2nd hand prices, going through the roof?

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BlackCloud

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Now I won't mention any names but what's going on?! I know about the credit crunch, the fall in the value of the £, the price rises from Nikon, Canon etc. but I'm amazed at the way 2nd hand values are shooting up.

I've just watched a lens that would have gone at £200 a few weeks ago hit £230 with one seller, a few days later two more up at £250, and now £275. Ok, we have to pay the going rate and it's great if we want to sell something, but is the bottom going to fall out of this and will see the same 35-40% drop in the apparent value of our equipment?
 
OK the prices are going up but what is happening the relative difference between New and S/H. I suspect that the difference isn't actually changing much.

About 2 months ago I bought a new 10x ND filter for just short of £60 that same filter now from the same supplier would be £155 :eek:

I suspect we'll not see a big drop in prices for a long time. Yes I'm sure they are near their peak but I think they'll be staying there for a while. Eventually they'll drop in real terms but I suspect not for a while.
 
True most of it is down the the cost of new going up so much due to the exchange rate differences and you can bet your house that suppliers and manufacturers will drag their heels on lowering costs as the pound strengthens, I reckon we're in for an expensive few years before costs start lowering.
 
BlackCloud said:
Now I won't mention any names but what's going on?! I know about the credit crunch, the fall in the value of the £, the price rises from Nikon, Canon etc. but I'm amazed at the way 2nd hand values are shooting up.

I've just watched a lens that would have gone at £200 a few weeks ago hit £230 with one seller, a few days later two more up at £250, and now £275. Ok, we have to pay the going rate and it's great if we want to sell something, but is the bottom going to fall out of this and will see the same 35-40% drop in the apparent value of our equipment?
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True however it's a two-way street....instead of viewing it from a buyers perspective, look t it as if you were selling. Your equipment is likely to reach the same or higher price than you originally paid for it.
 
I'm just amazed people are willing to pay 85% or so of the value of new stuff for used stuff off private sellers. Often stuff can go on ebay for more than Camera Price Buster is saying is the cheapest.

People are out of their minds.
 
Having just sold a load of kit I can say that it may look rosy, but I still took quite a hit. The prices may appear to be high, but I am not sure that very many of the more expensive items are achieving them - only the more popular bits.
 
Tulipone said:
Having just sold a load of kit I can say that it may look rosy, but I still took quite a hit. The prices may appear to be high, but I am not sure that very many of the more expensive items are achieving them - only the more popular bits.
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That may be a part explanation of my observation, it seems certain bits of kit are 'must haves'.
 
FreeloaderJoe said:
I'm just amazed people are willing to pay 85% or so of the value of new stuff for used stuff off private sellers. Often stuff can go on ebay for more than Camera Price Buster is saying is the cheapest.

People are out of their minds.
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evil bay can be silly and unpredictable. 85% of new for some kit doesn't suprise me - why does it you?
 
Prices are mad on some items... I sold an Olympus 50-200mm (non-SWD) on eBay today and it went for £560! :eek:

I paid £350 for it about four months ago...
 
That's Capitalism for you, what did you expect?

If I were to try and sell one of my lenses (not that I want to) then I'd want the best price I could possibly get. The price I paid for it is totally irrelevant. Why on earth should I sell it for less than current market value?

I'm not saying I agree with the system, but it's fact, and complaining about it is unlikely to change it.
 
It really is amazing how the DSLR industry in one of the most expensive hobbies to partake in. No-one bats an eye lide at the price of lens, for example. I'm sure there must be some watch dog somewhere who can look into the prices set my lens manufacturers. It cant be good for consumers.
 
Elliott-Ness said:
It really is amazing how the DSLR industry in one of the most expensive hobbies to partake in. No-one bats an eye lide at the price of lens, for example. I'm sure there must be some watch dog somewhere who can look into the prices set my lens manufacturers. It cant be good for consumers.
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yep sure is - but then again when you think what a remarkable piece of engineering a DSLR & lens is it starts to make sense why. I'm not sure why, who or what a consumer body would investiagte it looks to me like healthy competion between all the manufacturers

Hugh
 
I purchased a canon 100-400 lens last week, checked the 2nd prices first and most were only about 100-150 cheaper than a new lens, when spending this sort of money I decided to go for a new lens
 
The price of flashguns - the manufacturers items anyway, is the biggest joke of all... SB-900, £320 - I wonder what the mark up is on that?
 
2nd hand prices are always based on current retail - it's a small(ish) market, not really subject to any outside influence... I bought my Sigma 100-300mm f/4 from HK 18 months back - paid £450 plus shipping - it's currently more than twice that price new in the UK. I still ain't selling it though:)
 
The thing I feel about 2nd hand lenses more than anything especially on ebay is that you dont really know what you are getting till you get it... and even then you cant tell if the lens might have a niggley fault that you might not notice for months... I just cant believe second hand items hold their value like they do... You would expect a second hand camera lens to have depreciated down to 50% after it was a year old... and I mean that with all sincerity... think about it... you buy it on ebay.... you dont know its true history... you dont have any manafacturers waranty on the lens after a year... and do you really have piece of mind on your purchase....

I guess im on about private auction sales... but I was so surprised recently when I did look at 2nd hand lenses... I was shocked at what people will pay for second hand gear... mind you its good for selling... but still... i CANT THINK OF ANY OTHER CONSUMER PRODUCTS... Ops caps... that hold their value like that!

M
 
markelliot said:
You would expect a second hand camera lens to have depreciated down to 50% after it was a year old... and I mean that with all sincerity... think about it... you buy it on ebay..
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I can understand that with evil bay - to a point, but its worth what people will pay. But why should a well looked after, expensive bit of equipment depricate by 50 % in the first year? Not even (most) cars do that. Yes you probably need to see expensive kit before you buy - but that doesn't lower its value

Cheers


Hugh
 
Bill Roberts said:
That's Capitalism for you, what did you expect?

If I were to try and sell one of my lenses (not that I want to) then I'd want the best price I could possibly get. The price I paid for it is totally irrelevant. Why on earth should I sell it for less than current market value?

I'm not saying I agree with the system, but it's fact, and complaining about it is unlikely to change it.
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Bit over the top mate, you obviously haven't heard me complain :shrug: I was commenting on the increase that seems to be very fast in just a few weeks. You're right it's capitalism and it's market value, people see the last guy got x amount with several possible takers and so will try for y.

Camera equipment and 'the optics industry' (e.g. spectacle lenses etc.) probably combined with rip-off Britain are expensive and disproportinate compared to other industries who have had to be more competitive and have a wider base of customers. Computers and peripherals have continued to fall in prices, as have white goods, cars, tvs and hifi etc. whereas photographic kit has shot through the roof. I guess we are seen as an affluent market to tap into, often reasonably intelligent, reasonable jobs etc. On the secondhand side, the same people seem to not bat an eyelid to be buying and selling and upgrading every few days week or even hours. The good side is yes, equipment has almost been an investment in recent months.
 
I recently sold all my Olympus Gear on ebay, & actually made a profit on some items.

I paid £515 new for the 12-60mm last July & got £600.
FL-50 flash paid £149 new got £180.

Rest of the lenses made near enough retail prices of last summer.
Even the Olympus E-520 made more than i thought it would.

I made a total of over £1100 after ebay & paypal took it's wack.
 
The inflated prices are great if you are selling, as said before. The big problem is, most of us (on this forum) sell to fund new equipment, which prices have rapidly risen.
I paid £650 for a new 70-200/2.8 they are now selling for way more than that 2nd hand, i could be in for a good profit!!! But.......the lens that i want to replace it with has gone up £250 so profit has been eaten up in the new purchase. It was the same 5 years ago, the new/2nd hand market will always have a 15-20% difference, however, this is only really on quality (L) equipment, the lower end of the market has a higher gap between new/2nd hand. We notice it more now because alot of us are now using or upgrading to pro spec gear. Now more people can afford the pro spec gear, the entry level gear prices are falling even more.
Dean:)
 
It is a bit sickening the way the used market has gone lately, but If you are selling a lens there is a good chance you are wanting to replace it with something and going to get stung if buying new. What upsets me is I got a price from kerso for a 24L December 2007 £630 and now see them 2-3 year old for £750 and that hurts:'( but on the other hand I did get all my lenses at a good price and I would not loose a penny on any of them if I sold any.So its swings and roundabouts.:D
 
I've been watching the prices of the 70-200 f2.8 IS lens. MPB have reduced their prices by about £50 over the last month, might be because they've got three.

Just can't afford one now having had to have a new boiler.
 
Byker28i said:
I've been watching the prices of the 70-200 f2.8 IS lens. MPB have reduced their prices by about £50 over the last month, might be because they've got three.

Just can't afford one now having had to have a new boiler.
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The pound hae gained 20p to the dollar since january.
 
Sorry, I hadn't seen the earlier threads... :) Think it was just that I had watched a couple of secondhand transactions here and in another forum and was amazed that the prices on certain items were being driven up.
 
No need to apologise! I just assumed EVERYONE was on the button with this, especially as this seems to be quite a pro 'frequently spending money on equipment' forum!
 
BlackCloud said:
Bit over the top mate, you obviously haven't heard me complain :shrug: I was commenting on the increase that seems to be very fast in just a few weeks. You're right it's capitalism and it's market value, people see the last guy got x amount with several possible takers and so will try for y...
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Oh I wasn't having a pop at you :) I don't like it either. Unfortunately once new prices rise, the used stuff always follows. What really upsets me though is that virtually any excuse is used to raise prices, but once conditions change they rarely if ever go back down again.

cheers
 
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