[sergeremy]

Used, as much as possible, but anything over 50€ I want to handle before buying. Electronics I try to buy new at significant discounts. I'd be happy to buy more new gear if in a financially better state. But I'm also happy to be using perfectly good products that others wish to part with. All of the above holds true for photographic, musical and domestic gear.

[UserAccessDenied]

I could probably afford a K-1 and at least a couple of nice lenses, but my wife is very against this hobby (and sort of any hobby, really). We're also way behind our retirement savings, so no money for hobbies or play things. That is also the reason why I drive an old beat up car.
But she still gets to make some trips and buy nice things for the house. She also gets to drive something much newer, after all it's safer for her and the kids. Happy wife, happy life...

That's not cool...

I'm frugal on my spending for sure and realize the importance of a retirement... But the last year and a half of my life has given me insight on how experiences now should be put at a higher value than they often are. It sounds like you have a good balance for yourself in terms of still maintaining a hobby and the fact you have a car and a wife and a house and kids, most would say you got it good!

Thanks for sharing!

[Snafu711]

I've switched to Pentax last year and so far I have bought all gear new.


This is for two reasons: first I'm a foto amateur since my early teens. For the first two decades I solely used preowned cameras and lenses, sometimes heavily used, because that was the best I could afford. Always dreamt of getting my own brandnew camera. A dream come true now ... proud owner of a K3-II

Second reason is that even new equipment comes with flaws often enough. I'm at my third copy of the 16-85 already, for example. Having warranty makes a return or exchange a no-brainer. Private sale comes with no warranty - a risk I don't want to take for a pricey camera or a star lens.

I actually see buying new as a way to make sure my favorite camera maker has enough sales to stay in business.


As far as brands are concerned I would like to stay with Pentax since I believe a camera maker knows best how to make and match lenses for their cameras - superstition? Nevertheless I own a Sigma and a Samyang/Rokinon lens, but only because I couldn't find a suitable Pentax lens.

[GinaC]

I've switched to Pentax last year and so far I have bought all gear new.

I actually see buying new as a way to make sure my favorite camera maker has enough sales to stay in business.

Interesting point!

[BigMackCam]

I actually see buying new as a way to make sure my favorite camera maker has enough sales to stay in business.

That's true. But unless you throw that camera away when you're done with it, you'll be feeding the used marketplace and encouraging someone to buy a used camera

Also, whilst buying used may not directly benefit the manufacturer, it gives the seller funds which they might spend on new equipment. If no-one buys the seller's used equipment, they may not have sufficient funds to buy new gear. On that basis, the used marketplace still has significant value to the manufacturer.

That said, I understand your reasons for buying new. It's all good

[othar]

As far as brands are concerned I would like to stay with Pentax since I believe a camera maker knows best how to make and match lenses for their cameras - superstition? Nevertheless I own a Sigma and a Samyang/Rokinon lens, but only because I couldn't find a suitable Pentax lens.

Don't worry third party lens support is important for potential Pentax buyers too, so your money isn't lost for Pentax when you buy those

[DeadJohn]

I already said I buy a mix of new and used.

I've had 2 new lenses need warranty service. 1 used lens arrived with a subtle but significant defect, painlessly returned to online dealer. That does not mean used lenses are twice as reliable

[k1man]

just the FA*24mm F2 and FA* 85mm F1.4 second hand off of EBAY the rest new, Ian

[mikesbike]

Mostly new, but I don't have a set rule- depends on what it is. I have bought a few used lenses, even some expensive ones if the condition, return policy, and price is right. Probably the most expensive one was the FA* 300mm f/4.5 years ago after it was discontinued and before the arrival of the DA* 300mm f/4 came out. It was new left-over stock, which just sat in a display case, from a dealer who was going out of business due to retirement. I got a good deal, but still not cheap, and with full warranty. I still have it and I still think very highly of it.

Cameras are a different matter. I've bought a few 35mm used film bodies at a good price, like-new both physically and operationally, again left over dealer stock and from a restaurant-owner occasional photographer who used it very lightly. But as to a DSLR, if I want a killer price, I wait until the model has been recently discontinued and get a new one- that is unless the replacement offers some major advancements.

[gabro822]

I'm really careful on investigate the seller and its feedback prior to buy something, and most of the time this make me lose some great occasions. But when I finally buy, I'm not disappointed.My analog camera and lenses are all used.

I am usually a lot more careful on the digital system, because seems that people don't care much about it, so they usually have more problems. This said, there are also a lot of people who buy new stuff, don't like it or don't use it and sell them half the price in like-new conditions.
In the end, yes: if I can buy used gear, I do after a lot of researches.

[iheiramo]

I bought K30 and DA18-135 new as a kit to have a camera capeable of decent photos. Later added DA50 also new, thought that's sold now. After I found vintage lenses I've only bought used gear. I really like to shoot with my old manual focus lenses and, as I have plenty of other hobbies to spend my money, I appreciate the great value they offer.

Based on my current experience I think I prefer buying lenses used. I have no need to get the latest and Ienses don't really suffer in use if owner takes good care of them.
I have a plan to get K1II and when the time comes I can buy it used if I find a good deal. Otherwise I go for new. No really preference here.
Accessory I have mainly bought new and probably will continue doing so.

[bdery]

What's in your bag and why?

K-3 : bought new
K-1 : bought new
DA 16-85 : bought new, I wanted it and it was not readily available used, plus the canadian warranty is interesting. My walkaround lens
DA* 60-250 : bought new when I got a price almost the same as on the used market. My favourite zoom, converted to FF, I sometimes wish it could live on my camera
FA 20-35 : bought used (not available new anymore) to replace the DA 21 on full frame. It's my wide lens. I'm learning to use it, I don'T yet trust it as much as the DA 21.
FA 43 LTD : bought used, I wanted a silver copy and the price was good. People tend to care about their LTD. It's my walkaround prime.
FA 77 LTD : bought it used because I found it at an amazing price. What a great lens
DFA 100 macro WR : bought slightly used, couldn't justify the price new
FA 50 and M 50 : bought used, keeping them only for testing purposes
Vivitar 150-600mm : bought used recently, obviously that lens isn't available new anymore...

Do you buy brand new for a particular reason?

Warranty, availability

Do you like having the latest and greatest before anyone else?

Nope. I usually buy my camera bodies new, is all.

Or do you not trust anyone to buy used?

Irrelevant

Do you guy used gear for a particular reason?

Price, availability

Do you like the discounted price?

Yep!

Do you like meeting people in the marketplace and sharing experiences along with the purchase?

I wish. Almost never happened.

Do you not care about the newest release and just want to wait until the price drops in the used market?

For lenses maybe.

[jnd]

For me it's simply divided: DSLR and lenses are new, mostly because of warranty (2 years universal, 4 years or so for Sigma lenses) and because it's fairly recently released product and os there were no significantly cheaper alternatives. I bought two lenses used: 50mm and super wide zoom. They were old design and later I sold them both and bought new versions unused. So far I got my needs covered and don't buy anything more for digital use and no new releases shown enough upgrades to justify replacing what I already have.


For SLR and film, it's obviously all used and cheap, often even with some issues which I try to repair myself. For such old equipment it's preferable to be regularly exercised than buy never used old stock, I would be afraid to use them after decades of questionable storage and no movement.

[othar]

For SLR and film, it's obviously all used and cheap, often even with some issues which I try to repair myself. For such old equipment it's preferable to be regularly exercised than buy never used old stock, I would be afraid to use them after decades of questionable storage and no movement.

You can get lenses that wheren't used for over a decade with the used old lenses too and because those old lenses (except zooms and AF lenses maybe) are usually easy to disassemble and clean/relube/... I don't worry about that too much

[UserAccessDenied]

K-3 : bought new
K-1 : bought new
DA 16-85 : bought new, I wanted it and it was not readily available used, plus the canadian warranty is interesting. My walkaround lens
DA* 60-250 : bought new when I got a price almost the same as on the used market. My favourite zoom, converted to FF, I sometimes wish it could live on my camera
FA 20-35 : bought used (not available new anymore) to replace the DA 21 on full frame. It's my wide lens. I'm learning to use it, I don'T yet trust it as much as the DA 21.
FA 43 LTD : bought used, I wanted a silver copy and the price was good. People tend to care about their LTD. It's my walkaround prime.
FA 77 LTD : bought it used because I found it at an amazing price. What a great lens
DFA 100 macro WR : bought slightly used, couldn't justify the price new
FA 50 and M 50 : bought used, keeping them only for testing purposes
Vivitar 150-600mm : bought used recently, obviously that lens isn't available new anymore...



Warranty, availability



Nope. I usually buy my camera bodies new, is all.



Irrelevant



Price, availability



Yep!



I wish. Almost never happened.



For lenses maybe.

Wow, detailed response!

You made a good point though... You can assume people who own LTD lenses likely take care of them... so less of an issue buying used.

THOUGH, I have purchased a limited lens used and it legitimately arrived with food residue on the focus barrel and smudges on the front element, like someone licked the thing before sending it out...