The right place at the right time..!!

[ManxTom]

I think I have been lucky in the past, buying photographic stuff off eBay. Everything I have bought has worked as it should, been in very good to excellent condition and, most importantly, bought for good prices. Recently I bought a Bronica ETRSi, complete with 75mm lens, 120 film back and waist level finder, I had been looking for a sale which included more 'kit' but, at the time, there wasn't a lot to choose from.
Last week I spotted a AE-II prism finder which looked in excellent condition (the seller really had pulled out all the stops taking photos of the finder - exceptionally sharp and clear, I was impressed) anyway the item sat for 6 full days with a top bid of £48.00.

Yesterday was the last day of listing and I watched as the clock counted down. The price remained the same, £48.00. So we get to the last five minutes of the sale and bids start to appear.. £50.00.. £52.00..£55.00. Two minutes to go..£60,00.. £62.00.. then I hit the button.. my bid, £65.00, I watched the clock, waiting to be outbid.. Twenty seconds.. fifteen seconds.. ten, nine, eight.. Nothing.. five, four, three, two.. one...??

Yeah... I won the auction.. With postage the prism finder has cost me less than £70.00. Now I see loads on eBay and they are all over £100..!! I think I just got myself a real bargain..

 

[MatBin]

Kit is probably going for less than normal because of lockdown, people can't get out or are running low of money.
Anyway - welcome to TP, guess you know there's a film section too?

 

[ManxTom]

Yes indeed Matt. New-ish here but discovering a shed load in good information. I have been taking photographs for around 40 years and still learning..!! but I'm a newcomer to medium format, so I have a lot to learn. Right now I'm doing as much 'research' as I can regarding photo scanners. I don't have the space to set up a darkroom and, although I did B/W stuff years ago, I was pretty crap with darkroom techniques..!! So I'd be happy to get film processed so I can scan negs and work from there. So far top of my list is the Epson V550.

Regarding what you were saying about lockdown, I was on an auction website yesterday and, apart from all the bling, Rolex watches, paintings etc, they had a load of Leica cameras. I think the lowest pre-sale estimate was an Leica IIIc which was listed at £400 to £700. It sold for £1900.. Just for something to do I listed all the Leica stuff at the hammer price. Everything came from one seller and the total was £18,760.. less auctioneer's fees and Vat.

Sadly there was also a Bronica ETRSi with three lenses, waist lever, prism finders, 3 120 film backs, speed grip, bellows lens hood and filters.. A really nice package but it went for over £700. But someone got a bargain buying a Hasselblad 500CM for just over £800..!!

 

[Raymond Lin]

I just bid my highest with 5s to go.

You won't pay that, you only pay the increments, bidding with long leftover time just give other people to react.

 

[MatBin]

Dont know if you can still do this but there used to be an app that did your bidding for you and thereby timed it's bidding to win so long as you didnt get beaten by a higher bid than your max amount.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Dont know if you can still do this but there used to be an app that did your bidding for you and thereby timed it's bidding to win so long as you didnt get beaten by a higher bid than your max amount.

Bid snipers, there are plenty of websites that do that. The only difference is you can do it and then forget, rather than sit on your computer until the last moments of the bid ends. (or if you think your internet is crap and can't connect that fast)