CAMERA/LENS PRICES and the Global Pandemic - What do you think?

I personally have a lot of anxiety about the COVID-19 virus. It's an existential worry. Most people are concerned about survival and not camera collecting.

I used to be a pretty avid eBay buyer and seller, but due to eBay's insane anti-seller policies, and now my worries about just surviving, camera collecting is not a major concern with me right now. I have suspended all my eBay activities.

Having said that, I try to keep my mind off the virus by sometimes scanning eBay and other venues.

So far, I have not seen much lowering of prices on the collector's market, even with COVID and the stock market disaster.

Do you think the market for rare and desirable photography items is going to tank?

Will a lot of the older guys who collect and love old cameras get killed off, depressing the market even more? Will families of deceased collectors start to dump rare and valuable cameras on the market?

What do you think?

PS: The vintage watch market has not been affected too much yet either. Maybe rare or gold Rolexes will be seen as barter? Unhappy times we live in.
At 68, I guess I am one of the old guys, but I'm planning on making it through this. If It gets me I want my cameras given to photographers and family in Laos. There's one kid there with a good eye who likes the Canon D80 I got him, but loved my Leica X 113. I do too. But people stuck at home without work might end up selling things, including cameras, just to get by. I find that sadand the idea that the used marketplace might benefit from that suffering even sadder.
 
I bought my D7100 yesterday and haggling a little on the price. I expect it to suit me for a very long time.

I have my eye out for a Nikkor 45/2.8 AI-P that has interest to me due to the optical formula. Unfortunately it's a "collectable" since it came out with the FM3 and $$$. Still I watch and wait :)

Likewise I hope to come across another 50/2 Summitar like the one I had; much more fun than a Summicron and my Canon 7 currently only has a (nice but still) Industar 61 L/D on it. Again :) as I watch and wait.
 
I will say this: I've had a couple of lenses on my eBay watch list and I have received two unsolicited, direct offers from sellers, offering the lenses at lower prices. But I haven't seen any changes in the official listings of items.
That's interesting. In the past week I've had two unsolicited offers for gear that I've declined, and I don't even have a watch list. That's the first time I've received unsolicited offers since I joined eBay in its early days. The cynical side of me just chalked them up to opportunists trying to take advantage of the virus scare.
 
I grabbed a near-mint Nikkor 10.5cm F2.5 LTM for $200 from one of the offers, early version with lugs for the Bayonet mount.
I already have the later version- but NOW I can keep a Y52 filter one one for the M Monochrom and a L1BC for the M9...
I paid almost $400 for theat one some 8 years ago.
Also: The HS-11 hood works well with the 10.5cm F2.5 on an RF, the SLR version of the hood cuts deep into the frame and the RF version of the hood is uncommon.
 
Here I am in the mid 1970's in one of my first NYC apartments and my cat. I'm holding a Nikon EL with an AW-1 winder. Still have both. I named my son after this cat. This was my favorite cat. The cat broke his leg and had a cast.

(Note the Kalimar 120 film camera on the window ledge)

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My wife picked our daughter's name, "Nicole". I immediately told her I'm going to call her "Nikki"- she thought that was great.
I'm convinced that is was subliminal after having NIKON staring her in the face for decades.
Our first cat was Felix, and he was so smart that he could open cupboards and drag out the bags of catfood himself. He also tried to drive my '90 T-bird, could grab the wheel but could not reach the pedals.
 
My cat would occasionally jump out the window onto the fire escape and disappear. Sometimes for weeks.

He would reappear at the FRONT DOOR OF THE APARTMENT (I don't know how he got into the building), scratch until I opened the door, and walk in as if nothing had happened. He was an extremely intelligent cat.
 
When I was 12 -1970-, we had a Tomcat names "Alfie", so you could ask him what it was all about.

He would disappear doing Tomcat things. When he reappeared, he came home with something in his mouth- it was a small Kitten. Dropped the Calico kitten off, went back out and brought back a second kitten- a male Tabby that looked just like him. The next door neighbor took the two kittems, had two kids- so it worked out. When we'd put food out for Alfie in out garage, the two kittens made a mad dash for the food bowl from the neighbors yard. Alfie would watch over them as they ate.

I have a number of pictures I need to dig up from the basement.
 
Here I am in the mid 1970's in one of my first NYC apartments and my cat. I'm holding a Nikon EL with an AW-1 winder. Still have both. I named my son after this cat. This was my favorite cat. The cat broke his leg and had a cast.

(Note the Kalimar 120 film camera on the window ledge)

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Now that’s what an old photo should look like. Scratches, grain, and a ton of really interesting subject elements. The cat with a cast is sad but a really neat part of the photo. A nice range of tones.
 
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