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what are the biggest bargains you have found?
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
peterqd wrote:

No, it wasn't. It was a fairly young girl actually. I sent her a message to ask if she wanted the old film that was left in the camera, which I'd paid to be developed, and she told me no thanks. She'd bought the Zenit camera with the Flek attached for £1 at a car boot sale and hadn't even opened it.


That's not the point. Whether or not that story is true is irrelevant, too.

Did you tell her that it could've been sold for much more if she had presented it better? Would you have felt guilty if she (or, say her boyfriend) had bought the camera and lens for £100 instead of £1? If that was the case, would you have reimbursed her the difference?
Moreover, do you always contact the seller and ask in such cases so that you can sleep at night? Are you not worried that whoever sold her the Zenit camera for £1 must have lost out big time?

Quote:
I didn't cross any line when I bought the Flek, and you should be more careful before you make assumptions and false accusations.


That was neither an assumption nor an accusation; I was just making a point. So yes, perhaps you didn't violate your oh-so-high moral standards with that particular transaction. But from my point of view, you still "ripped off" that girl because if she had the knowledge of the lens and the savvy to present her item better on Ebay, she would've gotten a lot more money than what she got from you.


And that is exactly the point. You believe you didn't cross any line based on your personal standards, not mine, not anybody else's. The buyer here did the same, and he's not alone to think that; I repeat, at least three prominent members here have already expressed our opinoins that the buyer didn't cross any line based on our standards.

So it's OK to agree to disagree; of course, we can do that. But when you start pushing your standards on others in a public forum, in a manner that verges on internet lynching, then *I* will take issue with that, because unlike this Aussie fellow, whose actions have no effect on your well-being personally, the way that you and some others have decided to treat this forum member here *can* and likely *will* have effect on my well-being as a fellow member.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
My right of reply:
I have only just come back to this thread & have re-read my original post & I must admit that it makes me sound like the villain. I certainly could have worded it better. In hindsight, it was stupid & self incriminating.
I would like to clear something up.
Firstly I would like to say that the “old gent” was certainly no gentleman. More about that later.
A little information about me. I am 46 years old. I was born in India to a Scottish father & an Indian mother. I came to Australia when I was 5 years old. I am a naturalised Aussie & am very proud to be an Aussie. I have just celebrated my 20th wedding anniversary, married to a beautiful white Australian lady & I have 2 great kids to her. My mother being Indian has endowed me with darkish skin.
When I went around to this man’s house to see the lens, I was greeted with a slightly cold reception. I didn’t really know why at first. He seemed a little annoyed for some reason. I had a look at the lens & it was OK but it was just a cheap plastic Chinese made kit lens & I only really wanted it because at the time, I had nothing that was close to 300mm. His ad did say $120 or nearest offer. I was the only person that had replied to the ad according to him. Naturally, I offered him a sum to start the bargaining process & what followed was quite disturbing.
When we had settled on a price, he said that he had sold many things in the past through the local classified ad paper & that “you people” are all the same when it came to bargaining. I wasn’t quite sure what he meant by that. He then went on to tell me that he had a D50 that did not work anymore. I was using a D70 at the time that had a torn shoulder strap & thought that I could salvage the strap off his camera & maybe use it for any other spare parts that I might need. So I asked him if I could have it because he said that he was going to throw it away. He agreed to give me the camera & as I was leaving, he made the comment that “your kind” are all the same. When I asked him what he meant by “your kind”, he said “foreigners”. I was shocked & offended by his comment.
I have lived in Australia for 41 years & in all that time I have only been subjected to racism a few times. This is a great country full of great people, especially the elderly population, some of which have fought in wars for our freedom. I left this man’s home feeling angry & saddened at the same time.
I sold the camera & lens after a very short period because using it made me feel “dirty”. Had this old fellow been a more respectable human being, I would have told him that his camera was still functioning perfectly & offered it back to him. As far as I’m concerned, he can go to hell & I certainly don’t feel guilty about using my D200.
I hope this clears up a few things for all the great people on this forum who have been reading this thread & I hope that it helps to diffuse any tensions.
Aussiebob


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This situation looks completely normal and I do not think that accusing AussieBob is correct..This thread contain many so called bargains when one party mis-evaluated or did not now the real price of his/her item and sold it for peanuts. And in my opinion whom ever bought it did not make any sort of moral or ethical crime.
Just a few days I`ve posted here saying that I`ve bought a Volna-9 , Vega-13A , Liubitel-2, smena-2 cameras and etc. I paid what had to be ~ 1/15 of the real price you could have gotten for these things. Was I wrong to have bought them without notifying the owner of the real price ? Should I feed bad about it ? If so anyone who had gotten something for a cheaper price than the item is worth now are criminals...


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
AussieBob wrote:
When I asked him what he meant by “your kind”, he said “foreigners”. I was shocked & offended by his comment.

As far as I’m concerned, he can go to hell & I certainly don’t feel guilty about using my D200.


You are quite right IMO!


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 1:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
“you people” are all the same when it came to bargaining


As an Indian, I'd take that as a compliment any day! Of course in your situation you may feel bad.

And no, even if he was not being rude, I don't think you did anything wrong, if you did not lie or cheat then there is nothing wrong.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Caution - read with extreme sarcasm: Wow AussieBob. It really sounds like you "conned" and "coerced" the man out of his item like a "cheap secondhand car swindler."

I think a few people owe you an apology.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 4:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
themoleman342 wrote:
I think a few people owe you an apology.


Why? He didn't tell the whole story and said himself it could have been told better first time. Smile

My bargain:
Olympus Pen EED hood. One was posted to eBay for a very low price 10 days auction, mailed the local seller if he would sell it for a buyitnow-price but got rejected. I waited 9 days and got to be the only bidder at about 10% of the regular asking prices.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Why?


Really? AussieBob said "He also said that he still had his old D50 which did not work anymore. I asked him if he would throw in the camera as well for the price. He agreed." He's been called asshole, con man, cocky young fellow, coercer, and a cheap secondhand car swindler for that. All of that is pretty out-of-line if you ask me.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
hi all, im new to this thread.

a week ago i got a minolta rokkor PG 58mm/F1.2 in excellent condition for 1,400k IDR, if exchanged into dollars, around 145 USD.
and three days ago a very good auto-chinon tomioka 55mm/F1.2 for 2,400k IDR, around 250 USD. I think the price I paid for both lenses were pretty good when compared to ebay market.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
themoleman342 wrote:
Quote:
Why?


Really? AussieBob said "He also said that he still had his old D50 which did not work anymore. I asked him if he would throw in the camera as well for the price. He agreed." He's been called asshole, con man, cocky young fellow, coercer, and a cheap secondhand car swindler for that. All of that is pretty out-of-line if you ask me.


Hear, hear.


It's an interesting follow-up story; I'm sorry to hear about the treatment AussieBob received from the "old gent."

While knowing his character and the attitude of the seller may placate or otherwise alter the interpretation of some of the forum members, I will maintain that those details have essentially little to do with the argument I'm trying to make.

Even if *AussieBob* were the a-hole and the seller the sweet granddaddy type in this transaction, I still maintain that Bob did not cross any moral boundaries that I'm aware of, and, I would've thought until only yesterday, few people contributing to this thread would be aware of, either.

In a way, it's kind of worse to say something like "Well in that case…" because essentially you're saying that "It's OK to con, trick, swindle, and steal from somebody IF that somebody is an asshole". I thoroughly reject such a point of view; it's the kind of POV that leads to segregation, racism, oppression, whathaveyou.


PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
themoleman342 wrote:
Quote:
Why?


Really? AussieBob said "He also said that he still had his old D50 which did not work anymore. I asked him if he would throw in the camera as well for the price. He agreed." He's been called asshole, con man, cocky young fellow, coercer, and a cheap secondhand car swindler for that. All of that is pretty out-of-line if you ask me.


My original badly-written post was to blame for all the negative reactions. I am not surprised that some people didn't see me in a good light. The name calling is like water off a duck's back as far as I'm concerned. No problem there.
Thank you to the forum members, especially to rawhead & themoleman342 for jumping to my defense even before reading my follow up post & knowing all the facts


PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not sure if it is a bargain or not...A Jupiter 21A with Original case and filters and a slight case of internal fungus (I forgot to ask if it had fungus when I rang up about it ) for $70au including postage. You will soon see samples from it appearing in a gallery near you.. Very Happy I am just happy to have found this Russian in Australia and not on ebay!


PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
That's a good lens Mo, as good as the Pentacon 4/200.


PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
AussieBob wrote:
My right of reply:
I have only just come back to this thread & have re-read my original post & I must admit that it makes me sound like the villain. I certainly could have worded it better. In hindsight, it was stupid & self incriminating.
....

I hope this clears up a few things for all the great people on this forum who have been reading this thread & I hope that it helps to diffuse any tensions.
Aussiebob

Thanks AussieBob, it certainly does clear things up and I'm pleased to hear it. I said that your story "sounds like" you fiddled the old gent, and I'm very glad to hear that was incorrect. It doesn't change my opinion - I still think it's the decent thing to do to contact a seller if you discover they made a mistake - but in this case the old gent was equally wrong to speak to you in that way. Although two wrongs don't make a right, I think you deserved that outcome.

For the record, I did not make any abusive comments at you directly. I disagreed with the way the deal was handled as you told it. I think it's unfair to accuse me of name-calling, however if you felt hurt by what I said, then please accept my apologies.

Peter


PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have this on the way ( please don`t mess up Mr. Christmas postman).

Not sure whether to post it due to all the hoo ha on this thread......It was posted on ebay with this picture with a buy it now price of £80 ukp at 10.34pm, I bought it around 11.10pm after the seller hadn`t responded to any questions.

Its a Topcon Super D with a 58mm 1.4 on the camera and what appears to be a Topcor 25mm 3.5 ,a 58mm 3.5 macro and probably a tele converter and hood. Two word description was "good condition".....should I be happy?

Confused Wink


PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
You'll get 200e for the 1.4 alone. Hideous action to click that button. Evil or Very Mad (The reply-one. Wink)

Congrats!


PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2012 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
rawhead wrote:

So, you have a choice; you can continue to force-feed us your morals and values by publicly condemning a member of this forum, which was on the verge of growing into a moderate form of internet lynching; or, you can respect the fact that different people have different sets of standards and morals, and inasmuch as it does not infringe on your well-being personally, quietly leave those of us be.


Personally, I think AussieBob didn't do anything untoward or morally wrong. The values involved, relative to each other, didn't ring any moral alarm bells with me.
If say, he'd got something from the old guy (by old guy, we assume the bloke was a bit doddery and not au fait with current values or something equally patronising to the aged) that was actually worth ten times what he'd paid for it and then went on to realise that value on the open market and not keep the item for his own use then I'd be up in arms and stamping my moral feet about it.
I've seen just this situation happening and feel pretty disgusted by and at the people who do it.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Fabian wrote:
You'll get 200e for the 1.4 alone. Hideous action to click that button. Evil or Very Mad (The reply-one. Wink)

Congrats!


Thanks Fabian, I won`t be selling.

I have been looking for something decent and wideish ( I have some decent stuff but nothing I really like apart from the Mamiya 28mm) for some time on a budget and the few shots I have managed to find with the 25mm look very nice.

I like 50`s so the 58mm 1.4 is a keeper. I have three other macros and really don`t need another but will decide which one(s) to lose once I have had a chance to compare them all.

I hope the camera is working as I would like to use that occasionally also and it lets me acquire some cheaper exakta mount glass.


PostPosted: Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Farside wrote:
rawhead wrote:

So, you have a choice; you can continue to force-feed us your morals and values by publicly condemning a member of this forum, which was on the verge of growing into a moderate form of internet lynching; or, you can respect the fact that different people have different sets of standards and morals, and inasmuch as it does not infringe on your well-being personally, quietly leave those of us be.


Personally, I think AussieBob didn't do anything untoward or morally wrong. The values involved, relative to each other, didn't ring any moral alarm bells with me.
If say, he'd got something from the old guy (by old guy, we assume the bloke was a bit doddery and not au fait with current values or something equally patronising to the aged) that was actually worth ten times what he'd paid for it and then went on to realise that value on the open market and not keep the item for his own use then I'd be up in arms and stamping my moral feet about it.
I've seen just this situation happening and feel pretty disgusted by and at the people who do it.

That's kinda what I was saying. It boils down to honesty in the end. If someone makes a genuine mistake do you feel right to profit from it? If you see someone drop a £10 note out of their pocket, do you give it back or keep it yourself?

If a seller misses a defect and sells you something you expect to be perfect, you would expect him to accept a return or at least give you a partial refund. So equally, if you find he mistakenly describes something as defective and you discover there's nothing wrong with it, it's only right to offer it back to him or to pay a bit more.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Today's Bargain Lot. A 24/2.8 Hoya HMC Wide-Auto with Original case, and Hanimex 28/2.8, and what I think is an M39-M42 adaptor. Almost like an extension tube. The Hanimex has a few minor scuffs, but the Hoya is, well, perfect. No dust, fungus, oil. Almost looks unused.

I'm not saying what I paid, but it was minimal. I did let the seller know it was worth more (They offered it on another Forum I frequent), but they were happy it will go somewhere it will be used.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
NewStuff wrote:
and what I think is an M39-M42 adaptor. Almost like an extension tube.

Could it be an L39 to M42 adapter, for mounting SLR lenses on a rangefinder? Every M39-M42 adapter I've seen just goes over the threads of the M39, the registration distance is the same.


PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
elliott wrote:
Could it be an L39 to M42 adapter, for mounting SLR lenses on a rangefinder? Every M39-M42 adapter I've seen just goes over the threads of the M39, the registration distance is the same.


I think so. The body end is slightly smaller than the lens end. No manufacturers marks that I can see, or any other distinguishing marks whatsoever, other than a very small sticker saying "Japan". If it's of any use to someone, shout up and I'll send it Your way.

EDIT:-

This adaptor is now spoken for, and will be going to a new home.


PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 4:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
This thread is quite interesting.
I like to find out which stuff is purchased by the forum users, and what is considered a "bargain".
I agree that most of the posts report true bargains, not sure about others... but there is one thing that caught my attention.
Some people are bragging about how much money they made from items they originally purchased for a few bucks.
I think it's not just an exercise of bad taste, there is something more disturbing to it.
Vintage photographic equipments are something more than items with a commercial value.
Being more a collector than a very active photographer, the relationship with the stuff i buy is based on passion, technical knowledge, aesthetical taste, etc. In a word, i love my old cameras and lenses!
While i had my share of very nice bargains, recently and in the past, the subtle satisfaction of paying an old lens 1/10 of its market value has more to do with the chance of buying a special item that is usually reserved for people with thick wallets.
Any economical consideration is secondary.
It is already tiring to monitor Ebay/forums for the items i like, if i had to do it for generic "bargains" it would be a work, not an hobby.
In fact, just a few times i bought something with the idea of selling it. Really a rare occurrence, something like once in one hundred.
Though i really don't regret it, as it helped in buying something i was craving for.
In all sincerity, i guess i have the opposite problem: it's always a pain to let go something that has been in my possession for some time.
I doesn't take very long to develop an affection for my beloved brass lenses Smile
Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly OK to make a profit from something you found at a good price, but you don't need.
For those on a limited budget it could be the only chance to afford something they like/need, but they would never be able to buy without a stroke of luck.
Simply i can't stand those who brag too loud about the profit they made.
I prefer those who express their enthusiasm about their newly acquired camera gear, even those who are a little on the naive side...

A last consideration:
posting on a public forum is not like chatting with a close friend or a family member; anything is written will be available as a reference as long as the forum will last.
While posting about a nice find could be a stimulus for other users, and a nice lesson about the power of patience, dedication and technical culture, bringing the attention to the economical side is, IMHO, potentially diseducative and could even stimulate a sort of envy.
Money rules everywhere, and all of us must come to terms with it. Like it or not.
Let's give it not too much importance, at least in something that 99% of us do for pleasure, not for a living!

have fun

CJ


PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I was offered this little lot for £15 plus £7 postage.........no idea of the condition but has got to be worth a punt.

Pentax Super A complete with manual
Sigma F3.5 - 4.5 28mm - 70mm
Centon 70-210mm f4-5.6
SMC Pentax M 200m F4 lens
Kalimar 2x tele converter
Jessop 150m flash

And

Fuji Fujica STX-1 with F2.2 55mm lens. Complete with manual
Vivitar Auto 215 flash

I think the Super A and 200/4.0 are the real stars of this little lot. I'm looking to go old school for a while to help develop my photographic skills.

I'm a MU43 shooter with a bad Hexanon habit, I shall have to invest in some more adapters. Zooms are not my thing so I'm guessing they'll go along with the Fuji kit(although I will see how it handles first). I might make my money back, but it will only go to buy a fast 50 for the Super A. And to be honest, these have been sat in someone's cold damp loft for many years so to my mind I have rescued them and if they turn out to be poor, then that's my loss.

Also this week I picked up a mint Hex 200/3.5 for £40.......that's a keeper.


PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Konica 135/2.5 for 31 EUR
CZJ Sonnar 135/3.5 in PB mount (labeled "Prakticar" but same optics as in the Sonnar version; Canon EOS adapters cost $16 shipped!) for 18 EUR
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