Talk about bidding frenzy . Check this out.

[David Lobato]

I think a factor was the generous amount of fairly decent pictures the seller put in. Nice views of the camera from many different angles.

[Brian Ellis]

Well I've bought several 2Ds, Senecas, and Empires for about 1/5th that price. But maybe I try harder than most. I guarantee you, there will be 3-4 similar cameras sold in the next month for less than half. Here's one not quite in as good a shape, no block, but with a giant B&L IC Tessar and the beautiful golden mahogany that was on the early Centuries before Kodak bought them and started painting them "Barn Door Brown." It just sold for $250. 200864409118

I looked at that one. It needed a new bellows - for an 8x10 bellows add $300 or so to the purchase price. It's described as in "user" condition. It's missing the rear extension rail so the maximum bellows draw is only 15" which is way too short for an 8x10 camera (would you want a 4x5 camera with only 7 1/2 inches of bellows extension?) That camera is a different animal entirely from the 2D that's under discussion. I wouldn't have paid $250 for it.

[Jim Graves]

I would agree that the price is a little high ... but not out of range.

As Ian pointed out ... not all markets are equal. Not all buyers really have the access to something like large photo stores, photo swap meets, or even Craig's List (which works well for metropolitan areas but not for rural buyers.) So when you see one like this that is complete, original, and in great condition it is worth more ... especially to those buyers in limited markets.

[maurits]

I agree with Ian and Jim.

For someone from Europe, looking for a sturdy vintage 8x10 camera this is really not an unrealistic price.

I once put my 2D on my table at a Dutch camera show. More as a show piece and table filler rather than that I wanted it to go. So I put a crazy tag on it to be sure the 2D did not sell. €1,400! Then one guy offered me €1,100 and half an hour later another guy offered € 1,250. That was without a lens. Scared that a third buyer would appear, I removed the price tag and labeled the 2D "Not for Sale - my personal camera".

Next time one of you crosses the Atlantic, bring a suitcase full of 2D's and Empires. They might pay for better hotels and restaurants. :-)

Maurits

[IanG]

Taking Maurits comments a bit further you should see the prices cameras like this fetch in countries like Turkey.

I'm sure any US members could almost pay for a holiday by buying in the US and selling this side of the Atlantic

Ian

[goamules]

I agree with Ian and Jim.

For someone from Europe, looking for a sturdy vintage 8x10 camera this is really not an unrealistic price.

I once put my 2D on my table at a Dutch camera show. More as a show piece and table filler rather than that I wanted it to go. So I put a crazy tag on it to be sure the 2D did not sell. €1,400! Then one guy offered me €1,100 and half an hour later another guy offered € 1,250. That was without a lens. Scared that a third buyer would appear, I removed the price tag and labeled the 2D "Not for Sale - my personal camera".

Next time one of you crosses the Atlantic, bring a suitcase full of 2D's and Empires. They might pay for better hotels and restaurants. :-)

Maurits

That sounds like a plan next time I got to Europe I may bring a few! Last time I thought about buying another very cheap (in the US) camera, The Argus c3, that I could fit dozens in my suitcase. But I didn't research it enough to mess with it, plus shipping tiny 35mms to the EU is pretty easy, not so with giant 2Ds.

I think you saw me trying to sell that large wooden French camera that time at Quinn's wetplate booth, Maurits. I couldn't get a bite at 250 Euros, so I brought it to the US and sold it for about $500 here! The grass is always greener on the other side.

[Jim Galli]

I'm with Louis. I knew my old Kodak would be worth something if I kept it long enough. I expected this to sell for 650 bucks. No, not mine. If it were mine, it would have finished at 550 bucks.

[maurits]

Hey Garrett, yep I was a first hand witness! Saw you buy it and heroically trying to sell it there too. The classic "fabulous-lens-but-what-on-earth-to-with-that-huge-wooden-contraption-attached-to-it" problem. Good move though to bring the camera with you to the USA.

The best story ever about selling an orphaned camera was with Eddie. But that is for another time.

I do not know about 35mm cameras. We have many of those. But bringing Europeans American 8x10 cameras, many bottles of Sandy's Pyrocat HD, pre-cut sheets of Trophy Aluminum, Betterscanning film holders, BTZS-tubes, etc. etc. would get you a long way traveling for free through our continent.

[cosmicexplosion]

Maybe I missed something, I just skimmed the listing. But the only thing a little unusual I noticed is that there seem to be 3 or 4 people bidding who don't know how to bid on ebay. The price right now would be a good deal for the buyer if the camera is in as good shape as it appears to be and if the lens is o.k. as the seller indicates it is. $1,100 for a mint 2D even without the lens wouldn't be a bad price, I think I sold mine for about that without a lens though mine had been modified to add front tilt. $600-$700 for a 2D in this condition and with a decent lens would be a steal for somebody.

Hi Brian
Got any tips on how to add front tilt
Some pics maybe
I might have a crack at my 2d
Cheers
Andrew

[dap]

Hi Brian
Got any tips on how to add front tilt
Some pics maybe
I might have a crack at my 2d
Cheers
Andrew

I have an old wooden Kodak commercial camera with a factory lens board adapter that allows for tilt (think of two lensboards one on top of eachother spaced a couple inches apart that are connected by a hinge with a bellows between them. The nice thing about it is that if you make one you wouldn't have to modify your front standard at all. If you are interested I can post a picture of it for you.