Still about a couple of days left on this e-bay auction.
200 f/1.8

However, the bidders are proceeding cautiously. The lens seems complete and in a pretty good cosmetic condition for an early production copy, just that it is being sold "as is" although it "works fine" .....apparently has a dust problem too.

If dust is the only lens element concern, a good independent shop in USA and Canada can deal with that. However, if elements are etched with fungus or are marked otherwise, then that's permanent.
Also, full functionality, focus calibration and good IQ are obviously not guaranteed by the seller. ("works fine"....but sold "as is").

Yet, if you are a bit of a risk taker, this might turn out to be a very good deal on a very special lens.

The fact that the lens is in Japan may be deterring some bidders - though typically things heat up in eBay auctions in the waning minutes rather than days.

Check again....initially I had a wrong link up.
It says New York. Some Adorama e-bay affiliate ?

I don't see where you are getting the information that the lens is in Japan, it appears to be a NY store charging NY sales tax, I am confused.

how much it costs for a fair - good 200 1.8L lens?
Is 2.5k a good price?

Original link was to an FD mount lens in Japan ... current one links to EF 200 @ Adorama.

(I think this is how they dispose of slow moving trade in gear. Personally, I wouldn't want to bid without being able to inspect - too much of a gamble)

Now, I have seen Adorama offload some of their slow selling lenses to their e-bay seller before.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if this was the $2,500 "V" grade lens they had been trying to sell for more than a month and eventually it disappeared from their site a few weeks ago.

I am pretty sure that this is that lens which Peter speaks of. I called about that lens a couple months ago, and it asks to refer to item number 333137, which I think is the same as the lens I'd called about, as well as the fact that it is a UF date code, the same as the one I'd called about. I'm not 100% sure that was the item number, but it sounds right.

KINGOFKNGS wrote:
I am pretty sure that this is that lens which Peter speaks of. I called about that lens a couple months ago, and it asks to refer to item number 333137, which I think is the same as the lens I'd called about, as well as the fact that it is a UF date code, the same as the one I'd called about. I'm not 100% sure that was the item number, but it sounds right.

OK, there you go. If some dust is the only issue with the lens, then $2,500 was almost a steal. Even the hood looks in unusually fine condition, the case too.

It's certainly a steal at that price, how long it stays at that level is another matter though.

This lens was $2999 before the $500 rebate was released on the 200 IS. I was surprised that they dropped the price, though I think it was warranted.

That's not how eBay works. 85% of bids on eBay are within the last 15 minutes of the auction. Plenty of people probably have the lens on snipe for a price that's far from cheap.

Taylor Barrett wrote:
That's not how eBay works. 85% of bids on eBay are within the last 15 minutes of the auction. Plenty of people probably have the lens on snipe for a price that's far from cheap.

That's fine, but an informed, knowledgeable buyer who also understands what's involved in any remedial work on the lens, has a substantial advantage because they will either....
* get the lens for a good price albeit perhaps not dirt cheap, or
* pass on the lens if it becomes overpriced.

98.8% is not considered as a high score, right?

Best regards,
Yakim.

this isn't going to be cheap specilly now that it's on FM

Yakim, If you're refering to feedback rating, 98.8 % for a high volume retailer isn't particularly good (but not so low as to set off alarm bells). If you're seriously considering bidding, it's worth wading back through some of the seller's detailed feedback to see what the issues were & whether there's a pattern in the complaints - sometimes it's just picky customers but sometimes there's a consistent theme to the gripes. (NB: This comment is not directed specifically at the seller refered to here).

Update: I asked for a picture taken with the lens. He said he can't. His e-mall address ends with @adorama.com and this item is shipped from NJ. I asked if he is working in the Adorama store and am waiting for a reply.

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

globalkiwi wrote:
Yakim, If you're refering to feedback rating, 98.8 % for a high volume retailer isn't particularly good (but not so low as to set off alarm bells).

I agree, not good at all.
Plus, the lens has probably so much dust in it that it turns the lens into a permanently dialed soft focus. Besides, with that much dust, how can one tell if there is fungus on the elements or not.
All that lens is probably good for is spare parts.
Worth $1,500 maximum IMO. Yeah, that's it.
I suggest nobody bids on it more than $1,500.

Adorwin is Adorama's used department on the bay. I have bought from "Adorwin", reliable...but don't expect FM's quality service when you ask questions.

kirry007 wrote:
Adorwin is Adorama's used department on the bay. I have bought from "Adorwin", reliable...but don't expect FM's quality service when you ask questions.
Also, the 800 number in the auction is listed on Adorama's "Contact Us" page.

Adorama is a very knowledgeable retailer. I know because they were my customer
for over 20 years. If the lens didn't have big problems I don't believe that they would be selling it "as is" and without a reserve price on ebay. They want to dump this puppy. Proceed with extreme caution. I wouldn't touch it.
Jim

I don't get it. If it's Adorama, why can't I find it in the store's site?

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

Yakim,
Adorwin is the store front Adorama uses on eBay to unload trade-in gear that for whatever reason they don't want to or can't sell from their bricks & mortar location on 18th street or via their online site. It's an alternative sales outlet for gear they don't want to stock/warranty etc. in the regular store. So, you won't find it on the Adorama site - though a couple of previous posters have suggested they had this lens listed there earlier.
HTH!

Yakim Peled wrote:
I don't get it. If it's Adorama, why can't I find it in the store's site?

Happy shooting,
Yakim.

Because they are separately administered inventories, a different sales team.
The e-bay team gets stuff that for whatever reason is not as economical for the main store/website to handle.

The lens is already going over $1,600. In auctions like this one, small speculators are on it as well, possibly including a couple of FM own resident "brokers". Therefore, the lens might yet resurface some day soon on FM B&S, perhaps cleaned first and then listed at $3.3k or something like that.

In fact, they are required to keep eBay auction inventories separate. If they were to sell merchandise elsewhere while it was similtaneously being auctioned on eBay they would not only violate eBay regulations (such as they are), but auctions ended early tend to generate a lot of ill-will from those who've already placed bids.

In any event, with all due respect to PetKal who apparently smells a bargain in the offing , I don't think this lens is going to be anybody's bargain in the long run.