This "was" my latest acquisition on Ebay. An N5005 auto focus 35mm film camera. The Seller inherited it from the original owner, and decided to list on ebay. I had the winning bid at only $35.00. I wanted the camera for the lens on it. The seller indicated that he/she couldn't get the camera to power up after inserting new batteries in it, so it was listed for sale "as is". I didn't care that the camera didn't work because I only wanted the lens for another Nikon camera I already own. Now, the bad news. The Postal letter carrier foolishly left my camera in lobby of the building I currently live in. And as you might guess, someone came along, noticed my package, and stole it. When I inquired at the Overland, Mo branch of the post office about why my package was just left in the lobby, the supervisor rather brazenly informed me that as long as the package was delivered to the correct address, the post office has no liability for what happens to it. I will be contacting a superior postal manager to get the real reason the package was left unattended, and unsigned for.
I guess the good news is, the chump who stole the camera is in for a surprise when he/she tries to use it. The camera doesn't power up, and it's a film camera, so it can't be pawned because most people are now using digital cameras. The moral of this post is..."ebay is a great place to buy used (or even new) camera equipment. Just be sure to insist on signature confirmation, or restricted delivery when dealing with the post office. Some of the employees working there, are not very ethical, or professional". 'til next time, happy shutter bugging.