marknorton Posted August 14, 2007 Share #1 Posted August 14, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Ebay gets bad press here from time to time but of course your experience is down to the other person in your transaction. I've just bought a silver box APO 90/2 ASPH in completely mint condition for 60% of the list price; not coded, but it will be hitching a DHL ride to Solms this week with my Nocti for them to have another shot at the focussing mount. The seller had a feedback rating of just 1 - from some lucky person who bought a Nocti for just £1250 - so it could have been risky, but all turned out well. Interestingly, the stated reason for selling was "total switch to digital". Obviously not to Leica digital, then. Now, out with the graph paper to see if it back-focusses... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 14, 2007 Posted August 14, 2007 Hi marknorton, Take a look here Ebay works for me.... I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
bayerische Posted August 14, 2007 Share #2 Posted August 14, 2007 I must say my Ebay experience is almost as good as yours. The only bad thing I ever got of Ebay was a new Medion car navigation. It lasted a week... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 14, 2007 Share #3 Posted August 14, 2007 The seller had a feedback rating of just 1 - from some lucky person who bought a Nocti for just £1250 I saw that he ended it early to sell at that price but surely it would have ended higher? Well done. ChrisL Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted August 14, 2007 I saw that he ended it early to sell at that price but surely it would have ended higher? You would have thought so. She (as it turned out) didn't want to do the same when I offered £1150 and this time, it worked against her. Still, a good ebay transaction. Thank you, Helen! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 14, 2007 Share #5 Posted August 14, 2007 You would have thought so. She (as it turned out) didn't want to do the same when I offered £1150 and this time, it worked against her. Still, a good ebay transaction. Thank you, Helen! That was a more than fair offer Wey have one for £875 at the moment. ChrisL Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted August 14, 2007 Share #6 Posted August 14, 2007 I've been lucky with eBay too, in fact the only bad transaction was when I bought a Moskva folding camera from a guy in the States. Described as mint it was anything but. At least I didn't loose more than a few pounds. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
innerimager Posted August 14, 2007 Share #7 Posted August 14, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have purchased many cameras and lenses on E-Bay without any problems. My policy is only to buy after I have contacted the seller, 95% of the time by phone. Not fool-proof but it lowers risk considerably to actually converse with the seller. I make a point of doing the same when I sell, though I have only sold through various forums, not via e-bay. In the leica world, I have gotten a week old uncoded 35/1.4 lux for $1700, a brand new warrantied 90/2.8 for $1200, a mint 75/1.4 lux for $1800, a visoflex + 400/5.6 + arm holder for $600, a mint 135/4.0 T-E for around $525, and last but not least, a mint noctilux for $2600. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted August 14, 2007 Share #8 Posted August 14, 2007 I have had mostly good, and a couple of horrible, transactions. One time I bought en expensive Logitech keyboard from a guy in Florida, and never got it, nor my money back. The next time I bought a lens which was described as mint, but had some kind of coating on the inside, not visible with the naked eye but with light in a special configuration. I didn't notice it until after a while unfortunately, too late. The third and most recent time was when I sold the same lens, which was when I discovered that it had a coating The guy flipped out and threatened me with everything under the sun. Finally he got Tom of Tom's Leica Laden to apraise it and sent me the photo and a PDF describing the problem, and I agreed to take it back. My worst problem with photo equipment, however, has been with Canon. I bought a 5D brand-new, and it had a scratch on the sensor. It was small though, and could only really be seen at f/22, an aperture value I almost never use. When I wanted to sell it, the buyer took a shot at f/22... After months of tense discussions with Canon, including discussion over the validity of a raw image I took on the 3rd day (!) of ownership, they decided to be "nice" to me, and offered me half off the price t of repair of €1200... After another two months of discussions between Canon and my Vendor about this, I was forced to accept this, and dished out the €600. All for a scratch which was tiny, and only visible at f/22. That is the last time I will buy or recommend Canon equipment. I don't think I had contact with any Canon employee who didn't take the opportunity to tell me I had caused the scratch myself, yet none of them had actually seen the camera. I used to recommend Canon, but now I recommend Nikon. Canon just doesn't care. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwalker649 Posted August 14, 2007 Share #9 Posted August 14, 2007 I've never had a problem with ebay purchases. I've bought cameras, computers even a couple of old Porsche's. Use a fraud protected credit card through paypal or work through a protected purchase program through your bank. If you get riped off, your protected. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tummydoc Posted August 14, 2007 Share #10 Posted August 14, 2007 I bought a 5D brand-new, and it had a scratch on the sensor. It was small though, and could only really be seen at f/22, an aperture value I almost never use. When I wanted to sell it, the buyer took a shot at f/22... After months of tense discussions with Canon, including discussion over the validity of a raw image I took on the 3rd day (!) of ownership, they decided to be "nice" to me, and offered me half off the price t of repair of €1200... After another two months of discussions between Canon and my Vendor about this, I was forced to accept this, and dished out the €600. All for a scratch which was tiny, and only visible at f/22. That is the last time I will buy or recommend Canon equipment. I don't think I had contact with any Canon employee who didn't take the opportunity to tell me I had caused the scratch myself, yet none of them had actually seen the camera. I used to recommend Canon, but now I recommend Nikon. Canon just doesn't care. I'm curious, assuming the same scenario (notice a scratched sensor just after purchase but wait until the camera has been used extensively before seeking redress) with Leica, does anyone honestly think their policy would be more favourable than Canon's? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carstenw Posted August 14, 2007 Share #11 Posted August 14, 2007 Yup, Leica has taken the camera back for several things already, and also some older lenses I have bought, no questions asked. I bought a '90 M6 and sent it to them for CLA, and in the end they did a full factory spec once-over and didn't charge me for it. I can't guarantee that they will always be like this, but Leica is not like Canon, that is for sure! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted August 14, 2007 Author Share #12 Posted August 14, 2007 That was a more than fair offer Wey have one for £875 at the moment. Don't know what the condition of it would be for that price, I was comparing secondhand ones I'd seen at Aperture and ffordes and wanted mint. In the end, I paid £1000 for it and am pleased to report it's focussing to within 1cm at 1.2 metres, so happy. Lovely lens, Sean rates it highly in his 90mm comparative reivew just published. Does seem though that Leica M lenses do not retain their value especially well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted August 14, 2007 Share #13 Posted August 14, 2007 I'm curious, assuming the same scenario (notice a scratched sensor just after purchase but wait until the camera has been used extensively before seeking redress) with Leica, does anyone honestly think their policy would be more favourable than Canon's? Yes, accidental damage is covered in the passport warrenty. Gives you 12 months to spot it <grin> Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted August 14, 2007 Share #14 Posted August 14, 2007 Does seem though that Leica M lenses do not retain their value especially well. Try buying an R-lens new... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdai Posted August 14, 2007 Share #15 Posted August 14, 2007 I must confess that the only brandnew Leica lens I've ever purchased was the 75 cron ... which I don't like. eBay has always been very helpful to my Leica experience. LOL P/S ... note the serial number of your lens/camera, and you could search on eBay who were their previous owners. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrc Posted August 14, 2007 Share #16 Posted August 14, 2007 I've always been very wary of e-bay, but have never had a bad experience. A friend of mine, however, who couldn't afford to lose the money, once saw a terrific deal on an American banjo and sent $640 to a guy in Hungary, and that was the end of his $640. I asked him while we were playing golf if the offer of a way-too-cheap American banjo by a guy in Hungary hadn't set off any alarms, and he confessed that it had, but he *really wanted* that banjo. I personally tend to think that one less banjo is the US isn't the face of tragedy, but he was hurt... I've also been reluctant to sell on e-bay, and never have, because I really dislike the idea of post-sale complaints. I mean, what does "mint" mean? To a buyer, it might mean "unused" while to a seller it might mean "good as new" but used to some significant extent -- hundreds of actuations. I'd rather sell it face-to-face, though a newspaper advertisement. JC Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted August 14, 2007 Share #17 Posted August 14, 2007 John, to answer your question first, if someone describes something as 'mint' I'd expect it to look like it had come brand new out of the box. This isn't the definition used by some eBay sellers <grin>. I've only had one or two selling problems and they involved people not paying. There was a guy in Taiwan who claimed a fairly expensive LP never arrived, but I had nothing to prove that it had or hadn't. In that case I took the hit, no alternative really. Quite often purchasers from the States would assume that the shipping costs I'd quoted would cover airmail to the States - even though I clearly always mentioned that the stated shipping was for the UK only. The daftest excuse I had was a guy in the States who refused to pay because his winning bid was too expensive. But all in all I've been very pleased with eBay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth_c Posted August 14, 2007 Share #18 Posted August 14, 2007 My worst problem with photo equipment, however, has been with Canon. I bought a 5D brand-new, and it had a scratch on the sensor. It was small though, and could only really be seen at f/22, an aperture value I almost never use. When I wanted to sell it, the buyer took a shot at f/22... Did you inform the buyer before selling? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdai Posted August 14, 2007 Share #19 Posted August 14, 2007 One rule of thumb playing on eBay is to avoid transaction outside US/Canada and Japan but that's not to say there aren't some wackos in the States ... in fact the only issue I've ever had was dealing with a guy from NJ who bought my 400/2.8L Mark 2. But then there's no need to waste time with these people ... after two unsuccessful emails I filed a complain against non-paying bidders and relisted the item ... which was sold at a even higher price - couldn't be happier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill W Posted August 14, 2007 Share #20 Posted August 14, 2007 I have had good luck both buying and selling on ebay. You need to set parameters on who and where you will sell and ship. I limit shipping to the lower 48 USA. Nothing personal against anyone but I can use UPS from my office. Trying to ship outside the USA means I must go to the post office and its just not worth the time and trouble. I have met some nice folks from my ebay dealings as well. I recently sold my 35 cron to a gentleman who was so excited. He shoots mainly black and white and he shot a roll processed it scanned it and emailed me pictures less than 24 hours of when he received the lens just to show me how much he liked the lens. We have exchanged several emails and war stories. This type of experience makes ebay a pleasure. I recently bought a 35 lux on ebay that was truly mint as described and it is off to NJ being coded. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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