Re: Diana! and eBay

>Guillermo - I too learned a lot. I will still wait for ebay's reply to
>my request for info but the explanations offered so far make sense. I
>think part of the problem is everyone's amazement that anyone would pay
>that much for a Diana. I for one hope there was no hanky-panky and just
>someone with a lot of bucks to spend.
>Ray
>

If you examine the other auctions that "megan8585" has bid on, it is
clear that she just wants a Diana. She is not bidding on other items
and is bidding on items for sale from a variety of sellers. I do not
think that this is a case of shill bidding. However, shill bidding
can be a problem on eBay -- and eBay does very little enforcement of
its own rules.

By far the biggest problem with eBay purchases is inaccurately
described merchandise. With old cameras, it is hard to tell if the
seller is being deliberately obscure, is actually not knowledgeable,
or is being outright deceptive. I have quit buying things for long
periods after a chain of 30-40% disappointments -- though in most
cases the seller has made things right with full or partial refunds.

The great benefit of eBay is that you can find just about anything
you are looking for -- and if you are patient, you can get items for
a good price. For example, I have bought two Ferrania Eura cameras
for $13 each (including postage), have seen them sell for $100+, and
have sold one for $60. I recently bought a Eura and a Diana (not
mint) for $49 and then sold the Diana for $33. So Dianas do sell for
less than $200! Unconstrained desire, however, can be expensive.

There are sources other than eBay for many items, as people have
mentioned, and some may be fun (camera shows, thrift stores, etc.),
but you cannot always find what you are looking for. The only other
way to purchase some cameras that I have been interested in seems to
be from European dealers at prices that are usually no better than
"typical" eBay sales prices.

And, yes, this is about pinhole photography. The cameras that I look
for on eBay that I can't find elsewhere are often 120 rollfilm
cameras for conversions to pinhole use -- Eura, Agfa Clack, Ilford
Sporti, folding cameras, etc.

Tom

 
Received on Sat Dec 8 13:14:33 2001