User opinion on Kevin Cameras

[Stephanie Brim]

Where in Des Moines is he? When I go looking for my M finally, that's a good, close place for me to go. I can just walk into his shop. 😉

 

[andrewch]

Kevin is responsive to queries, and very conservative with his grading. I bought an 8 element 35mm Summicron from him recently, which he described as having pristine glass and 98% mint. It turned out that it was almost mint except a tiny rub mark on the barrel. I highly recommend him.

 

[PaulN]

I purchased an EX+++ 50mm Rigid Summicron from Kevin, and after an hour of use, I was finding paint chips all over the room. Apparently the lens was "touched up" by the previous offer. I ended up returning it to Kevin, but I was still out shipping. That one experience has tainted my view of his operation. If he is a collector and can perform CLAs as I was told, he should have noticed that the entire lens barrel was coated in cheap silver paint. I got my $$ back, so things could have been worse, however.

The lens is still on his site though, no remarks on paint chips, just a tiny 1mm coating mark under the letter 'z'.

 

[Ronald M]

Jim is wonderful guy. Please mention my name. Ronald Moravec.

515 225 0110 phone

515 226 0295 fax

If you are lucky, the phone will not be busy. Send him a fax with your phone # and list of what you want. He will check inventory and call you back.

He has much more than that listed in Shutterbug.

Shipment are normally done the same day UPS ground. I get mine the next day.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I contacted Kevin about a lens I wanted to buy. Not immediately, of course. After some e-mails, I saw the lens surface on eBay and it sold.

Was I mad? You bet! 🙁 However, he's a dealer, out to make money. However, when he thought I was going to buy the lens he told me he'd take CC payments over Paypal.

BTW, it was an Elmarit 28/2.8 at $725, with hood (cracked) included. You guys know that Elmarits go for a lot more, without the hood.

Oh, well... I'll keep checking his website anyway, because some of his offerings, however pricy, sound really nice.

I've heard of Jim Kuehl a lot in P.net. I think I'll fax him in a couple of months. And, of course, I'll mention your name, Ronald (I've seen you post in the Leica forum in P.net! 🙂 )

 

[darkkavenger]

I guess you've got czech origins, Ronald! Your name is very common here in Czech Republic *giggles*

 

[Joseph Low]

Can you please share the coordinates of Jim Kuehl - I live in Singapore

Thanks - Joseph Low

 

[rpj]

This thread is a little out of date I think. Jim Kuehl is no longer in business, I understand. Either retired or in ill health. I have purchased from him in the past and gotten very good service, but I understand that is no longer available.

 

[januaryman]

Well, it's an old post thread, but since I've bought from him, allow me to say that although I had thought the 28/3.5 Canon lens was overpriced at the time, it was an absolute gem, immaculately clean, perfect glass, very smooth if not the smoothest lens I own. If I had bought this lens elsewhere, I fully expect that a CLA and extra cost would have ended up being a worse deal and more hassles. Kevin deals in quality gear. Remember that when looking at his stuff.

 

[Bill58]

I wish I knew someone who could put a new, curved front glass in my Canon 28 VF! Any ideas?

 

[benmacphoto]

I'm sorry, he describes items as being mint but mentions flowering separation or slight cleaning marks. In my book that is not mint. A "mint" lens should not have optical flaws, other wise its like a BGN grade lens don't you think? One thing though, he is honest in his descriptions.

examples.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Leica-M-Chrome-50-1-4-Summilux-1845309-Minty_W0QQitemZ270291081964QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCamera_Lenses?hash=item3eee9a9aec&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|293%3A1|294%3A30
http://cgi.ebay.com/Leica-SM-85-1-5-Summarex-823110-Complete-Minty_W0QQitemZ280275007613QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCamera_Lenses?hash=item4141b1387d&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1234|293%3A1|294%3A50

I live in the UK and often buy from Kevin.All my purchases have been really excellent and worth the money because if Kevin says it is mint, it is MINT.
If you want quality you have to pay for it, this applies to anything you buy.If you want to take a risk then try Ebay but you might get your fingers burnt.
There is nobody in the UK or Europe that can touch Kevin for the quality of his secondhand stock.I would recommend him completely, he is an honest and very knowledgable dealer and even purchasing from half way around the world I have complete confidence in my purchases from him.
Kevin, your a top class dealer and your items are worth every penny.
Long may you remain in business.
__________________

 

[sevo]

I'm sorry, he describes items as being mint but mentions flowering separation or slight cleaning marks. In my book that is not mint. A "mint" lens should not have optical flaws, other wise its like a BGN grade lens don't you think?

Strictly speaking mint is "untouched", which does not absolutely exclude "totally screwed up". Of course, mint with cleaning marks can't be - you can't clean a lens without touching it. But mint with separation can - some lenses have been notorious for out of the box separation even when new.

Sevo

 

[benmacphoto]

This is true, and he does mention if a lens has not been opened for service. I just think he needs to grade a little better that is all.

I do love going to his site and looking at all the nice rare gear I wont ever own, haha.

Strictly speaking mint is "untouched", which does not absolutely exclude "totally screwed up". Of course, mint with cleaning marks can't be - you can't clean a lens without touching it. But mint with separation can - some lenses have been notorious for out of the box separation even when new.

Sevo

 

[f16sunshine]

Have not negotiated a purchase with him successfully yet (price always too high).
I did sell him a lens once though (Yashica ML 1.2/55).
It does seem that sellers like this change the value of items by stockpiling. I suppose it's a fair practice but can be frustrating. BTW he did pay top dollar for that ML 1.2 . Maybe the reason some of his items are so expensive.

 

[maajka]

He bought a lens from me for 89$, He lists the same ones on his website for over $200. A little too much. But I guess that's what dealers do, somebody's misfortune is another one's fortune.

 

[David Murphy]

I have had a different experience with Kevin Cameras; he sells under "Kevin Cameras" and buys under "Kinche 1;" he keeps his "Kinche 1" feedback private and quite likely for good reason. A friend that also collects Alpas has had three items returned by Kevin and I know my friend and his auctions -- he is fair, honest and a stand-up guy. He's been too kind in allowing Kevin to return the items he has. I sold an Alpa lens that was clearly described as a good user condition lens with minor coating marks but still an excellent performer. Kevin paid a low price for the lens and then wanted to return it: the real problem was he paid fair market value for it and didn't steal it for a song like he usually does -- he buys cheap under çand then sells very high under "Kevin Cameras" -- he's been blocked from placing any further bids on my auctions.

I searched on eBay and could not locate a member with the name "Kinche 1"

 

[ZeissFan]

Like Photo-arsenal, Camera$ and Henry Scherer, he has his supporters and detractors.

At the most basic, he's a "flipper." Buy as low as possible and then sell it as high as possible. I wouldn't pay half of what he asks, but he gets what the market will bear. I wonder if he reports this income to the IRS.

But I've never met him. Never will meet him. Will likely never do business with him. His life and business impacts my life in no way.

 

[gdi]

I searched on eBay and could not locate a member with the name "Kinche 1"

He changes his buying identity every so often. I can't remember the last one he used during one of my auctions.

 

[Nokton48]

I've sold a few things to him, without problems. He used an agent. Paid promptly and without any issues.

And bought my lenshood from him for my Canon 85mm F1.5. Nobody else has had one to sell, as near as I could tell. He had several of them available. He did answer my email questions promptly and to the best of his ability IMO.

 

[stesm]

I searched on eBay and could not locate a member with the name "Kinche 1"

It's "kinche-l" that's a lower case L. At least that's the name he used when he won a few of my auctions several years ago. If he sold the items for the prices he listed on his site, he did quite well. His feedback was not private then.