How to Buy a Used Camera and Lens Without Getting Scammed
How to Buy a Used Camera and Lens Without Getting Scammed
Buying a used camera and lens feels a bit like stepping into someone else’s visual memory. The gear you hold has already seen streets you haven’t walked, skies you haven’t stood under, and moments you’ll never know. But it’s also a transaction where sentiment has to stay behind the technical checks, because the used market has both genuinely good deals and the kind of deals that only pretend to be good. The very first choice that shapes the entire experience is where you shop. Reputable used dealers like KEH, MPB, B&H Used, Adorama Used, and UsedPhotoPro (Roberts Camera) are the anchors of the safe market. They grade gear consistently, list actual condition honestly, and offer return windows so you’re not gambling. Their prices run a touch higher than private sellers, but what you pay for is predictability and the ability to return something if reality doesn’t match the description. eBay can be almost as safe, if you buy only from sellers with long-standing positive feedback and pay through methods with buyer protection. Always use the Sold Listings filter to see what items actually sell for, rather than what sellers hope to get. Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Telegram groups, and random “photographer selling everything” posts can yield stunning prices, but these are also the places where scams, misrepresentations, and stolen gear appear. If you go that route, you move slowly, meet in public, and test the equipment on your terms, not theirs. Any seller who pushes urgency is waving a quiet warning you shouldn’t ignore.
When the camera body is in your hands, the inspection should feel calm and systematic. Attach a lens and gently twist; the mount should be firm with no wiggle. Check the tripod socket and screws—chewed metal means rough handling or someone opening the body. Look at the rubber grip and the port covers; if they’re swollen, sticky, or lifting, the camera likely saw heat or humidity. Power it on and cycle through shutter speeds: fast shutters like 1/4000, slow shutters like 1 second, and listen for consistency. Autofocus should lock quickly even in low contrast scenes; hesitation can mean misalignment. If the camera has in-body stabilization, tilt it while off; a soft click is okay, a loose rattle is not. To check the sensor, stop down to f/16 or f/22 and shoot a blank wall or sky. Dust dots are normal and removable. But cloudy patches, branching patterns, or soft smears suggest fungus or coating damage. For shutter count, use metadata tools appropriate to the brand. There’s nothing wrong with high actuations if the price reflects it, but if a seller claims “light use” and the count says 180,000, you’re reading two different stories.
Lenses have their own ways of revealing their past. Hold the lens under a bright light and tilt it slowly while looking through it. Dust is normal; every lens has some. What you don’t want to see are long, web-like strands (fungus), milky haze that dulls contrast (element separation or humidity damage), or shiny scratches on the front or rear element. Check the aperture blades by stopping down; they should move quickly and evenly, with no oiliness or slow response. Rotate the focus and zoom rings; they should feel smooth, not gritty or uneven. A loose or creeping zoom barrel often means internal wear. Lightly shake the lens; some lenses have slight internal movement by design, but loud rattles usually mean something is loose where it shouldn’t be. And again, smell matters, oddly enough. Lenses stored in damp environments develop a sweet, dusty basement scent that almost always precedes fungus growth you may not yet see.
The seller themselves is part of the evaluation. A good seller knows what they’re selling, can explain how they used it, and doesn’t flinch when you start testing everything carefully. Someone who rushes you, insists there’s “another buyer coming in ten minutes,” or gets vague when you ask simple questions is telling you something important without meaning to. Your job is to listen to the tone as much as the words.
Buying used isn’t about scoring the cheapest possible price. It’s about choosing gear that has lived a life already and is still ready to work without drama. When the body feels solid, the shutter sounds right, the lens is clear, the seller is steady, and the price aligns with reality, you’re stepping into ownership with both confidence and a sense of continuation. The right used camera and lens won’t feel fragile or uncertain. They’ll feel familiar the moment you lift them, like they’re already waiting for you to go make the next picture.