OT-Buying a scanner on eBay

The prices on Nikon CoolScan film scanners that are offered on eBay are significantly less than those of dealers like B&H and Canoga Camera. I assume these are grey market items. Any opinions of the risk factor considering the item is a film scanner? Anyone bought one of these?

Michael Porter said:

The prices on Nikon CoolScan film scanners that are offered on eBay
are significantly less than those of dealers like B&H and Canoga
Camera. I assume these are grey market items. Any opinions of the
risk factor considering the item is a film scanner? Anyone bought
one of these?

Click to expand...

A general rule of thumb on E-bay is: If the price is too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

Hi Michael,

Always make sure they have a high positive feedback for expensive items, at least +25. Look at the feedback and make sure it is not all in the last month for very cheak $5.00 items. Sometimes they will sell or buy alot of very cheap items to work up their feedback. Make sure they take Paypal or ebay payments and use your credit card for payment( that way if they rip you off you can contest the charges with your creditcard company), don't send a check or money order or never ever send payment using a wire service like western union. If they ask you to send using a wire service to send money, all they need is the "money tracking number" to get payment in cash...they don't even have to show ID to get the cash, just the number and you will never see that cash again.

Jack

Michael Porter said:

The prices on Nikon CoolScan film scanners that are offered on eBay
are significantly less than those of dealers like B&H and Canoga
Camera. I assume these are grey market items. Any opinions of the
risk factor considering the item is a film scanner? Anyone bought
one of these?

Click to expand...

Advice about Coolscan. I have a LS2000 which is very sharp. However, it seems to be a bit too sharp that blooming is quite an issue for black on white background.

gary

Michael Porter said:

The prices on Nikon CoolScan film scanners that are offered on eBay
are significantly less than those of dealers like B&H and Canoga
Camera. I assume these are grey market items. Any opinions of the
risk factor considering the item is a film scanner? Anyone bought
one of these?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. What I am specifically interested in are opinions about the risk in buying a "new in box" Nikon CoolScan IV or Nikon CoolScan 4000 from a dealer on eBay. The concern is that the item is gray market and there would be trouble in getting warranty service.

This is assuming I would minimize the risk by purchasing via credit card and checking feedback on seller.

I know a lot of forum members here buy gray market lenses. Any experience or opinions about the level of risk with film scanners?

Michael Porter said:

The prices on Nikon CoolScan film scanners that are offered on eBay
are significantly less than those of dealers like B&H and Canoga
Camera. I assume these are grey market items. Any opinions of the
risk factor considering the item is a film scanner? Anyone bought
one of these?

Click to expand...