seascape Posted July 9, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 9, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Is Photo Fair, Photo Fair, an event worth going to? I never heard of it before, but it's this coming Saturday in San Jose, California. Oddly enough, the address for the event differs from the "Directions" link by about half a mile. Also, in buying a used Leica lens for my MP, what should I look for, other than scratches to the glass? I know what's important in buying a used camera body, but I've never bought a used lens before. Thanks for your advice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 9, 2007 Posted July 9, 2007 Hi seascape, Take a look here Photo Fair & Buying Used Lenses?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
leicanthrope Posted July 9, 2007 Share #2 Posted July 9, 2007 Here's the correct address for the venue, pulled directly from their website: Napredak Hall 770 Montague Expressway San Jose, CA 95131 I've been to two of them thus far, and they happened to come at times when money was rather thin for me personally. (Dammit.) It's not a bad show, and I've always come away with a few interesting toys. If you're in the neighborhood, it's certainly worth it heading over there. --Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
budrichard Posted July 9, 2007 Share #3 Posted July 9, 2007 Be very careful at this type of event. I don't go much anymore because many of the sellers are just waiting for an inexperienced buyer. With the advent of the Internet, there are a few reliable sellers on-line that may charge a little more but will stand behind thier sales.-Dick Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 9, 2007 Share #4 Posted July 9, 2007 Well, the upside is you get to check the item before you buy it, unlike e bay or mail order, and you get the chance to bargain the price down. With a lens I would check for any oil on the aperture blades, smooth action of the focus and aperture rings, and look through the lens against a bright light (or bring a torch) to check for fogging/haze and fungus. If the lens looks OK then you really can't go far wrong. Oh, and do your homework on prices so that you pay a fair price. Remember with Leica lenses some individual models can be worth much more than usual and mint condition items will always attract a significant premium than a carefully used one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicanthrope Posted July 10, 2007 Share #5 Posted July 10, 2007 IMHO, the biggest benefit of the show is for the little random bits and pieces. Also, there are some random bargains there to be had. A couple of shows back, I found a Voigtländer Jubilar in mint condition for $3. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafael_macia Posted July 13, 2007 Share #6 Posted July 13, 2007 Is Photo Fair, Photo Fair, an event worth going to? I never heard of it before, but it's this coming Saturday in San Jose, California. Oddly enough, the address for the event differs from the "Directions" link by about half a mile. Also, in buying a used Leica lens for my MP, what should I look for, other than scratches to the glass? I know what's important in buying a used camera body, but I've never bought a used lens before. Thanks for your advice! In general, buying a used lens is a safer bet than buying a used body. Homework is the key regarding what to pay used. The advantage of a show is, as said earlier, you get to feel the lens, and see it , before you buy it. This is a big advantage. Recently, I bought from a well known dealer a lens, that were defective, but not described as such. On ibay I bought another lens from a person who claimed "not to know much" about Leica ..... (I know now that is a dead give-away something is for sure wrong, or unmentioned with the item.... !) In both cases I got my money back. I was lucky in that respect. Buying long distance, can tie up money and waste time. So the show is better on that count. In New York photo shows used to be a big deal. No more. Big dealers now prefer to sell via the internet, and the few shows that survive are one quarter the size they were 10 years ago. One great thing is that the shows are now a "buyer's market". Dealers, those that are left, who display at the shows, have to sell to a dwindling buyer's market, Hence: cold cash will get you a real good deal. In the used film camera market Leica is probably the strongest name, but digital is reducing the amount of buyers fast. You can buy Hasselblads, and Nikons by the pound now. Go to the show. Research what you want, and how much you want to pay. Check the item, as described earlier, for condition. Good luck! Rafael Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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