At KEH, who has experience with their quality codes, such as EX and BGN? If I have my eye on a BGN item, are we talking about functional defects or merely cosmetic defects?
KEH ratings are conservative, I bought a lens as ex and it looked like new to me. Never bought a BGN but I would bet it would function perfectly. They are nice and heplful so I would think a quick call or email would take care of any concerns.
Digitalbug, If I were buying a used 1D3 (again) I would use the FM B&S boards (again). I say this not b/c I wish to boost FM but because I think you're likely to get much better prices there than at either B&H or KEH (the latter are much better for lenses than cameras IMO). You could probably pick up one cheaper still on eBay or Craigslist but the risks are much greater there than on FM & there is much less ability to research either the camera or the seller.
If ability to return the camera is a greater priority than price, then any of the big three (Adorama, B&H & KEH) can give you similar deals on used equipment.
globalkiwi wrote:
Digitalbug, If I were buying a used 1D3 (again) I would use the FM B&S boards (again). I say this not b/c I wish to boost FM but because I think you're likely to get much better prices there than at either B&H or KEH (the latter are much better for lenses than cameras IMO). You could probably pick up one cheaper still on eBay or Craigslist but the risks are much greater there than on FM & there is much less ability to research either the camera or the seller.
If ability to return the camera is a greater priority than price, then any of the big three (Adorama, B&H & KEH) can give you similar deals on used equipment....Show more →
KEH's prices on bodies tends to be a tad higher than the going rate in the B&S forum, but their lens selection and prices are great. They are known for being very conservative on the lens ratings. I bought a BGN Magic Drainpipe that was in excellent condition.
Maybe a little off-topic, but where do stores like KEH get a constant inventory of lenses from? I mean, are they secretly buying up our lenses from the B&S board here and in other places? Just curious. I assume B&H takes trades in the actual store (yes, I know you can send them gear and get a check) more than they do online. But does KEH have a brick+mortar store somewhere?
Matt Philbin wrote:
Maybe a little off-topic, but where do stores like KEH get a constant inventory of lenses from? I mean, are they secretly buying up our lenses from the B&S board here and in other places? Just curious. I assume B&H takes trades in the actual store (yes, I know you can send them gear and get a check) more than they do online. But does KEH have a brick+mortar store somewhere?
They have a brick and mortar warehouse, but not really a store. They buy a lot from estates, closing camera shops, etc. in bulk and also from individuals who want a quick sale without the hassle of selling online. I can promise they don't buy from B&S, the prices they pay are far less than B & S prices (DUH! they have to make a profit).
I can see the individuals who want a quick sale, and maybe even the newspaper-type photography departments that unload stuff in "lots". But you would think the average user of "L" class (or Nikon's equivalent) lenses would know better than to let them go for a cheap price. Then again, when I was a kid I worked at a Mercedes and Acura dealership, and we never had to look far to find used inventory. Makes sense, I guess.
Matt Philbin wrote:
Maybe a little off-topic, but where do stores like KEH get a constant inventory of lenses from? I mean, are they secretly buying up our lenses from the B&S board here and in other places? Just curious. I assume B&H takes trades in the actual store (yes, I know you can send them gear and get a check) more than they do online. But does KEH have a brick+mortar store somewhere?
They go on "buying trips" for one thing. They were in Orlando a month or so ago and will be in Tampa this coming weekend as I remember.
They used to have a B&M store in Atlanta many years ago but sell strictly online now.
I'm a big KEH fan, and have bought lenses from them that were rated a EX, but were out-of-the-box-flawless. The one thing that has been pissing me off lately though is there price fluctuations on bodies. I understand supply and demand, but some of their prices have gotten out of hand, like ebay out of hand. Other than that their service has been great and their lens prices are typically very, very fair. Just don't buy bodies there.
