[Closed] How much is 'new' worth for SLR lenses?

Depends on condition dunnit?

Well they say 'good' condition.. can't see any flaws in the pics.

If it was as new in original box and described as fully working and unmarked then that would be about right. If it was heavily used then way too expensive.

The new one based on that price difference. At least you can get it fixed/returned if it's got focus or alignment issues.

Good point, hadn't though of that.

Whats the lens? What fit? Zoom or prime?

£200 for a new lens is quite cheap anyway, if its a prime then there's less that can go wrong compared to a zoom. But saying that £50 for the new one which gives you warrenty etc would appear a good deal.

I just sold a £360 lens for £180, and it was as new, perfect condition, always had a UV filter on it, and carried in lowepro bags, to me it was worth £360 but they buyer doesnt get the assurance of the 'new' bit. So I had to be prepared to lose money on it. Saying that the I made much more than what I lost on the lens from selling the prints the the lens produced!

This:

[img] [/img]

Olympus 25mm f2.8 pancake.

Am I to assume you are an Olympus user olympus? Let me know if you've got owt else to sell 🙂

That lens is cool! I have toyed and toyed with the idea of buying that for my e410 as it would then fit in a coat pocket and be a lot smaller than my e30 + 12-60 setup!

I am an olympus user, it's good to meet a fellow olympian, we're a rare breed!!

Try googling "ebay flash camera", this guy, Iain, sells new lenses from Scotland, at almost US prices, so I guess he imports. If he doesnt have what you're after, send him a message and he can get it within 12 days or so. No customs tax to worry about as that's his risk. I've bought 2 lenses from him, one of which (the 50mm f2) is the best lens I've ever used in my life.

Getting back to your lens, £50 is £50, its upto you whether its worth the same as piece of mind. Ask the person selling if they have a flickr account so you can see some examples that theyve produced with the lens. Don't just look at those though, look at all their photos. Do they take photography seriously? Not necessarily are they a great photographer but are they trying to be? If the answer is yes then they probably care about their hobby and kit, so the lens is well looked after.

From Olympus point of view, their lenses are fantastic, the build quality, even the kit lenses is far greater than Canikon lenses, so I'm sure the second hand one will be fine.

If the answer is yes then they probably care about their hobby and kit, so the lens is well looked after

it's good to meet a fellow olympian, we're a rare breed

Yep, 🙂 On here I think 5thElefant uses a Pen and PePPeR is the only other E system user. Every time someone comes on here asking about DSLR they get the usual Canikon advice, I always mention Oly and post links to amazing bargain bundles but no-one has yet bought one on my advice 🙂

I almost bought that lens as soon as I got my E600 but kept putting it off, partly cos it's not that quick and partly because of dpreview's reservations about IQ. However I've been learning about managing noise for higher ISO and also the scarcity (and cost) of decent fast primes, and I've also been wishing for something I can easily take with me biking, maybe even strap to my front so I can just stop and snap, so I reckon it's a goer.

So far I've got

E-600
14-42mm f3.5-5.6
40-150mm f3.5-4.5
70-300mm f4.0-5.6
35mm f3.5 macro

This and the 9-18mm wide angle should cover everything I feel like doing I reckon. The lenses do seem to be excellent vfm I agree - although there's naff all second hand their 'standard' range is so good that you can just buy new 🙂

PS I almost bid for a Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 on eBay the other day.. went for £570 in the end...

Or buy s/hand from a shop, still cheaper and a chance to inspect before buying with usually some sort of warranty too

TT, there are four camera shops in Cardiff and only one 4/3 lens between them. It was this same one I am after actually for only £100 but it had a massive glob of crud in it. Wouldn't have affected the picture probably but it made me feel all panicky and itchy just looking at it! Out, out!

Try googling "ebay flash camera", this guy, Iain, sells new lenses from Scotland,

I've dealt with him, he's known as Kerso and has a good rep on loads of camera sites

If you're on flickr theres a group called Olympus E-system community, they have a deal thread where people sell 2nd hand lenses. Thats where I sold my 18-50mm f2.8.

I went for the Sigma 10-20 (not the 3.5 one) cos the 9-18 wasnt out then, its a great lens and a bit cheaper than the 9-18. It's bigger though.

If you ever consider upgrading you're standard kit lens, take a look at the 14-54mm f2.8-3.5, great lens. I would have got that had I not been in the states and able to get the 12-60.

Way down the line I might upgrade my kit lens, I was thinking of the 12-60mm like you have.

molgrips - Member
TT, there are four camera shops in Cardiff and only one 4/3 lens between them.

And you wonder why people suggest Canon/Nikon?? 😉

As for the new/old lens thing, if I could try the 2nd hand one out I'd go for that one (so long as it was OK).
But, if it was an eBay purchase or similar, I would buy new for the sake of £50. For me it'd be worth the extra to get something nice & new & have the reassurance of some comeback if there's any issues.

And you wonder why people suggest Canon/Nikon?

Hehe.. no, I know why, and I admit it. However to balance that you can just order the new ones from Amazon and they are almost as cheap as the second hand kit and very good indeed. So it's swings and roundabouts, really. Less choice, but the choices you have are excellent (in most areas) and cheap.

Less choice, but the choices you have are excellent (in most areas) and cheap

I paid £100 new for my 40-150. Is that not cheap? Also, can you get an effective 600mm f5.6 for Canon for £350?

Yeah Zuiko stuff is expensive. But its better than the equivalent ranges IMO, in terms of build quality etc.

The fact the weather seal the Pro grade and Super High grade stuff is what sold Olympus to me. Theres a lot of pros use E3s and E5s for the weather sealing alone.

That said, if I was starting out again, I wouldve gone down the Nikon road I think. But I've thousands of pounds inversted in 4/3s now so tough! I'll switch when I eventually go full frame, but that is a distant horizon at the moment.

If only Olympus had a large market share there would be a big 2nd hand market, or even new market! But if you're buying its hard to find stuff, and if your selling its hard to find more than one person to buy, so price is an issue, so ya knackered both ways!

I paid £100 new for my 40-150. Is that not cheap? Also, can you get an effective 600mm f5.6 for Canon for £350?

A cheap kit zoom for £100 is more or less what you'd expect to pay.

£200 for a slow prime is expensive. Everyone else has them for £90-£150.

The same applies to most Olympus lenses. They're relatively expensive and little choice exists on the used market.

The main reason I went with Olympus indirectly was the lack of popularity. I'd been shopping around for ages, mulling it over, and more or less decided to go for Sony, when I found Curry's selling off its Oly stuff half price, so my mid range E600 was only £329. Only a smidge more than the basic Sony. I went outside, googled on my phone to make sure it wasn't a turkey then bought it 🙂

I'm fairly pessimistic about the future of my kit, which is a downer, but I don't intend to be replacing stuff for a long time yet. My last compact lasted me 6 years and it was old when I got it. If I feel like a change I might end up doing something like getting another brand for general photo use and keeping the Oly stuff for its strengths - small size and long zoom maybe. Perhaps something to take biking or travelling.

Re second hand stuff - it always seems to go for close to full price when I look. Few bargains around!

The only thing 4/3 and m4/3 has in it's favour is size. Everything else is inferior. But... not by much. So if size is important (m)4/3 wins. That's my rationale.

And now I've discovered c-mount lenses I can actually get fast lenses for very little. Which helps cancel out a couple of gripes I had despite the size advantage.

If you're going to convert the field of view you'll need to do the same with the depth of field. So that's a 600mm f11.2

No, cos f5.6 is still f5.6 in light gathering terms, just not DoF. In this case a deeper DoF at 600m is good because you are less likely to miss focus imo. It's already very narrow, any narrower and you'd end up with bits of your subject out of focus.

£200 for a slow prime is expensive

Its main job isn't as a fast prime, it's as a pancake. Is there an equivalent Canikon tiny thing?

It's a kit zoom lens

The 70-300mm is not the kit lens btw.

Anyway, the bottom line is that Oly is something of a niche - small, light, weather sealed (at the top end), cheap long zoom capability (if you want it) and I think good vfm.

In all fairness I'd not recommend it as much if it wasn't frequently kicking around the net for cheap...

I usually buy second hand because then if I decide I want to sell at some point I won't lose much if any money. Decent SLR lenses are one thing that seems to hold value amazingly well. Given the way new prices keep rising I think it will stay that way for a while too.

I'm with [b]molgrips[/b] when defending the 70-300mm. its 600mm f5.6 for just over £300, which I think is probably the best value for money lens you can get for any camera.

And it is f5.6. The smaller sensor increases the DoF but at 600mm eqiv. DoF is in no way an issue.

And it certainly isnt a kit lens. There aint many kit lenses that I'm aware of that comes with a metal mount!

It's bagged me some very lucrative shots that I would never have got without silly amounts of money

[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4770628179_fd6b3052ff_m.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4770628179_fd6b3052ff_m.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/drudodd/4770628179/ ]Puffin with fish[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/drudodd/ ]Dru Dodd[/url], on Flickr

I've just bought a DLSR body second hand and given the cost saving over new and the condition of it I'm puzzled as to why more people don't buy second hand. If you go to a reputable dealer in second hand camera equipment you should be able to save some money on a lens that works as well as a new one.

I got my DLSR from a place in Brighton and I'm very impressed with their range of stock and prices.

I've just bought a DLSR body second hand and given the cost saving over new and the condition of it I'm puzzled as to why more people don't buy second hand.

I got my DLSR from a place in Brighton and I'm very impressed with their range of stock and prices.

MPB Photographic? They are very good IME.

A new entry level camera will usually be better than a used mid-level camera, and cheaper, and have a warranty.

Dunno if I agree with that - I'd probably rather have a used 40D than a new 450D or whatever.

A new entry level camera will usually be better than a used mid-level camera and cheaper,

I've just bought a 450D with kit lens for around £250. The comparable 'new' model to the 450D seems to be the 1100D, which is the same sensor resolution (12MP) and image processor but brings video recording and a considerably higher upper ISO limit (6400 vs 1600) for your £450.

To put that into perspective; I can get a used 450D together with a couple of additional lenses for the price of a new 1100D. Not bad for a three year old camera.

I'm puzzled as to why more people don't buy second hand.

Snobbery?

Amazingly you're right 😯

That 1100D is no better than the 450D. What's even more weird is that the specs for the 1100D are what you'd expect from a camera 3 years ago.

EDIT: Interestingly the 1100D doesn't really bring higher ISO at all. You could underexpose 2 stops and lift the exposure in RAW processing and get exactly the same result with the 450D.

I'm puzzled as to why more people don't buy second hand.

Because there are a significant number of people who think it's their right to lie about what condition their gear is in to get the best price for it.

Buying s/h to save £50? I think your mad to even consider it.

MPB Photographic? They are very good IME.

Yes indeed. Only just recieved the body I ordered but very impressed with them and the quality of the stuff they sell so far. For the record I bought a 400d for £199 and you would be hard pressed to tell it is second hand.

Snobbery?

Quite possibly although I quite like knowing I spent less on something that will do the job as well as a camera several times more expensive. Not sure if that makes me a sort of inverse snob or just smug.

I can't see any difference between the 400D and the 1100D on paper either (although it won't show AF differences etc). 😯

[url= http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/en/Camera-Sensor/Compare/Compare-sensors/(appareil1)/185%7C0/(appareil2)/693%7C0/(appareil3)/184%7C0/(onglet)/0/(brand)/Canon/(brand2)/Canon/(brand3)/Canon ]Comparison...[/url]

Don't canon update their consumer lines beyond BNG?

I can't see any difference between the 400D and the 1100D

I think the 1100 is to the 450 as the 1000 is to the 400.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-1100D-vs-Canon_EOS_450D/specs

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon_EOS_1000D-vs-Canon_EOS_400D/specs

"BNG"?? Big Number Game?

Yes indeed. Only just recieved the body I ordered but very impressed with them and the quality of the stuff they sell so far.

Yup I've bought a few bits from them. They offer a 6 month warranty too (and they are good about honouring it on the one occasion I needed it).

I have the 25mm pancake.
Nice and portable bit of kit.
Suffers from CA a wee bit which kind of spoils the fascination with std. lens a bit for me but it's nice, light and relatively fast.

I'm with molgrips when defending the 70-300mm.

And for that reason, I've added you as a friend on flickr 🙂 Fantastic pics btw 🙂 Is it your job?

And for that reason, I've added you as a friend on flickr Fantastic pics btw Is it your job?

Thanks dude! I have reciprocated! Sadly it's not my job, just a hobby that has started to pay, which is good as it funds my bike! Sell prints and calendars etc when I can, do some weddings, and functions etc. but landscapes are my thing, I love trying to capture what nature throws up for the briefest of moments. I self taught myself when I was 22, just reading and trying things out.

With the 1100D and 450D debate it's a strange one. Canon's entry levels were the XXXD range (XXD midlevel, 1D toplevel), so there was the 300D, 350D, 400D, 450D, 500D, 550D and now the 600D. But at around 500D-550D the prices had increased quite a bit so they decided to under cut the entry levels with a new Entry level, the 1XXXD. Basically they took the specs of early XXXDs and added some new functions.

So by comparing them it throws up a perculiar senario. The 450D's new equivalent should be the 600D, but sepecs wise it's closer to the 1100D. Bodies are just electrical boxes, so they change quickly and if you shoot in RAW all they become are settings recorders. The lens and the filters in front of it will always be the most important parts.

Oly your pics are great.. have you seen the STW pictures thread? Some fantastic stuff on there, you should contribute.

Yeah I'm another Olympus 4/3 user 😉

I can actually take any pick I like as I've got over 70 cameras sitting around and it always confuses people when I take an F5 for film and my Olympus E3 for digital.

I've got EOS lenses half a dozen.
Nikon lenses about a Dozen!

Funnily enough I just sold my pancake lens (£111) on Ebay!

Here it is sat on my Panasonic DMC-L1

[img] [/img]

My "kit bag" consists of

Panasonic DMC-L1
Olympus E3
My main day to day lens is the Leica Vario Elmarit, 14-50 f2.8-3.5 rather than the more usual 12-60.
Olympus Zuiko 11-22 Wide angle
Olympus Zuiko 50-200 ED f2.8-3.5

The Panasonic L1 is a lovely camera but I love the E3 for its waterproofing, you should see it at the moment its covered in mud still from my last day out taking pictures of my friends 4x4ing. My Dog decided to show them how to do it!

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Blimey PePPeR that is some serious kit!

It's all bought second hand though.

I forgot to add my 35mm macro lens too 😉

I won't buy these items new, they are silly money and cameras are advancing so quickly that they become pretty worthless very quickly. Lenses in the main hold their value well, I buy them secondhand, use them and then sell them on again for a similar value.