fed up with eBay: where to buy a complete rig cheap?

[Josh Wand]

Well, it's me again... after losing 3 consecutive eBay auctions to smarter snipe rs than I (even using sniping software!), I'm starting to get a tad frustrated w ith the process.

Can anyone reccommend additional sources for LF bargains? I'm looking for a comp lete outfit: cheapo monorail, 210, 545, 3036+3047. I don't have the time or pati ence for ebay anymore (or the funds, for that matter). I'm looking to spend abo ut $400 (less if I can manage it).

Oh, and if anyone has novel suggestions about equipment, my interests are archit ecture and portraiture (odd combination, I know... need short and long le nses).

[M.]

Amen to the sniping problem on eBay. What is "sniping software"? Also, what are 3036+3037?

[Josh Wand]

I used a program called Ebay Assistant, which will wait until the last 10 seconds of an auction and automatically place your bid, so there is no time to be outbid. (It's still a bit buggy, though... use with caution)

3036+3047 == Bogen 3036 legs + 3047 head. Any sturdy tripod, really.

[Jeff White]

I guess I am wondering if you can put together a complete system as you have outlined for $400 without the equipment being junk. I learned long ago that buying equipment that is less quality than is needed is no bargain. LF equipment is pretty stable on value and if you buy nice stuff and find you aren't into it you can sell it and get your money back. Actually, LF equipment appreciates over time, I have cameras that will sell for twice the price that I paid new. The suggestions above are good advice for getting good buys, I am skeptical as to the acceptable quality of such a low priced system. Also, the camera is just the beginning. A largeformat darkroom is just as necessary, unless you can afford to pay a lab which will really add up over time. Polaroid is great but they don't give that stuff away either. Just a thought.

[N Dhananjay]

Try Midwest Photo Exchange, Lens and Repro, KEH and Quality Camera. A cheap monorail like an old Omega should not set you back by too much. I've seen them go for $200-300. I've seen some other B&J type monorails go for less. Another potentially good way to go on a budget might be to pick up a ratty one and refurbish it, eespecially if you have the necessary woodworking/whatever skills. You can get good deals on used lenses, especially if they have some marks on them. Portaiture may also benefit from a not-tack-sharp lens although I guess that depends on what you want. Good luck. DJ

[J.L. Kennedy]

There is a good chance that you aren't being sniped on eBay. Hypothetical situation: an item is currently bid up to $100, the bidding increment is $2.50, another bidder bids $200, the price immediately goes to $102.50. You come along and bid $105. The price immediately goes to $107.50 because of the bidder who bid $200. You bid $150. The price immediately goes to $152.50 for the same reason. Even if you bid $197.50 in the last 10 seconds, you would still lose because eBay takes it to the highest bid before displaying the final closed price. The beauty of the system is that the bidder who was willing to pay $200 will always win unless someone bids higher than $200 before the auction closes. I suspect from the price that you state you are willing to pay for some specific items that you are simply being outbid, not sniped.

IMO, I think that much of the hostility toward eBay from the "serious" camera using crowd is due to their anger that they can't get as good deals as they could before eBay came along and increased market efficiency exponentially. Its the same way of thinking that makes the mom and pop shop angry when the Walmart opens up. That, however, is the free market, and, as technology improves, the trend will only continue. Without going into an economics lesson, be assured that on the average everyone will be better off. Individually, those benefiting from less efficient markets won't be better off.

[M.]

IMO, the assumptions and conclusions of Mr. Kennedy in both paragraphs are erroneous.

[Brian Yarvin]

I disagree with the comments about Ebay too, but not the theory. I just find that it's no harder to find good buys now than it was five years ago.

Although I wouldn't expect a good tripod in the package, it's fairly easy to find a good, classic camera and lens for less than $400.00

Many, if not most pro camera stores with large stocks of used gear should be able to set you up. I imagine that a nice Calumet or Burke and James body, a classic Kodak Ektar lens, five or ten holders, and a decent tripod should be less than four hundred in many parts of the country.

Leave Ebay for the free market theorists!

Brian in Queens NY (where Armato Camera has several 4x5s for your price)

[Natha Congdon]

Whether or nor you agree with Mr. Kennedy's economic theories about e- bay, he is definitely correct about the effects of proxy bidding: doesn't matter if you put your bid in at the last second, proxy bidding still will automatically increment to the highest price that anyone in the auction was willing to go.

Nathan Congdon

[Josh Wand]

For the record, I was sniped. I looked at the bidding history, and the winning bid came in about 30 seconds before mine. The trick to doing this (as I subsequently figured out) is to bid about one dollar over a nice even number you'd expect somebody else to bid. I think I was sniped because the winning bid was a funny number--not the standard bid increment.

As for finding an outfit for $400, I know it can be done; I've watched such things slip from my grasp before. The problem is simply finding those good deals (even if it is for 1940s/1950s equipment... my two last efforts on ebay were for a Graphic View and a Kodak View Master 4x5... pre-calumet). As far as a darkroom is concerned, I'm still in school--I have everything I need there.

Another concern is if I end up buying a non-complete outfit, I'll have to match up lensboard and lens... how difficult/expensive is it to get the lensboard drilled to the correct diameter and to have the lens mounted? I think that perhaps as a LF newbie I'd do best to avoid the spanner wrench myself.

FWIW, I just sent Armato an email. Thanks everyone for your insight.