chances of scoring a cheap lens in unusual places?

if i had seen that 5Dc i would have driven through the storms to buy it.

Think how much time you'll spend doing it. Think how much you can save. Be realistic on both. Will you earn more per hour than McDonalds pays ?

Craigslist transactions... the best places to meet are a bank lobby or inside a busy coffee shop that the cops frequent. There are too many "robbery by appointment" stories these days. Someone can eaasily post a fake listing on CL and know that potential buyers for higher ticket items are going to show up with a wad of cash in their pocket. Sellers have to worry that would-be buyers are going to knock them over the head and take their item. Most buyers and sellers are super honest, but not all. An acquaintance of mine on a collector car forum lost $15,000 to a fraudulent ad (it's a long story). Don't become a statistic!

But, aside from that, CL is a great place to find bargains. The warranties are "30 seconds or 30 feet, whichever comes first" though.

Thrift stores are good, too, but you rarely find modern stuff or know what to expect. I did pick up a digital Rebel recently, not working but I knew that (a bent CF socket pin has apparently shorted the camera out)... didn't pay much and I can use it as a Canon Loyalty Program trade-in.

Mostly in thrift stores, it's vintage gear that you'll find. Still, you might be able to monetize some lucky finds.,.. if you know what you are looking at and can weed out the good deals from the crapolla.

I picked up a camera bag in one, a funky "plaid" thing, for $24. In side it were a Mamiya 100mm lens & Mamiya pentaprism (both for 645 medium format camera), Gossen Luna Pro meter and a few other accessories. I made over $400 selling off the stuff and still have that damned ugly camera bag. I also bought a literally like new Nikon FM2 black body with a couple lenses and flash for $27 (kept it!). And I paid $40 for a Canon G5 with the Canon teleconverter lens. $15 for a Canon A510. All of those work great.

But, at thrift shops you never know what you might find, have to know what you are looking at and need to know how to check it out. I found what appeared to be a lovely Zuiko 24mm lens the other day - still in it's original case, like new - until I looked inside with a flash light and saw the fungus garden thriving in there. Also found a Panasonic digital camera, 10MP if I recall correctly, with a wonder Leitz Vario zoom on it... except on close inspection I saw the coatings were flaking off the inside of the front lens elements.

My favorite local thrift shop has discovered the Internet, too. Now they often research items, and price them too high to make it worth my while.

I've gotten some great deals off eBay, but usually if something is well described and not "hidden" in an auction, it will bring fair value. I found a lens recently, an extremely rare item from around 1960 that I know would sell for around $1000, paid under $100 for it... The seller had no idea what it was and didn't list it properly. The camera that lens fits is also highly collectible... sells for $1200-2400 depending upon condition... I bought one hidden in a grab bag of cameras, for $400 including shipping. The seller must have freaked when I paid for insurance to cover $2000 value. I sold off the other cameras in that grab bag and recouped all but $100. I've gotten some other lenses and whatnot that way on eBay... poorly described and hidden items that weren't hotly contested.

One more normal transaction on eBay, I bought a neat old 1960s era camera for my personal collection off a very nice elderly lady. When the box arrived, lo and behold there were two cameras in it. She said they were both her late husbands and she just wanted them both to go to someone who appreciated them. The second camera was a rarer and more valuable collectible, actually. She wouldn't accept any payment for the second camera, so I sent her a large bouquet of flowers as a thank you.

Kechar wrote in post #14186821
I do all my sales local hand to hand and it scares me to death (bring gunzzzz and friends with gunzzz)!!!

rwhardy wrote in post #14186182
oh, also be careful where you meet, go early and check your surroundings, and i always carry a gun (or two).

rick_reno wrote in post #14186922
I wear my body armor.

ah! So it is just like in those Hollywood movies!

amfoto1 wrote in post #14188504
One more normal transaction on eBay, I bought a neat old 1960s era camera for my personal collection off a very nice elderly lady. When the box arrived, lo and behold there were two cameras in it. She said they were both her late husbands and she just wanted them both to go to someone who appreciated them. The second camera was a rarer and more valuable collectible, actually. She wouldn't accept any payment for the second camera, so I sent her a large bouquet of flowers as a thank you.

May good karma come your way

I am going to check out a bunch of garage sales this summer and see what turns up. Ive had no luck at pawn shops.

Once a week i visit the local Goodwill stores and a pawnshop in the neighborhood. The pawnshop is not too realistic on their lens pricing but they are open to negotiation. The local Goodwill has the bad habit of sometimes putting the price right on the front lens with a felt tip marker!! Be careful there. My latest - and not greatest - acquisition was a Canon EF 75-300mm 1:4 - 5.6 III lens with both end caps AND clean glass and body for 1/2 price which worked out to be $ 7.50 at the Goodwill several weeks ago. The lens now resides on my wife's 350D and does a respectable job.

Persistence pays off.

I have never had a bad experience with craigslist. You just have to be smart about it, talk to the seller. If they seem like they know what they're talking about I will go through with the transaction. Having said that, my best score happened to be a Canon Rebel XT with like 4 batteries, the 18-55 kit lens, a 50mm f1.8, and a 16-35 f2.8L for only $600!

rwhardy wrote in post #14187002
the scariest transaction for me was in midtown atlanta. turned out to be ok. i don't doubt you need to bring a posse up there.

LOL I'm in Atlanta too.

I've bought and sold on CL, and for the most part, it's been an ok experience. There are definitely some sketchy people though. I just sold my 70-200 f/2.8 non-IS on here. Had it listed on CL. Trade emails w/ a guy, but he's out of town for a couple of days. I offer to take a PP deposit to hold it, but he declines. I tell him if it's still here when he gets back, we can talk. He asks that I get in touch w/ him if I have another interested buyer. Person here contacts me and we arrange a deal. I contact CL guy and tell him that I have another buyer, and thanks for his interest. He then offers more money if I hold it for him. I tell him no, but if the deal here falls through, I'll get back in touch w/ him. He then proceeds to call me a dishonest seller and say that I'm trying to take advantage of him. That was the end of that conversation! For the most part, I would rather deal w/ people here than CL. Although I've had some less than enjoyable transactions here as well.

when meeting up in inner city location, a strategy I employ is to park a couple of blocks away, put my wallet in a sealed baggie and quickly drop into the sewer. walk (usually a duck walk, there isn't a lot of room down there) to the meeting location and scout it out from a drain. if it looks safe, emerge and conduct your transaction. even the baddest ass gangster won't screw around with someone covered in turds and used toilet paper, and if you've traveled a couple of blocks in a sewer you will be covered in turds and toilet paper. return to your parked car at ground level, you won't be bothered.

I bought a Canon 28-300 L that I have been looking for. Odd place to find it... on a Bass Boat Forum that has a photo forum on it too. Not a steal at $1350 delivered, however it was a odd place to find one. I check these for sale boards here 2-3 times a day. I've found a few 28-300's here although everyone wants $1600 -1800. As for "pawn" shops...no deals are there anymore with ebay around. Every pawn shop has a ebay store too.

it happens:
https://photography-on-the.net …64375&highlight​=best+deal

i find sometimes you can get good deal on older canon lenses when people don't think they work outside of film cameras...so i've gotten 3 EOS bodies, just because of the lens that was attached to it

Kechar wrote in post #14186821
I just sold an excellent condition gripped 5Dc for $600, and brand new 24-105 f4.0L IS 5D3 kit lens for $800 on CraigsList yesterday. Two lucky people!

About to throw up a gripped 40D for $300 in the next few days.

I do all my sales local hand to hand and it scares me to death (bring gunzzzz and friends with gunzzz)!!!

just curious...but why are you selling them for pretty cheap prices...i mean you would've probably easily have gotten $800 for the gripped 5D...

sub $800 for a 5D is what i have my ebay notification set at

rick_reno wrote in post #14190692
when meeting up in inner city location, a strategy I employ is to park a couple of blocks away, put my wallet in a sealed baggie and quickly drop into the sewer. walk (usually a duck walk, there isn't a lot of room down there) to the meeting location and scout it out from a drain. if it looks safe, emerge and conduct your transaction. even the baddest ass gangster won't screw around with someone covered in turds and used toilet paper, and if you've traveled a couple of blocks in a sewer you will be covered in turds and toilet paper. return to your parked car at ground level, you won't be bothered.

now there's a title fairy posting if ever i saw one!

joeseph wrote in post #14195009
now there's a title fairy posting if ever i saw one!

On April Fool's Day that could be expected.