Time for a slight rationalisation of my Camera Kit...

TheBigYin

TheBigYin

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Mark
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Hi guys - I've come to a bit of a realisation recently... last summer, I had another "close call" health scare that resulted in my spending some considerable time in Hospital, and having a couple of Procedures that i was advised that "it might be an idea if you reviewed your will before going into this..." Talk about a way to get you to focus on the stuff you've got in your life...
Anyhoo... don't want to get bogged down with all that - I made a complete recovery, though I'm in the rehab phase still in terms of getting back to full fitness.

But it made me focus on my "collecting" habits. And I've come to the conclusion that I'm not really a "collector" as such, and more of a "high functioning hoarder". To explain the difference, basically, it's this - I get into a particular passtime / hobby and "collect" lots of kit. Then It goes on the back burner, but I don't think in my proper "adult" life while I've had a regular wage coming in, I've ever really sold something to part finance the next item - with the exception of cars, naturally...

About the time I joined this forum, I was a full time carer to my aging parents, and couldn't really get out and about taking photo's as much as I liked. So, to feed my hobby, I instead bought cameras, refurbished / cleaned and got them working - most of them ended up getting a couple of rolls of film through them and then going in a bag, or on display, as I moved onto the next project.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this - I've got a whole bunch of quite nice film cameras, that I've no real sentimental attachment to, that are mostly not getting used, and are sitting begging for new homes... I've also got a couple or three that aren't going anywhere soon and two that might only get sold if I'm at the point of inability to pay the rent once I retire... But the main reason for wanting to let them go, is that they deserve better than sitting in a bag until I die, then getting sold on by whoever ends up dealing with my estate, to a house clearance scammer for a quid apeice. I want them to go to a good home.

Now there's quite a range, and I'm completely at a loss to valuations on them. There's obviously the old standard of finding the camera on fleabay in sold items and getting a sensible average, which I've done and honestly became quite surprised at how the prices totted up. But is there any other guideline I should be applying before coming up with a price for my classies ad(s) on here...

Also, mostly, I don't have the time and resources to run a roll of film through most of the cameras, would most of you say that a good manual check over and "dry fire" on them be sufficient pre sale? Or would I have to adjust my sights and ostensibly sell "as seen, worked 9 years ago, last time I tried it" at greatly reduced price...

What I'm getting at is this... I'm staff - I need to be "beyond reproach" in any dealings within the classies... And, honestly, I've never sold anything in all the time I've been here, so I'm looking for "best practices" from the more frequent classifieds users - not in terms of "the roolzz" (i'm more au-fait with them than I ever wanted to be...) but in terms of "what'll make things sell well, and keep the seller happy with their purchase".

PS:(I know that it'd probably be easier to just stick them on ebay, and possibly more lucrative, even allowing for fees, but honestly, I'd like the cameras to go to the good home that I've not managed to give them, and I think initially trying to sell via here might be easier to cope with for me - emotionally (that's the hoarder part of the "high functioning hoarder" phrase).

PPS: (we're talking as a first installment (in no particular order) Fed 3, Canon EOS 30 body, Voigtlander Perkeo, Kodak Autographic, Yashica 108 and a Yashica Electro 35, plus maybe my Canon A-1 and the sackful of FD lenses - so no real exotica, just solid cameras I guess)

PPPS: (before anyone jumps on the RTM button, this isn't an invitation to sell outside the classies, neither is it a fishing exercise for PM sales - though you'd have to be pretty daft to try that with a staff member - it's just a plea for help, from a long, long term member, who's finding himself having to do something that he finds very difficult to handle.)
 
Funnily enough I was thinking of my old film stuff the other day. Not touched it in a few years and the chances of me bothering with it again are slim. Now I dont think it's worth much second hand, especially unused for a few years (can you still get the batteries?) but like you I'd rather see it go a good home than fleabay for the few quid it would fetch.
 
Well, speaking as someone who buys them for peanuts, gives them a quick CLA, new set of seals, then runs a film through them before selling on at a profit; I think you've answered your own question Mark.

I'd give you five to ten quid each for them, test them with a film (as you've already serviced them) and then advertise them for what they should be worth. So, for the sake of a few quid putting a film through them I think it could be very much worth it as you would increase your sale price by 800-1000% quite easily.

You'd probably be wasting your time on here for most of them, but they would sell on the Evil Bay.
 
It's also worth trying Ffordes and WY cameras. They both buy film cameras. I've used both to sell on stuff I'm not using but will still often buy more film and cameras 'just in case'!
 
Pictures of the condition, yes, that helps. Some history, so we would know what we're buying. Description of the "dry-fire" testing, ditto. I'd price a bit on the low side of your average for an un-tested camera....

I don't agree with @Sky that £5 to £10 would be a fair price these days, you'd generally have to pay much more than that in unknown condition on fleabay. I also don't agree with @swanseamale47 that "it's [not] worth much second hand, especially unused for a few years". Used film gear prices are a bit daft these days. Although it does vary, a lot; where there are many, many copies of an excellent lens (eg the truly lovely Pentax SMC M "nifty fifty" f/1.7) you might only get £20 to £40. But I'm sure you know that (and I realise just now that "worth much" is a highly variable comparator, as I may have just shown).

The biggest factor, I suspect, is that the film fans on here are a relatively small constituency. So some things sell really quickly, when they just happen to press someone's hot button, but quite a few sit for weeks with no offers, likes or comments. It would be good to have a Plan B. If it's fleabay, make sure you're signed up to be notified of the £1 "final fee" offers that come round quite frequently (there's one on now that I'm probably not going to get round to using, Grrr). Fleabay does have a bit of a rep as the buying scammers playground of choice (eg "gimme a refund, it never arrived"). But nicer/more pricy items sold "on consignment" at Ffordes (or others) is a relatively worry free way to go, at the expense of a 25% commission, IIRC. I also asked them for a quote to buy or trade my gear, and that was quite a bit lower than the consignment fee. However, that does take away even more worries (the "on consignment" sale could unwind if the buyer is unhappy).

Hope that helps!
 
Good to know that you still with us Mark!!

I appreciate the effort , cost and general hassle of testing kit however @Sky does have a good point.

I would be very reluctant to purchase untested kit .
It would have to be going for a song for me to take the risk tbh.

What about sharing a roll of film between several cameras so say 6 frames a piece . That will keep costs to a minimum for checking half a dozen 35mm outfits. ‘´

120 is of course more complicated.

How about seeing if there are folk near to you who might fancy shooting a bit of film ( I know of one filmie in your region) . Loan them the camera(s) and let them test em out whilst having some fun at the same time.
In addition, you may find that the idea helps towards finding purchasers too.

Good luck with whatever you chose to do but be sure to take it easy and don’t be getting stressed over it!!

Take care of yourself
 
ChrisR said:
I don't agree with @Sky that £5 to £10 would be a fair price these days, you'd generally have to pay much more than that in unknown condition on fleabay.
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Buying on Ebay is a mug's game - OK if you want kit for spares. However, the prices people are asking are laughable. Take a look at the 'sold' prices and you'll be a little closer, but even then the prices are still too high for me. £5.00 - £10.00 cameras can be found in most charity shops as well - unfortunately, very few shops are wheelchair accessible so I can't use them.

On the other hand, by advertising in my local rag I often pick up bargains. Today, I turned down five cameras and half a dozen lenses at £75.00 - I offered £50.00. I bet he comes back within a week. Selling it all on the Evil Bay is major hassle unless you have time on your hands as I do.
 
Sky said:
Buying on Ebay is a mug's game - OK if you want kit for spares. However, the prices people are asking are laughable. Take a look at the 'sold' prices and you'll be a little closer, but even then the prices are still too high for me. £5.00 - £10.00 cameras can be found in most charity shops as well - unfortunately, very few shops are wheelchair accessible so I can't use them.

On the other hand, by advertising in my local rag I often pick up bargains. Today, I turned down five cameras and half a dozen lenses at £75.00 - I offered £50.00. I bet he comes back within a week. Selling it all on the Evil Bay is major hassle unless you have time on your hands as I do.
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I often look in charity shops and, apart from focus-free plastic point and shoots it's very rare that I see anything beyond that. And when I do, prices tend to rise accordngly - many of the larger chain charity shops now tend to put cameras on their own eBay sites. I paid £30 for a Minolta SRT-101b with 50mm f/1.7 in really nice condition a couple of years ago and I consider that a decent price. It may be that I live in a big city and there's competition for cameras, but I'd be genuinely interested to know whereabouts you're seeing this stuff Trevor. I'm always on the lookout for a bargain.
 
Well, I'd certainly be interested if you wanted to advertise them here.
 
swanseamale47 said:
Funnily enough I was thinking of my old film stuff the other day. Not touched it in a few years and the chances of me bothering with it again are slim. Now I dont think it's worth much second hand, especially unused for a few years (can you still get the batteries?) but like you I'd rather see it go a good home than fleabay for the few quid it would fetch.
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You would be surprised what a lot of film gear is going for these days.
 
WY cameras only do cash too whereas Ffordes will offer a scaling amount depending on p/x, commission, or cash.

Is it also worth considering offering them for sale (on here) with a return policy if they turn out not to work? Gives the buyer a safety net in case they don't work properly...? If you've looked after them and serviced them you should be reasonably confident of a lack of problems. And people here are mostly agreeable and nice.
 
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