Buying Cameras Off Ebay

CookFX Productions

CookFX Productions

Well-known member
Im looking at getting a HD Camera An theres a few Panasonic HVX-200a's on there right now for 3 grand. Now they say in the box Never been used. I've bought many things off of ebay but never anything no more expensive that 600 dollars. One place claims to have a 4 year warranty. And it looks pretty legit, but I'd any feedback negative or positive about buying Cameras off ebay. It would really help me with making my mind up, because 2 grand cheaper makes a lot difference on the wallet. If the thing isnt a lie.
 
Buying film cameras off of eBay is better than digital cameras (mechanical vs electronic). One you can test and be fairly certain of it. The other is just a black box dependent on the warranty. To me, WHERE you buy electronics is the key. I've bought 16mm and 35mm motion picture cameras off of eBay with great success - never digital.
 
Funny you mentioned the eBay camera's for $3k, I was looking at them yesterday. One was priced at $3,100 new with no P2 card, 4 year aftermarket warranty.

They are grey market camera's but honestly that wouldn't bother me a whole lot. Used (USA spec) ones with no P2 go for about $2,500 (non A model's)with no P2 and 300 or so hours. They do have warranties just not ones that you can take into Panny, you have to send the camera's in for servicing to thier service shop. HVX is pretty bulletprof, I have 400+ hours on one, most of that time is in pretty extreme conditions and I have never had to take it in for servicing. If your wanting to save a buck I'd buy one. I also noticed several completed sales of 16 gig P2 cards for $500 and 8 gig cards for under $300.

Also make sure they are the 200A model and not left over 200's. eBay sales don't bother me a bit.
 
There are a couple camera's that look like a good deal, without P2 cards, but like you said Chip, those also can be gotten for relatively cheap as well. Now its just deciding to keep on saving money or to spend what savings I have right now on this current deal. Or hope in about 4 months they have the same thing kinda going on and Ill have enough saved up to where I wont be broke and not having to ask the parents for rent. And explaining myself to them that Im flat ass broke because I bought another camera.
 
Screw the rent, get the camera!

There are a lot of used hvx's coming on the market now, in 4 months I'd bet you can buy one for $2k (no P2 card) if your savvy. Lot's of people are starting to dump them needing the money. 100,000+ hvx's have been sold world wide. That's a lot of camera's.
 
new in the box are probably grey market cameras, which means no Panasonic warranty, but it is still the same camera, so depends on your needs. Panasonic never offered more than a year warranty on the HVX200/a (due to the tape drive), so I would be leery of 3rd party extended warranties - again depends on the vendor.
 
All my needs are is to catch up and get up to a HD camera. Its not like my dvx with my letus extreme 35 adapter is crap. But Im in the pre stages of doing my first real film. And I dont think it should be done on DVX. It really should be done in HD. And Im gonna have to get a newer version of FCP I have 5. So much money I need to blow. And yeah chip screw the rent, but your right people are getting rid of there cameras cause they have to pay the rent.
 
Ha! You guys are crackin' me up. Good eBay rating via pay pal and you'll be more than protected. I'll bet I have bought a couple hundred G's worth of stuff on that site and have never had a problem although I do my home work before I commit.

CookFX, you can always find a local hvx sellor that needs to pay thier rent and give them a couch for a month. Take the camera tell your room mates you adopted a homeless guy then make a reality show about it and sell it.
 
I got my XHA1 from Ebay over a year and a half ago (when they were still going for nearly $3500) and got it for $2850. This was brand new and NOT grey market.
 
Its really more of paying the bills, and student loans that Im worried about, the roomie is a Aerospace engineer. He's got enough money for me to not even exist as far rent goes. Student loans from Film school are ripping my ass in two.
 
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