Preachdude Loc: Geneva, OH

After a long wait, today I received a Zeiss folding camera that I ordered on Ebay. When I first saw the listing, I looked up the model number, and it did not correspond to the description. He described it as a 6x9 camera with a 75mm. I contacted the seller to say that the camera with that model number and focal length was supposed to be 645 format. He agreed with my assessment but said that this particular camera was 6x9, so I made an offer. It is 645 format. The seller lives in Australia. Surely the back of the camera could have been opened and the image area measured. I have contacted the seller through Ebay and have requested a refund.

It is a nice little camera, and it is in quite good condition, but I am interested in a camera in 6x9 format with at least a moderately wide-angle lens. I'm very disappointed. This morning I'm simply sharing my frustration with UHH.

drmarty Loc: Pine City, NY

I have had a few similar problems with eBay over the years. Most sellers are honest but the problems have caused me to avoid eBay.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

I think you'll be hard pressed to find a fixed wide angle lens on any 6 x 9 camera. A 6 x 9 roll film back on a 4 x 5 camera may be your best bet.

Darkroom317 Loc: Mishawaka, IN

Are you sure it is just 645? I have a Voigtländer folder that is 6x9 with a removable mask that makes it 645. It may be possible that yours may have the same thing. Can you post a picture of it?

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Hopefully you paid through PayPal. If they do not refund your purchase due to their own incompetence, then contact Ebay. Ebay will send them a strongly worded email. Either after that or concurrently with your complaint / claim to PayPal, even though PayPal has been owned by Ebay for some years they were when I've had "issues" operated independently to so extent. If your seller is a "good" one with high ratings, 97-100% they'll make you happy ASAP.

I've found that both Ebay and PayPal will side in most cases with the Buyer or person who contacts them with a complaint -- especially if it is a commercial vendor. I've found PayPal to take strong action. I once had a situation where I had sent a camera to a repair shop by mail but for some reason they did good work on the camera but were incompetent about putting the correct postage on the return of my camera. It was held at the PO for over a week. I even figured out what USPS office they might use since it was in a small town (you would never be able to do that around L.A. County, CA where I live!). I talked to the Post Master at the office and they found my package and had contacted the shipper about the postage shortage. The P.O. said they had this same problem with this business before. The camera repair guy kept making excuses for not going right back to the P.O. and paying for the correct postage.

I luckily had paid for the repair services through PayPal even though this transaction had nothing to do with Ebay. They had just offered PayPal as a payment choice. I am lucky I had not paid by credit or debut card. I called PayPal, explained the story and they immediately froze his PayPal account. That got his notice! While I was still on the phone with PayPal I got an email from the shipper begging me to relent as he could no longer conduct his business with out PayPal. I told him, send me my camera and I'll ask them to reopen your account. It still took two days for him to do that and for me to get verification from the P.O. that my camera was on its way home. I immediately contacted PayPal again and told them they could unfreeze the fellows account. Yes, I could have waited until I actually had my camera back.

Anyway, know that by some means you should get a refund. Sure, they may just be stupid about not seeing the difference between 6x9 cm and 6x4.5 cm and not trying to actually rip you off. Next time insist they actually measure the camera with a ruler or tape if they do not know by sight. Many seller will admit that they know nothing about photography and only have a camera or lens to sell from say an estate.

By-the-way, What camera where you think you were getting? Some type of 120 roll film 6x9 cm camera -- rare today! You are right too, a 75mm would not be wide for a 6x4.5 cm camera. A 75 to 80mm would be a "normal" lens for a 6x6 cm like a Rolleiflex, Rolleicord, or Hasselblad, etc.

Good Luck

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

"I have had a few similar problems with eBay over the years."
===============================================================OH COME ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is NOT an ebay problem !!!

This is a problem between the seller and the buyer !

krl48 Loc: NY, PA now SC

Why did you buy it when your own research disclosed it wasn't what you were after?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

He probably made a mistake, rather than an act of deception. Hopefully, you, the seller, ebay, and PayPal will get it sorted. you could always keep it and sell it on ebay.

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

Ebay has a protection policy - contact them for a return and reimbursement.

jmccl Loc: Western Shore of Utah Lake

Check out the Fuji GSW690. It is a 6X9 with a 65mm lens.

tinplater Loc: Scottsdale, AZ

Used Ebay since it started...got scammed once about 20 years ago, but Ebay has evolved into a very safe buying place. Buying used brings some risk, but if you ask questions before you buy you can generally be safe. Most importantly Ebay has a full refund, including shipping costs, buyer protection plan that I have had to use twice with complete satisfaction. Ebay has saved me $$$$, allowed me to sell old equipment easily, and provided entertainment and knowledge as well.

anotherview Loc: California

Thank you for the helpful description of recourse in an Internet purchase going wrong.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

I haven't used one, but Fujinon lenses are said to be very good. The Linhof Super Technika III or IV are also good options I had forgotten about. The 53mm Biogon and 65mm Angulon lenses are incredible. I use a 58mm Super-Angulon with a 6 x 9 back on my 4 x 5s.

Kuzano

The Fujifilm GSW690 I, II, and III model camera's have a 65mm lens on 6X9. Are fairly contemporary, simple and have excellent Fujinon EBC coated lens. No battery, no meter, but all else is excellent. BIG, but the later GW/GSW models are not so heavy.

Shoot 120 and 220, but 220 is mostly GONE, while 120 is still being produced. I shoot mostly "Velveeta 100"8-) , and some Ilford.

I've been shooting the big 690 camera's for over 20 years. They are commonly known as the "Texas Leica" rangefinders.

The early models are heavier but have interchangeable lenses with options for 50mm, 65mm, 100mm, 150mm and 180. Perhaps a 250.. don't recall. always used the 65 and 100's.

The 65mm lens fully meets your reguirement for a moderate wide angle, and the image quality will give you BIG eyes!!!

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

A very simple mistake he made. He saw the 6 (in 645) and then added the 4&5 and came up with 6X9. must be Aussie math.