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Post by kiev4a on Oct 6, 2005 9:11:45 GMT -5
Wayne, I have an excellent cosmetic Memar, but the shutter is caput. I have run across 3 in the last year at flea markets and the shutter has been broken in all cases; and they were a mess cosmetically. Ron Head Kalamazoo, MI If it's just a sticking shutter give the leaves a tiny drop of Ronsonal. "Tiny" is the operative word here as the stuff will migrate all over the place.
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melek
Senior Member
Posts: 87
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Post by melek on Oct 9, 2005 15:52:59 GMT -5
It seems that the popularity of certain brands rises and falls for no apparent reason. About a year ago, the Isolette folders were bringing in a huge amount of money. Lately, it seems the older Contax rangefinders are now the "big money" camera.
I saw the same thing with the folding Retina letter models, where several IIIC's went for US$450 -- more than a Contax at that time.
I think the trick is for those of us who really like them to wait until that cycle of popularity has eased a bit.
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Oct 9, 2005 17:41:42 GMT -5
Absoltely agree. Mike. I don't buy on ebay but I often follow trends on it. Sometimes rising prices follow a good feature about a camera in one of the photo mags, or on a popular website or forum. But quite often it's because of ebay rivalry between a few semi-pro dealers. Have a look at the bidding history and bidding times. You get to recognise their ebay handles. They like to sit waiting and come in at the last few minutes with 'up to a maximum' bid, knowing someone else is doing the same and playing the "lead 'em up and drop 'em" game. Wait a few days then Google for the name of the camera and you might just find it on one of their websites where the winner is trying to unload it at only a buck or two more than it cost him. Here's another little dodge I've known a couple of less than scrupulous dealers get up to. They've got a couple of identical cameras that they gave too much for in the camera collecting boom a few years back, and now they can't shift them because their price is too high. So they put one on ebay and get a couple of cronies to bid it up till eventually one "wins" it. Of course, the camera doesn't actually change hands, and the money goes in one door of paypal and straight out the other. But the price 'bid' for it makes the ones the dealer's got on offer at a high price look like good buys! Then at a camera fair their spiel goes something like 'One of these sold on ebay recently for $XXX'. I don't think it's actually illegal, unless it comes under the 'biddling collusion' part of the Public Auctions Act. But who's going to bother to try to prove it? Ooooh! I'm a cynical old blighter! . But I've knocked around a bit and picked up on a few of dodges like this over the years. One of the reasons I never buy on ebay. Never chase after buses or cameras. Others will be along soon. Peter
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Post by kamera on Oct 10, 2005 16:33:33 GMT -5
Peter makes very valid points about buying anywhere but especially on the auction sites. I have seen times when people are up-bidding on a given camera listing, when you can further search and find other sellers with the 'same' camera and no bids at all. And it seems the bidders are totally oblivious to the other listings. I doubt if those other sellers are the same one in disguise or under different names.
Ron Head Kalamazoo, MI
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Post by Rachel on Oct 11, 2005 3:06:17 GMT -5
Peter makes very valid points about buying anywhere but especially on the auction sites. I have seen times when people are up-bidding on a given camera listing, when you can further search and find other sellers with the 'same' camera and no bids at all. I've noticed it too and wondered. An item will attract no end of bids and then another identical one comes along and no interest at all On the other hand some sellers can be very unattractive with big lists of rules and warnings.
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David Silver
Contributing Member
"Will work for antique cameras..."
Posts: 20
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Post by David Silver on Oct 11, 2005 5:34:08 GMT -5
There are far too many factors to contemplate when analyzing the bidding trends on eBay. Time of listing, location of item, category of listing, reputation of seller, quality of presentation, etc. I've been in eBay from the start, I have several different accounts for different purposes. I sell only photographic gear through one, I buy photo gear through another (so that other bidders can no longer "shadow" my actions...when you're famous enough, everybody wants to see what you're doing, and in some cases get a cheap thrill out of beating you!), I sell fine art and collectibles through another, I buy toys and model kits through another, etc. Several accounts with an accumulated feedback in excess of 4000 now. As a seller I've learned that there are MUCH better ways to do it, and that includes choosing the best times, the best categories, providing the most effective images, and creating the most inviting and exciting presentations. Go take a look, I have a load of stuff up for auction right now under dfscameras and some of it is VERY interesting. I always get better prices because of the sense of fun and the obvious respect I put into my listings. But it takes a lot of WORK to do it correctly, and it's more often the lack of that work that dooms an eBay auction. I don't like bells and whistles (another mistake sellers make...weird HTML rich templates that take forever to load and just confuse the issue), I NEVER attempt to sell somehting I don't first thoroughly understand, and I don't believe in long lists of rules and threats (another way for sellers to avoid real work). I make it as simple and fun as possible, I maintain a friendly yet authoritative voice, and I stress open communication. As for the other sellers who don't know what they're doing and never get reasonable prices, I don't worry about it. I BUY from them!
Dave
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Post by paulatukcamera on Oct 18, 2005 17:24:57 GMT -5
The only reason for posting this is that they were both taken with the camera in the front of the picture above. (Agfa Silette Brightline - Solinar lens - No RF or exposure meter) Taken in 1961, they are of my first car, - a 1934 Wolseley 9 purchased for the princely sum of £12 ($20) Larger Image: www.ukcamera.com/images/ruskin/1934wolseley9a.jpgLarger Image: www.ukcamera.com/images/ruskin/1934wolseley9b.jpgLooks rather quaint now! Genuine beam axle at the front and "blow up" upholstery. Also had a "Pedomatic" No starter button - just switch on and depress the accelerator. Also two little mirrors above your head to check that the Trafficators (yellow arms that came out of the coachwork to indicate direction) were out! Paul
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PeterW
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Post by PeterW on Oct 18, 2005 18:09:09 GMT -5
Hi Paul, I remember the 1930s Wolseley Nines. Lovely little cars, even if a bit underpowered. Sort of up-market Morris. Real wood inside too, if I remember correctly. I also remember the Pedomatic system, similar to the Lucas Startix system. I had that on a Rover 14 till I got fed up with it going wrong and replaced it with an ordinary solenoid. Pneumatic upholstery too, long rubber tubes looking like giant fire crackers. I had that in a 1928 Singer Senior. I got tired of repairing punctures and replaced it with Dunlopillo. Just out of interest, NJ was an East Sussex registration, and 3104 was indeed issued about halfway through 1934. Be worth a bit more than £12 now! . Peter
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Post by paulatukcamera on Oct 19, 2005 14:44:24 GMT -5
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Post by herron on Oct 19, 2005 16:09:34 GMT -5
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Post by chrisnikon on May 29, 2012 10:13:12 GMT -5
I was recently given an Agfa Super Silette Automatic by a student of mine. It was something of a revelation. I live in Germany and here the fleamarkets are full of Agfas from the 50s and 60s. To be honest I had been rather confused by the marque - there are just so many types and varieties. My new acquisition has given me a new appreciation of Agfa's capabilities. I was lucky too in that my Silette came from the original owner and is in immaculate condition. I've not had a chance to run a test roll yet but I when I do I shall use the camera's coupled light meter. I was amazed to discover a meter needle in the viewfinder. And not only does the meter work but it seems to be accurate. Given this camera is from 1959 it seems hardly possible that its selenium cell is still usable but that is what my hand-held meter seems to be telling me. A afternoon's photography will soon resolve the question.
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Post by bobinleipsic on Jul 7, 2012 8:16:21 GMT -5
Some months ago, I picked up an Ambi Silette (Always wanted one!) on eVilbay, was listed as sticky shutter, hence the low $45.00 US price. I got it, took the lens off, found a piece of film stuck in the edge of the shutter. VERY GENTLY removed it with a cotton swab, blew the interior clean, now have a very nice Ambi Silette with a quite accurate (at least with Fujicolor film).
After using it a few times, I came to really appreciate the feel of the darn thing! I now have 35 mm & 90 mm lenses for it. The only downside is that the flip up cover is somewhat irritating and it is also sort of brassy.
But, all in all, not a bad deal for less than $150.00 US, including the other lenses!
bobinleipsic
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daveh
Lifetime Member
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Post by daveh on Jul 8, 2012 2:20:11 GMT -5
Bob, it sounds as if it's in safe hands. Happy photographing.
The problem for and with ebay is that every sort of person from just about every country in the world will be using it: all levels of honesty, or dishonesty, will be there. P&P or shipping is what annoys me most. Some can send an item at near actual cost, say £3, while others have a £10 fee for the same item.
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hansz
Lifetime Member
Hans
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Post by hansz on Jul 8, 2012 17:05:29 GMT -5
Come on guys, more than a million Silettes were sold, so prices can't be high. For 150 euro one can build a beautiful collection of Agfa equipment. Of course some models will be restricted to the cognoscenti but who cares when you just want to do some nice analog photographing! Just be honest, I see a definite rise in second hand prices of analog equipment here in The Netherlands...
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mickeyobe
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Post by mickeyobe on Sept 11, 2013 19:55:04 GMT -5
I just received an Agfa Karat 36 from eBay. $25.00 + $11.00 postage from British Columbia. It is in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition. Its leather case, however has been hand restitched several times. Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 50mm f2.8 lens in a Synchro-Compur shutter T. B, 1 to 1/500 sec. A wonderfully clear split image rangefinder. Weird film advance lever is pulled back rather than pushed forward but is very smooth with a short stroke. This is a heavy, very well made folding 35mm camera from 1952. Focus was a little stiff but Ronsonol has freed it up. Mickey
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