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buying used lenses

Thinking about buying used camera gear? Watch this first

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We’ve all either bought or thought about buying used gear before now. We know how much we baby our stuff and we know there are other people out there who take just as much care of their kit and are willing to part with it for a reasonable price. There are plenty of reputable companies out there to buy used gear, like KEH and MPB, retailers like B&H with a used department. But what about private purchases?

You see a deal on eBay, Facebook Marketplace or local classifieds and what do you do? What questions should you ask? Well, this video from Photo Tom gives you a whole list of things to check when buying used to make sure you know what you’re buying.

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Be sure to check these for seven things when buying used lenses

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Buying used lenses is a great way to save some money, yet get a perfectly good piece of gear. But you want to make sure that the lens you’re buying is in good condition and that it will serve you well. Some problems are easy to spot, but others can be very sneaky and you may discover them too late. So, before buying that second-hand lens, make sure to watch this video from ZY Productions. It will tell you about seven things you should check to make sure that the lens is worth your money.

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This video shows why you need to be cautious when buying used online

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I’ve bought a lot of used photography gear over the years. Mostly from the used sections of known retailers, but occasionally I’ll find something on eBay or in a Facebook group that looks like a great deal and piques my interest. And while most used gear deals online are genuine, there are a few unscrupulous sellers out there.

This video, shot in 2015 and uploaded to YouTube in 2017, recently resurfaced on Reddit. It shows how Rob Wolchek discovered one eBay seller peddling stolen camera equipment. How do they know it was stolen? The person it was stolen from actually bought it and confirmed the serial numbers against her boxes and receipts.

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Five things to look out for when buying a used lens

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As we all know, lenses can be pretty expensive, and a good way to save some cash is buying them used. To help you make the best choice, Artur Fin shares five things to look out for when buying a used lens. These tips will help you to make sure that you spend less money, yet get the lens that’s in a good condition and that you’ll use for a long time.

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5 Reasons You Should Own At Least One Prime Lens

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If you’ve just made the move from smartphone or point and shoot to a DSLR body, you should now be considering the lenses you use. You have gotten the kit lens along with the camera and wanting another lens for variety, or you are looking to improve the technical quality of your photos. Toby Gelston (aka CameraRec Toby) suggests that at least one of the lenses in your arsenal should be a prime lens.

Prime lenses are lenses with a single focal length (e.g. 50mm, 85mm and so on). While Toby lists 5 reasons for using a prime lens – Bokeh quality; get more light; quality; value for money & size – I think Toby is only scratching the surface with the reasons to go prime. Do you own a prime lens?

[5 Reasons you should own a prime lens via picture correct |  PetaPixel]

Best Tips for Buying Used Lenses

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Let’s face it– photography is expensive. It doesn’t matter if you’re a hobbyist or working professional. We use a lot of stuff and none of it’s cheap. Camera bodies, speedlights, reflectors, memory cards, lighting equipment, backdrops, batteries, stands, hard drives, tripods, back-ups, gear bags, hard cases, the latest gadget-that-you-seriously-cannot-possibly-live-without. And, of course, don’t forget the glass.   Next to the camera itself, quality lenses make up the most expensive component of just about any gear closet.  In an ideal world money would be no object and pesky things like gear budgets would be non-existent, paving the way for me to purchase all of the shiny, brand-new lenses I could possibly want (“Hi, Nikon?  I’ll take one of everything!”).  The reality, though, is that I have to balance my lust for gear against how many meals my rapidly growing 13-year-old son gets to eat each week.  The truth is, the buying and selling of used lenses has almost become an industry all its own.  There are a lot of high-quality second-hand lenses out there, which means you can satisfy your “need” and still save a good bit of money if you’re smart.

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