Author
|
Topic: Exorbitant prices for super 8
|
|
Rich Malmsten
Film Handler
Posts: 41
From: White Bear Lake, MN, USA
Registered: Feb 2017
|
posted March 08, 2018 02:35 PM
I have to agree that prices are often way out of my league. I don't collect features, just shorts and cartoons, but those prices sometimes leave me stunned. I was watching a 16mm cartoon that sold on ebay today for $305. It was a nice LPP Warner Bros cartoon, but even so that's a lot of money to spend for 7 minutes of film (almost $45 per minute!).
The most unbelievable selling price I've seen in the past few months was an Addams Family episode that sold last December on ebay for more than $2,000! I have a couple Addams Family episodes myself, but I've never spent more than $45 on one. I can't believe people would bid up a TV show to such a crazy (yeah, that's just plain crazy) level.
There are bargains to be had, for sure, we just have to be patient and be willing to lose most of the auctions.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
|
posted March 08, 2018 03:00 PM
I think your right there Robert, another collector also said a similar thing to me a few months back, i think it was along the lines of "enjoy and be thankful of the films we have amassed over the years". I have been bitten once or twice in the last few years, (who hasn't),but to date, i have not paid any over the top prices. so far we have been reasonably lucky with the 16mm films we have, maybe one or two shorts will go up for sale in order to make room for a couple more good features, but that will be it for us then unless i can pick up Die hard for 200 or under I think the one feature i have on 16 not available on 8, Dances with wolves, has really made us sit up and re think what we do with our Super 8 purchases. This year we have not bought any 8mm because the titles and prices of 16 so far has blown super 8 out of the water. We wont sell our collection but we continue to sell to fund new purchases. Robert hit the nail on the head when he said there are plenty of good bargains out there, you dont have to pay stupid prices. Just be careful what you choose and most important, be careful who you buy from. The same applies to super 8, the bargains are out there. Do you really want to part with a grand for "a movie"? Think how many films you could buy with that thousand if the titles you went for were all a 150 or less, a lot less.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
Winbert Hutahaean
Film God
Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted March 08, 2018 07:06 PM
I don't really get what is the complaint" here about today's film price.
Have you ever heard about the inflation?
Use this inflation calculator to know what is today's value of £199 (the average film price) in 2000.
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation
It shows £318.44.
So what is the price of super 8mm which this thread says to be "exorbitant"? The same amount, right?.
So if you guys in 2000 did not really bother to spend £199 for a F/L from Derann, why you now seems to be hard spending £318.44?
That is just the same amount, only the focus of your life has shifted to something else, e.g cars, families, houses, clothes, schools, other hobbies, etc, etc.
While you are not ready now to spend that £318.44 for a F/L there are always several new collectors who are just like us 15 years ago. So your "complaint" will be useless. The market will determine the price, not us.
It is as simple as like that.
cheers,
-------------------- Winbert
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
Tom Photiou
Film God
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
|
posted March 09, 2018 06:29 AM
I dont think anyone's complaining, simply making a point, films in general still have reasonable prices, we are talking about people asking (as an example) 500 to over a thousand pound for a film. There anit a single title worth that as far as i am concerned. I am fully aware that if thats what people are willing to pay then thats that, i have always said if a film is listed at a reasonable price but bids go up to stupid levels then good luck to the seller, but why wont people pay that to a dealer? (i know the chances of them getting a top title is slim but thats due to ebay). Let me put it another way and to the very point of this topic, Here is just a few examples of the tossers that are causing these threads, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPER-8mm-Film-UN-CHIEN-ANDALOU-SALVADOR-DALI-LUIS-BUNUEL-B-W-SILENT/222869516055?hash=item33e40eef17:g:JDUAAOSwqu9VJj3C https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BARBARELLA-Jane-Fonda-SUPER-8-CINE-FILM-COLOUR-SOUND-for-projector-cult-vintage/292467867170?hash=item4418717e22:g:14YAAOSwXfdamEcp https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPER-8mm-Film-THE-GHOUL-PETER-CUSHING-400FT-COLOUR-SOUND/323120906250?hash=item4b3b81c00a:g:u14AAOSwImRYQVW2
There you go, and there are many many more, so please, if this inflation then someones got there maths wrong.These are second hand units and on one of them the idiot doesn't even know what its like, it states "may have age wear" What the F is that meant to mean? This is the threads main point, Exorbitant prices for super 8 i believe and i agree 100%.
Give me 16mm all the way now, the prices are more realistic, (for most of the titles) and the quality is almost always assured if you are careful who you buy from and what you buy. I love super 8 but will now look after what we have unless something special comes up
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Winbert Hutahaean
Film God
Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003
|
posted March 09, 2018 11:55 AM
Tom, those types of listing have been on Ebay for years. We have even a dedicated category for that (funny listings).
So it is not new...it's silly listings for ordinary titles that never been sold.
No...that is not the point of this post. What I got is the initial poster "complaining" because he could buy at cheaper price from a dealer while other seller sell exorbitant prices outhere (yet still sold).
I would say, if dealer put the same title on Ebay, he will gain the same high amount, but then he needs to deal with all Ebay's rules which for some people are way too complicated and far more on buyer's side.
So it is again market determines the price.
As to inflation rate...and Robert says the salary now is lower than in 1970...I don't buy your statement.
The inflation calculator is available in many website and all show just almost the same for today's value of £199 in 2000.
So there must be another problem in the UK which I cannot figure it out because I don't live in that country.
But I can say....you buy less price (value) for fuel, food, films, cars, etc in 2000 than now. But it doesn't mean they were cheaper at that time. Simply just because the inflation rate you pay higher than before.
Why (some) field of work now pay less than in 2000....just probably you are not working as lawyer, IT designer, application developer, etc, etc a work that pay top dollars because those fields are needed more now.
Our lives are spinning like the earth...there sometimes a dark side or the bright side
As to collecting 16mm...as Alan said...you are buying top title with top condition...you will pay more than 8mm.
But if you are just talking 16mm in general...
Which one is you choice, 8mm or 16mm for this kind?
The above question is posted in many film forum and most the answer they chose 8mm...even in 16mmfilmtalk.com.
So if we are talking top titles in excellent colour, you will need to pay top dollars either in 8mm or 16mm.
Cheers,
-------------------- Winbert
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
|
posted March 09, 2018 12:05 PM
I've got to admit, I'm pretty much "small potato's OSI", in that i really don't have the big dollars to compete with the big dollar fellows ...
Though ... if the RIGHT super 8 print comes up, i will venture sticking my neck out and really going for it, for instance, a half way decent color print, (i'm not expecting perfection from an optical sound print from 1974 THESE days, after all) ...
of ...
you guessed it ...
"The Life and TInmes of Grizzly Adams!"
By the Way, nice discussion!
-------------------- "All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|