A bit off topic (sorry OP), but in NZ, they use a site called TradeMe instead of Ebay. Auctions can auto-extend (by 2mins) if any bids are placed in the last 2 mins. This goes on until no one bids for 2 mins. This is great for sellers, but I miss that adrenaline buzz of ebay auctions. (sad I know)
cogitech wrote:
I get a huge adrenaline rush and my heart-rate skyrockets, sometimes I even feel tingly.
It is like gambling, except if you lose, you don't lose.
As long as we're confessing...... me too. Except I've never been into gambling. What is the attraction of slot machines? Well, pokers fine, but someone actually wins. Unlike Vegas.
Cabbleaddict makes a good point about not knowing what b.s. is going on with some auctions. There's always another lens coming along. Many deals on ebay, many items selling far over market value.
gowhow wrote:
A bit off topic (sorry OP), but in NZ, they use a site called TradeMe instead of Ebay. Auctions can auto-extend (by 2mins) if any bids are placed in the last 2 mins. This goes on until no one bids for 2 mins. This is great for sellers, but I miss that adrenaline buzz of ebay auctions. (sad I know)
Adam
auctions.yahoo.co.jp is the same. Auto-extends by 5 minutes if you vote too close to the end. The first time it happened to me (on a CZ21) I was like WTF!!! I got all sweaty and shaky. Once it was over and I had won the auction, I seriously needed a gin & tonic.
cogitech wrote:
Exactly, but I do it the old-fashioned way.
I don't need no steeeeenkeeeng sniper program.
I snipe all the time now...after getting burned on a couple of deals in the closing seconds, I got wiser. Plus, no need to sit in front of the computer and watch those late-night auctions...just set my max price, go to bed, and check in the morning. No need to get caught up in a bidding frenzy.
I just won one for $375! Not the best price, but I bet the price only goes up from what I'm reading about the lens. I haven't decided if I will do the conversion myself or not. That and I still have to do the 5D mirror shave.
I bid on that one, but I just received one around the same serial#. That is a very high, recent serial #, and the last version with the latest coatings that Minolta progressively applied thru the mark.
I have been working on a new method of EOS lens conversion for those Rokkor lenses that have the silver spacer, between the back and lens body that attaches with the 4 screws thru the spacer. So far, I have identified the 58/1.2, 58/1.4, 85/1.7, some 135mm lenses.
Basically, I have taken a good quality chromed bronze M42-EOS adapter (left, bottom) and cut it down to fit into the silver original spacer (left, top). I have duplicated the silver spacer (top, center), for no good reason, but the 2 piece assembly is shown bottom right.
The advantages of this assembly, is the M42-EOS adapter, with its ideal fit onto the camera, fits into the original silver spacer or my custom spacer, which simply gets screwed to the lens body with the original 4 screws. Concentricity is maintained, the register difference is accounted for (mostly), and it is easy. As always, infinity focus should be done with the lens adjustment screws. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3005/3051051891_6c8c8c577c_o.jpg
Tariq the nice thing to do would be to kick a few bucks back to those older folks who gave you such a great deal on that package. They didn't have to do so.
Ed Sawyer wrote:
IMO, the XK should have brought more than that...
-Ed
As for the XK, it was nowhere near mint condition. I would rate it as KEH Bargain. It had no dents but I did notice minor damage to the shutter curtain and the mirror box/film chamber area were fairly dirty/grimy. I checked what KEH was asking, dropped the price about $40 below that and put it up with a BIN for a quick sell. It is sort of crazy that you can often get things in better condition for the same price or cheaper through KEH vs. Ebay quite often but that's the way it is these days. Ebay has really made it tough for people like KEH I suppose.
If I were to ever sell the lens, which I don't plan on, I would definitely kick some $ back to those folks I bought it from. When I picked the camera and lens up, the man right out told me he knew it was worth more and even suggested I could make some money off of it (at that point he started telling me about all the deals he had found over the years). He had no regrets.
