Don’t Stress About Buying The Right Camera Lenses; Just Buy Them All

camera lenses
The used markets are your friend when it comes to buying camera lenses.

Buying new camera lenses is a big deal. New camera lenses aren’t cheap, and no matter how much research you do, or how many reviews you read or watch online, handing over your hard earned money can be tough. There will always be that nagging voice in your head that asks ‘is this what I really want?’ ‘Are you sure this is the one?’ ‘WOW that’s a lot of money’. How in the world are you supposed to be able to try out all the toys when everything is so expensive? The answer to this dilemma are the used and second hand markets.

A recent post on Reddit shared a video from KayEmEn. The video explores the idea of buying all of the camera lenses you want used, instead of buying them new. I know I have done this quite a bit in the past, and it is true, you can save quite a bit of money by doing this. The biggest win though is that used camera lenses don’t fluctuate much when it comes to pricing, which means you can go and buy a lens, and if you decide that you don’t like it, you can resell it and you’ll make almost all of your money back, will break even, or could possibly even profit if you’re lucky enough.

Buying new camera lenses is no different than buying a new car. The second the car rolls off the lot it depreciates in value. The same goes for camera lenses too. The second you unbox it, it’s used, and it has lost value. Unless you are absolutely certain that the new lens you’re buying the the one you really want, and you plan on keeping it for a long time, perhaps buying used is the way to go. Don’t like it? Sell it, then buy the next one.

We of course suggest you be careful if you’re doing this. Do your research on the selling party, check their feedback and customer service scores. If you’re meeting someone in public to make a private purchase, do it in a well lit, public area. In front of a police station is ideal. Anytime you are buying camera lenses, or a high value item from a service like Craigslist or FB Mmarketplace, be safe.

Your safety is always far more important. If they refuse to meet you where you want, just move on to the next lens. Check the camera lenses out thoroughly too by testing them on your camera. Play it smart and you could end up buying your ultimate lens collection for a fraction of the cost of new ones.