Here's the whole story...
My 1st Negative Feedback :(

Dear jlacyphoto@aol.com and michaelynnd,

Congratulations - this auction successfully ended.

Item Title: Mamiya C330 Medium Format Camera Kit (Item #379239380)

   Final price:        $451.00
   Auction ended at:    Jul-17-00 14:42:21 PDT
   Total number of bids:    33
   Seller User ID:         jlacyphoto@aol.com
   Seller E-mail:         jlacyphoto@aol.com    
   High-bidder User ID:         michaelynnd
   High-bidder E-mail:         mdreiling@aol.com

Here's what to do next:

*The buyer and seller should contact each other within three business days to complete the sale. Not getting in touch leaves the contract in limbo and can earn you negative feedback. If you have trouble, though, just visit http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?MemberSearchShow

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*This auction's results, including email addresses of all bidders, are available for 30 days at http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=379239380

*If you've bought this item as a gift, you can let the lucky recipient know what's coming! As long as the seller has a positive feedback rating of at least 10, just visit http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewGiftAlert&item=379239380&userid=michaelynnd

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Trade On!

Item Description:

Mamiya C330
Medium Format Kit
Body+ 2
lenses,
3+ finders
Includes Halliburton Aluminum Case
PLUS Proxar type Magnifing Filter, Filter & Cases

Please also see our other eBay auctions by clicking
here

This Kit includes the
following:

Mamiya C330 Twinlens Camera Body
Body includes tripod mount thread with
adapter to fit two sizes for grip handle and/ or tripod.
Camera shoots 120 & 220 type film as standard 6x6cm square format (2
1/4")
NOTE-Only shutter release on side of body works-alternate release on bottom
of camera is non-functioning (this is said not to impair function unless this is to be
your second C330 and you are dependent on that function which could possibly be fixed.)
Also leather on body is starting to peal at bottom of camera. Otherwise the camera works
fine and appears to be in good  working order.

Mamiya-Sekor Seiko 80 mm f/2.8 Lens
with leathercase
This is a "standard lens for this format. Glass appears clean, shutter
seems to funtion properly,
small minor dents to front mount
may prevent mounting of filters, includes rear cap

Mamiya-Sekor Seiko SLV 55mm f/4.5 Lens
This is a wide angle for this format. Glass appears clean, shutter seems to
funtion properly,
small minor dents to front mount may prevent mounting of filters

Standard lookdown viewfinder
with popup magnifier
and view through speedfinder window
plus snap over Zeiss Ikon (German made)
mini prism finder with leather case
GOOD

"Smoke stack" magnified lookdown viewer
with quicksnap 3.5x & 6x magnification
BETTER

Meter Prism finder with quicksnap center spot sensor
(cannot confirm fuctionality as
button battery likely needs to be replaced)
includes rubber eyecup
BEST

Zeiss Ikon "Parallaxe corr" IKOPROX
(Proxar closeup magnifing filter)
f=0.5m
with matching (removable)
Zeiss Yellow Filter (for shooting black & white)
and leather case
A nice little bonus.

Halliburton Aluminum Case

Excellent starter kit
First Medium Format Camera for
Wedding Photographer or Student

TERMS: High bidder
must contact us within 48 hours of auction end. Please include auction number and
description. We need your name address and phone. Shipping & Insurance on this item is
only $39.85 (primarily to cover insurance- you can save this cost by picking this kit up
or accepting responsibility).  Buyer pays by Money Order (buy with confidence-check out our
feedbacks-over 90 sales and 200+purchases on eBay gives us 130+ Positives, 0 negatives & 0 neutrals to
date!). Checks held till
cleared. Escrow, Overseas, COD, Insurance all OK, but buyer pays any & all additional
costs.

All equipment although represented in good
working order is sold as is and without warranty. All shipments insured.

Only bid if you are going to complete deal, failure to honor bid will result in negative
feedback. Thank you for checking this out, it took me an hour to make this ad, I
appreciate your reading it. Happy bidding :-)

Questions? jlacyphoto@aol.com

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Mamiya
C330 Medium Format Camera Kit 

Hi,

You are the high bidder on the above auction.
The final bid was $451.00 plus the shipping of $39.80 for a total of $490.80.
If you are paying by check, please make your check out to the owner of this equipment:

Victoria Melton

Please do not make payments out to me,
but do send them to me as I will be shipping your equipment.

If you wish to use PayPal.com or another form of payment please let me know. If you would like to learn more about PayPal please click the link below and get a $5 referral bonus if you sign up:
https://secure.paypal.com/refer/pal=jlacyphoto@aol.com
You can use my email address as my PayPal account name.
A PayPal charge of this amount may exceed new member limits.

I will need your shipping information and your preferences. My address information is below. Thanks.

John

John Lacy Photography
3472 Mahopac
Lake Orion, MI 48360

Sorry, I did not get back to you after the auction...it was my anniversary and I didn;t get near the computer!! :) I was wondering about the escrow account. What exactly does that entail? Also, just curious... what was the reserve price? If you can tell me:)...
Thanks so much!! If I don't hear from you today, I'll try you tomorrow.

Dear Mr. Lacy,
I thank you for taking the time to write to me. I have read your Ebay history and I know that you have a very high score. :) This is just my first Ebay purchase and I wanted to make sure that I am doing the right thing. I do not want to back out of the deal, because I am very excited about the camera! I am a photography student and have wanted a medium format camera for a long time. I originally wanted a Mamiya 645 SLR but this looked like a great deal and as LONG AS IT WORKS and I can use it , I will be happy!! I have a darkroom at home and I can't wait to see what kind of results that I get! You said that you felt it was a good camera for students so i am trusting you to be right!! :)
Also, I could send you a check today, or you could wait and I will send a money order to you in the next few days. I do not have the time today to go to the bank. It is up to you. Again, I appreciate you taking the time to write to me. This is all new to me, but I am very excited about my new purchase!!
Is there anything else that I will need for this camera (besides film:)) to get started? It seems like everything is there but I just wanted to make sure....
Thanks again!!
Michaelynn

Michaelynn,

My first medium format camera was very similar to this and it worked out great for me. I will be including the phone number of Victoria so if you get in a jam you can call her ("how do I do ..."). The accessories make this a pretty system.
The hardest things about medium format are:

loading the camera, it takes practice, I will throw in some old film for you to practice with. The film is likely no good, but you can load, shoot, unload, throw it away, load, shoot, unload... until you get it down. The camera does not come with a manual so some of the functions will be a little tricky and require a little experimentation. Ask your teacher for help if you need to. This camera's not new, but everything (except that bottom button mentioned in the ad) should work fine. If anyone asks you what it cost be sure to show them everything you got with it (the camera is probably not worth $400 by it self, but the kit is a bargain at that price).

Processing the film, actually just spooling it onto the reel. Because the film is so wide it's easy to kink, especially in the dark. I assume you will be shooting B&W film and processing it yourself. Another option of course is to shot color neg. or transparency and have it processed at a pro-lab.

Looking down at a backwards image. Your camera kit comes with several view finders which correct the reversal of the image much like a 35mm SLR, but you should practice shooting while looking down into the camera. This will help you think about the lines and shapes in the composition, not just the "subject" in the center of the view.

I'll be happy to answer more questions if you have them as well. With this camera you can do things you can't do with 35mm camera. This camera has a leaf shutter. That means that if you hook up a strobe (requiring a synch cord as the camera has no electronic hot shoe) you can synchronize the flash beyond 1/60th of a second. You can use a flash with the shutter speed at 1/500th or anything you want. That way you can make it night during the day and the flash can be brighter than the daylight (if you aren't too far from your subject).

We would prefer a money order even if it takes a couple of days. We would have to wait until your check clears, so waiting a couple days for a money order actually saves time. Thanks again.

John

In a message dated 07/18/00 1:42:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time, MDreiling writes:

<< Dear Mr. Lacy,
I thank you for taking the time to write to me. I have read your Ebay history and I know that you have a very high score. :) This is just my first Ebay purchase and I wanted to make sure that I am doing the right thing. I do not want to back out of the deal, because I am very excited about the camera! I am a photography student and have wanted a medium format camera for a long time. I originally wanted a Mamiya 645 SLR but this looked like a great deal and as LONG AS IT WORKS and I can use it , I will be happy!! I have a darkroom at home and I can't wait to see what kind of results that I get! You said that you felt it was a good camera for students so i am trusting you to be right!! :)
Also, I could send you a check today, or you could wait and I will send a money order to you in the next few days. I do not have the time today to go to the bank. It is up to you. Again, I appreciate you taking the time to write to me. This is all new to me, but I am very excited about my new purchase!!
Is there anything else that I will need for this camera (besides film:)) to get started? It seems like everything is there but I just wanted to make sure....
Thanks again!!
Michaelynn >>


John Lacy Photography
www.proshooter.com
800.317.1026

Hi Mr. Lacy,
I just wanted you to know that I just went to the bank and I have my money order! I will be sending it out today.. as long as the mail has not been picked up already. If not it will go out tomorrow. I'm pretty sure it should be going out today!! I'm very excited about getting the camera. I wish I had it for this weekend.. :) I'll just have to wait!! :) Thank you soo much for offereing to send me a few rolls to practice with. That would be great!!! I have all the equipment to develop medium format B/w. My old teacher sold me all of his darkroom equipment which included medium format as well as 35mm. I hope that you don't think that I have taken to long to mail you the money. Its been a pretty hectic week, at school, at work, and at home. I'm currently training for a 26 mile marathon in Dublin, Ireland and raising money for the cause that I am running for. (Arthritis) I'm also planning a wedding.. & JUST moved into a new house. So as you can see I have a lot going on. Thats one reason I can't wait for this camera... its my escape(photography) !!! Anyway, sorry for going on and on... I just thought I'd fill you in on why I didn't have time to go to the bank right away :)

Well, let me know when you get the check, so that I can know when to expect the camera. Oh... I would like for you to send the camera to my office. Someone will be here in the day to get it, if I am not here.
The address is :
Michaelynn Dreiling
c/o Coldwell Banker United
9313 Katy Freeway
Houston, Tx 77024
(713)461-7000

Thanks again!!!!! you've been great!!!

Michaelynn

Oh...I forgot... i need your mailing address. I obviously can't send you any $$$ without it........ :)

thanks,
Michaelynn

I believe that I included it with my first email to you,

John Lacy Photography
3472 Mahopac
Lake Orion, MI 48360

In a message dated 07/20/00 3:11:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, MDreiling writes:

<< Oh...I forgot... i need your mailing address. I obviously can't send you any $$$ without it........ :)

thanks,
Michaelynn >>

John Lacy Photography
www.proshooter.com

I apologize, it was erased. Thanks.

Michaelynn,

Today is the 29th. I have not received payment nor heard from you on the 21st, over a week ago. If I do not receive payment by Wednesday August 2nd I will be forced to leave a negative feedback for you and resell the equipment (I recent met someone who is selling a similar kit for $2000). It is quite a hassle to me not to mention the time and cost I already have into this to wait weeks for you payment. Please let me know if you will be or have sent payment. I can provide you with several options if you find that deadline fast approaching and fear payment would not arrive in time. Please reply. Thank you.

John

7/21/00:
I apologize, it was erased. Thanks.
7/21/00:
I believe that I included it with my first email to you,

John Lacy Photography
3472 Mahopac
Lake Orion, MI 48360

7/20/00
Oh...I forgot... i need your mailing address. I obviously can't send you any $$$ without it........ :)

thanks,
Michaelynn

7/20/00:
Hi Mr. Lacy,
I just wanted you to know that I just went to the bank and I have my money order! I will be sending it out today.. as long as the mail has not been picked up already. If not it will go out tomorrow. I'm pretty sure it should be going out today!! I'm very excited about getting the camera. I wish I had it for this weekend.. :) I'll just have to wait!! :) Thank you soo much for offereing to send me a few rolls to practice with. That would be great!!! I have all the equipment to develop medium format B/w. My old teacher sold me all of his darkroom equipment which included medium format as well as 35mm. I hope that you don't think that I have taken to long to mail you the money. Its been a pretty hectic week, at school, at work, and at home. I'm currently training for a 26 mile marathon in Dublin, Ireland and raising money for the cause that I am running for. (Arthritis) I'm also planning a wedding.. & JUST moved into a new house. So as you can see I have a lot going on. Thats one reason I can't wait for this camera... its my escape(photography) !!! Anyway, sorry for going on and on... I just thought I'd fill you in on why I didn't have time to go to the bank right away :)

Well, let me know when you get the check, so that I can know when to expect the camera. Oh... I would like for you to send the camera to my office. Someone will be here in the day to get it, if I am not here.
The address is :
Michaelynn Dreiling
c/o Coldwell Banker United
9313 Katy Freeway
Houston, Tx 77024
(713)461-7000

Thanks again!!!!! you've been great!!!

Mr. Lacy, I already sent the payment the day I told you I sent it!!! I sent a money order to you!!!! I have been out of town this last week, so I didn't even know if you had received it or not. What should I do? I mailed it to the address that you told me. I guess I can go to the bank and see if they can refund my money order and cancel that one. I apologize, and I can see your frustration. I'll see what I can do, and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Michaelynn,

I apologize for the harsh tone of my last note. It is indeed unusual for a payment by mail to be lost, but not unheard of. I will thoroughly review the piles on my desk to be sure I did not receive it, but I am 99% sure that I have not. Mail from Huston should take 3-4 days by First Class. No longer than a week at the most.

You should make a list of details to take to the post office and forward to me in hopes of finding the missing correspondence.

How did you send the payment?
By standard letter? With a licked or peel-type stamp?
What address did you send it to?
Was the address handwritten clearly?
Did you include a return address?
Was the payment wrapped inside
so it could not be seen through the envelope?
Was the payment a money order?
Do you have a receipt for the money order?
Is the money order guaranteed?
When exactly did you send it; day and time?
Where did you mail it, your mailbox? Another? At the Post office?

I will write you again after I receive my Monday mail, in case it has just been delayed by the Post Office. You are welcome to call me if you need to. My 800# is 800-317-1026. Let's take a couple of days to see what we can do about this before worrying about the camera kit. I would hate for you to loose $450 because of somebody's error or thief. Please let me know about the above questions. Thanks,

John

In a message dated 07/29/00 3:13:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, MDreiling writes:

<< Mr. Lacy, I already sent the payment the day I told you I sent it!!! I sent a money order to you!!!! I have been out of town this last week, so I didn't even know if you had received it or not. What should I do? I mailed it to the address that you told me. I guess I can go to the bank and see if they can refund my money order and cancel that one. I apologize, and I can see your frustration. I'll see what I can do, and I'll get back to you ASAP. >>

John Lacy Photography
www.proshooter.com

Michaelynn,

I did not receive your payment in the mail today (Monday July 31st). Is there anything I can do from this end to help? Have you contacted the post office yet? Was my list of questions helpful? Please feel free to call me if I can help (800-317-1026).

I will hold the equipment for you until this is resolved and you know where you stand. In all likelihood the mail is either unusually delayed or you will be able to cancel the payment. In either case we can start over after it is settled and I can get this camera kit into your hands. Please keep me informed. Thanks again.

John

John Lacy photography
www.proshooter.com

Michaelynn,

I have not heard back from you. I checked at my local post office and they told me that investigations for lost or stolen mail must originate with the sender. Have you contacted your local postoffice? Will you be able to get a refund for your money order?

Of course I need to know when or if you will be sending payment to complete this deal. Please let me know your status ASAP. Thanks.

John
John Lacy Photography
800-317-1026

Michaelynn,

I have not heard back from you. I checked at my local post office and they told me that investigations for lost or stolen mail must originate with the sender. Have you contacted your local postoffice? Will you be able to get a refund for your money order?

Of course I need to know when or if you will be sending payment to complete this deal. Please let me know your status ASAP. Thanks.

John
John Lacy Photography
800-317-1026
            

Dear michaelynnd:

Congratulations on your winning bid for eBay item 379239380, Mamiya C330 Medium Format Camera Kit. Your seller, jlacyphoto@aol.com, has informed eBay that your payment hasn't been received yet.

If you have already sent payment or intend to pay soon, please contact jlacyphoto@aol.com at jlacyphoto@aol.com immediately. Simple misunderstandings are often resolved through direct communication.

** Do not reply to this email. All you need to do is contact your seller.**

You and your seller are encouraged to work things out in the next 10 days. If this situation is resolved during this time, the matter is dropped and you do not need to take any further action.

If, however, your seller is still unsatisfied after this period, you may receive a Non-Paying Bidder (NPB) warning from eBay. Once you obtain three warnings on your record you will be suspended for 30 days. If you receive a fourth warning, suspension will last indefinitely.

For additional details about eBay's Non-Paying Bidder Policy go to:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/npb.html

Please note that eBay does not take the side of the buyer or seller -- understand that we are only trying to help you and your seller trade successfully. Remember: Your seller is under no obligation to "hold" your item since much time has already passed.

Regards,

eBay Safeharbor Team

Police? No police ever called me, I would have cooperated completely.

09/25/00 Item relisted.
10/02/00 New Auction ends, New buyer has high bid of $405
and pays promptly.
10/18/00 Leaves following feedback:

10/19/00 Original buyer posts my 1st negative feedback: