Just clearing out a house after the death of a parent and came across some old cameras. Looked them up on ebay, most of them are going for pennies. Until I found a bellows camera, looks like it is a Voightlander Bergheil with photographic plates that go in the back. Seems ok, can't be worth much if it is in my house, but looking around the net and ebay, seems like it has a rare lens in it, a Heliar 3.5 13.5cm. Someone is selling one on ebay now for £515. What I was wondering, from anyone who knows about cameras, please, is it a rare lens, is it really worth that much and if it is what is the best thing to do with it? Thanks
Pookey will be able to tell you. A quick search tells me yes, it's worth a fair bit (maybe not £500, maybe more... it really depends who wants it!) so don't do anything hasty. Post up some pics of the camera and let us have a look at it.
Yes, old lenses can go for that much, but I would be very wary of using eBay as a sales tool or even for getting an idea of price, it is a very distorted market full of dodgy sales (and sellers/buyers). You may want to try a dealer, such as Ffords, who would be able to give you a price - obviously your choice if you take the offer or not, but they will be reliable. They may even take the camera and other items too.
The camera was just about to put through a local auction as a job lot with some other cameras, and the auction place always says check ebay to see if it worth actually putting anything through because it could always ending up costing more with auction costs involved.
Forget auctions to be honest, as I said, go speak to a specialist photography dealer and see what you're sitting on, even if you don't sell to them.
i found a Carl Zesis lens in my parent's garage that's apparently worth over £100. put it on my full frame digital SLR and still works brilliantly, although a bit stiff. problem with those, especially found in storage, is that they may not operate as smooth as before, so prices may not be as high as a mint condition one you saw on the bay.
