Opinions on buying used gear?

[dan_catinella]

<p>I really want to get a Nikon 17-55. Budget's tight to spend 1400 but I can find used lenses for between 900 and 1000 in the area. <br>

With something as finicky as a piece of glass I'm hesitant to purchase anything used. I'm curious what peoples experiences are.</p>

[michael_bradtke]

<p>I buy used gear all of the time. Mostly lenses and mostly from KEH.com. They have a no questions asked return policy as well as a warranty period on the used gear they sell</p>

[wade_roth]

I haven't bought a lot of used gear but from my limited experience it seems like where you buy it is key. I've

used KEH and I've never had a problem. I buy bargain grade too. The last think I bought was a Nikon

300mm 2.8. It has a ton of brassing but the elements are perfect. I had to replace a threaded piece that's

used to fasten the lens hood to the lens (~$20) but I didn't see that as a big deal. Good luck.

--Wade

[marypar4]

<p>I agree, buy from a reliable source such as KEH or your local camera store. I have purchased serveral lenses on ebay and luckily they have been as advertised and all went well, but its risky unless the merchant has a 100% positive feedback. Make sure they have a 14 day return policy..if not do not buy. Most reliable sellers will honor a return.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Modern lenses are of course more "finicky" than the old manual-focus mechanical lenses, but the used AF lenses I have bought in various mounts have all been fine with one exception that I had bought from KEH, and they replaced it immediately.</p>

<p>Even the established eBay vendors (lots of transactions and good feedback) almost always stand behind the sale in the relatively few instances of problems that I have had in all categories of photo equipment. There are also regular, brick-and-mortar vendors that sell on eBay. I've always had good luck with them, too.</p>

[Michael R Freeman]

<blockquote>

<p><em>"...I'm hesitant to purchase anything used."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Why? Used lenses, if well cared for and not abused, are no more prone to problems then new ones. If you buy brand new, then use it for a few months or a year, it's used. In other words, it's exactly the same as a used lens that is offered for sale by someone else who purchased it brand new and then decided to sell it.</p>

<p>Buying new gets you the peace of mind of a warranty for a limited term, but you do pay a premium for that. Only you can decide if the premium (hefty in this instance) is worth it to you.</p>

<p>Either way, buy from a reliable vendor. I have purchased both new and used Nikon autofocus lenses. Never had a problem with a single one.<br /> -</p>

<blockquote>

<p><em>"I have purchased serveral lenses on ebay ... but its risky unless the merchant has a 100% positive feedback."</em></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Then you won't want to buy anything from KEH, Adorama, or B&H Photo on eBay. None of those vendors has a 100% rating. :-)</p>

<p>There is nothing magically safe about 100% positive feedback, nor is there necessarily anything risky about a seller just because they may not have a perfect feedback rating. EVERY single seller on eBay is just one transaction away from being labelled "risky" by that definition.</p>

[chris_brandt1]

<p>I suggest using great care in your personal safety but I have bought three wonderful lenses from people on Craigs List. Just last week I bought a Nikon AF 300mm F/4 that looks and operates like it was brand new. And it was 20% the cost of the new AF-S 300 f/4. I took my body and tested it very well before I handed over the cash.<br>

<br />Good luck.</p>

[SCL]

<p>I've bought a ton of used gear over the last 15 years. Like others suggested....use a reputable dealer with generous return privileges, if using an auction site be sure you have return privileges and you have properly vetted the seller, If buying in person....test everything out on the spot. If you don't know how to do that let us know and we'll offer some tips.</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<p>For a long time, I stayed away from used camera equipment, and I still avoid used digital bodies and flash, but in the last 7 years or so I've bought a bunch of used lenses, all NIkon, including a bargain in excellent condition of a 17-55mm f/2.8 AF-S, a heavily used, dented-hood, optically excellent 135mm f2.0 Ais, a lovely 300mm f/4 AF-S with a hood that doesn't slide out, a very nice 85mm f/1.4 D, a bargain 80-200mm f/2.8 D in good optical condition but bad AF that was bought for a song. All were bought from local private sellers on Craig's List except the 85mm, which came from B&H, and the 135mm, bought from a photo.net member. The 80-200 was repaired locally at a cost that still made it a bargain.</p>

<p>For me, buying locally is made better by the Brooks Institute of Photography here in Santa Barbara. Good for bargain hunting, but very sad for photography, we have many Brooks students who decide to do something else with their lives and get rid of their photo equipment on their way out of town.</p>

<p>Dan, since money is tight, <em><strong>don't overlook the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8</strong></em>, which you could buy new for less than the Nikon 17-55m f/2.8 AF-S costs new. I have the non-AF-S, non-stabilized one along with the NIkon. The two are very close in performance. The Nikon is perhaps a tiny bit sharper (and heavier and tougher) while the Tamron is more resistant to flare.</p>

[elliot1]

<p>Keh is a great source, especially because they offer a 14 day no-hassle return policy and 6 month warranty on all used equipment.<br>

<br>

I have purchased several lenses from them and they are always in better condition than their rating system indicates. I have bought several bargain lenses that arrived in near mint condition.<br>

<br>

They currently have a genuine Nikon 17-55mm listed in excellent condition for $850.<br>

</p>

[tony_demonte]

<p>I have never had a problem buying used gear before. knock on wood for the next time. I don't see a problem with buying used because I know what the new price is compared to what you can buy it for used.</p>

<p>I like keh. like everyone on here has said, very reliable. I also like CL for the convenience of just meeting up with someone and making a deal. be careful with CL though. check serial numbers if possible. I usually do. </p>

<p>used = saving money for another lens or just a rainy day. </p>

 

[Two23]

<p>Most all of the photo gear I've bought over the years (and I'm talking tens of thousands of $$) has been used. That includes my own Nikon 17-55mm f2.8. I just bought a Nikon D7100, and now that I think about it, that's the first "new" camera I've bought since 2005. The last "new" lens I bought was probably in 2010. NOT including my historical lenses, I'd guess about 75% of my gear was bought used. I get more for my money and take much less of a hit when I resell.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[kohanmike]

<p>Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Tamron or Sigma 17-50 f/2.8? Both have stabilization that the Nikon does not have (which I have found very useful with my Tamron). My experience with third party lenses is they are 95-100% as good and almost half the price.</p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>I've bought used gear from a local camera store, from georgeury.com, and from the classifieds here at photo.net. Had great success all three of those times!</p>

[tony_demonte]

<p>I have the nikon 16-85mm. great lens. nice and sharp throughout. I was going to get the sigma 17-50mm and of course read and watch numerous reviews online. from what I gathered, although a fine lens (sigma), the sharpness drop-off from the center to the edges was so much. sharp in the center. not sharp at all on the edges. the Nikon performed better throughout the frame I thought. you could easily find a nikon 16-85mm on CL for under 400 cash.</p>

[kgavin]

<p>Buying used gear is typically not a problem, especially if you stick with an outfit like KEH or a local authorized Nikon dealer who has used equipment. I typically buy used lenses, and out of the seven lenses I have, only one was bought new. The great thing about buying used is that if you eventually sell, you will probably recover 95% of what you paid for it, versus a much lower percentage with a new item.</p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>The safest move, with no hassles, is to buy from KEH. Items from them have always been as described and often better. If not, no problem returning. </p>

<p>eBay since a couple years ago has policies that favor and protect the buyer. You'll be able to return an item not as described, even if listed as "No returns." Most sellers are very nice reasonable people. But, you might get one who isn't, you might have a bit of hassle, you might have to file a complaint with eBay, and you might pay some shipping.</p>

<p>I've bought a lot on eBay, but for a 17-55 f/2.8 I might go with KEH.</p>

[peter_simpson1]

Much of my inventory, and some of my favorite Nikons are from KEH. Overlooking their stock, especially if you are on a budget is, in my opinion, a mistake. I had a problem once with a lens iI bought from them, and it was quickly exchanged for another with absolutely no problems.

[francisco_salaquanda]

<p>Our way of doing business in Oceania differs a little, but anyone who has suffered buyers remorse knows that its the quality of the dealer that matters when it comes time to return a product. So the answer boils down to the terms of the warranty, the statutory warranty afforded by consumer law, and the ability of the dealer to supply an alternative.</p>

<p>In my view, the service offered by KEH, B&H and Adorama is more than outstanding. And with five day delivery to here by courier, that's often faster than a local sourcing.<br>

What has also landed in law in our region here is the requirement for a manufacturer to provide a second source to purchasers apart from their authorised dealers. That's now the case in NZ, Australia and most ASEAN region countries. This has done more to sharpen up the business practices of OEM dealers and its a good thing.</p>

<p>That's why we down here are bemused at the antics of Nikon US foisting on you all sorts of restrictions and attempting to adhere to practices that the other part of the world has abandoned long ago.</p>

<p>Those big dealers above know the global market and its why they can compete internationally. I recommend them to anyone who is concerned about hidden or not-revealed faults. In fact, I am in the process of purchasing a Leica IIIf and a 50 Elmar and I have complete confidence in their description.</p>