Busted lens - worth fixing?

[krisb23]

My 1 1/2 year old son recently pulled my camera off the table, and cleanly snapped the lens off the camera. The lens is a stock lens that came with my Nikon D80 initial purchase - an 18-135mm, which I've been told Nikon doesn't make anymore.

I went to Ritz camera and they said they can ship it out to be fixed for $200. I'm wondering if it's worth it to get it fixed - I know the lens isn't superior quality, but the range might make it a useful one for my bag, supplemented by others which I'm now shopping around for.

Any thoughts on whether to repair it or spend the $200 on another lens instead?

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[rhinoryan]

have you checked the prices of the same lens secondhand?

 

[krisb23]

Good point - do you have some advice on sites to search? I usually check Amazon, eBay, and craigslist - are there other sites that are more specific for camera gear?

 

[Dao]

If you want to see lens prices in the entire craigslist site (all cities), you can search this in google

"nikkor 18-135mm site:*.craigslist.org" or
"nikon 18-135mm site:*.craigslist.org"

That should give you an idea how much people are asking for across the craiglist site, not just in your local area.

There are some places also sell used photography equipments such as adorama, B&H, keh.com.

 

[KmH]

....... are there other sites that are more specific for camera gear?

Yes.

• KEH.com
• Adorama.com used gear department
• BHPhotoVideo.com used gear department
• CametaCamera.com used gear department

 

[photograham]

Did you ever find anything?

 

[PatrickHMS]

If you want to see lens prices in the entire craigslist site (all cities), you can search this in google

"nikkor 18-135mm site:*.craigslist.org" or
"nikon 18-135mm site:*.craigslist.org"

That should give you an idea how much people are asking for across the craiglist site, not just in your local area.

There are some places also sell used photography equipments such as adorama, B&H, keh.com.

That's doing it the long and hard way.....

Ever hear of CraigsPal ???

It is FREE to download software, BY the Craigslist people, and is a search engine designed specifically FOR Craigslist.

You can search for specific items, whatever you choose, you can include keywords, exclude keywords, save searches, and specify ANY ONE or ALL CL sites (USA or Worldwide) to search for whatever it is you want. Searching ALL USA CL sites takes no more than 5-10 minutes, and it creates a list for you as you go along when it finds what you are looking for, that you can browse.

There is also a paid version that will watch and notify YOU (by email)
whenever something you are looking for is listed on any CL site you have chosen to watch.

You no longer have to surf around to all CL sites, the CraigsPal search will do it for you...

Good stuffff!!!!!!

 

[krisb23]

Did you ever find anything?

I have learned that the used ones are going for just slightly more - I think I am just going to get it fixed for $200 and buy a new prime lens to learn more on ;-) Thank you all for your help and for the site references - those are really coming in handy!