I pass on any ad that says that the photos are the description of the item, and to rely on them. The seller won't take the time to write a description, or much of one, and you just know that he's the type who would refuse to take the gun back, because you couldn't note a defect in one of his carefully chosen photos.
What is it with certain gun sellers online and taking really bad pictures?
- Thread starter Echo40
- Start date
I pass on any ad that says that the photos are the description of the item, and to rely on them. The seller won't take the time to write a description, or much of one, and you just know that he's the type who would refuse to take the gun back, because you couldn't note a defect in one of his carefully chosen photos.
I'm thinking a lot of what we see for sale on the internet is the result of someone not having the ability to take a good pic and not knowing much about what they are trying to sell. After a visit to Cabela's and a lowball offer to buy they're encouraged to sell it themselves.
Next step, the internet.
Next step, the internet.
The gun hobby still has plenty of participants who spent the majority of their lives without digital photography and don't take advantage of the instant feedback and ease of re-shoots to come up with a decent picture, resulting in the gun equivalent of pretty much everything I took with my little 110 camera on a field trip to the aquarium as a kid. I'm sure many of these people also remember buying or selling cars or other goods through the magazine/newspaper classifieds, all without pictures, and similarly don't associate good quality photos as a necessity to buy or sell something, because for a long time they really weren't.
It has also improved greatly in the last decade. The OP's complaint would be apply to a lot of listings of the past, maybe the majority, but now are rather rare. I'm taking a quick scroll past my local armslist, my gunbroker searches, and this board's classifieds, and I have to go through quite a number of listings to find what I'd call bad pictures. It's currently a pretty minor issue, and with advances in phone cameras and more and more hobbyists joining who have spent all their lives taking pictures, it will continue to be less and less relevant.
It has also improved greatly in the last decade. The OP's complaint would be apply to a lot of listings of the past, maybe the majority, but now are rather rare. I'm taking a quick scroll past my local armslist, my gunbroker searches, and this board's classifieds, and I have to go through quite a number of listings to find what I'd call bad pictures. It's currently a pretty minor issue, and with advances in phone cameras and more and more hobbyists joining who have spent all their lives taking pictures, it will continue to be less and less relevant.
Fuzzy pictures will allow them to sell things to dumb people like me. :-(
Pitting doesn't show up in a fuzzy picture.
Pitting doesn't show up in a fuzzy picture.
LVSteve
Member
Terrible pictures and poor knowledge at auction houses have netted me a couple of nice milsurps for way less than the going rate.
One auction combined both these "skills" and instead of me getting a run of the mill Russian refurbed k98k, I got a Yugoslav refurb with an extremely rare combination of designator and refurb shop.
At least he’s wearing socks.
1sailor
Member
I'm a sailor. You would be shocked at how many boats going for way over a hundred thousand dollars have crappy pics. Or very good pics of stupid things that nobody cares about.
I have asked sellers for a better picture or information and the reply’s have been down right rude.
I don’t spend a time on a badly represented firearm or part. Sometimes a good deal can be found but is getting harder and harder.
The prices are climbing out of my reach anyway. I think the classified on here are better by far.
I don’t spend a time on a badly represented firearm or part. Sometimes a good deal can be found but is getting harder and harder.
The prices are climbing out of my reach anyway. I think the classified on here are better by far.
I've sold most of my safe contents here using my phone to take pics as best I can. I normally don't take photos of much of anything, let alone specialized gun pictures. I always accommodate potential buyers with additional pics of specific portions of firearms if they ask. I've never had a problem here.
And I'm still not going to take pictures of much of anything.
I was touring Corregidor n the Philippines with a snap-happy colleague. At one point he asked, "Are you getting any pictures of this?" - I asked him if he had ever seen me take a picture of anything, and he ruefully admitted he had not.
Different folks like different things.
And I'm still not going to take pictures of much of anything.
I was touring Corregidor n the Philippines with a snap-happy colleague. At one point he asked, "Are you getting any pictures of this?" - I asked him if he had ever seen me take a picture of anything, and he ruefully admitted he had not.
Different folks like different things.
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I mostly stay away from auctions on guns or knives if the seller doesn’t take good pictures. I know there’s members on this forum that take better pictures than I ever hope to take, but with the cameras on the cellphones that are available today it’s really easy to edit, crop, and make the pictures better. I watch lots of gun and knife auctions and if the seller has a few really blurred pictures I always feel it’s not an accident. I feel like maybe the seller has something to hide.
NOBODY ... ever.... Ever ....EVER ..... has complained that the grips they purchased from me looked better in the pictures !! 
LVSteve
Member
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OP
Echo40
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Personally, I don't understand men who marry or otherwise remain married to women who are such domineering control freaks that they'll threaten to divorce their husband if he refuses to sell off any of his possessions promptly upon her command.
Honestly, if I had a wife who pulled that, then my response would be something to the effect of; "Let me know once you have the paperwork in order, I'll happily sign the instant it's ready."
sipowicz
Member
It’s even worse with mail order brides. I’ve learned the hard way to avoid the Vaseline on the glass and a stocking over the lens.
Bigfoot camera.
Bad pictures of guns and/or pictures featuring dirty feet or nasty fingernails put me off.
But, my other photo gripe involves stands or fixtures in which the gun is being held up by a metal bar inserted down the barrel. It practically screams "I don't know how to treat a firearm with the care it deserves".
Chances are, they're the same guys that just drop a gun in a shipping box, with no protection, tape it up, and say "Good to go!".
I always find a way to ask reasonable questions. I look for the informative content of the reply (if any), the promptness of a reply, and basic courtesy and friendliness.
If a seller doesn't have basic manners or customer relation skills, they're not getting a nickel from me, "good deal" or not!
But, my other photo gripe involves stands or fixtures in which the gun is being held up by a metal bar inserted down the barrel. It practically screams "I don't know how to treat a firearm with the care it deserves".
Chances are, they're the same guys that just drop a gun in a shipping box, with no protection, tape it up, and say "Good to go!".
I always find a way to ask reasonable questions. I look for the informative content of the reply (if any), the promptness of a reply, and basic courtesy and friendliness.
If a seller doesn't have basic manners or customer relation skills, they're not getting a nickel from me, "good deal" or not!
IrishFritz
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I hate to sound like the old man I have become but there really was a time when you could safely take a man at his word. Sadly that may no longer be true in all cases. More and more I see guns advertised as "new and unfired" or "mint" that are clearly not so and in many cases obviously redone. Stainless guns are particularly prone to abuse. Poor photography is just one symptom of how some sellers manipulate the process for their (unfair) advantage. Caveat Emptor would seem to be more true than ever.
BillBro
Member
Ill give you your rant, its totally valid. However, I recently found a 4" 586 on GB and like you say, the seller was definitely no photographer. Naturally it didnt sell and he relisted it. Now he did have a 3 day inspection , something I consider a must if Im going to even consider buying, ut still I asked him for a few more pics and gave him my number to text them to. Forgot ti mentiin that the price was about 300 to 400 dollars less than a nice 586 would go for so yes I was a bit skeptical. Even if I didnt like it Id still be out shipping $ and my time.
Well, the seller called me instead and after talking with the old guy and him tellung me how nice it was and telling me how many guns he had recently sold, and why, I bought the gun. It was everything he said it was and maybe a little more. It is a very, very nice 586.
My point being, there are stull a few honest and forthright people left out there and with a little investigation you can sometimes get a sense of the seller and judge from what you find. Sure you could still be fooled and be dissatisfied with your buy and thats why you just dint buy a used gun, especially a revolver, without the optiin to return it if it has been misrepresented or defects omitted in the description. Just dont do that. Look out for yourself. If the seller is confident he wont object
Well, the seller called me instead and after talking with the old guy and him tellung me how nice it was and telling me how many guns he had recently sold, and why, I bought the gun. It was everything he said it was and maybe a little more. It is a very, very nice 586.
My point being, there are stull a few honest and forthright people left out there and with a little investigation you can sometimes get a sense of the seller and judge from what you find. Sure you could still be fooled and be dissatisfied with your buy and thats why you just dint buy a used gun, especially a revolver, without the optiin to return it if it has been misrepresented or defects omitted in the description. Just dont do that. Look out for yourself. If the seller is confident he wont object
Not just the "Beautiful Condition" etc. but the number of blurry "Holy Grails" out there is amazing.
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