Selling Used Gear

[Todd Terry]

If you want to sell gear, my main advice is to do it NOW… don’t wait a day, a week, or a year. In our business, sadly the value of most of our gear plummets the second you drive it off the lot, and continues its freefall.

Before there even was such a thing as big-sensor cameras, at our place we achieved the film look with a P+S Technik 35mm lens converter that let us use 35mm cine primes. The converter wasn’t cheap, about $14,000 if I recall. When I retired that camera and thought I’d just sell the lens converter, I wasn’t too happy to see that they were going for about $400. I knew they would have tanked in value, but I didn’t think quite THAT much. And that’s just one example out of a thousand here.

So… if you’re gonna do it, do it today. Or tomorrow… or this week.

As for resources, for “general” gear I guess eBay is probably the go-to source… that’s where I’ve gotten rid of some things. For real specific items, hit the specialists in those areas. For example if you have high-end lenses, ask Duclos Lenses or other high-end experts what the best route would be. For something like a Steadicam, the Steadicam Operators’ Association will let you list things. I believe Mandy.com still has classified ads, which is much more targeted to our industry.

Resellers like Visual Products will also accept used gear… but they tend to really low-ball the offers that they make.

This is definitely a do-as-I-say -not-as-I-do situation… because I’m a major hoarder and can hardly part with anything. I’ve got thousands of pounds of gear that will never be used again, but it’s really hard to part with it.

I found this slightly amusing… I recently sold the very first Sony camera my company started with 23 years ago…. sold it on eBay. I got pennies on the dollar for it, but at least it (and its gigantic case) wasn’t taking up valuable storage real estate anymore. The buyer ended up being a Hollywood prop rental house. I’m gonna start looking for it the next time I see a “news crew” in a movie or TV show scene (where the “camera operators” are invariably holding the camera wrong, shouldering it but reaching over and grabbing the top carry handle).

Oh… one thing… if you have good lenses that you are thinking of selling (and I’m definitely talking about higher-end glass, real cine primes especially), those are one of the few things in our business that does not depreciate… but rather appreciates. My set of superspeed primes was a very painful purchase, but they are worth a lot more today than they were when I bought them. So if you have good glass… hang on to it. You can sell them for more tomorrow than you can today.

T2

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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Mark Suszko]

I know B&H takes on consignment sales. Obviously they’ll want a piece of it, and they tend to be picky as to the condition of the gear.

[Wayne Keyser]

If you want to sell on Amazon or anywhere else you get to choose the sale price, offer the stuff just lower than the lowest listed price. Why would any buyer choose to pay more?

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There is no “way to peace.” Peace is the way.

[Greg Ball]

How many hours does your Sony EX-1R have? What’s it’s history and condition? What are you asking for it?

Greg Ball, President
Ball Media Innovations, Inc.
https://www.ballmediainnovations.com

[Jim Brodie]

Hi Greg,

The camera has 753 hours on it and is in very good condition. I’m the only one who has
used it and I treated it like a Stradivarius.

I have a wide angle converter lens, four batteries, a Manofrotto zoom control and three 32 gig cards that would come with it. I was hoping to get between $850 to $950 USDs.

All the Best,

Jim

[Jim Brodie]

Hi Todd,

Thank you for your detailed response. Its so hard to part with gear that has helped you earn your livelihood. Its a strange loyalty you feel to hold on to gear that has been so valuable to you.

Its almost like giving your pet golden retriever to a friend in the country because you’re unable to take it on as many walks as you should.

I’ve noted your suggestions and will follow-up with what happens.

Jim

[Jim Brodie]

Good Advice… I’ll follow-up on that.

[Jim Brodie]

Thank you for your response.