Thinking of selling my kit...

[Stuart Brereton]

I'm considering selling my 1968 Bolex Rex 5, still in it's original box with handcrank, 5 filter slides and the 400' magazine rollers. Also has an additional parallax viewerfinder.

 

It also has the bolex pistol grip.

 

The lens is a Kern Switar 12.5-100mm f2 in near perfect condition. It's a C mount lens, but also comes with a bayonet adapter.

 

Can anyone give me an idea what it's all worth?

[Guest Glenn Brady]

Have you searched ended listings at eBay?

[David Auner aac]

Can anyone give me an idea what it's all worth?

 

Hi Stuart,

 

I'd really advise against selling it right now unless you really NEED the money NOW! Because this is the worst time to sell 16mm cine gear as prices have dropped down really low. I bought my REX-5 for 500 Euro last year (was around 950 USD) but it was really cheap for such a nice condition. But check out Andrew Alden's site here, he is a very honest guy selling and buying Bolex gear, you'll get a good feel for a real world price there. Ebay is really up and down on this type of stuff.

 

Cheers, Dave

 

PS: Keep your Bolex!

PPS: Did I mention you should keep the Bolex? :D

PPPS: Stand by your Boooooooolex!!!!!! [...] Give her all the love you can....! :lol:

[Tim Carroll]

Because this is the worst time to sell 16mm cine gear as prices have dropped down really low.

 

I gotta agree with Dave on this, prices for regular 16mm (and even Super 16) cine gear have fallen through the floor. It's the worst I have seen in the last seven years. You can pick up Super 16 Aaton and ARRI cameras for a song right now, so a regular 16 Bolex is not going to fetch much.

 

The 16mm market goes up and down, sort of in reverse relationship the the latest crop of "prosumer" video cameras. When a hot new prosumer HD camera hits the market, the 16mm cine gear prices tumble. When folks realize the hot new prosumer HD camera cannot create images that rival film, the 16mm cine gear prices climb back up. That's happened about a half a dozen times since the mid 1990's, when Sony introduced the VX-1000.

 

Whether prices will rebound this time is anyone's guess. I've talked to some folks who believe they will, I'm not so sure. In the meantime, it would probably be better to keep the gear for now. Not sure the prices could go much lower than they are now, and there is always the chance that they will rebound.

 

Best,

-Tim

[Anthony Schilling]

Hi Stuart,

 

I'd really advise against selling it right now unless you really NEED the money NOW! Because this is the worst time to sell 16mm cine gear as prices have dropped down really low. I bought my REX-5 for 500 Euro last year (was around 950 USD) but it was really cheap for such a nice condition. But check out Andrew Alden's site here, he is a very honest guy selling and buying Bolex gear, you'll get a good feel for a real world price there. Ebay is really up and down on this type of stuff.

 

Cheers, Dave

 

PS: Keep your Bolex!

PPS: Did I mention you should keep the Bolex? :D

PPPS: Stand by your Boooooooolex!!!!!! [...] Give her all the love you can....! :lol:

Even if you don't plan on using it at the moment, consider it's revieving a silent upgrade as film stocks keep improving. Like 7219, 7207, and more V3 to follow. I got my mint Rex 4 with 4 Switar primes and all the extras for $950. It's my most prized possession... even after my new HD camera arrives it will only be more useful to mix in awsome looking footage.

[Patrick A Murray]

I just bought a Bolex 16mm on Ebay for $379 US. There were one or two other cameras in the $900 US range at the top of the page, can't remember if they were reserve prices with no bids, and one other camera at $300 US.

 

I just got the camera delivered last night and haven't had time to really go over it. Pretty much what you described with two lenses, original case, reflex etc. I did notice that one of the lenses is missing a lense cap, so I am now on the look out for a lense cap.

 

This is my first 16mm, I'm very excited and will probably be back with lots of questions.

 

I wouldn't sell the camera right now, Stuart. Keep the Bolex, put it aside for now for other interests, then return to the camera and fall back in love with it.

Edited June 16, 2009 by Patrick A Murray