Does it make sense to buy new

[the black fox]

A answer to a new member in another thread has got the brain matter flowing again ,do we shoot ourselves in the foot by being first responders to new gear ,you often pay far more than waiting a year for the prices to come down and settle ,also reputable second hand sellers such as wex offer a years warranty on used models ,some of which will highly specced as well if we choose wisely ,I.e will a new 6Dmk2 be better than a used 5Dmk3 which will be around half the price ,and taking that one step further are we capable of seeing any difference in the end product ,as these days it's a 4 way split between camera,lenses and processing software and processing skills hmmmmmm

[@imagesBV]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

I think the decision is more clear cut if the new version offers something that the old one doesn't have....e.g. articulated screen....otherwise it's wiser to wait to get iterative changes in performance at a better price.

[Stan]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

Although some of my lenses have been secondhand from the likes of MBP, all both mine and Dee's cameras have been bought new and always from local shops - prefer to be able to go into the shop and talk face to face should something go wrong

Stan

[the black fox]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

Over the years my sentiments gave run the same course as yours stan ,but my recent buys both the 1d 3 and 4 have changed that ,and I have to admit I was extremely impressed with the way the sakes rep at wex handled my questions ,and worries during the purchase of the mk4 ,don't think I will be so quick to jump back on the brand new bandwagon again .
Also the deals from the likes of h.dew with there excellent guarantee system make it a no brainer about buying from a shop

[colin C]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

An interesting subject, worthy of debate and I suspect that much will depend on our individual budget.

On a restricted budget, used kit can offer a significant quality advantage over what you could have afforded buying new. The risk is that you don't know exactly how it was used and by whom and you probably won't have a full manufacturer's warranty. However, a reputable supplier will provide some form of warranty and the overall condition of the kit will be a strong indication of whether you have bought a gem, or otherwise. Obviously, choosing a reputable seller and even whether the kit is boxed with all original packing and accessories is more likely to have a positive outcome.

On a non restricted budget, go into your pro shop and say: "I'll have that one, one of those and can I have that as well ....... here's lots of money!"

I am somewhere in the middle. I only buy when the new kit will be a positive influence on my photography. Better quality, features to make the shot easier, or more consistent. Just because the new version is the latest kit doesn't attract me, the question I always ask myself is, will this improve my photography? I have a 24-70mm F2.8 L and a 70-200mm F2.8 L that have a date code of 2004. They are both stunning performers and I saw no reason the change them when the MKII versions came out. But, when I do decide that new kit will be of benefit, I am an early adopter and often order with a deposit before they are generally available. Yes it does mean I pay more than if I waited a year, but if it is a genuine benefit, I get that benefit a year earlier than if I waited ....... plus, my trade in tends to be worth more because it will be one of the early ones on the dealer's shelf, rather than loads of people like me waiting and trading in the same kit, if you see my point.

So how do I stretch my budget? Easy, I do without other things. Don't trade in the car so often, not so many holidays, rarely eat out or go to the pub, don't spend much on clothes and finally, I religiously look after my kit and keep the original boxes, packaging and accessories to maximise the resale/trade in value.

I have only made one mistake with buying kit. My photography slush fund was looking very healthy when I upgraded a body and on impulse, I bought a 8-15mm F4 L. I always wanted a fish-eye and one that was also a super wide-angle seemed a great idea. I didn't evaluate the need or do any further research, I saw it, sort of justified it, was offered a good deal and just bought it ............ I have used it just three times!

[Gordon_H]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

My first SLR (Yashica FR - i think it cost me £130 in the late 70's....) was my only 2nd hand purchase camera wise , all my Canons have been New , The 400D and 7D were a 'UK' purchases , the last two , 6D and 5D4 were from HDEW , i would never have paid the full price for the 5D (even though i had the money from an inheritance ) , i opted to spend the difference on a Sigma 150-600 which made more sense to me especially after having no problems with my first purchase from HDEW . I wouldn't have 2nd thoughts about going back to them for another camera - not that i'll be wanting to as i'm more than happy with my 5D4 !

[ctrollen]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

I think for me it boils down to value more than anything, and whether the saving outweighs not knowing the provenance or a lack of warranty, etc.

My camera and the 55-250 that I bought at the same time were new. The 15-85, 100 macro and the 100-400 were all secondhand - the first two from eBay, the 100-400 from MPB.

Picking a camera body at random (yeah, right!) one could walk into Jessops and buy a new 80D for £999 or pick one up from eBay for around £700 or less, if you're lucky. However, as I mention in the thread that Jeff referenced, HDEW will do new 80D with 3 year warranty for £775. Personally, I think that's a no-brainer.

Taking a lens (at random? ha!), say the 100-400 mk2, new they're £1800. Wex have "like new" one for £1600, HDEW will do a new one inc. a filter for £1525. I've seen them sell on eBay for around £1300 which is a decent saving over even HDEW so it could be worth keeping an eye out for one at a decent price.

Also, if you include a body, lens and maybe even throw in a tc then the savings by using grey or secondhand can really add up. You pay your money and make your choice.

Of course, if you're after an upgrade to something that only a new model has, say you have a 6D but really want a swivel screen as on the 6D2, and can't wait then you really do have little choice but to cough up.

[@imagesBV]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

The other option is to hang on and buy just before a model is discontinued...I did that with the 100D a few months back ...£309 inc £70 of accessories......whereas when new it was closer to £600.

[ctrollen]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

The other option is to hang on and buy just before a model is discontinued...I did that with the 100D a few months back ...£309 inc £70 of accessories......whereas when new it was closer to £600.

Absolutely! I'd pretty much convinced myself to wait until the run up to Christmas when bargains might be had or until first half of next year when an 80D2 is rumoured, which might make the 80D even more of a bargain. That might not happen of course - it's a popular model.

And can I wait? All this talk of new models & upgrades is making my "Buy it now" finger a little itchy!

[TonyT]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

I for one buy second hand stuff every now and then, and to be honest I haven't been let down once, my EF500mm and EF180MM were from LBC and MPB respectively, and have performed faultlessly, BUT you need to haggle, don't accept their website price.

I have recently bought a lot of previous owned ( Sounds Better ) tripod gear and it has been 99% of the time in as new mint condition.. The reason being I simply could not afford the silly prices Really Right Stuff charge and a lot I have bought has be at bargain prices. It is surprising how the stuff adds up, I was doing some calculations and the items I have cost me about a third of the new price.
In fact as I mentioned elsewhere I picked up a tripod and ball head off Gumtree for less than the ball head would have cost me alone on fleebay, and about £1000 less than from RRS. I was thinking of doing a little review of some of the stuff I have. You may say Really Right stuff WOW, that's expensive, but its one of those things that I know I will be able to move on if I ever wish too and recoup my investment, there isn't a lot of makes you can say that about.
Biggest problem is it is infectious, you think Hmm that will help, so will that and before you know you have bits for every occasion.

I am also a great believer in Grey imports, I was looking at the M5 and could not see why on earth would anyone buy an M5 for £1000 when you can get it for £600 and it is warrantied for longer, My 1DX is an import and saved me £1500 on the new UK price, even if it went wrong and I didn't have a warranty ( which I have) £1500 would probably cover anything that needed to be fixed, so I would still be quids in. My 50D, my 100-400 and my 70-200 2.8 IS are all imports, Canon UK are only funny with their warranty period, though the items come with an alternate one, after that they will happily do them.

[the black fox]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

You make a good point there with regards to warranty work tony ,I know from personal experience that if a warranty repair with a HDEW item it actually is done by a authorised canon service centre in the u.k ,and if a effective repair is not possible they will also refund the full price of the item plus postage costs .total no brainer if and only if you have the initial cash spare ,if you need to buy on finance then u.k shops it has to be

[El Sid]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

Of course it does, how else are we tightwads going to have used kit to buy otherwise!...

Seriously though I feel it depends on how you tend use the gear and how long you keep it. Buying new kit and only using it a few times or trading in every time something new comes out has never seemed economically sensible and even less so if both options apply.

Most of my cameras have been used. The only ones I have truly purchased new, as opposed to received as gifts, have been my original Nikon FM way back in the early '80s which I used for many years and still have and my 40D (although technically not brand new as it was the shop's demo model) which is still my main EOS camera. Since both have given years of service I'd rate them as sensible buys.

I have bought a few more lenses new and again all have been used many times and I again I still have them so they too seem sensible purchases.

On the other hand I have impulse bought more than a few secondhand bits which either don't get used or have been sold on fairly quickly - maybe it's these that are the purchases that don't make sense...

[jk224]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

I do both, but am always wary of buying used. In the past I have only ever had serious problems with 2 items. One, a lens, was bought new and I noticed a problem about 16 months after I had bought it. It was repaired, free of charge, by Sigma and I still use it. The other, a flashgun, went wrong about 4 months after buying it, and I ended up binning it. With new, rightly or wrongly, I always assume the item is perfect out of the box, whereas with used I always wonder why the original owner sold it in the first place. I always buy any used items from a reputable source, but even then there's usually only a short warranty.

I read the original post slightly differently than the thread has become. I really like the look of the 6DII, but I don't really want to pay £2000 for it on release. Both my 30D and 70D were bought, new, about 6 months after release when the price in the shops had started to drop. Initial reports, however, seem to think that this camera is going to be so popular that the price will stay the same for some time.

[Enigma]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

Over 30 years ago I bought an OM2 from a mate for £100. Sadly it develop a fault within a few months and I ended up writing it off as a lesson learned. Since then I have only bought new. However, I do have either a 500 or possibly a 600 on my bucket list and will go grey or used for that when I eventually have enough folding under the bed. If I do go used it will be via eithe MPB or WEX.

I think there are situations when it can make sense to purchase used ... but only from a reputable source unless you are willing to write off the potential cost of a mistake.

[TonyT]

Re: Does it make sense to buy new

Over 30 years ago I bought an OM2 from a mate for £100. Sadly it develop a fault within a few months and I ended up writing it off as a lesson learned. Since then I have only bought new. However, I do have either a 500 or possibly a 600 on my bucket list and will go grey or used for that when I eventually have enough folding under the bed. If I do go used it will be via eithe MPB or WEX.

I think there are situations when it can make sense to purchase used ... but only from a reputable source unless you are willing to write off the potential cost of a mistake.

Yup my 500 came from London Camera Exchange with a warranty and at less than people were paying on evilbay, had about 2 small paintchips and that was it. felt better buying from them, drove 70 miles, took my camera body, tried it at the shop shooting some shots up the street, reserved it pending checking pictures, came 70 miles home, checked images on PC, decided on it, phone them up and then another 140 miles round trip to collect lol.... but I was happy it was a good un and had a warranty to take the worry out of it. I think you will find Canon lenses have ( or had ) a World wide warranty, the bodies didn't.