I am considering selling my complete R system. (R8, 35'lux, 50'cron, 100 APO Mac., 80-200 and 21?-35) My motive is that I have simply spent too much money on a part time hobby. I bought everything except the 50'cron new, but it is also less than 2 years old.

I am not really interested in selling the system piecemeal, so can somebody recommend a reputable dealer where I will get the most offered for my gear? Can you also recommend the safest way to send my gear to them and any problems regarding shipping or some type of scam that I should be aware of?

-- Al Z. (alziari@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002

Answers

Tamarkin will probably give you as good a deal as anyone. Other possibilities: Rich Pinto at Photovillage, Sam Shoshan at Classic Connection, or Jim Kuehl. All are reputable and honest and all advertise in Shutterbug.

You will probably get more, however, if you put them up for auction, individually, on Ebay -- or (perish the thought) offer them individually to this group. (More trouble, but you cut out the middle man!)

-- Jack Matlock (jfmatlo@attglobal.net), April 28, 2002.

A dealer - even a good honest one - is going to give you about 50% of what the equipment is worth used (i.e. what you could get for it selling it yourself either together or piecemeal) - because the dealer makes his/her living off the profits from the resale - less the interest and other overhead from holding your equipment until it resells.

I realize conducting the sale(s) yourself is a real PITA (having done it myself) but is avoiding that PITA REALLY worth the 50% loss (in this case well into several thousand dollars)??

That's the way to make this parttime hobby unbelieveably expensive.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 28, 2002.

I got rid of all of my Canon gear within hours at photo.net! Sold a 1n, 28-70L, 540EZ, and a 50mm f/1.4. Try it out, I don't know the demand for R gear, but my Canon set was liquidated, and I had gotten asking prices, and demand even after selling it about people inquiring about the gear. Good luck...use paypal.com for payments.

-- James (snodoggydogg@hotmail.com), April 28, 2002.

By the way, I got 80% of what I had paid for the items (bought at B&H). All were in mint shape.

-- James (snodoggydogg@hotmail.com), April 28, 2002.

I second the recommendation for photo.net... though it will probably go slower than Canon gear (due to the huge number of photo.netters using canon), it will sell if the price is reasonable. I have sold a number of items through photo.net and have been very satisfied. There is a user recommendation section to that site, where you can see if the buyer is good or not... if there are no comments it is iffy, if there are lots of bad comments i would stay away.

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), April 28, 2002.

I suggest use Ebay youll get around 70% or 80% of theprice of your gear. Screen your bidders check their "feedback" and sell it by piece meal.

-- edgaddi (edgaddi@msn.com), April 28, 2002.

I also regretably sold a complete R system when my eyes and commercial needs forced me to AF& digital for SLR work. It's not exactly true that you'll only get 50% of the retail used value. If you want to avoid the hassel of selling it yourself and you're not in a big rush to be hosed, put it on consignment. Call Sam Shoshan at The Classic Connection ( 1 888 LEICASAM ) and see if he still does the 20% commission bit he did with me. People look for Leica stuff with these types of speciality dealiers, and they have waiting lists of demands from their regular customers. If the 35mm is a 3 cam, e-mail me a price. I'm looking for one for my SLII.

-- Marc Williams (mwilliams111313MI@comcast.net), April 28, 2002.

As Marc said - consignment through a national or local dealer may get you 75-80% of the sale price instead of 50% - but you will only get paid when the item(s) sell over the counter, not up front. In effect you retain more of the sale price but also bear the risk that the item doesn't sell for 18 months. The dealer gets less but doesn't have to risk/tie up capital in your equipment.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), April 29, 2002.

I recently sold a some H'blad and Nikon equipment, all in mint condition, and got 80% of its value on eBay. I had previously taken it to a couple of places for evaluation in NY, and they gave me a much lower price. Also tried a place in Hawaii I had bought from previsouly. On average, the difference totaled $1,800, or 45% of the value I sold it for in the end. It is important to note that you will get a better value on eBay if you sell it through an eBay user with good ratings (you or any family or friend you trust).

-- Marc A. Pilgrem (mpilgrem@hotmail.com), April 29, 2002.

Tamarkin in NYC can sell your gear on consignment. I think you get 75% of the selling price. If you sell it on EBAY, you may get more than that.

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), April 29, 2002.