers with used equipment.

On a side note, how come nobody spells out the name of this auction site in the forums? I've seen this here, photonet, David Gray forums.. all over the map. What's the skinny?

 

[TPPhotog]

There's a couple of Canon P's on the UK Ebay at reasonable prices at the moment. But the Canonet prices are still looking very high 🙁

 

[Little Prince]

Oh, people say Ebay here all the time. I think you were not allowed to post links to it and so on, on pnet. Maybe that got mixed up with not spelling ebay at all. Eventually it became 'the place that must not be named', on account of it's evil nature and all. You see, people constantly have a love-hate relationship with the bay.

There are lots of fluctuations in prices on ebay anyway. If someone who's really bitten wants a particular lens, he's gonna bid high. At other times that's not going to happen. Also got to do with time of day that the auction ends.

 

[Canon Junkie]

I got a digital cam two weeks ago (Rebel XT kit with 18-55mm) brand new for $720. They guy didn't want to sell to me after auction ended because it was below his cost... he asked me to add $10 so he cound break even... I did so he wouldn't lose money... anyway, its a really good price for this new toy.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

With as bad as EBay has been getting with Rip-Offs, sellers that do not state problems, buyers that don't get any goods for their money, prices will continue to decline for sellers that do not have a proven track record. Their are sellers that I trust, and those that I put a low-bid on because I really want something. But overall, I think prices are still CRAZY and UNPREDICTABLE! I saw a Nikon M with Sync and lens sell for $1,600 as AS-IS For PARTS, does not work! Then one with a BIN for $1,200 that was in good working order just sit. Does not make Sense, and it just takes two to tango a price way up.

 

[atelier7]

well, the next time you spot something that offers good value but you think to yourself, i do not need another camera.... you don't! send me the details instead 😛

 

[dexdog]

umexpected low prices on eBay

umexpected low prices on eBay

I was very tempted to put a bid on the contax IIIa with 3 lenses just to try to get a good deal on the 21mm- the problem was that I already had one, and didn't need two, and already own several of the other cameras/lenses as well. On the other hand, I almost bid on it so that I could turn around and sell the 21mm for the usual and customary $900-1000, but that sounds greedy, so I didn't.

 

[Pherdinand]

pff, tyhat was a great deal on the contax! alas,not for me 🙁

 

[Pherdinand]

by the way nothing wrong with buying a kit and keeping the parts you need, giving the rest away for a good price, i think.

 

[Kat]

I just started looking at ebay when I started looking at vintage cameras. I have to wonder, why do some people outbid themselves, or jack up the price so high up from the previous bids? Are they friends of the sellers or something, trying to bring up the price?