Never trust a Doctor - Rex-5 Woes =(

[Struwwelpeter]

Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the bad language, cursing and lengthy post.

 

Okay, was wondering if anyone could lend me any advice, criticism or tell me what I've done wrong here if anything.

 

A few months ago I contacted a man from the Photographic Trader here in Australia who sold Bolex camera's. His name is Ian Rivlin.

 

He told me he had a Rex-5 with the 13x viewfinder. To quote the descriptions from the e-mail correspondence...

 

"I made an error - re the SBM - It's actually a REX 5 (ie has a three turret

"C" lens mount). It accepts the 400ft magazine and the kit available is as

follows:-

 

Bolex Rex 5 - 13x viewfinder

Bolex 16-100mm POE lens (Vario Switar)

Bolex MST Crystal controlled motor - 25fps 50CPS

Bolex BX 55.12 power pack

Bolex Handgrip

This is the entire kit. (Price as previously mentioned for the "ESM") -

installment payments are fine

as long as a reasonable initial payment is made.

 

The Rex 5 is in really lovely condition. Not mint but very close."

 

The camera I recieved has alot of surface rust (making me wonder how it was stored), a scratch in the middle of the lens about a centimeter long and it's only the 10x model, not the advertised 13x which we all know is much more desireable and probably the main reason I bought it seeing as I was originally after an SBM.

 

Anyway, he's acknowledged he's sold me the wrong camera stating things like..."I'm sorry if this turns out to be the smaller viewfinder but a good 10x beats the poop out of a bad 13x any day of the week."

 

Hardly the point though really is it?!

 

"This camera could be as much as 35 years old. You mention surface

imperfections but what would any car look like (that hadn't been renovated) after this length of time? - Not as good as this Bolex, that's for sure. For it's age it's in unbelievably good condition"

 

Sure, and how many people drive their Bolex down the street on concrete roads in the rain and then park them outside exposed to the weather?

 

"The meter in the POE lens is working! This is almost unheard of. Nearly

all of them have blown and the lens has to be set on manual (not a bad idea anyway) but to have a POE with a working accurate meter is - again -

amazing. The meter coils have long been unavailable and if you had this lens opened up and the meter removed, you'd be able to get $500 for it."

 

Wow, the meter works! That's real handy when the lens is SCRATCHED. I use a handheld light meter anyway. So what if I'd get $500 for cannibalising the lens and selling the meter. If it's such a good deal why won't he take it back huh?

 

When i offered a trade to him for all my super-8 cameras and k3 I even offered to pay postage to send all the camera's to him to check over and described tiny details like small dents in the film door etc and he doesn't think a scratched lens and rust is worth mentioning on a camera that is supposed to be near mint?

 

The "compromise" he gave me was this...

 

"Nonetheless, I don't want you to be left with a sour taste in your mouth.

I'll make you this offer,I'll give you the matte box at a $100 reduction - ie $150, and I'll give you a set of extension tubes (they are mainly for smaller lenses but they will work with the POE."

 

Gee whiz, that so makes up for it don't you agree? He lies to me, misleads me and sends me the wrong camera than wants me to buy more stuff from him...has he a screw loose?

 

Please tell me I'm making too much out of this. Am I being as unreasonable and "beefing about miniscule irritations" as he has told me?

How the hell is sending me the wrong camera a miniscule irritation?

 

He also mentioned the following...

 

"After I accepted your offer, someone wantd that setup and offered

me $2000 for it. Out of a sense of decency, I rejected his offer as I'd done

the deal with you. Now you're beefing about miniscule irritations. By simply

accepting his offer and telling you the deal was off, I would have been $500 the richer. This has taught me a very good lesson."

 

and...

 

"Since my Bolex is one entity and would sell fairly rapidly, I have to have a big incentive to take your equipment. I assure you that I'm not trying to "con" you. I genuinely mean everything I say..."

 

Well then, if it's such a valuable camera and would shift so rapidly and he gave me SUCH a good deal on it, why the big fuss in taking it back?

 

The only person going to be out of pocket here is me. Not only will I have paid for postage either way but I sold all my other equipment to be able to afford it.

 

The guys a doctor from Noosa Heads, I'm currently a student who occasionally does commission work. I live off $400 a fortnight. The $1600 I paid for this camera is an absolute shitload of money for me. I asked is I could pay it off over a few months while I sold my other equipment which he agreed to though now tries to use that fact against me. Fact is that was soemthing we both agreed to, he didn't have to but did. The camera he described and sent was something I didn't and wouldn't have agreed to had he been honest.

 

"Sorry Aengus - I can't refund as I've already spent the money. I don't feel

that it's appropriate anyway." Sure, whatever... ~sigh~

 

I have bought and sold over 100 items on eBay over the last few years largely being photographic equipment with a 100% rating. It takes a lot for me to make a fuss over something (and I'm sure the people I have dealt with would agree) but this is a joke.

 

Now I guess I have to go through all the crap of getting a lawyer and filing forms and poop...AARRRGGGHHHH. I don't have time for this.

 

Seriously.....not.....happy.....

 

P.S. If anyone is interested, I'm quite happy to post the entire correspondence between myself and Ian since I originally contacted him concerning a camera. This may shed more light on the situation.

Edited August 12, 2005 by Struwwelpeter