Greetings, list,
Don't know whether this qualifies as cause celbre or ho-hum, but today I
found a small cache of new in the box - not LNIB - gin-yoo-wine OM lens
hoods. Most, perhaps a dozen or so, are the 51mm slip-on clamp type for the
35mm f/2.8, 50/1.8 and 50/1.4. There also was *one* each for two different
model f/2 wide angle lenses. Naturally, relying on my razor sharp
former-journalist's memory, I took no notes and promptly forgot exactly
which wide angles these were for. However, I'm fairly certain one was for
the 35/2. The other was for either the 21/2 or 24/2. The reason I'm not
certain is because I could have sworn the box read "20/2" but as I check the
list, apparently there ain't no such creature.
There also is a small number of OM brand filters (I didn't take inventory),
a couple of flash accessories (ditto) and a couple of photomicrography group
adaptors (sigh... SAA). Also a number of eyepiece diopters. A macro-ring
doodad that lets two flash units be clipped to the front of a lens. And two
NIB teleconverters for the iS/1/2 (49mm thread) series. Sorry I didn't take
better notes, but I was in a hurry to meet an appointment elsewhere. Oh,
yeah, a couple of Olympus AF lenses for the OM-77/88, also NIB.
PLEASE READ THIS PART CAREFULLY: Some of you, particularly those in Texas,
may already have surmised which store I'm referring to here. It was once a
pro-quality store. Many of these items have been slashed to half of *this
store's* original retail price. (That should not be interpretted to mean
the same as a B&H price. When it was a going concern this was a full retail
store.) It is quite likely they can be further discounted.
Whether this equates to a good deal for you I can't say because I know very
little of the history of typical prices for Olympus items. But I can offer
two specific examples. I bought from this store a NIB hood (the slip-on
51mm type) for $8.95 and a NIB IS/L A-Macro HQ Converter f:40cm for $25.
I don't regard the hood purchase as a particularly good deal because I could
buy a generic lens hood for a buck at one of my favorite pawn shops. But I
know the close up lens for the iS/1/2 was a very good deal, considering that
single element close up sets usually sell for at least $20.
Here's the tricky bit, and *please regard this carefully too.*
The store where I found these items is essentially defunct. I can't say
anymore because I really know very little. Suffice it to say the group
responsible for disposing of the store's assets haven't taken the logical
and most profitable route, which would be to auction the most desirable
items on eBay. I've discussed it and apparently it simply is not a workable
solution due to disagreements over how the assets should be disposed.
So the stock is being sold piecemeal and rather haphazardly. I'd be content
to let things run this course, buy what I need and ignore the rest. But
there's a problem. Two, actually.
One, the building is badly damaged and suffering leaks from the roof and air
conditioning system. While none of the OM items has been directly impacted
by water, the humidity, mildew, etc., cannot be good for the long term
storage of these items. There are white spots, easily rubbed off, on the
rubber lens hoods. There also were tiny spots on the iS-close up lens I
bought which wiped away as easily as dust, leaving no residue. There was no
evidence of fungus on it or on a Kowa 135mm lens I examined. But it's just
a matter of time under these conditions.
Two, the building is about to be closed. Access to these items will
probably become unavailable indefinitely within two weeks.
Here's the even trickier bit...
The store's owners have been approached by individuals proposing to buy the
entire stock. These offers have been rejected. Apparently any attempts to
engage in anything resembling inventory-dumping raises a caution flag.
However, buying the relative handful of remaining Olympus items should pose
no problem.
Personally, I don't have the money to buy it all up. I'd love to do so,
spread some good stuff and cheer around the list and put the rest on eBay to
make a small profit. But I ain't even got the few hundred bucks I'm
guesstimating it would take to acquire these goodies.
So, first I'd appreciate hearing from folks who might be interested, which
items they're interested in, so I can determine a course of action. I
*might* be able to raise the money to buy these items and resell them if I
know there's a market. I'm *not* looking to make a big pile of cash, but I
definitely do not want to get stuck with a bunch of unwanted lens hoods and
filters, however cheaply I may have purchased them. As you might have
speculated (pardon my pun), I'm not much of a businessman.
If there's only marginal interest it might be better to figure out a way to
buy only the specific items wanted and mail 'em to those who want 'em.
Finally, if any among you *does* have the capital and is willing to buy the
lot, I'd be happy to do what I can to arrange the purchase. The main thing
is that these items should not go to waste or be damaged by neglect.
One last final finally: There were *no*, *zero*, *zippo* OM Zuiko lenses of
any kind, other than the AF types for the OM-77/88 and a couple of
teleconverters for the iS-1/2 (49mm) series. Okay? I wish there were, it'd
save me a lot of hunting of my own. ;-)
Please e-mail me *off-list* for details. I'm not trying to hide anything,
just to be discrete. If anything turns up regarding this matter that
everyone on the list should know I'll certainly share it. And if any of
this seems unfair or arbitrary please do let me know. I want to handle this
the best possible way. And if this message seems unnecessarily like
theological apologetics or too touchy-feely, please bear with me. I'm
merely in mourning over the demise of a once respectable establishment.
Boo-hoo.
Did I mention I'm not much of a businessman? ;-)
Lex
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