RE: Nishika Cameras

[P3D Gregory J. Wageman <gjw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

John Roberts comments on the Great Nishika Debate:

>I agree - if they were all $25 it would be one thing, but as some
>continue to be offered (and perhaps even sold) for much higher prices,
>it's not entirely accurate to describe it as a $25 camera.

As was mentioned here recently, 3.5 Realists have been spotted in
camera store windows with price tags of $400+.  Does this make the Realist
a $400 camera?  By the above logic, it seems the occasional example of
such a price would make it "not entirely accurate" to describe it as a
~$125 camera, which seems to be the "going rate" for an ordinary 3.5.
Don't confuse the value of something with its price.

The cost of something which is no longer produced (like stereoviews,
cameras, viewers, etc.) is entirely determined (to paraphrase McKeown's)
"by the disposition of the buyer and seller at the time of the
transaction".  I've seen $15 price tags on single copy views in antique
stores.  Whether this is due to the ignorance of the seller or an
expectation of ignorance in the prospective buyer, I'll leave to you.
If you know what you're buying, you stay away from "deals" like that.

Whatever happened to the fine art of horsetrading?  Know what you're
buying and offer what you think it's worth.  You know, caveat emptor?

[Remember too that the anecdotal $700 price for the Nishika included a
*distribution agreement* whereby the buyer became a distributor for the
camera (the value of THAT I will not comment on).  The point, however,
being that $700 was not solely for purchase of the camera outfit.]

        -Greg W.


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