Selling 4x5 Gear - Seeking Advise

[Scott Teven]

About 8 years ago I purchased a used Cambo 4x5 view camera with rail, 2 lenses and related gear. I used the gear for a short time but now wish to sell it. What is the best strategy for doing that? Sell it as a kit or split it up? Leave it on consignment at a local dealer, sell to a used camera specialist like KEH or Used Photo Pro, sell on eBay, post here or on other forums? Some other option? Where am I likely to get the best value? What do you think are the most important pros and cons of these options that I should consider?

[Dan Fromm]

Split it up, take it to eBay. If you sell to a dealer you'll be lucky to get 30% of retail.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Split it up, take it to eBay. If you sell to a dealer you'll be lucky to get 30% of retail.

Oh, hell, Scott I'll give you 31%.

[Alan Gales]

I used to buy monorail kits and then part the kit out and sell on Ebay. I did pretty good doing that.

On Sinar cameras you can even get more money parting out the monorail itself.

[Peter Lewin]

Is selling equipment on our own forum site a worse option than eBay?

[Alan Gales]

Is selling equipment on our own forum site a worse option than eBay?

Well Peter, yes and no.

On this forum you need to know what something is worth so you price it accordingly. Of course if you are too high then you can always lower your price when the item doesn't sell. If you are too low then you just lose.

Ebay is a different animal. It's an auction so sale prices vary depending upon who is watching when. There is something called an "Ebay Price". This is the price that things normally go for on Ebay. If you don't know what your item is actually worth and price it low on Ebay, normally bids will bring things up to the "Ebay Price". Occasionally things go for too low or too high. This didn't really bother me because I used to sell a lot of items and it all equalled out in the end. Of course this can be disconcerting to the occasional Seller if their item sells low.

If I were selling the monorail kit, I would sell it on Ebay. I've seen too many inexpensive monorails sit on this forum. You are not talking a lot of money anyway though unless the kit has some choice lenses in it. Cambo cameras go for dirt cheap unless you have a real nice Cambo Master in the original carrying case. Of course whichever sale place the OP uses he should part out the kit and sell the lenses separate from the camera to receive top dollar.

[David Karp]

Good advice from Alan and Dan - Split it up. Check Ebay sold item prices for the camera/lenses. Also check with retailers like KEH or Used Photo Pro. See what they are selling their items for - You will likely have to sell yours for less because you will not give a warranty, but sometimes crazy things happen. I once sold a 150mm f/5.6 APO-Symmar to a retailer who paid more than the average price for sales of that lens on Ebay, so you never know where the best place to sell is. If you have a local college or university with a photo program, another option is to advertise there. You won't get a super high price, but there is often some demand that arises near the start of every term.

I try to sell here first. Generally, the purchasers have been here a while and I don't have to worry about them. The downside is that there are more eyes watching Ebay sales than sales here.

[Taija71A]

... Ebay is a different animal. It's an auction so sale prices vary depending upon who is watching when...

Actually ('For Better or For Worse')... eBay is no longer much of an Auction Site.

Over the last few years... It has literally turned into a BIN (Buy It Now) Site --
With a plethora of 'Exorbitantly' Overpriced Listings.
--
"End Of Rant"...

"We Now Return You Back -- To Your Regularly Scheduled Program."

[stawastawa]

I would encourage people to sell via LFPF and Apug, but ebay does seem to have the best reach.

I also agree that ebay is full of BuyItNow. which I understand and also hate.

as a side note, I wish there was an "ebay wanted site" for posing purchase orders and have them filled by people who just happen to be selling what you need. . . I guess following searches on ebay will have to suffice...

[Peter Collins]

On eBay I've been watching lenses for 4x5 for months, and I've seen many high-priced 'Buy It Now' items just sit and then get re-listed. At the same price!! (?) Where do those listers get their prices?