Here's my situation - I want a Z8 and a Nikkor 100-400 - let's say one must be used, but in 9+ condition, sold here by someone with great reviews, when that option arises. The other will be new. All things being equal, should I buy the lens or the camera used?
Thanks for your opinion.
Honestly buy both used. My Z8 and my 100-400 both came from reputable FM sellers. They work great and saved me a lot of money.
If I did buy one new I would lean camera. I did make sure the shot count was low even though the Z8 has no shutter. Maybe look at refurbs which are usually new minus the box.
dr4tone wrote:
All things being equal, should I buy the lens or the camera used?
I'm with @jpelt78, get both used from here. That's what I did.
If I had to pick, I'd go for used body and new lens. Bodies tend to work or not, while it can be comforting to be able to exchange a lens if it happens to have performance problems.
Here’s the deal. The Z8 is covered by a few recalls and has no shutter. Effectively, even used units have little physical wear internally. I’d buy clean used.
The 100-400 does have some copy variation, I’d much rather have the option to buy and return easily if part of the zoom range isn’t to your standards (I had to do this because my first copy was quite poor between 300-400mm).
I'd buy both used but if you want something new, I'd get the lens new. As others said, it does get more mechanical wear than a body and there's quite a few more bits to go wrong.
Regardless, for used high value items I always buy from a store vs some random guy on the internet. This way you still get warranty and a return/exchange option. I've had a couple of times when the item arrived with subtle faults and the hard-to-spot fungus, it was good to have a solid return policy.
I've recently got a bunch of second hand AF-S lenses for my Zf (all in excelent condition and at good price). Will use them for a while and then "upgrade" to new Z (S) line...
I'm happy so far. I'll lose much less on resale value compared to investing into new glass which I would end up selling if not really used.
I buy used from MPB. They have a six month warranty. I've never had to use it but it's a little bit of peace of mind. I doubt many users here offer the same.
Gary
sum1sgrampa wrote:
I buy used from MPB. They have a six month warranty. I've never had to use it but it's a little bit of peace of mind. I doubt many users here offer the same.
Gary
I have bought lenses from MPB. Caution on their descriptions though. They do not always match what you get. They have offered up some good deals though and can beat Ebay pricing with the warranty as you said. Just check everything carefully, (decentering) AF, etc to make sure you are satisfied within their 14 day return window.
aerospace99 wrote:
I have bought lenses from MPB. Caution on their descriptions though. They do not always match what you get. They have offered up some good deals though and can beat Ebay pricing with the warranty as you said. Just check everything carefully, (decentering) AF, etc to make sure you are satisfied within their 14 day return window.
I've sold to MPB but never bought from them. I've heard mixed things from several people about the condition of their gear, and from photos it seems like they're a lot less conversative than KEH (meaning, they rate gear to be in better condition than KEH would). I've bought used from KEH several times and find them to be very reliable. The downside is that you only get generic photos, while MPB gives you photos of the actual item.
IME it's much easier to test a lens than a camera. Cameras have more potential hidden defects that may be missed. More important buy from a used company with a warranty. Even so you may find out there is internal damage. It's happened to me and no recourse.
I buy cameras mostly used, I buy lenses mostly used. Occasionally I have bought new, but KEH and MPB both offer six month warranties, should be enough time to see if there's anything wrong with your purchase, I've also bought from the B&S here with, so far, no issues.
Im fortunate to have a great camera store nearby with a huge selection of used gear and a 2 week return policy. If they don't have what I'm looking for I'll use KEH with confidence.
No reason not to go used, body or lens, if the seller is reputable.
