As-Is Equipment- Yes, we recently posted a blog article (which has seen been temporarily pulled) that talked about the As-Is, or AI category at KEH. It happened to be ironic and bad timing , but a few days after the article was published the category needed to be suddenly (and temporarily) taken off the web. For now, the AI inventory is not available for sale. We are having an internal evaluation of the entire category and in the process of determining the future of it. We apologize for any inconvenience, and will let you know when it's back up and available to shop in again.
Increased Buy Prices- We have RAISED our buy-prices on tons of digital camera bodies, lenses, and accessories, which means we are paying the highest market prices in order to increase our digital product inventory. So if you have been thinking about selling or trading some of your digital equipment, now is the time! You can either call one of our professional buyers at 770-333-4220 or 1-800-342-5534 for a quote, or use our online quote engine- Just click HERE to access.
Nikon Repairs- You may have already heard (we posted links on the Facebook and Twitter pages last week), but a hot industry topic right now is that Nikon has announced that they will stop selling replacement parts to independent repair shops. How does this affect you and us? Well, Nikon won't let a company be both an authorized dealer (seller) and an authorized repair shop, so we have chosen to be a Nikon authorized dealer. This means that even though our repair technicians are fully trained, and we offer exceptional repair services, you may no longer be able to get your Nikon gear repaired at KEH, which in turn will also lead to longer repair times by having to go directly through Nikon Repair. For more information and to sign the official Change.org petition, click here.
The Catalog- People have been wondering why they have not received one of our printed catalogs since last fall. Well, we have (temporarily) discontinued it. We didn't think people were still reading them, especially since by the time they received them, they were typically already out of date because our inventory moves so fast. But the demand has been great for it, so we will be bringing it back. So why the delay? We are reinventing it! It will still have a lot of the same great qualities, but have an updated design with some new features added. We don't have an exact launch date on this yet, but we are expecting the first issue later this year, possibly this summer. We have some really exciting things in store for it, so the wait will totally be worth it!
And since we haven't had a recent catalog, some people have requested this little form that is usually in it. It's not necessary, but if you would like, you can save the image below, print, and send it in with your equipment.
AI needed a bit of an overhaul in my book. Yes, some stuff looks very pretty, but when it doesn't work, it can be EX or EX+, and non-functional. I think that there needs to be (even if cursory), a check of the internals of the cameras. (I've gotten several bad Leicaflexes... ranging from total internal failure (cracked prism, shutter speeds off, meter dead with battery), to one where it looks very pretty on the outside, but has no takeup reel inside. To a user (ie: NOT collector), if it works fine internally, that should merit a higher grade than a pretty camera that's been gutted or is a nice paperweight.
ReplyDeleteAs-is = internally dead, even if the exterior is pretty. I'm not asking for inspections akin to say a dedicated Leica dealer, but when a camera labelled BGN (which means cosmetically challenged but still in working order) comes with zero usability, I think that more than As-Is needs to be checked... perhaps UG and BGN need a re-evaluation as well in some way.
All of the working or regular categories are fully checked. This means even BGN or UG graded items are fully functional. The exception is the AI category... AI is basically a category FOR broken equipment. The majority of people that shop this category are just looking for parts cameras. You should always expect something in this category to not work. Therefor the grade is purely on exterior cosmetic condition. If you want a working camera and not just a parts camera (or shelf camera), then AI is not the correct category to shop in. Hope that clears up any confusion.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't. I've bought BGN stuff that's had the aforementioned flaws and had to return them. KEH has been amazing for Nikon stuff, but the Leica stuff I had bad luck. A cracked prism, shutterspeeds that are off, and meters that are dead shouldn't even be BGN, and how can something be usable / fully functional if film can't be loaded... stuff that gets into BGN with these flaws is why I kinda think that these categories need further evaluation. I understand that AI is AI for a reason, but BGN that is NOT AI, shouldn't be in an unusable condition.
DeleteBGN and AI are completely different, and are separate from each other...
DeleteOur grading scale (LN, EX+, BGN, etc.) is grading the cosmetic condition only. This is because anything in a regular category (ie Leica R) is in fully functioning condition unless there is an exception that says otherwise on it (for example "Speeds off"). The category AI (category, not grade) contains all brands of equipment that are NOT working, but then are graded like the working categories for their cosmetic condition so that people can choose their parts cameras based on condition to match up with the condition of the item they need parts for. Our grading scale has nothing to do with whether it works or not- only how it looks. This is the same across the board. There are basically 3 things that go into a description and grade of a camera- the category, is it a working category or not (function)? The grade- how does it look (cosmetics)? And is there an exception (function)?
If you purchased a BGN item in a regular category (not in the AI category) and had a functioning problem with it, then you should definitely send it back... we have a return policy and warranty so that no customer is left with a broken piece of equipment when purchased from a "working category". A BGN item in a working category should not have shutterspeeds that are off (unless it states that it does), and if it does, then it needs to be returned for an exchange or repair. If there is something like a cracked prism housing that does not affect functionality, then that can be included in the cosmetic grading in BGN or UG.
I think the 'as is' rating system is pretty good. I like having a rating for the cosmetics/glass apart from whether or not the item functions. Without such a rating, buying an 'as is' item would be far too much a shot in the dark. 'Broken but pretty', is very helpful, and 'broken and ugly' is helpful as well.
ReplyDeleteOf course, when you assign a cosmetics/glass rating to even a broken item, it seems to me you should also allow for returns if an item's cosmetics/glass does not live up to its rating.
The only issue I have is with the ratings themselves, and under a very specific circumstance. I've bought items in and out of the AI category that were were rated 'EX' or better, but had rotted-out rubberized trim parts. There is no way a camera with a blackened, collapsed grip full of white spider-web cracks could be mistaken for "excellent" condition. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, I felt the AI category was pretty good. Lots of items had additional descriptions beyond the cosmetics, such as "bad foam" and "speeds off". I thought that was nice of KEH to mention in an "As Is" category, even though anyone with experience buying old equipment knows that it's pretty much an assumption that the foam deteriorates after a decade, and any cloth shutter curtain camera is going to need its shutter tweaked. (Every model has its own idiosyncrasies....if you know the model well, don't you expect to find them?)
I've had a couple of stinkers from both the regular shop and AI, but I've recovered a lot of good equipment from the land of sad cameras. I don't understand the angst over it. Don't you enjoy the excitement of not knowing what's in store, and taking apart the camera to discover it? Who cares if someone didn't scour every assembly in the camera to determine exactly why it doesn't work--not only would that be a waste of labor that would make the cost of the items higher, but isn't that *your* job, as a salvage equipment buyer?
I'm voting for keeping the AI category inexpensive and fun.
TJP- You totally hit the nail on the head there... if we spent all of that time fully inspecting an already broken piece of equipment, one that costs more to fix then it's worth, it would make the cost much higher.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed shopping the "As Is" category and would miss it, if KEH decided to do away with it completely. I repair cameras, build a lot of my own gear, or modify equipment for my own use. I've purchased items, such as film backs, for custom projects where I would not like to destroy a perfectly good piece of equipment while modifying it. Having the option of working on an inexpensive, and otherwise useless, piece of gear is better. I've also gotten a couple different cameras and built one working one (for example, take an EX but as is RB67 with a bad bellows, and replace that bellows with the perfectly good one from an ugly RB67 that doesn't fire. Please don't eliminate this category. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAI has been a valuable resource for parts. I hope KEH will continue the AI sales.
DeletePaul Ron NYC
I just want to say that I too miss the AI category, and hope that it returns... I've seen lots of stuff on Ebay that would have been in As-is before... has it moved, or been retired. I've always been happy with the AS-IS, there is a big demand for parts cameras, as I think many photographers who love film want to be able to repair their own gear, esp. things that would otherwise not be worth the money. Anyway, please reinstate it!!
ReplyDelete