Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

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Archive 2009 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

tpsfoto
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p.1 #1 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

I shoot sports & events.....
I do own the 200mm F2 VR , 300mm AFS-I F2.8 , 600mm F4 AFS-1 & a 200-400mm F4 VR.... A person wants to trade me a 400mm F2.8 AFS-II in great shape for my nearly new 200-400mm ..... I am thinking of doing it .... is it a good deal? since I have the other focal lens covered, getting a fast 400 & will sell the 600mm since I can put a 1.7ex on the 400mm & get a long lens with similar speed. The problem I find with a zoom when shooting action .... you are very often playing with the zoom & not concentrating on the shot.... with the single focal length the shot is the most important thing....
He is willing to send me his firast ...play with it & send back which ever lens I want....The only down side I can see is that this lens is light weight.....

Any Ideas out there

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:12 AM

millsart
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p.1 #2 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

Sounds a bit fishy to me, especially since it seems he wants to bend over backwards to make the deal happen by telling you he'll send you the 400 and let you play with it, then send back which ever one you like. The shipping cost alone is going to be pretty high in doing that.

Just doesn't make any sense to me. A 400 2.8 AF-S vII sells for over $6000, I sold mine for $6400 I belive it was. A 200-400 can be had for under $6000 new, and I bought mine used for$4500.

Why go out of your way to trade a lens thats easily worth $6000 used for a lens that can be bought for $6000 new or that can be had for less than $5000 used ?

As they often say, if its too good to be true, then it probably is.

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:25 AM

tpsfoto
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p.1 #3 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

He claims that he wants a light weight lens???? with more focal length choices.
I told him to send it .... he does have good feedback here, ebay & is a member of Sportsshooter.....

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:30 AM

vario1
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p.1 #4 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

I don't see how you loose in this deal. You get to play with the lens first to see if you like it, and if not, send it back. How is this a bad deal? Certainly if there was something strange going on, he would not have sent it out first for you to have a go with it.

Nov 20, 2009 at 12:33 PM

DGC1
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p.1 #5 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

Nov 20, 2009 at 03:16 PM

allstarimaging
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p.1 #6 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

Value wise I think you are okay. Used 200-400's are trading around $5,200 and if his 400 2.8 is super clean with case, etc. It's value is probably the same if it's the AFS II version. I had the 400 2.8 AFS II lens and it is blazing fast. For sports I also prefer the primes. You may find with a 200 2.0 VR and a 400 2.8 that makes the 300 a "tweener" and that may be able to be sold as well. Good luck with the trade and if you prefer primes you won't be dissapointed.
Jack
www.allstarimaging.com

Nov 20, 2009 at 03:36 PM

dj dunzie
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p.1 #7 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

I'm with Jack here entirely. Seems like a fair deal especially the way he's put it to you, I prefer the primes, and the 300 may have less ideal uses if you combine the 200 and 400 in your kit. Throwing a 1.4X TC in the mix and really the 300 might be excess kit, despite the fact it's a stunning lens.

Nov 20, 2009 at 04:22 PM

millsart
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p.1 #8 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

vario1 wrote:
I don't see how you loose in this deal. You get to play with the lens first to see if you like it, and if not, send it back. How is this a bad deal? Certainly if there was something strange going on, he would not have sent it out first for you to have a go with it.

Thats the part that sound a bit too good to be true, because not only is someone willing to send you their $6000 lens up front (who on earth would do a deal like that for one ? When I sold mine I darn well made sure the check cleared before I shipped) but they are also doing in for a deal where given the deal, should clearly be in the drivers seat

Heck, I'll trade anyone my 200-400 for a 400 in a heartbeat because I know I can sell the 400 for more than the cost of a new 200-400, and if I rebuy a used 200-400, pocket an easy $1000 or more off the deal.

Its its a case of someone being far to eager to basically rip themselves off, and going well out of of their way to do so, then well, more power to the OP, its a heck of a deal and thats great.

I'm just saying though, maybe sure there isn't something going on here because sometimes when you think you got a smoking deal in a "cant lose" situation you end up losing.

Maybe its all legit, I don't know, but I'd be cautious and wouldn't let the great deal and lack of "risk" have me put my guard down. I'd go over that 400 with a fine tooth comb to make sure its working, has no hidden issues, etc, know what I mean ?

Nov 20, 2009 at 05:06 PM

tpsfoto
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p.1 #9 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

Thanks for all the input I will let you know when or If it arrives....

Larry

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:06 PM

millsart
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p.1 #10 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

tpsfoto wrote:
Thanks for all the input I will let you know when or If it arrives....

Larry

Make sure your shipping with someone who can give you tracking info and insuring everything as well. Don't want to get into those situations where someone says something arrived damaged but the seller says it was fine when it was packed and not their problem, or that it didnt show up etc. Might even want to pay the extra cost and have it packed at a staffed location.

We've all heard those stories where someone sends a box of rocks and then tries to flip things around saying they shipped the real item and the buyer actually took the real item out, put rocks in the box and tried to claim fraud. Becomes an issue of your word against theirs, and when there are no financial records of the transaction taking place, as its a trade, there is little recourse as your credit card company can't reverse a charge etc to get your money back

Nov 20, 2009 at 07:34 PM

RRRoger
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p.1 #11 · Am I making a good deal? 200-400 for a 400mm F2.8

Beware of shipping insurance. I recently sent a lense to Nikon for adjustment.
When it got there, the filter and front element were broken.
The insurance refused to pay as the lense was sent for repair, thus assuming the damage was already done. Nikon had thrown away the packing, thus proof of dropped box and assumed the same as shipper. Would anyone actually ship a box full of broken glass?

I suggest taking a picture of the contents, pack and send it in front of a witness.

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:04 PM


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