Used Canon lens prices

[richard_martin10]

<p>This is more of a rant then a question, I want to make a few changes in the lens bag for my upcoming motorsports season and have been shopping on Ebay. Its been a major frustration, it seems to me that people are paying way to much for used lenses. You can buy a 70-200 F/2.8 out of New York City for 1289.00 gray market or 1300.00 USA warranty. I've seen several used ones over the last few weeks sell over the price of a new one. The F/4 version of the same lens is 639.00 out of most NYC stores, people are paying well over 550.00 for used copies and in some cases just as much as a new one. Used 2.8 lenses with date codes from the early to mid 90's are not worth 1000.00 to 1100.00 when a new one is only 200.00 more. Someone recently paid over 800.00 for a 300 F/4L that was described as having haze and fungus on the glass, unusable unless serviced or used for parts. What does servicing a lens like that cost? Seems to me at least 200-300 bucks, why would you do that when about 1200.00 buys a new one? What gives?</p>

[paddler4]

<p>This is well known. Many people overpay on eBay. Some people call it "auction fever." My suggestion: decide in advance how much savings it would take to get you to buy a used lens, without a warranty and with no assurance about how it was handled. If you can find that price, go for it. If not, buy new, or buy used from a retailer who offers a guarantee on used lenses.</p>

[kerry_grim]

<p>Surely there are good deals on EBay, but you would not find me wasting my time looking for deals. I've read too many horror stories about EBay purchases. If I cannot afford it new, I do not get it. And that is usually the case. I never buy lotterty tickets so maybe that is a clue as to why I have nothing to do with EBay. Many people will contend they have bought a lot on EBay and have had no problem and no doubt would be torqued up by my thoughts. That is ok, continue to purchase, but it is not something I care to try.</p>

[peter_k4]

<p>I find ebay useful for extremely hard to find things, or extremely cheap accessory things. (need 2 umbrellas with stands and attached strobes with bulbs? 60 bucks on ebay)</p>

<p>Kijiji is the real place for deals, I find. A visit once in the morning and at night when I get to and leave work has netted me some excellent deals. Cleaned out an unsucessful pro's lens arsenal a couple months ago, $900 for what would have cost 2300 new.</p>

 

[jim_h.2]

<p>I agree and disagree, yes you can get burned on ebay, and i have bought lens on there, but only the ones i call throw aways, something that just gives me a the idea of what the lens can do in general, otherwise I will always by new ,or from the rental store as, there are just to many people willing to make a buck at anyone who is unsuspecting off of ebay, i was burned really bad a few years back for 1100 bucks , and never again will I be the victim of my being to trusting or nieve.</p>

[sattler123]

<p>Richard, for the lenses you are interested in, you are better off just buying new. High quality Canon (and Nikon) glass hold their value really well and there is not much money to be saved when buying used. Used prices keep step with the inflation in new lenses as well.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>FM Buy & Sell is a much more pleasant place to buy gear than Fleabay: mostly knowledgeable photogs, less clutter & fewer problems (sellers & buyers are members of the FM forums). It's not a bidding site so prices don't spiral out of control. I sell most of my gear there and things are usually sold in a matter of minutes.</p>

<p>In demand lenses hold their value well. If it's a mint piece with boxes, accessories, manuals, etc., you can expect it to sell close to 90% of retail. I used to throw my boxes out. Not anymore. It's amazing how much more having all the original packaging adds to the resale value. Some guys will pay big bucks just for the friggen box! You could get at least a benjamin for a minty EF 50 1.0L USM box...</p>

<p>For my taste, used prices are too high, so I usually buy new. Besides, I can recoup most of my money later if I decide to sale it. The exception being older pieces , gear without packaging and well worn equipment. These go for 30 to 50% off retail.</p>

<p>For example, I recently sold these items (mint w/boxes/manuals):<br /> 70-200 4L: $500<br /> 50 1.8: $225<br /> 24-85 USM: $225</p>

[john_tanner]

<p>I have just been through this and will share my findings. With the current Canon rebates buy new from B H now. But, if you live in a large metro area Craigs list has some good deals, tread carefully here. I also go to local camera shows and pawn shops and look for local estate sales. I want stuff that is very like new and cheap 50% off retail NY prices or I get very skitish. Ebay is good for other things like bags filters tripods and heads or a good place to sell high dollar for items you got cheap. Since eBay seems to provide high prices on lenses for sale, it is wise to sell items there and buy them elsewhere. I am willing to buy just about any high value item cheap if I know I can peddle it for a large gain on eBay. Then I use that cash to buy new at B H or other mail order store with low low prices.I also do buy nice trade- ins from my local photo shop and do use them as much as possible so they can stay around. The warranty you get from new makes it wise to buy new now and shop for the lowest prices.</p>

[pbalko]

<p>Barely OT, I've been wondering, now that the EF 70-200 IS MkII is out @ $2400, if MkI prices will creep up over original retail.</p>

[ilya_e]

<p>I would have to disagree with you. You can find really good deals on eBay if you are patient enough. Especially with Bing cashback. For example I bought 24-70 2.8 for $950 and after Bing (it was 10$ discount at that time) it came out to $855. I only buy from sellers with 100% positive feedback and NEVER had a problem. Sometimes if seller has Buy it Now item I contact them and ask them if they could lower the price for a fast sale. In 90% of cases they do not refuse.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Yes, I've bought lots of lenses on eBay. It doesn't matter what other people are paying, only what YOU pay. This does require some patience as there are, indeed, a lot of ignorant bidders on eBay who will pay way too much for used or new lenses. If you need it yesterday, then eBay is a poor way to buy and you should go to the big NYC stores or other such-like places. As Ilya says, patience is the key.<br>

There are also well-established eBay stores that have bargain "Buy It Now" prices on occasion. A few "big stores" sell on eBay as well as on Amazon, although you, as always, need to know your vendor (and these will be listed at Resellerratings.com).</p>

<p>All that being said, I sometimes marvel at some prices some naive buyers will pay for lenses -- I have a 75-300mm IS (the very first IS ever). By all rights and reason it should sell for much, much less than the newer and much improved 70-300mm IS. Often it will sell for close to the price of the newer lens. As I have one, I know that this is not a case of some hidden virtue, unknown to the masses, and am forced to the conclusion that the buyers simply don't know what they are buying. I mean 75mm vs 70mm, must be the same lens, eh?</p>

[peter_j2]

<p><strong>Richard Martin:</strong> You are ranting about a segment of impulse buyers whom you have no control over their spending habits? It doesn't mean other sellers will base their prices on what the impulse buying market imposes. You sound like a smart and observant buyer. Set your limit, look for a money back policy and ask questions before the transaction. Only you know how much the lens is truly worth.</p>

[ilya_e]

<p>"it was 10$ discount at that time" should read "it was 10% discount at that time". Sorry</p>

[nathangardner]

<p>If used prices are too high, then just buy new. This just tells how good these lenses are that they hold their value exceptionally well.</p>

[waltonwhittaker]

<p>There was a time when eBay was a true auction site. Now, most of the sellers seem to be internet retail stores. It is not unusual to see prices way above even the retail price. I stick with Adorama as a guide to low prices.</p>

[bryan_lardizabal]

<p>KEH</p>

[mike_godwin1]

<p>I agree with Bryan - KEH</p>

<p> </p>

[robert100]

<p>i apologize for going very very slightly off the original topic, but i just went through this entire experience in looking not for lenses, but for a used body... i had made the decision to get back into slr, now dslr, after many years out of it, researched, and decided on either a canon 40d or and xsi (i'll eventually have both), and started initially to hunt for used to get a decent price... and i was floored... i got out of pro work over 20 years ago, but back then we usually bought used, medium and large format ie rb67 and linhoff 4x5, and all the pros pretty well figured used equipment was worth about 40 percent of the new price, came with no warranty etc etc etc.... but this time, looking for a used dslr ? our local used site is usedvictoria dot com (victoria bc canada), and there were used xsi's a year old, advertised on there for 50 bucks less than brand new ones and they were being snapped up the first day they were advertised, i honestly thought it was insane... what has happened is that the whole "move into dslr" carze has caught on and everyone and his dog now is in a feeding frenzy for the stuff..... i ended up, after a two month search, getting extremely lucky and finding a brand new 40d sitting in a dealers inventory on a dusty shelf and i managed to make a good deal on it, brand new with full warranty etc.... then i started tracking the used website for accessories and lenses.... and about four days ago, a used, a one year old used 40d showed up on the site priced at more than i had paid for the brand new one i bought.... and the thing is, that seller will get that price... it's nuts... but there's nothing you can do about it except keep your eyes open and know that knowledgable shopping will always pay off, just as it did with the 40d i found.... </p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>Keep in mind that a lot of ebay sales are going overseas where taxes or lack of competition means prices are much, much higher. </p>

[paul_f3]

<p>Part of the reason is a change in Ebay fees. In years past the initial listing fee was higher and based upon the starting price, and the commission on sales lower. This encouraged lower starting prices and discouraged sellers from asking a high fixed or starting price. Consequently, a patient buyer could make a good purchase without too much trouble.</p>

<p>Under current Ebay fee pricing, there is little disincentive for a seller to list ridiculously high BIN or starting prices.</p>

<p>Foreign buyers may be part of the problem, but it seems there is a glut of ignorant and/or insane domestic buyers as well.</p>

<p>Ebay has markedly deteriorated as a place to buy used gear for a reasonable price, considering the risk and lackof warrantly, and the wear on shutters and other use limited parts.</p>

<p> </p>

[markci]

<p>I wish I knew where all these over-payers are, and when this "auction fever" takes place, because I listed a really nice 300 f/4 IS L for a starting bid of $800 in November and didn't get a bid. B&H price is $1259 for grey market.</p>

[peter_j2]

<p><strong>Mark Ci:</strong> Your starting bid is too high. Don't even bother with a reserve. Let people gravitate towards your ad with a $1 bid and watch others follow. Pretty soon, your lens will sell for around $1000. Also, lots of closeup photos of your lens and original accessories will attract the buyers. That is what attracted me to several 300/4 IS L's. I didn't win because overzealous bidders went nuts.</p>

[silverfox]

<p>I agree with Peter, I have sold many lenses on ebay among other items and always start at 0.99p with no reserve, the bids soon role in. In a few cases the lenses have sold for more than what I have paid for them. Like a previous poster suggested this could be down to auction fever. I have bought lenses on ebay, second hand/ new also. I just purchased a Tokina 20-35 f/2.8 which was immaculate with everything included + lens hood, pouch etc for £250 buy it now. The key is to ask the seller a lot of questions check the feedback score and comments also make sure he has a returns policy if you are not happy.<br>

To the OP I have seen a few Canon 200mm f/2.8 L EF ii lenses on ebay pretty cheap, this lens is only £650 UK to buy new and is supposed to be an awsome lens, you may miss the zoom of the 70-200mm but i sure it would make a great lens for your motorsports.</p>

[silverfox]

<p>Another thought on this is that when you are paying out thousands of pounds for new lenses, you want them to hold their value!</p>

[jack_lord1]

<p>I agree with the rant. Sometime ago there was this general sense that digital cameras would see their price dropped in a matter of 6 months. Now that overall quality has raised, it's no longer the case.</p>

<p>I see the price for a D300 (ok, like new but, so what) to be just above what you used to pay for a new one, when they were out. That just makes no sense at all.</p>

<p>But, apart from the price issues i don't get the rage against ebay. With common sense applied, and i mean buying from reliable ebayers, private or not, clear images in the bids and such, you can get good stuff at aconvenient price. And there's always the Paypal option that gives your money back, in case something goes wrong.</p>

<p>The real issue with it, in my opinion, is that they're getting too much fixed-price auctions from retailers and less and less private, so it is becoming like every other online shop.</p>