They're taking over the world, you know!

Whenever I put items of photographic equipment on ebay, especially Zeiss Jena lenses, I almost always get one or two messages asking for postage cost to China. It seems that the Chinese have developed an insatiable appetite for old cameras and lenses. This is almost certainly why the price of much equipment has rocketed.
When digital cameras started to become affordable (and good!), it was thought that film cameras and lenses would become worthless. Who would want... Or need them? There were countless photo magazine articles about picking up top quality equipment for pennies because nobody would want it anymore. - They obviously didn't count on China waking up!
There must be a truly astonishing amount of photographic equipment being sent to China. Not just from the UK, but all over the western world. Wherever there's an ebay, anyway! A vast amount of stuff being Hoovered to the far east.
Is this a good thing, or not?. If we want a Zeiss sonnar in ten years time, will we have to find one on Chinese ebay?

Edit:
Title should read, 'world', of course... Not word! - Can't change it now. Bugger!

About half the photographic gear I sell goes to the far east, and yes the Chinese do seem particularly fond of CZJ stuff! I get the feeling though that this is a fad and that the prices will - eventually - start dropping again. I sold a Flektogon 35 to a guy in Taiwan last week for £148 and the same buyer is currently the high bidder on a Pancolar 50 of mine (£78 with two days to go). Both are good lenses but they're not really worth that sort of money IMO so I'm making hay while the sun shines.

Rarity is also a factor - there are some distinctly average lenses out there fetching large bids simply because they're thin on the ground. Collectors have a lot to answer for!

I'm not letting go of my Sonnar though - that's staying close to hand whatever the future may bring!

I can't bring myself to part with my Flek, I love it to pieces, but I have two Sonar 135 F3.5s so one of them may well be going on ebay soon.

Yeah they do seem to be shooting up, I sold a Pentacon 135mm f/2.8 for £140 to a guy in Taiwan a couple of months ago. I bought it for £20 in the middle of last year!

Hmmm - just watched a 24mm CZJ lens go last night too. Prices went beyond what I thought was sensible, especially given that it's a badge-engineered Sigma Ultrawide II (and none the worse for that, supposed to be a great lens but hardly worth paying huge additional wack for the CZJ badge).

Didn't the Russians have a similar thing about Lada's a few years ago, buying up any they could find?
Not that I'm comparing your gear to Lada of course

As hefty says this is probably a fad (probably one he started) and things will return to normal (when he has nothing left)

My cunning plan has been unveiled!

My Flek was an excellent lens, but after buying the DA35 it simply never found its way back onto the camera. Seemed a bit pointless having it laying around doing nothing when I knew I'd get a good price for it.

I imagine if I had a DA35 I would have a similar response!

If new prices were a little lower it would be tempting to flog the Sonar and the Flek to fund a DA35, but I don't have the £100+ to put to it unfortunately.

Title corrected. If you need titles correcting and we miss it, then just send a PM and we'll do it for you.

Thank you, John.

I see I am going to have to get one of those Sonnars to try out one day. I remembered this morning that I have a Takumar preset 135mm lens in chrome and black and with a 46mm front filter. It is in almost perfect cosmetic condition and the glass is clear, just very stiff to focus. I ought to sort it out and use it.

K.

Buy Mongoose's spare one and stop it heading east!