I take it we can no longer buy a Chamonix for $700?

Incredible what has been taking place on Epay. Good news for Chamonix (exposure to the world) and owners of the 4X5 camera (can sell for almost $300 more than originally spent for a "used" camera!), but a bit deflating to the actual value of the camera and likely all that Chamonix/Hugo/etc. did to get these out to people for what I believe was $600 when the dollar was a bit higher. Dunno what else to say but that I hope this is a nice sign of greater things to happen for Hugo and the team working for the beautiful wood crafting factory of Chamonix.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chamonix-4x5-Fie...QQcmdZViewItem

Past Auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Chamonix-45-N-1-...QQcmdZViewItem

Fortunately with the pricing on the other larger formated Chamonix cameras, it seems the 4X5 is starting to get set for a $1000 price point, which would be in line with the rest of the line of Chamonix cameras, though I and I'm sure some others would still like to be able to see it at $700 (current price?) range.

Cheers All and hope everyone else doesn't flee for fleabay with their own Chamonix!

Best wishes to all the success of Chamonix and the person that really has made it all happen for this board and now the Epay world.

Many Thanks Hugo for bringing along such beautiful products and happy to see all the past anti-China/Chamonix trolls gone now that this proven product is real and is succeeding very well!!!:)

There is no rhyme nor reason on flea-by as to what one can get for your treasures.

I had not looked recently but I did check out the price on larger formats than the 4x5 and I thought they were way out of line (over the top) price wise?

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Originally Posted by audioexcels

I believe was $600 when the dollar was a bit higher.

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I bought mine as part of the December order - the camera in the USA was $699+$75 shipping - landed cost of $774 - or not much change out of $800. By the time you've paid Ebay and Paypal, you'd be "making" about $100-120 - that's not exactly a wonderful return. Given that is is a personal item, that "profit" is also taxable, so you'd only be about $70-80 to the good....

Additionally, and I'm sure that plenty of other Chamonix owners feel the same way, I wouldn't sell mine for less than $2000 - it's just that sort of value. At $2000 you'd be hard pressed to find the same feature set. I'd say anything under $1000 is a bargain.

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Originally Posted by Don Hutton

I bought mine as part of the December order - the camera in the USA was $699+$75 shipping - landed cost of $774 - or not much change out of $800. By the time you've paid Ebay and Paypal, you'd be "making" about $100-120 - that's not exactly a wonderful return. Given that is is a personal item, that "profit" is also taxable, so you'd only be about $70-80 to the good....

Additionally, and I'm sure that plenty of other Chamonix owners feel the same way, I wouldn't sell mine for less than $2000 - it's just that sort of value. At $2000 you'd be hard pressed to find the same feature set. I'd say anything under $1000 is a bargain.

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Very true Don. Agree with everything regarding price.

If one wants a "used" camera, such as a used cam found on Epay, an Arca Discovery w/bag bellows+something else one could sell basically for $200 went for $650ish=A $450 cam if they sold the extras that came with it. So for $450, you get a lot better camera IMHO, than the Chamonix in terms of versatility/capability especially with movements.

An Arca F-Classic with Orbix just sold for $1700 and it's questionably up there with the very best cameras in the world, period.


There's also used Canhams, Shen, Wisner/Zones, Ebonys, etc. going for $500-$1500 respectively.


For a new camera, one cannot argue the value of the Chamonix over any of these others and any camera on the market at its new/retail price.

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Originally Posted by Clay Turtle

I had not looked recently but I did check out the price on larger formats than the 4x5 and I thought they were way out of line (over the top) price wise?

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It's a huge discrepancy between the 4X5 price and the larger format based camera price because they have been able to manufacture a lot more of the 4X5=cuts down on the cost of building one here and one there of the larger format based camera. One can definitely argue the pricing is far too high vs. the 4X5, but there is not the abundance of say, 8X10 or 5X7 buyers as there is 4X5. If they had even 2 4X5's for every 1 8X10, I would assume pricing for the 8X10 would be much more in line with the 4X5 pricing...I have not compared the ULF pricing so I am not sure about what is considered good/bad value above the 8X10 offered.

I know the 5X8 seems/seemed like a high price, but there's only a few ever made, where there's tons of 4X5 cameras made...same for the 4X10 camera. A few more of them made than the 5X8, but not many more. That they cannot sell these "niche" cameras means the pricing either has to be taken down in order to clearance them out, or they continue to sell at a price that "seems" high, but is not that high relative to how many are in existence and have had a specialized "niche".

IMHO, if Ritter did a 5X8 or 4X10 camera for $1500-$1800, that would be a way better value. Ritter has pricing similar to any of these smaller manufacturers where he can produce say, that 8X10 that people purchased from him on the forum as a group buy and get a decent discount OR pay the full price which is significantly higher since he is only doing one, two, five of them.

If these types of manufacturers were larger and could manufacture in greater quantities, the pricing would be more in line with other companies.

"Incredible what has been taking place on Epay. Good news for Chamonix (exposure to the world) and owners of the 4X5 camera (can sell for almost $300 more than originally spent for a "used" camera!), "

As they say in the ads, "not exactly." First, I paid right at $800 for the camera including shipping from China. It sold for $950 and change. Subtract the Pay Pal commission of $32, the ebay costs and commission of whatever they come to - say $50 - subtract the difference between the shipping cost I quoted ($15) and the actual shipping and insurance cost ($30), and the profit is a whopping $50 - $75 or so.

Second, while the camera was technically a "used" camera, for all practical purposes it was brand new since I owned it for only four months and its "use" consisted of four sheets of film shot in doors . Except for being on my tripod long enough to make those four photographs, the camera never saw the light of day in the brief time it was "used." And from the buyer's standpoint, he has the use of this ""used" camera for 3-4 months that he wouldn't have if he waited until the July shipment.

So while the buyer paid a small amount more than he would have paid if he waited until July, I think he got a fair deal and I'm happy to have recovered my cost and made a small profit - though I would have been happier if I had made the $300 profit you mention. : - )

last eBay 4X5 brought $970. I had just gotten a quote on the 4X5 when that listing showed up.

I always tell students in the eBay class to abandon logic or reason regarding final sales, but to hold caution close.

I suspect we are seeing one of the major considerations of price or bid decision on eBay. Newbys, or uninformed buyers ratcheting the price up at the end of the auction. The large format market is fairly active and prices are high for some items. I think this means a couple of things. There is an interest that may be growing in the market. Also, people aren't doing very good research. They see a Walker or an Ebony go for $2000 plus and this Chamonix looks very good at under $1000.

It's really difficult to find pricing on the Chamonix in the marketplace. I didn't even know about the camera until I joined this forum. If I were trying to introduce a new large format camera, I'd probably go exclusively to specific large format forums AND eBay. Display and magazine advertising rips the profits out from under moderately priced items.

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Originally Posted by Kuzano

It's really difficult to find pricing on the Chamonix in the marketplace. I didn't even know about the camera until I joined this forum. If I were trying to introduce a new large format camera, I'd probably go exclusively to specific large format forums AND eBay. Display and magazine advertising rips the profits out from under moderately priced items.

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I just browsed the newest ViewCamera magazine at the local bookstore and there is a new article about the new Chamonix 45n1

There is also the factor of time... some may feel it is worth to spend $100, $200, or even $300 more for getting the camera "NOW" rather than waiting 6 months for delivery. The old adage... "Time is Money" can be viewed with many perspectives. Also to some dropping even 5k or more for a camera might be just pennies to them... where as to others it is totaly out of reach. I personally am fine with waiting 6 months for the one I ordered in Feb. But then again... I still have my 20 year old Wista to play with until it gets here. Others that are excited about getting into large format photography may be less inclined to wait for one and feel the additional money is worth the time not waiting for a camera. I just recently had a customer of mine who after explaining a bit about LF photography to her, and now just wants to dive into it head first. There is a certain level of excitement some get (I had it myself back in the late 80's) when they are realizing the potential of shooting large format. Especially when all they have known before were point and shoots, and small format SLR's. After looking through a groundglass for the very first time and seeing what tilts and shifts can do. Just remember that feeling from when you first did that, then take that excitement to ebay and you can understand why prices can be higher than one expects on some items.