frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Paul gave you some good advice. But if you buy online the only way to look at it and mount it is to buy it first and then return it if it does not meet the standards.....online, only deal with KEH, Adorama or B&H. I deal mostly with B&H. By only a 9 or 9+ lens. They have good return policies and a good insurance of you desire.

ksmmike

I have purchased 3 or 4 older Nikon lenses from dealers in Japan on Ebay. I was hesitant at first, but every lens I bought overseas came to me quickly and were exactly as described or better. I purchased 2 from people in the US from Ebay and both weren't quite as good as described, though not different enough to send back. I purchased one from the Fred Miranda site and it was mint as described. I think as long as you're careful who you buy from, you will be ok.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Perhaps you will see the lenses you want in the forum here for used cameras and lenses. I believe it is important to ask if the lens is a genuine US import. To me it is important to know if the lens has been repaired or has suffered an impact in the past. The optics, of course, should be clean and free of scratches and fungus.
I never had an issue with any of the lenses I bought and by the way, I do not buy from Ebay.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Good E-bay (and other) advice, I would add (with E-bay, or anyone) that if you feel the item was overpriced for actual received condition, or are not happy with something, even if "seller does not offer returns" do not be afraid to try to "re-negotiate the final price". Many sellers fear the bad reviews more than a price reduction, and it could turn the sale into a more positive experience, more acceptable to the buyer. A "re-bate" or credit for partial funds is often possible. Do not forget the "E-bay money back guarantee", as last resort.

NCMtnMan Loc: N. Fork New River, Ashe Co., NC

I prefer to buy refurbished from the manufacturer. Comes with a warranty and is often practically brand new. Just bought a normally $900 lens from Nikon for $630 and it is in perfect condition with everything a new one comes with except 1 year warranty. It has a 90 day one. This is the third I've bought from them with similar results.

OlinBost Loc: Marietta, Ga.

I have bought off eBay and Amazon with no issues. Most came from dealers.

Nikon1201

I buy all my lenses from KEH.

Bob Locher Loc: Southwest Oregon

I have bought a number of lenses on eBay and have never been burned. But I always look for lenses advertised as being clean and pristine, no scratches, no fungus. You want the focus mechanism to be smooth, and same for the iris, with no oil on the iris blades. Also, if later you no longer need the lens, you can probably sell it back on eBay for just about what you bought it for.

If you really want to save some cash, buying a lens with a scratch can save you big bucks, if all else is good. A significant scratch really cuts into the value of a lens. Once you get it what you do is take some very fine black paint and paint over the scratch with an artist brush. The lens will still be as good as new except that you will have lost a tiny fraction of the transmitted light - but since pretty much all cameras meter through the lens anyhow this is not an issue.

On the other hand, a lens with a number of fine scratches will never have decent contrast and should be avoided.

I have also bought lenses from KEH, KOH and Roberts Camera. (Yes, I love to play with lenses!) Without exception all have been as described, and I would gladly buy from any of them again if it was appropiate to my needs.


Cheers


Bob Locher

kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV

I have $1100.00 in two camera bodies, both obtained on eBay. The first was a Canon 7D for $200.00. The seller described it as being unable to produce sharp images. After some back and forth discussion about said problem she sounded exasperated. Since there were no other bids I got it. Came to find out that there was a settings problem,a factory reset on the camera and it's still humming along spectacularly.

The second body was a 7DII with factory battery grip slightly under 8000 clicks on the shutter. Again I contacted the seller before bidding,and got it for $75.00 under the advertised price of$1050.00. It was in excellent condition and is a joy to use.

I might add that I have also purchased from Robert's Camera and Hunt's Camera and have found both to be 5 star companies.

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

I have bought 4 cameras and a couple dozen lens’ from eBay and would echo Kdogg and Chgcanon advice adding that for me high positive feedback is 99.6 percent plus and I like transaction no. To be in the thousands. I’ve gone outside these numbers a few times without getting burned but I attribute that to luck.
I’ve also had great luck with all the previously mentioned vendors.
Good luck, and remember, it’s only money!

jcboy3

I buy used frequently. Buy only from sellers with good rating/review and a number of sales; avoid sellers that have just started. Buy only with Paypal, and ensure that your sale is covered by the eBay/Paypal guarantee. Read the listing, and inspect the images of the lens, carefully; the seller is obligated to note any issues with the lens. You are concerned with dust, fungus, scratches or other surface defects. You are concerned with correct operation of dials, switches, motors. You are concerned with uniform sharpness. And you are concerned with any mechanical noise.

If you have any questions with the seller description, or something you see in the pictures, ask the seller before bidding.

Then buy the lens.

When you get the lens, ensure that the package shows no shipping damage. If it does; send it back unopened.

Once you open the package, inspect the lens. Compare it with the pictures to ensure it is the same item. If serial numbers are shown in the picture (that is a positive for any listing on eBay), compare them. Verify that the lens matches the listing and the condition matches the sellers description.

Test the lens. Take pictures; verify that it zooms, focuses, stabilizes. Take test images of newspaper or brick walls, to verify uniform sharpness.

If you are satisfied with the performance of the lens, then congratulation...you just got a good deal.

If you are not satisfied, then contact the seller with your issues. The seller can offer a return, exchange, or discount; whatever will satisfy you. Do not, however, request anything other than a return if you are not satisfied. Asking for a discount is frowned upon and can impact your ability to resolve the issue through eBay.

If the seller does not respond or offer a solution, you can elevate your issue to eBay. They are quite buyer oriented; often to the dismay of sellers that feel they are being cheated by buyers. But you will usually get a quick resolution to your issue; you return the item and get a refund. Shipping is usually covered in the return.

Finally, always use eBay to communicate with the seller. They keep track of all of your correspondence and use that to resolve your issue. Do not communicate by other means with the seller; there is no record of that conversation so it will not help your case.

I have bought and sold on eBay since 1998. The only issues I have had were with some purchases shipped from China; so be careful buying from foreign sellers. I only buy inexpensive hardware from overseas; nothing optical or mechanical.

DanielB Loc: San Diego, Ca

I have bought many excellent second hand lenses locally off of Craigslist but I would never buy from eBay for one reason...I can't get hands on until I've already purchased it. With Craigslist I can go with my camera and get a close look at what I'm buying and try it out at the same time.

LenCreate

A few people mentioned B&H, Adorama, KEH and Cameta as reliable sources for used lenses. Also look at mpb.com. It's a British company that now also has an office in New York City. I bought a used Nikon 70-200mm VRII from mpb recently at a lower price than quoted by the other sellers. It was listed as being in mint condition and it was. Not a mark on the body, glass, lens caps, hood, case, owner's manual or the original box and it even came with the registration/warranty cards.

kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV

I second the advice on using PayPal. Only had one bad experience on eBay and PayPal stepped in and I got a refund. Had a waiting period but it was worth it. I haven't seen that seller on eBay since.

Jersey guy Loc: New Joisey

I have never tried ebay for a critical item like a lens but I have bought refurbished from manufacturer (Canon) and was 100% pleased.