European interest in FD ...?

[Farkle-Mpls]

<p>I put three F1 bodies on eBay for sale this past week (two original F1s and one F1n) and they all sold overseas (from the US). One to Spain, one to Italy and one to Saudi Arabia. </p>

<p>I don't understand what circumstances make economic sense to pay $US40+ to ship a camera which ranges in price from $25 to $70 ...</p>

<p>Are these cameras that rare in Europe/M.E.?</p>

<p>Just posting out of curiosity ...</p>

<p>(I am still shooting FD, I simply culled down my herd to one F1N and one F1n.)</p>

[kerkko_kehravuo]

<p>Carl,<br>

No, these cameras are not rare in Europe. Finding a mint example may althoug be somehow difficult. One reason of european interest may be very cheap US dollar if compared to Euro.</p>

<p>Kerkko K.</p>

[andreas_thaler1]

<p>Carl, the F-1 generally is rare on the market and it seems to me that the US are better provided with mint or near mint ones.<br /> My experience with US vendors (ebay) is positive: detailed presentation, good communication, quick dispatch, offer and item do match. The only drawbacks are time for transport to Europe and sometimes troubles with customs (eg. false declaration). As a purchaser you benefit from ebays strict protection measures.<br /> I agree with kerkko that the currently cheap dollar rate (compared to Euro) encourages Europeans to buy in the US.</p>

[jeff_guthrie]

I've sold a few of these cameras on eBay, but I rarely get under $200 for one. I would happily pay $50+ shipping for a F1

priced from $25-$70.

[david_carroll4]

<p>I dabble on Ebay, buying and selling 35mm stuff, and fully half my sales are overseas - Russia, Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia. My theory is that, since we consume so exuberantly here in the US, there is always used stuff coming up. In other, possibly slower, markets, people buy new stuff less frequently, and hold on to used stuff longer, so available used stuff is thinner on the ground. So people from all over the world turn to the US used market.</p>

[bonsignore_ezio]

<p> I use ebay nearly exclusively to buy and sell cameras, and the overwhelming majority of my purchases are from the USA. This is so, because<br>

1) The favourable exchange rate,<br>

2) The normally lower final prices, and<br>

3) The much higher number of offers to chose from on ebay. us when compared to its european counterparts.<br>

Factors 1) and 2) combined do result in a lower price than easily obtainable this side of the pond, even when shipping costs and customs are included. Of course I am aware of these latter figures, and when they push the price too high, I simply don't raise my bid any further.<br>

There is also another potential advantage, which is however difficult to quantify. There is quite a large number of sellers on ebay.us who don't have a clue about what they are selling, cannot spell "Zeiss" or "Voigtländer" properly, etc. Their auctions would thus go unnoticed by other potential buyers, and be concluded at rock-bottom prices.</p>