Used Gear

[steven_chan3]

Hi,

 

I've been a Nikon film user for a number of years and would like to

get into Canon digital. Seems like there isn't as much used Canon

gear for sale. For example, I'm looking to get a 24, 50, and 100

macro, and KEH does not show any used available for Canon, but quite

a few of 24/50/105 for Nikon. Any other good sources for used Canon

gear besides the usual suspects like KEH, B&H, Adorama, ebay, and

here? Thanks for any pointers.

[graham_sheppard1]

Hi Steven,

 

If you still have your Nikon lenses you can get an adapter for Canon which will allow you to use them. I don't know how good they are or what limitations there would be.

 

I am in Australia so not much help with 2nd hand unfortunately.

 

Good luck.

[wgpinc]

Buy new, they're not that expensive particularly if you keep them for a long time. Buy used and you risk getting somebody's problem or one of the lenses that's failing quality control. You may want to rethink your lens choices with the 1.6 aps sensor factor. 24mm equivalent 38mm, 50mm eq. 80mm etc. But maybe you'll let go of $3500 for the new 5D full frame sensor. If you have Nikon lenses maybe you should give the D70 a look.

[scottm]

Hi Steven,

<p>

I made a similar switch from older Nikon film cameras (FA and Nikkormat) to Canon DSLR recently. I agree with your observation about used Canon gear. EF lenses - especially primes or L series zooms don't seem to show up in large quantity on the used market, including ebay, and when they do they often go for a small discount over new prices (my rule of thumb is 50% of new or less, but I sometimes see used EF lenses go on ebay for <i>more</i> than B&H new prices).

<p>

Maybe this will change over time.... I'd hoped to replace some of my favorite Nikon lenses with used Canon counterparts, but this is going to be slow going for me at these prices.

<p>

As a previous poster mentioned, you can use MF nikon lenses on a Canon DSLR with an adapter. <a href="http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html"> Bob Atkins has an article</a> about using MF lenses on Canon EOS bodies, with good general info. I picked up a cheap Nikon to Canon EF adapter from photodiox, off ebay, that works pretty well, though it's tricky to remove from the lens so switching it between lenses is clunky. Manual focussing with the small/dim viewfinder of (at least) the 20D is no picnic, but it's doable - especially with fast primes. My MF Nikon 50/1.4 is pretty usable, to me. Since this Canon is my first autofocus body, I don't find it that troublesome to manual focus, at least for now -- those MF reflexes haven't completely atrophied (yet). But I'm getting spoiled! And I'm watching for good deals on Canon EF 24's and 50's, too.

[df-gallery]

Probably due to strong market demand for Canon, and people sticking with Canon. As said before, probably best to buy new, especially if you cannot see the lens first. I think the second hand market is generally determined by what is most not-popular at the time.

[athinkle]

Bear in mind that there is a silver lining to all of this: If you buy the stuff you want new, it will keep its value for longer than its equivalent from other manufacturers. This goes double for the L glass if you're fortunate to come by a few pieces.

[lester_wareham]

Why not get a Nikon DSLR if you have loads of Nikon lenses?

 

They are fine cameras. I think the only downside is Nikon seem to have no full frame asperations. That may not be a major factor.

 

I started from scratch as my old system was Canon FD. I chose Canon again, but it was not a default by any means. If I had had Nikon glass I would have stayed with them.

[mark u]

Unless you have your eyes on full frame or 1.3 crop factor bodies at some point in the future, I think you'd do pretty well sticking with Nikon for a DSLR. Either way, it can be worth researching some of the third party lens alternatives, some of which offer similar or even better optical quality than the name brand lenses, and widen your pool of choice if you're trying to keep to a budget.

[steven_chan3]

Thanks for the responses. I just found out that the buy and sell forum on fredmiranda.com is a pretty high traffic place and may be a good place to look. Just a bit more background for those that suggested staying with Nikon...

 

I would love to keep my Nikon gear. I have an F5 and N90s body and 20-35/2.8, 80-200/2.8, 24, 50, and 105 macro. This took me a while to acquire and build up. However, my wife wants (err, actually she insists on) a DSLR so she can email and post photos of our 5 month old daughter - our P&S G3 doesn't cut it for her anymore - too slow and no shallow DOF portraits. I just can't image using film anymore after getting a DSLR because whenever there is a photo worthy event (travel, birthday, etc), I'll definitely be using the DSLR. It would be too cumbersome to bring along a film body too, let alone shoot with it as well, especially while lugging along young children. So, I'll have to sell my film bodies. Since I see no full-frame any time soon from Nikon, I'll have to sell my wide angle lenses as well. I'd be selling half my kit even if I got a D70! I might as well sell everything else and go to Canon. At least by doing that, I'll have a path and an opportunity to go full frame or 1.3 in the future (and hopefully, it will be cheaper in a few years).

 

I was thinking of getting a digital rebel xt to start, along with a few good primes. The 24 would be 38 of course, but for the short term, I'll just use it as a "normal" lens. The 50 would be an 80 portrait, and the 100 macro would be a nice tele with 1:1 reproduction. I can use this for a couple of years until I can afford a 1.3 or full-frame camera.

 

Thoughts?

[steven_chan3]

I should add that I bought more than half my Nikon kit second hand so I won't be taking that big of a hit financially, but I'd still be sellling at a loss. Availability of some used Canon primes would make this a lot easier.

[christopher_bibbs]

I bought a used 100 macro from KEH, but it took a few weeks for one to show up in their inventory. The turn over on those popular lenses is quite brisk.

[jcolwell]

You might also want to take a look at CELOSdb (Canon EF Lenses and Other Stuff database) which tracks prices for used Canon and compatible gear on eBay and at about 70 online photo shops. The version currently posted on my site is dated April 31, 2005. I will be releasing an update in a few weeks which includes prices up to Sept 1, 2005.

 

I have the 24/2.8, 50/1.4, 100/2.8 Macro USM, 300/4 L IS USM, 3 L series zooms and two EF extenders: 4 were bought from a local store: 2 were bought from big online US shops; and, 4 were bought on eBay (5 were new and 5 were used [E+ to LN], all are very satisfactory, but I'll be selling two of the zooms to get a 70-200 L IS in the near future.

[scottm]

James - that's a useful list. Do you compile it by hand, or is it automated somehow? Thanks!

[jcolwell]

Scott, thanks. It's compiled by hand using a number of timesaving techniques which are mostly described in the earlier SPLOSdb document. I'm also about to release LFLOSdb, which you might guess is not for small Format Lenses and Other Stuff...

[digitmstr]

>>Why not get a Nikon DSLR if you have loads of Nikon lenses? <<

 

Because they will not work on Nikon digital bodies. You'll have to meter manually...that is, with a hand-held meter. Also, for some reason older (manual focus) lenses work better on EOS bodies than on Nikon bodies...strange but, very true. I used to have a good collection of Nikon glass I used with my EOS cameras.

 

However, IMO the limitations far outweighted the "savings" so, I sold them all and now I am much happier using EOS lenses exclusively.

 

Used lenses can be excellent. I have bought a Canon 15mm Fisheye from a photographer who used for a shoot and no longer had a need for it. The lens is great and I saved nearly two hundred bucks...and it was under warranty still.

 

ALL reputable stores have a good return policy so, you'll have time to ck out the lens for defects or problems.

[eos 10 fan]

The FM B&S Forum has tons of EOS FS:<br>

<a href="http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/10">http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/10</a><p>

 

 

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