what % off would you say makes a used lens worth the discount?

theregoesjb · Sep 26, 2012

I am debating buying a used lens, the seller states that its in perfect working order and it appears in good condition in the pictures. Before i say any price or anything though, based on a 'used but well kept' condition (and remember, no warranty), what % off the 'new' price would you deem reasonable to make worth buying?

.SimO. · Sep 26, 2012

Realistically, it comes to what you are willing to pay. Take the variables into consideration such as the individual selling the item, pictures and documentation of the item(amount of use/abuse) and estimated price point from what the average price is going for on the market. But it all comes down to what you think it is worth really. Even then, I personally wouldn't buy a used lens without being able to test it first. Just my opinion.

usayit · Sep 26, 2012

Its not that simple....

Ultimately, its the value set by the marketplace. There are times when the used lenses carry more value. Variables including condition, model, make, and how well the lens sold initially all come into play. Condition gets even more complex since its subjective: What you deem as "well kept" is different from you or someone else.

pgriz · Sep 26, 2012

Discount? It's a balance between your need/desire for what the lens represents, your risk tolerance, and your willingness to let go of the money. Given that the "price" is set by the seller with a whole set of considerations in mind, it comes down to YOUR needs, the specific item and its condition, and your alternatives in getting something similar from other sources. "Discount" per se, is pretty meaningless.

mjhoward · Sep 26, 2012

It would depend on what lens we're talking about.

cgipson1 · Sep 26, 2012

Top Grade OEM lenses hardly lose value at all! Kit lenses are almost giveaways when used.. depending on the lens.

Third party lenses, even the top ones... lose a lot more value. Low end third party lenses are almost worthless used.

As was mentioned above... we would need to know what lens it is. Check used prices on Amazon, Ebay, Fred Miranda, etc... to get an idea what it is worth.....

Dao · Sep 26, 2012

Used market price determined by the market. There is no such thing with % off. My wife bought a doll few years ago which was made around 1972 and sold for few bucks back then at Walmart. But the price she paid for was over one thousand.

A used few years 18-55mm kit lens Canon lens in good working condition should drop quite a bit while a 20 years old 50mm f/1.8 lens in good working condition cost more than a new one.

Just keep in mind that Good quality high demand lenses usually don't depreciate much because people are willing to pay that much for it. To get a fair price of a particular lens, I usually go to ebay and search the lens and see what the "completed" price are.

If most of the people were buying it for $1000, the fair price is right around that price.

MLeeK · Sep 26, 2012

Depends on the lens.

Patrice · Sep 26, 2012

For a quality OEM lens (nothing exotic from years gone by), readily available new, and in good condition I would start negotiating at 66%. Kit lens, 3rd party, ... etc: go low, real low like 40% or less

Overread · Sep 26, 2012

The last lens I sold went for the same price I bought it for with 0 loss. Granted inbetween me buying and selling there was the recession which bumped up the price of the lens and then the lens went out of production so another price bump. It's very much as the others have said, there is no fixed market value to put to specific second hand goods. Some will sell for more and some for less - research around and you can generally find a rough price to give you an idea of an items worth.

Village Idiot · Sep 27, 2012

I sold a 70-200 f/2.8L IS for more than I paid for it. It was in amazing shape and I got a good deal on it, but by the time I sold it, the prices were going up and I ended up selling it for more than I paid for it. I turned around and bought a new one for less than I sold the used one for when Canon was doing their rebates.

nmoody · Sep 27, 2012

It really depends on the type and manufacture. Nikons high end series don't really loose much value, while third party DX lenses loose a lot of value.

It really is very dependent on the lens and market.

bratkinson · Sep 28, 2012

For me, buying used lenses is a very picky time for me. What I am looking for is "new" condition at a decent savings over new (If still available). If I can't personally examine the lens, ebay, for example, there has to be lots of pictures, and a highly trusted seller. The pictures need to show good closeups of the lens, especially the front and rear elements, and the electrical contacts. If the contacts are well-worn, the lens has lots of miles on it.

Presuming I want to buy that particular lens, I'm looking to save at least 20% over retail. Back in January, I was looking to get a Canon EF 24-70 f2.8L, and found that 'barely used' copies were going for about $100 less than full retail. I decided to buy new and get the full warranty.

I did buy a used Canon EF 200 f2.8L II at about 25% off full retail - mint condition, of course. I also bought an out-of-production Canon EF 80-200 f2.8L "black pipe", mint condition, for 1/3 of what a new 70-200 f2.8L II IS runs. The savings there made it very worthwhile.

As mentioned above, check out the 'going prices' for the specific lens you are interested in, and also check out the prices or better quality comparable lenses from other manufacturers. It's real easy to decide "this is the lens I want" and pull the trigger, only to find out a couple weeks later you paid more than you needed to. Bottom line...WAIT for the deal you want on the lens you want. There's usually no need to get it this week, vs, a month from now.