Photographers embrace technology. Most of us use digital cameras and rely on technology such as Lightroom, Photoshop, and plug-in filters to bring our work to the light of day. Technology, however, can be a daunting mistress. Just when you think you’ve got all of the equipment and software you need, new equipment or new software is available. And the new is often a quantum leap forward.
Recycling Old Technology
Digital cameras are a perfect example of changing technology. I use an EOS 5D MKII for my professional work. My previous camera was the first iteration of the EOS 5D. I loved that camera, but when Canon announced the EOS 5D MKII, I knew I had to have one. With nearly double the megapixels, a new sensor capable of capturing relatively noise free images at high ISO settings, and built in high-definition video, this camera was definitely a quantum leap forward. I did not want to finance this purchase, so I did some Spring Cleaning and found lots of technology that I wasn’t using; but technology that still had value. I put the old technology up for auction on eBay. When the auctions were over, I had over half of the purchase price of the new camera. So I bought the new EOS 5D MKII, and put my old camera up for auction on eBay. When the auction ended, I received enough money to completely pay for the new camera with a bit left over for my savings account. I was quite pleasantly surprised at how much of my original purchase price I received from the eBay auctions. You can’t get that type of return on investment for other technology, for example: a car or truck.
Digital point and shoot cameras are another example of technology that’s run amuck. About a year ago, I purchased a Canon G10. I thought it was the ideal solution for a daily shooter. It was small, lightweight and had professional features. I liked the camera, but was never crazy about the idea of cramming 15 megapixels on a miniscule sensor. Something else that was lacking on the G10 was a swivel monitor. Canon listened and recently announced the G11. The new G11 features a swivel LCD monitor and the ability to capture 10 megapixels on a CCD sensor. That’s right; Canon took a step backward and put fewer megapixels on a better sensor. In my opinion, 10 megapixels is just fine for a point and shoot camera. Early reviews indicate that the camera will produce images with less noise at higher ISO settings, just what the doctor ordered.
Buying a New Digital Camera without Breaking the Bank
When I saw the initial reviews of the G11, I knew it was time for a change. I put my G10 up for auction two weeks after the announcement. And I was almost too late. The number of G10s on eBay tripled during that week. Dealers were dumping inventory in anticipation of the G11s. But I remained optimistic. The auction ended very successfully and I recuperated almost 90 percent of my original purchase price.
But now I face another dilemma. Panasonic recently announced the GF-1: a pint size digital camera with interchangeable lenses using the Micro 4/3rds system. The camera’s about the same size as the G11, and features 12 megapixel captures on a much larger sensor. Better image quality on a small discreet camera. Hmm… food for thought.
Listing Your Digital Camera on eBay
I’ve learned a lot about eBay during the past several months. Here are a couple of tips for success on eBay:
- Study your competition: Before you put an item up for auction, search eBay for similar items. This will give you ideas about how to write your auction and how much to charge for shipping.
- Research completed listings: This will give you an idea of how much you can expect to earn for the item you are putting up for auction. It will also show you which listings were the most successful. The listings that yield the most money are generally concise and well written.
- Bundle your items: If you can bundle your camera with a camera bag or memory card, you’re giving potential buyers more bang for their buck. It also makes your listing stand out against the competitors who are selling only the camera.
- Use Turbo Lister: Turbo Lister is free eBay software you use to write your listings. You do all of the work on your desktop, including adding images to the auction. After you’ve completed the listing you use the software to upload the listing and images to eBay. You can download Turbo Lister 2 by clicking here: Download Turbo Lister
- Don’t overprice your item: People on eBay are looking for a bargain. If your beginning price is top dollar, your listing will be bypassed. If you feel that you have to get a certain amount for your item, use the eBay “Reserve” feature. The item won’t sell until the reserve has been met. My Canon G10 was listed at $9.95 with a $250 reserve. The low listing price got the auction started, and the serious bidders got the price over reserve and then some.
- Check and recheck your listing: After you’ve written your listing, check it for spelling errors. Also make sure that each sentence is well written. After you’ve completed your first proofreading, proofread it again. A listing with errors will raise a red flag to potential buyers. Your goal is to create an accurate description with no fluff that will entice potential bidders.
- Use sharp pictures: When you photograph the item you’re listing, make sure it is well lit and use your sharpest macro lens. If you don’t own a macro lens, borrow one from one of your photographer buddies. It’s also a good idea to take pictures of the object from different angles. The first picture in any eBay listing is free. Additional pictures cost you $0.15 each.
- Beware of deadbeats: eBay has a feedback system. When someone bids on your item, you can see his feedback rating. If someone with a poor feedback rating wins the auction, you might not get paid for your item. When you create an auction listing, you have the option to require that a buyer have positive feedback.
- Use PayPal: PayPal is the quickest and safest way to get payment from your eBay auction. Yes, they get a percentage, but it beats having to wait for your money and perhaps deal with a bad check.
- Pack well and ship quickly: In order to get positive feedback for the transaction, your buyer has to be satisfied with the item, and it must get there in one piece. Pack the item carefully in a box that offers enough room for plenty of packing material. If you shake the box and can hear movement, you don’t have enough packing material to safely cushion the item. You should pack the item well enough to survive a fall from the top shelf of a FedEx or UPS truck, which is about six feet high. You should also ship the item within two business days after receiving payment.
- Communicate with your buyer: After the auction ends and your buyer pays, thank her and send her the tracking number.
- Give positive feedback: But make sure your buyer gives you positive feedback first. If for any reason, your buyer is not satisfied with the transaction, you can make amends before he posts negative feedback. After your buyer gives you positive feedback, do the same for him. If you get a lot of positive feedback, people will have faith in you as an eBay seller.
- Keep the faith: Your eBay auction may start out slow, but if you’ve created a well written listing with sharp pictures and placed it in the right category, you’ll get a fair price. In the last hour of my G10 auction, the price increased $67.00.
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