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Technique SCORING WITH SECOND HAND
Ffordes
● http://www.ffordes.com ● 01463 783 850
What are your tips for getting the best price for used gear?
We get a lot of emails from customers and it can sometimes be
dif cult working out exactly what equipment they have as sometimes
there are different versions and ages of equipment, especially with
some brands such as Leica. Saying you have a Leica 35mm f/1.
Summilux-M tting lens does not tell us the full story as there is the
original chrome version and several black- nish lenses, and all are
worth different amounts. The price will also be dependent on the
cosmetic appearance of the lens and also what it includes... does it
have front and rear caps, does it have a lens hood, a lens case and
is it boxed? So the more information we have the better, and the
more accurately we can price individual items. As far as getting the
best price for your equipment is concerned, you will always get the
maximum return on equipment if we were to sell it on a commission
basis, as there is less VAT payable. You usually have to wait until the
item sells to get paid for it, however.
What kind of used gear is selling well?
The used-camera market continually changes and we have noticed
that since the pandemic, there is more demand for lm cameras and
related equipment – not just 35mm SLR cameras but also lm
compact cameras and medium-format cameras as well. A lot of our
staff have been in the industry for many years and they have
experience in both lm equipment and digital equipment (and we
also have customers who are very knowledgeable). This wealth of
knowledge and experience is important in being able to not only
value customers’ equipment, but also checking it fully and knowing
exactly what is being sold to potential buyers.
Do you give a higher price if the original boxes and packaging are
also provided?
Boxes supplied with used equipment always give a better impression
of the equipment from a buyer’s point of view. But it depends on
what the item is as to whether it makes any difference to our nal
quotation. The more modern the equipment, the less likely that a
box will affect the value; the older and rarer the items then the more
likely the box will make not only a better impression on the buyer to
convey that the condition of the equipment is cosmetically good but
also that it has been cared for by its previous owner. To give you one
example, a Leica M3 body with a box will command a higher retail
price than one in the same condition without a box. Generally it’s a
good idea to keep all the packaging you got with your gear.
Cli on Cameras
● http://www.cliftoncameras.co.uk ● 01453 548 128We’ve asked other dealers the question, but why should readers
come to you when they can easily fl og a camera body or lens on
eBay or Gumtree?
Trading in, or part-exchanging, your kit is an ideal way to upgrade
or change items in your kit bag and means a hassle-free and
quicker way than selling privately. We have an experienced team
who are able to supply a no-obligation quote via our online form
found on our part-exchange information page or a link on each of
the product pages. The more information you can supply on your
item/s the more accurate guide price we can give. To help keep
the process nice and simple, we offer a free collection service
from a UK home or work address.How do you grade used equipment?
Condition is the key part of the assessment when valuing used
items. This is graded from Mint (like new, minimal signs of use)
down to Heavy Use (extensive wear but working). We generally
take in Mint to Good condition items as this is what we nd
buyers are looking for. We de ne Mint as ‘like new with very
minimal signs of use. Boxed with all standard accessories’. For
cameras, we expect a clean sensor and up to 30k actuations for
Pro bodies and non-pro up to 10k. We have noticed over the past
few years that shutter actuations has become a key bit of
information for people interested in pre-owned items.
For lenses, the mount may show minimal use signs of use
but no deep marks. We want clean optics with no dust or
scratches. We have detailed information on all the condition
grades on our website.What advice do you have for people who want keep their gear in
the best possible condition, so they can get the best possible
price for it when trying to sell it on?
Our advice for keeping your equipment in good condition is to be
aware of the item’s limitations regarding weather resistance and
sealing. Using the equipment near seawater can create a
residue on any rubber material; sand/dust can cause scratches
on screens/optics and get into cameras and lens elements;
and cold temperatures can create external and internal fogging.
All of these potential issues can be reduced by regular
cleaning and using protective covers/ lters etc. A cheap UV
lter is a great way to protect a lens, for example.
Before having the goods collected it is always good to make
sure the equipment is clean, settings reset and packaged
securely. One setting on cameras that is good to reset is the
lens-focusing adjustment options, as this may cause apparent
focusing issues during testing.