[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > Whatever the impact of digital, film cameras seem to have retained > > their value, judging from adverts and the eBay auctions I've often > > followed with more than a passing interest. > > Seems to depend on category. Pro cameras lose value horribly > because they are no longer feature-current (plus a lot of > them get banged up pretty good). I bought my first F4 new > for $2000 from a local camera store in > '95 and my second used for $700 from KEH in '02.
If you buy a pro camera new, as a pro it's a working tool and you can depreciate it against the business. If you buy it new as an amateur, chances are you are going to keep it long enough for depreciation not to be an issue. > Collectability clearly comes into the picture since the price > difference between "decent" cosmetic quality and "great" > cosmetic quality is quite substantial. Black models of > chrome-standard bodies cost a lot more, presumably because > they take better pictures... > (Actually, it might be argued that black models take better > pictures along the same lines as the old miniatures wargaming > dictum "painted figures fight better") Many collectors like to buy their cameras new, to have the original boxes, bills of sale and advertising leaflets. > Still, if film were about to die I'd expect KEH would refuse > to buy film cameras, or at least only buy the rare ones and > ones in collector condition. They aren't PAYING much for > other stuff, but that's presumably because the used market is > pretty glutted. True, but then I suppose we will move into the area of specialist camera auctions. Malcolm
