Would you pay more....

[kbg32]

for a new camera that is coming out, but at the moment is in limited availability?

I ask, because I have been a long time fan of the Ricoh GR series, both film and digital, and would love to get my hands on the new GR. At the moment there are nothing but waiting lists from most of the usual sellers. I was searching e_ay, hey, ya never know, and saw them listed new for $1000 or more. One listing had a best offer or a buy it now price of $997. The seller had purchased it at Popflash, but never opened it and decided they would never use it. It was selling with the original receipt as well. I offered just a bit under the price that they are going for at Popflash, B&H, Adorama, etc., but my offer was turned down almost immediately. I'm patient. I could never see paying $1000, especially when they're going for $799.

Insane isn't it?

 

[segedi]

Just sold a Leica M (typ 240)... Someone wanted it more than I did. And I let him make an offer. Win for both of us. I wouldn't, and didn't, pay what he did, but the price was fair and it certainly wasn't 20% more like you are finding with the GR. And the wait for the GR probably isn't near what the M is commanding.

 

[David Hughes]

"Insane isn't it?"

"Insane isn't it?"

Hi,

It's not "it" that's insane but the people who create the situation by paying over the odds.

Experience tells me that all the cameras and electronic gadgets that are bright and shiny will be expensive but a short way down the road and the price will have dropped a lot, later on they won't be able to give them away. In my world it's insane to pay a lot of money just to be the first one to own something when no one else will notice. And most bright shiny toys soon lose their lustre and get replaced as they are "worthless" the minute the next one appears...

Regards, David

 

[Richard C]

I'm with David Hughes on this one.

I am more likely to wait a while for the price to come down rather than pay over the odds to buy something when it has first come out.

 

[btgc]

Ricoh isn't one of companies releasing model with minor updates after a year or so, but when GR6 will appear on rumour sites, lots of current GR offers will appear.

 

[thegman]

Probably not, but I guess it depends how much the money is worth to you, and whether you need the camera in a hurry.

 

[nikkor-watching]

Jobbing pros seem to keep their cameras a long time. It's the obsessive amateurs with too much money on their hands that have a revolving door for camera jewellery.

 

[x-ray]

No way. I've made some money selling to those that can't wait. When the D1X Nikon came out I had two come in before they were released to the public. I accidentally ordered two through Nikons NPS. I couldn't cancel after the fact so I sold one for $1K over retail. When the 50 asph Summilux was in short supply an Asian fellow wanted it more than I so I sold it to him for a little over $1k over what I paid.

 

[jsrockit]

No, I won't pay extra if I only have to wait a few weeks or months to get one. Most of us have other cameras we can use in the meantime. I do admit to calling around on the release date for the GR and getting one on day one. However, I paid the normal price.

 

[kbg32]

Probably not, but I guess it depends how much the money is worth to you, and whether you need the camera in a hurry.

As I said, I'm patient. I can't see paying more then what would be the current price. Maybe for a M240, since the wait is long, but that depends how much "more"...

 

[giellaleafapmu]

Nope! Just not worth it, you can take pictures with a end of line 16Mpx camera and a kit lens and they will just look the same. Ok, the Ricoh fits into your jeans' pocket, it's cool, it has half a stop faster lens (compared to a typical kit zoom) which is possibly slightly better (but those days you are not even sure) but if you wait a few mounts you can get that too...

GLF

 

[noisycheese]

Would you pay more for a new camera that is coming out, but at the moment is in limited availability?

I would just wait till availability was not an issue and the camera was selling for MSRP or lower.

The other side of the coin is a different story though. If it were announced that a camera or lens were going out of production and I really wanted one, I would be willing to pay extra to get one. I did this with my Noctilux f/1.0 and it cost me a ton, but I have not regretted it.

 

[hepcat]

Jobbing pros seem to keep their cameras a long time. It's the obsessive amateurs with too much money on their hands that have a revolving door for camera jewellery.

+1

There are two issues; first is that I know my gear. I know it inside and out and when I take it on a job, I don't have to worry about my setup. It takes a while to get to learn new gear to that extent. Secondly, money I spend on gear is money I don't get as income. Third, gear depreciates; especially when used professionally. I'd rather someone else take that first 50% hit on market value (see point #2.)

I've had three systems in the past 15 years: Leica film, Olympus 4/3rds digital, and now back to Leicas with both film and digi bodies. Oh, and I had Hassy once upon a time, but I sold all that in 1998 too.

 

[ZeissFan]

Certainly, never for anything digital. Today's wunderkind is tomorrow's "has been."

 

[jsrockit]

Certainly, never for anything digital. Today's wunderkind is tomorrow's "has been."

A very good point.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Ignoring specific makes and models, I also wonder about all those megapixels, I'm guessing that most of us would accept that 300 dpi is exhibition standard but if I want to print to that standard I'm going to set the picture up carefully and use a tripod and cable release etc. And the last thing I'm going to use is a little carry in your shirt pocket and wave around up in the air toy.

Since experience tells me that printing at 100 dpi makes a huge print and people have to stand back to look at it I see 14 megapixels as a 43" by 32" print and probably bigger as I've prints on display to check people's reactions to various aspects of printing (like 16" x 20" cropped from 5 megapixels and posters under glass done on photo copier paper with loosely joned edges). Mostly people comment on the subject and nothing else. BTW, you can have too many large prints, you soon run out of wall and they distract you, just one or two work best.

So I guess I'm in the stick to what works and ignore the hype group. That's going to upset a lot of marketing people and those loonies in the spray it pink school of design...

Regards, David

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

So I guess I'm in the stick to what works and ignore the hype group.

Always the best place to be. 😎

 

[bjornkeizers]

It's a good thing most of my cameras have been on the market for at least 20 years - I suck at patience.

I would definitely consider paying at least full retail for some cameras if I had to. For example:

I was very interested in the Fuji X100S ever since the announcement was first made. I purchased it the day it became available locally, March 20.

Now, since that time the X100S has been sold out EVERYWHERE here in Holland. I just checked, and the six web stores that I usually frequent are all sold out.

So, if I hadn't bought it in March, chances are I still would be waiting for a camera today. And let me tell you, I've had QUITE a bit of fun using it the past three months 😀