Second hand lenses?

Absolutely - I've only ever bought one new one in over forty years of using an SLR. :)
 
Depends where or who you buy from. If you're talking ebay and it's from a seller with less than 99% positive feedback then I'd be cautious, but if it's from a well established web site, or a long term member say on this forum with good positive feedback, then you can feel a lot safer about it. Most used gear web sites will have images of the actual gear, and will state any issues there might be. They will have a grading system for the condition of gear, you can buy a well used lens for a bargain if you don't mind some scratches and grubby marks, or pay extra and get one that looks good as new. The advantage in buying from the better known used sites is returning unsatisfactory items is much less hassle.
 
On a pension cannot afford new lenses or cameras, bought & sold from/to MPB never had a problem. Russ.
 
Thanks guys, ive been browsing eBay to try and get a gist of prices, I cant use the forum yet as I have to wait 60 days, but to be honest it will be a while before I buy new lenses anyway, lenses do seem to hold their money well.
 
All my glass was bought used, and all but one off here.
I bought my 70/200 2.8 used from Grays as they gave me 6 months 0%.
 
Are there any risks involved? Is it a good idea to buy second hand?
There are always risks - there can be faults with new lenses that might not be apparent straightaway. Life itself is a pretty risky business!

Secondhand, buy from a reputable dealer like Ffordes, not someone disorganised like Wacky Cameras.

On Ebay, look at the seller feedback, & where they are. And check their description - if they can't describe the item cogently and in depth then it's likely that they don't have full knowledge of what they're selling. You need a full statement of cosmetic, mechanical and optical condition and operation. Pay through Paypal.

All of my current lenses were bought that way within the UK. I've sold lenses too, describing their condition fully, and all their buyers have been happy.
 
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I cant use the forum yet as I have to wait 60 days,
30 days and 25 posts.
The time will soon go (y)

RULZ

Established Member
This shows that you've settled in properly as a member on Talk Photography. You will be awarded this when you make just 25 posts and have been a member for 30 days. Once you reach this level you can access all our restricted forums (Classifieds etc).
 
Always check out a lens when you first get it, and don't agree it's OK until you're really sure - I bought a lens used that had some serious issues which I didn't spot immediately, and having initially said it was OK the seller absolutely did not want to know.
 
I've bought lenses from here and ebay without any problems and yet some years ago I bought a Canon 100-400 L from mpb and it had a faulty focusing system so it went back and I had a wait 2 weeks for it to be repaired as they didn't have anymore in stock.
I've since sold gear to them and the transactions have all been quick and smooth.
I've also seen recent posts about people receiving faulty lenses.
Don't let that bother you as it will only be a minority but it does question theirs QA.
You just need to be a bit savvy and ask for more photos and the right question with Ebay sellers.
 
I've bought lenses from here and ebay without any problems and yet some years ago I bought a Canon 100-400 L from mpb and it had a faulty focusing system so it went back and I had a wait 2 weeks for it to be repaired as they didn't have anymore in stock.
I've since sold gear to them and the transactions have all been quick and smooth.
I've also seen recent posts about people receiving faulty lenses.
Don't let that bother you as it will only be a minority but it does question theirs QA.
You just need to be a bit savvy and ask for more photos and the right question with Ebay sellers.

I had a couple of not so great items shipped to me from MPB and Camera Jungle too, but that's where the benefit of buying from the better known sites kicks in. They both made up for it in quick-time, and I continue to use them because they did look after me for my troubles. Just bought a lens from MPB last week and it was in better condition than I expected, especially as I got a fair sized chunk off the price in a flash sale.
 
Bought a lens from Camera Jungle, described as excellent, but had a whopping great hair in it.
Got a refund in good time, just ordered another lens from them described as mint, we shall see.
 
I had a couple of not so great items shipped to me from MPB and Camera Jungle too, but that's where the benefit of buying from the better known sites kicks in. They both made up for it in quick-time, and I continue to use them because they did look after me for my troubles. Just bought a lens from MPB last week and it was in better condition than I expected, especially as I got a fair sized chunk off the price in a flash sale.

Funnily enough it was one your posts I was refering to.
 
Bought a lens from Camera Jungle, described as excellent, but had a whopping great hair in it.
Got a refund in good time, just ordered another lens from them described as mint, we shall see.

I bought my XH1 from them when they had a 10% sale on, camera was in excellent nick but the flash was missing, and lugs to attach the strap. I had also paid for next day delivery but it took 5 days to arrive with no tracking info - so I did have to wait in a couple of those days. After complaining, they not only sent those items on, but threw in an extra strap and an extra official Fuji battery too. I also bought a Canon 85mm 1.8 from them, took a chance on it described as well used and going for £159 - lens arrived [quicker this time] in what I would deem to be in very good condition, bargain! You got unlucky with your lens I reckon, they seem to be good at making up for any cock-ups.
 
Funnily enough it was one your posts I was refering to.

I did get a proper dud from them alright, I've already posted about it in their section so didn't want to bring it up again, just to say they did sort it out. But what I had first received should never have left their facility.
 
I happily buy used - as the value holds if it’s a decent lens. I bought a canon 24-70 2.8 in about 2012 for £650 and sold it in 2019 for £600. I also got a 70-200mm 2.8 is in 2009 for £875 and sold it in 2019 for £700. That’s not a lot to lose after owning them for so long and using them often. (Some lenses hold their value better than others).

You can also consider grey import lenses if you want to buy new (there are many that argue for and against these - but you can research yourself - I happily buy them to save 20-30 percent off Uk retail prices) .
 
I bought my XH1 from them when they had a 10% sale on, camera was in excellent nick but the flash was missing, and lugs to attach the strap. I had also paid for next day delivery but it took 5 days to arrive with no tracking info - so I did have to wait in a couple of those days. After complaining, they not only sent those items on, but threw in an extra strap and an extra official Fuji battery too. I also bought a Canon 85mm 1.8 from them, took a chance on it described as well used and going for £159 - lens arrived [quicker this time] in what I would deem to be in very good condition, bargain! You got unlucky with your lens I reckon, they seem to be good at making up for any cock-ups.

Giving them another chance because they did rectify the problem satisfactorily last time plus they have 15% off
Also bought a used lens from Park Cameras, will see how they do.
Both are for my daughter, just easier getting them sent to me because she is rarely about for deliveries.
Means I get a chance to try them out, also get the less pleasant task of returning them if needs be
 
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Currently my three most expensive lenses were bought used (Canon 100-400 Mk2, Canon 300 F2.8 L IS and Canon 800 F5.6 L IS). That lot was £3k (or more) less than the 800 alone! All work perfectly and have done so for 5+ years. My Canon 100 F2.8 macro was bought used more than a decade ago - still happy!

My 1DX, 7D2 and 24-70 F2.8 L Mk2 were all "Grey" imports - all doing fine, just had to teach the 1DX to speak English!

I think you can get my opinion on the subject. There is simply no way I could have gear like this (on my ridiculously low income) without searching the used and "Grey" market.
 
Currently my three most expensive lenses were bought used (Canon 100-400 Mk2, Canon 300 F2.8 L IS and Canon 800 F5.6 L IS). That lot was £3k (or more) less than the 800 alone! All work perfectly and have done so for 5+ years. My Canon 100 F2.8 macro was bought used more than a decade ago - still happy!

My 1DX, 7D2 and 24-70 F2.8 L Mk2 were all "Grey" imports - all doing fine, just had to teach the 1DX to speak English!

I think you can get my opinion on the subject. There is simply no way I could have gear like this (on my ridiculously low income) without searching the used and "Grey" market.

It's funny how different gear grabs different people's attention, but if it's the original 100mm 2.8 macro, non-L, how's the MF on that? and how is she wide open say for portraits? :)
Some great gear you have their, but that's the only one I could afford and I would be adapting it so AF isn't all that important, though it will be using an AF adapter - would obviously mostly use it for actual macro where I always MF
 
I've never bought a second hand lens.
Even if it looks good there's no telling what the previous owner has done to it.
 
EBay has always been my choice for lenses. It is sort of what I would call an 'organized and efficient market'. By studying a particular lens there you quickly get the 'feel' of what the price range should be for a used lens. Then, if something pops out that is really cheaply priced you have to almost know that there is a reason, and stay away from it. So, overall you can get pretty good prices on used lenses and keep yourself steered away from the 'bargains'. Back in my film days of the 1970's there was no place like EBay. So, it was hard to get to grips with prices of uses lenses and bodies, much less their range. But, with EBay and other sites selling used stuff you can pretty much get a good idea of the difference between a good price and a bargain item that is a bargain for reasons. Good luck with the search.
 
I've bought used items from this forum (Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 and an EF 1.4x Extender III) and had no issues at all. Both transactions very smooth and the items totally as described.
 
Also depending on what system/usage you currently have there is always the old manual focus lens market to consider . I just got a vivitar 200mm f3.5 off of e.bay for £22 it’s as sharp as a razor ,( had one before and regretted selling it) got it in Nikon mount so I can use it on my Nikon dslr’s or via a adaptor on my Panasonic mft system.. plenty of classic lenses out there ... there’s more than one way to skin a cat
 
I've never bought a second hand lens.
Even if it looks good there's no telling what the previous owner has done to it.

I'm not sure what anyone could possibly do to a lens that would turn me off bar scratching it up or giving it a bath. You appear to have sold one at least on here, thankfully the buyer wasn't as paranoid.

If there's detailed images of the gear, and the seller has 100% rating/good rep over numerous sales, than it's much more often than not you will have zero issues. As you see above, there can be problems even with well known sites, but it's easier sorted. if you are buying privately, check the gear out in person before committing - I always state on local adverts that potential buyers are welcome to view and test before committing to buy - but they always leave with the goods.
 
Actually had a friend buy a 200-400 with the 1.4tc built in from a well known second hand retailer who took it for service at Canon only to find out it was a pre production model that had been stolen two years earlier from the London fashion show. Canon notified him that it was stolen and immediately destroyed the lens but fair play to the retailer they sent him another unit in replacement once they had conformation from Canon but just goes to show that even buying from well known shops sometimes comes with risks.
 
I've bought used from Grays and Cambrian Photography - you might pay a premium but you always get some sort of warranty with them as well... And the lenses felt as good as new too
 
I'm not sure what anyone could possibly do to a lens that would turn me off bar scratching it up or giving it a bath. You appear to have sold one at least on here, thankfully the buyer wasn't as paranoid.

Glad to see you've researched my history.
There must be dozens of things people can do to lenses that no amount of promotional pictures will reveal.

The old classic is self dis-assembly to remove dust/crap and then screw back together as best as can be.
Also, short of testing all stops, how does anyone know if the aperture mechanism is working as per normal.
Not to mention if a lens has been bumped against something as the damage that could cause may not necessarily cosmetic.

Whilst I'm absolutely sure nobody on this forum would ever dream of selling a lemon to another member, I still prefer paranoia.
 
Glad to see you've researched my history.
There must be dozens of things people can do to lenses that no amount of promotional pictures will reveal.

The old classic is self dis-assembly to remove dust/crap and then screw back together as best as can be.
Also, short of testing all stops, how does anyone know if the aperture mechanism is working as per normal.
Not to mention if a lens has been bumped against something as the damage that could cause may not necessarily cosmetic.

Whilst I'm absolutely sure nobody on this forum would ever dream of selling a lemon to another member, I still prefer paranoia.

It's 2 clicks lol, 'researched' ... haha
 
Glad to see you've researched my history.
There must be dozens of things people can do to lenses that no amount of promotional pictures will reveal.

The old classic is self dis-assembly to remove dust/crap and then screw back together as best as can be.
Also, short of testing all stops, how does anyone know if the aperture mechanism is working as per normal.
Not to mention if a lens has been bumped against something as the damage that could cause may not necessarily cosmetic.

Whilst I'm absolutely sure nobody on this forum would ever dream of selling a lemon to another member, I still prefer paranoia.

When you buy a new lens presumably you test it very thoroughly to rule out any manufacturing problems.
If you bought used from a reputable dealer such as WEX, Park etc you could carry out the same exhaustive tests
In both cases if it was faulty no doubt you would return it, so I fail to see the difference.
 
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It can be more difficult returning a used lens than a new one.
If you have bought it off a business, you have 14 days from receipt to return it regardless of reason. If they object, the credit card (or Paypal) you used to pay for it will help.
 
It can be more difficult returning a used lens than a new one.

Can it?
Most of the reputable used dealers offer a 14 day no hassle returns policy.
In fact I would have thought it was easier, no problems with them having to sell a return at a knock down price
 
It's funny how different gear grabs different people's attention, but if it's the original 100mm 2.8 macro, non-L, how's the MF on that? and how is she wide open say for portraits? :)
Some great gear you have their, but that's the only one I could afford and I would be adapting it so AF isn't all that important, though it will be using an AF adapter - would obviously mostly use it for actual macro where I always MF

Th Canon 100 F2.8 Macro - non L- has pretty good manual focusing, perhaps not as good as some dedicated MF macro lenses but certainly adequate. IQ is on a par with my other L lenses though my 24-70 F2.8 L Mk2 does seem to give a little more life to my images. This is very unscientific but the files (straight from the camera) just seem a little (very little) nicer. AF performance is definitely slower than Canon's non Macro lenses, but this is to be expected. The focus limiter helps here, however AF is accurate/very accurate. I haven't done portraits with this lens (or any lens!) but it performs nicely wide open.

Hope some of this helps.
 
Th Canon 100 F2.8 Macro - non L- has pretty good manual focusing, perhaps not as good as some dedicated MF macro lenses but certainly adequate. IQ is on a par with my other L lenses though my 24-70 F2.8 L Mk2 does seem to give a little more life to my images. This is very unscientific but the files (straight from the camera) just seem a little (very little) nicer. AF performance is definitely slower than Canon's non Macro lenses, but this is to be expected. The focus limiter helps here, however AF is accurate/very accurate. I haven't done portraits with this lens (or any lens!) but it performs nicely wide open.

Hope some of this helps.

Thanks for that, if I can get one at the right price it is definitely on my list.
 
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