Large Format on Ebay?

[Bill_1856]

Has the category disappeared? I don't seem to be able to find it anymore.

[Andrew Plume]

it's there, you just jave to wade through the 'Film Cameras' section

andrew

[Andrew Plume]

it's there, you just have to wade through the 'Film Cameras' section

andrew

[Dan Fromm]

it's there, you just have to wade through the 'Film Cameras' section

This is the case on ebay.co.uk, not on ebay.com

Wilhelm, try this search (and modify to suit your needs): ("large format", 4x5, "4 x 5", 5x7, "5 x 7") -fisheye -canon

In ebay search's syntax this means ("large format" or 4x5 or ...) and not fisheye and not canon

You'll have to use the search filters on the left side of the screen to eliminate categories you're not interested in. FWIW, I find this approach better than using the disappeared film cameras, large format filters and the still present lenses and filters, lenses, large format filters.

[Brian Ellis]

Click on this link, it will take you right there. You may need to sign in first, then click.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Film-Cameras-/15230/i.html?_dmpt=Film_Cameras&_fln=1&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282&Type=Large

[Dan Fromm]

Click on this link, it will take you right there. You may need to sign in first, then click.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Film-Cameras-/15230/i.html?_dmpt=Film_Cameras&_fln=1&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282&Type=Large

It doesn't work for me. From myebay it got 5 hits, from Cameras & Photo 0. And I was signed in.

[Bill_1856]

All it got me was 39,000 film cameras. Thanks anyhow Brian.
I bet that sales of LF stuff has dropped by 99% -- for once I feel sorry for the sellers. Oh well, think of the money that I'll save.

[Drew Bedo]

Jeez . . .I just enter things like ":Camera, 5x7" or "Film, 8x10" and so on.

Other surches may be "Kodak 2D" or "Synnar APO" or " Lens, Antique, Brass"

I select the catagory Cameras and Photo.

[Ron Stowell]

go to www.KEH.com

[AtlantaTerry]

I search for "Cambo" or "Crown" in the photography category.

Then on the left side clarify it to "film" or "large format" or "4x5".

[neil poulsen]

I just spoke recently with an EBay tech on this. She saw the problem and is going to try to get it fixed. A good way to demonstrate this to techs is to show them how Type=Large Format works fine when setting up a sale, but not for browsing. She recommended also pressing the link at the bottom of the page on whether the software works or not.

If enough of us call this in, it might get fixed.

[Racer X 69]

I simply typed in "Large Format" into the search box and there were plenty of hits. Sure, there were also large format printers, a Polaroid Land camera, and several Bronica medium format cameras.

What I don't get is why a seller will list something, like this for instance: SINAR BRON SCHNEIDER KREUZNACH 5.6/300 4X5 LARGE FORMAT DIGITAL PHOTO LENS

Why does the seller have the word DIGITAL in the description? It has nothing to do with large format photography.

And then there are other listings with extraneous terms: CANNON FD REAR LENS CAP CANNON NIKON PENTAX SONY DIGITAL FILM

Or: AFTERMARKET OLYMPUS CAMERA REAR LENS CAP OM MOUNT NIKON NIKKOR MINOLTA PENTAX OEM FULL MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY!

Huh?

[desertrat]

I simply typed in "Large Format" into the search box and there were plenty of hits. Sure, there were also large format printers, a Polaroid Land camera, and several Bronica medium format cameras.

What I don't get is why a seller will list something, like this for instance: SINAR BRON SCHNEIDER KREUZNACH 5.6/300 4X5 LARGE FORMAT DIGITAL PHOTO LENS

Why does the seller have the word DIGITAL in the description? It has nothing to do with large format photography.

And then there are other listings with extraneous terms: CANNON FD REAR LENS CAP CANNON NIKON PENTAX SONY DIGITAL FILM

Or: AFTERMARKET OLYMPUS CAMERA REAR LENS CAP OM MOUNT NIKON NIKKOR MINOLTA PENTAX OEM FULL MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY!

Huh?
I believe sellers do that so more people will see their listings. Sometimes sellers will include in the title 'not X' or 'not Y', where X and Y are some other brand. They do that so people looking for X or Y will see their listing. There are many sleazy tricks that some sellers use. I generally don't bid on an item represented in any of these ways.

A search trick that works fairly well is enter:

camera (x,y,z)

These letters represent brands you're looking for. You can enter many more than three, this was just an example. There should be no spaces between the commas

[Jim Jones]

Try http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=&_ssov=1&_osacat=15230&_fln=1&Type=Large&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1311.R7.TR10.TRC0.A0.Xlarge&_nkw=large+format+camera&_sacat=15230&_from=R40. Oops, now that the secret is out, ebay will probably "fix" it again!

[Racer X 69]

I believe sellers do that so more people will see their listings. Sometimes sellers will include in the title 'not X' or 'not Y', where X and Y are some other brand. They do that so people looking for X or Y will see their listing. There are many sleazy tricks that some sellers use. I generally don't bid on an item represented in any of these ways.

A search trick that works fairly well is enter:

camera (x,y,z)

These letters represent brands you're looking for. You can enter many more than three, this was just an example. There should be no spaces between the commas

Thanks for the comment DR. This is what I suspected, to be sure. And yes, many of those listings have the trappings of ultra sleaze, and are usually for items that are in very poor condition or are cheaply made knock offs of the much higher quality originals.

[Racer X 69]

Try http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=&_ssov=1&_osacat=15230&_fln=1&Type=Large&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1311.R7.TR10.TRC0.A0.Xlarge&_nkw=large+format+camera&_sacat=15230&_from=R40. Oops, now that the secret is out, ebay will probably "fix" it again!

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h194/racerx6948/Forum%20How%20To/big-cheesy-grincopy.png

[Dan Fromm]

I simply typed in "Large Format" into the search box and there were plenty of hits. Sure, there were also large format printers, a Polaroid Land camera, and several Bronica medium format cameras.

What I don't get is why a seller will list something, like this for instance: SINAR BRON SCHNEIDER KREUZNACH 5.6/300 4X5 LARGE FORMAT DIGITAL PHOTO LENS

Why does the seller have the word DIGITAL in the description? It has nothing to do with large format photography.

And then there are other listings with extraneous terms: CANNON FD REAR LENS CAP CANNON NIKON PENTAX SONY DIGITAL FILM

Or: AFTERMARKET OLYMPUS CAMERA REAR LENS CAP OM MOUNT NIKON NIKKOR MINOLTA PENTAX OEM FULL MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY!

Huh?eBay calls it keyword spam and forbids it but enforcement is lax.

[schneideritis]

I don't see the problem. Yes, apparently there is no longer a genuine large format category to search in all eBay services around the world, but as Jim Jones suggested, what's so hard about going into the film camera category and doing a search for "large format camera" (and remember the quotation marks to get those three words in that exact order) in titles and descriptions. It always reveals well over a hundred hits, and the majority are relevant. After you've exhausted those, go up a level, to the broader camera and photography general category, and do a quick scan through the many more hits you'll get. Yes, now quite a few will seem irrelevant, but you don't want to let nay winners slip through the cracks. The one adjustment I make in the general category is I often just search titles. As usual, your mileage may vary...

[Doremus Scudder]

I don't see the problem... ...what's so hard about going into the film camera category and doing a search for "large format camera" (and remember the quotation marks to get those three words in that exact order) in titles and descriptions...

Because I might just list a camera as "Zone VI 4x5 view camera" or the like, and not have "large format camera" in my title or text. And, what about accessories? "8x20 filmholder," "reflex viewing hood," "Super Angulon 120mm" and the like don't have your search terms in them either.

All we can hope for is that intelligent sellers include the words "large format" in their titles (but what about a 2x3 view camera...)

Anyway, it was a lot easier to browse when there was a distinct category for large format, large format accessories, large format lenses, etc. It seems like eBay is cutting off their own nose despite their face, since this only can reduce sales and, with them, their commission...

Best,

Doremus

[Racer X 69]

eBay calls it keyword spam and forbids it but enforcement is lax.

One observation about eBay since I first stumbled upon it 18 years ago is just that, the lax and inconsistent enforcement of the rules.

[Drew Bedo]

[QUOTE=Doremus All we can hope for is that intelligent sellers include the words "large format" in their titles (but what about a 2x3 view camera...)


[/QUOTE]

A few weeks ago I ran across a listing for a Bronica system (6x6 cm) with "Large Format" in both the title and description. We exchanged messages: I tried tto explain the norms in catagorizing formats, and the seller repllying that he didn't care, as most buyers today don't know the difference!

[IanG]

Have Ebay listened ?

Suddenly if I search for Large format I get options for Large format, Field, Panorama, rangefinder etc I've never seen these in this way before.

Ian

[Brian Ellis]

Dan and Bill - sorry about that, I don't know what the problem is. I bookmarked that link and it usually takes me right to LF. But when I copied it and posted it here it did the same thing for me that it did to you. Who knows, ebay has always seemed kind of screwed up.

[Dan Fromm]

Have Ebay listened ?

Suddenly if I search for Large format I get options for Large format, Field, Panorama, rangefinder etc I've never seen these in this way before.

Ian

Ian, don't be so UK-centric. You're telling us about ebay.co.uk. ebay.co.uk is not ebay.com, which is the site we're all griping about. Try your search on ebay.com. You won't get the same result.

[IanG]

Ian, don't be so UK-centric. You're telling us about ebay.co.uk. ebay.co.uk is not ebay.com, which is the site we're all griping about. Try your search on ebay.com. You won't get the same result.

Actually there's only one Ebay database for all the different portals, login for ebay.com is the same as ebay.de, ebay.co.uk etc, all information is the same - saved searches, watched items and so on.

I look at all three portals I mentioned (and there's plenty more) but you are right Dan there's only been a very recent slight change on the UK portal. It used to be that the US version was much better for searching by categories for LF items than the UK.

However if they get it right for one portal that gives an example for others, that would give us something to ask our local Ebay portal to emulate.

Ian

[Racer X 69]

Who knows, ebay has always seemed kind of screwed up.

It wouldn't be eBay otherwise, would it?