Where To Buy Professional Cameras
Ever since I became a lensman, most of the cameras and lenses I have purchased have been used. Most cameras and lenses merely come up with one-year warranties (though in that location are exceptions), and since some used gear sellers offer half dozen-month warranties, that extra half-yr is oftentimes non worth the departure (to me). And, of course, some items — like vintage or discontinued cameras and lenses — are merely bachelor used.
Also, if I want to endeavor a camera out to meet how it works for me, I look for an open-box item — I am non a fan of returning make new cameras because of purely personal preference.
I accept had feel with all the beneath-mentioned companies, some much more than than the others.
So, without further filibuster, here is our list of the superlative vi (in alphabetical order) places to look at when seeking out your adjacent piece of gear. Plain, all these places offer gear well across merely cameras and lenses too!
At a Glance
Adorama
Adorama is my absolute favorite supplier of photo and video products. Later hundreds (if not thousands) of items purchased and tens of thousands of dollars spent with them, I can safely say I have quite a lot of feel — including returns and dealing with its amazing customer service team.
As far equally digital cameras and lenses, its used department is my favorite of anyone on this list. Adorama has tons of used gear available at any given time, with new gear being added every day. All-time of all, information technology has very, very good prices with some unbeatable deals popping up now and and then.
Items are rated from Ten (for parts only) to F (fair, which means it has sure malfunctions) to E+ (Excellent Plus). I take had zilch only nifty experiences with items from G (Good, just higher up Fair) to E+, with the solitary exception of a thirteen-year-quondam Sigma DP1. Since returns to Adorama are so utterly seamless, it was not even a bother.
One of the best features of Adorama — not just its used department but the site as a whole — is its VIP360 program. It costs $49.99 per year, but if you social club a decent amount of photography or video equipment, information technology is well worth it. The primary benefits are: free two-day aircraft on thousands of new items, 60 day render flow instead of the normal 30, i-yr "drops and spills" protection (applies to new items just, with some exclusions), dedicated client service, and early on-bird admission to discounts and sales. Oh, and shipping for returns is free with VIP360 too — so even if you but change your mind but the product is not defective, you still pay zero for return shipping.
All of Adorama's used photo products come with a six-month warranty for G class or higher and a 30-24-hour interval return window. Used video and lighting gear carries a ninety-24-hour interval warranty with a 30 day return period.
B&H Photo Video
We probable all know B&H Photograph Video. It is nearly certainly the largest photo and video retailer in the U.s., if not the world. While most of its seemingly endless options of products and brands are new stock, it does take a decent used department.
Based out of New York Metropolis, B&H sits less than two miles from its nearest competitor (both literally and figuratively) — Adorama. The retailer has a massive superstore that thousands of people visit every twenty-four hours. Should you lot exist lucky enough to practise so, you tin browse its used equipment in person. Y'all tin can also drib off returns and selection up online orders at its physical store, often same-solar day.
Dissimilar Adorama, the used department is not nearly as robust, nor are its prices as competitive. B&H's inventory does not rotate over as much, and its rating system is more opaque. It does often include a notation alongside the numbered rating (which ranges from 7 to 10), e.g. "Moderate Wear," "Well Used," or "Lilliputian to No Signs of Wear."
Like purchasing new items from B&H, used gear volition nevertheless come with the same quality customer service and free expedited commitment over $49. Used equipment may exist returned for any reason within 30 days and carries a three-calendar month parts and labor warranty.
eBay
I am sure everyone is familiar with eBay, so not a lot needs to be said virtually how information technology works. It is probably the near controversial option on this listing — some hate it and will never utilize it and others (like me) detect it to exist a slap-up source for a variety of different situations.
eBay is where y'all stand to get the all-time possible price and have the largest variety of options at any given fourth dimension for any given particular. For some items, namely vintage lenses, cameras, and accessories besides as rare or niche items, eBay may be the only place where yous stand a adventure to notice what you are looking for.
A lot of the apprehension regarding eBay is the potential for scams or dubious sellers. This is a completely valid concern; nonetheless, it is far, far less something to worry about as a buyer. eBay has an incredibly robust protection organization in place for buyers — to the point that I feel the site is riskier for sellers and not the other manner around. The retailer will side with the buyer in virtually every situation.
If there are whatsoever bug with your item, you tin only file a merits and eBay volition refund your money whether the seller accepts the return or ignores your claim. You should, all the same, thoroughly read any clarification and wait at all available photos before purchasing. From my extensive experience of over 15 years on the site as both a heir-apparent and seller, I have nix reservations as a purchaser.
Unlike every other visitor on this list, eBay items, in general, have no warranty — however, some sellers on the site (including several on this listing who also sell on eBay) exercise offer warranties on items sold via eBay. Once again, you should thoroughly read the listing and/or contact the seller if y'all are unsure near the terms. eBay itself has a thirty-day window to file a merits should your purchase be not as described, not arrive, etc.
It is worth noting that eBay, forth with the below-mentioned MPB, is the only company on this list that is Not an authorized dealer for Nikon, Catechism, Sony, etc. This can be important if you are, for example, an NPS (Nikon Professional Services) fellow member — information technology likewise may bear on the ability to get repairs from the manufacturer, since any camera or lens not purchased from an authorized retailer is considered gray marketplace.
KEH Camera
KEH Photographic camera — the largest pre-owned camera shop in the United States — is based only exterior of Atlanta and is one of the near pop and highly regarded sites for used photography (and some video) gear. With dandy prices, fantastic customer service, warranties, and a huge itemize of used equipment, it is one of my become-to sites when I am looking for my adjacent slice of gear. From 35mm to large format cameras and lenses, DSLRs, mirrorless, and tons of accessory gear, there is not much it doesn't take.
The site is easy to navigate and browse, with everything broken down into clear and specific categories, plus plenty of search filters along the left-mitt side of the page. Its ratings range from "Like New" to "Ugly" — there is too an "As Is" rating, which substantially means "for parts simply." And its rating organization is one of the strictest out there — "bargain" grade, which is just in a higher place "ugly" is often equivalent to what many eBay sellers would list as "Excellent++" or "Nigh Mint." I have fifty-fifty bought dozens of "ugly" lenses — near of which merely had cosmetic issues but were optically practiced or excellent.
Unfortunately, KEH's site does not take photos of each item, then you tin can only judge its items based on the rating system.
KEH offers a 180-24-hour interval warranty and 21-day return window on bargain grade or higher items and free shipping for orders over $49.
LensRentals
Our original choice hither was LensAuthority, a subsidiary of LensRentals, withal as Petapixel reported in November of last year, Lensrentals chose to integrate the ii into i site. This is certainly a good move because information technology was somewhat difficult to notice LensAuthority unless you were directly familiar with it, even if you knew about LensRentals.
Every piece of equipment at LensRentals goes through a rigorous X indicate inspection, cleaning, and provision programme afterward each loan, which allows them to achieve what is purported to be the lowest failure charge per unit in the rental concern. Equipment naturally goes through the same proprietary inspection process before being put upwards for sale.
You tin can browse the LensRentals site as you normally would if you desire to rent something, and if yous're interested in buying or seeing what's available to buy, each product page has a "Buy" button in the top right. Clicking that volition take y'all to a page that lists all of the available bodies/lenses for sale.
Each item will have an overall rating similar "splendid" or "good," forth with sub-ratings for Cosmetics, Functioning, and Shutter Count (for cameras). Lenses will, in place of Shutter Count, have a "Glass" rating.
LensRentals does provide another very nice options that you don't see elsewhere. Chief among them is its incredibly affordable extended warranty options. For example, you can get a i-yr extended warranty on whatever photographic camera priced from $ane,000 to $iii,000 for an boosted $25! A two-year extended warranty on a lens from $500 to $1,500 is $14. I don't know whatever other company that offers extended warranties anywhere shut to those prices if they're fifty-fifty offered at all.
I do wish the site was easier to navigate for potential buyers who are not interested in renting — similar to how LensAuthority worked, or every other site on this list. Equally it stands, you lot have to find the particular yous're interested in, click "Buy" and so see what's available (if annihilation is). A somewhat separate section of the site with navigation for all products currently for auction, along with filters and the ability to organize lists (e.g. from Low to High price) would be incredibly nice. But once again, the transition away from LensAuthority is very recent, so it'south highly possible updates to the site are in the works or planned.
Lastly, if you rent an particular from LensRentals, you can opt to buy it after your rental and LensRentals will credit 100% of the rental fees for up to 7 days toward the purchase equally part of its "Keeper Exam Drive" program.
MPB
MPB is probably the least well-known on this listing, but information technology has grown quite a lot during the COVID-xix era and are absolutely worth a look. Not unlike the others on this list (except eBay), MPB purchases and resells used photographic camera gear after thoroughly inspecting and testing the equipment. With two offices in the UK and one in Brooklyn, New York, MPB serves even more markets than several others on this list, and in April of this year, it acquired Series D funding of $69 one thousand thousand to aggrandize to other markets.
The ii all-time things about MPB are its massive catalog of available products and its very good prices. For example, at the fourth dimension of writing there are xx Nikon Z6 (starting at $1059), thirty-iv Canon 5D Marker 4 (starting at $1959), and xx-seven Sony a7R Mark 3 (starting at $1889) cameras bachelor to purchase. I do not know of anywhere else, except eBay, with that kind of inventory.
The visitor offers a 7-day return window with a 6-month warranty on all the retailer's products.
Equally mentioned above for eBay, MPB is not an authorized dealer for Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc.
Robert'south Camera (Used Photo Pro)
Robert'due south Photographic camera (hereafter referred to as Used Photo Pro), based out of Indianapolis is 1 of the largest suppliers of both new and used gear in the United States. Its used department, which exists on a separate website and with its ain customer service line, is one of the best in the country.
Over the years, I have purchased thousands of items from Robert's, visited its store dozens of times, and information technology has been nothing but the kindest, most helpful visitor I accept ever dealt with. Customer service resolves issues with lightning speed and without hassle.
Used Photo Pro sells everything from modernistic digital cameras and lenses to vintage 35mm, medium format, and large format cameras and lenses — also as the expected accessories like tripods, camera bags, etc.
While its inventory is not every bit extensive as KEH, the prices are but as competitive and, different KEH, each item on the site has photos of the actual product.
Grades range from Inoperable to Mint. The description of what each grade means is listed on every item'southward page and, every bit mentioned, photos are available for you to inspect. The retailer is equally transparent as information technology gets as far as what you are buying — in fact, out of the thousands of items I purchased from them, simply i had an issue and the return was seamless.
Used Photo Pro offers a six-month warranty on all items, except for those graded "poor" or "inoperable." Free shipping is offered on all items except those graded Inoperable, Poor, or Fair.
If at that place is one niggle with Used Photo Pro, it is that ever since its redesign, the website is achingly slow to load each page — it is borderline unacceptably irksome. But, accept patience because it is a wonderful resource. I do hope the retailer fixes that issue, though — it would brand information technology a lot more pleasant for me, as I check it several times a day.
Full disclosure: Adorama has been a long-fourth dimension PetaPixel sponsor, simply the camera store was not involved in the creation of this commodity.
Image credits: Header photo licensed from Depositphotos
Source: https://petapixel.com/best-places-buy-used-cameras-lenses/
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