The benefits of buying used camera equipment

Ask yourself a question: What if the next camera you buy isn’t brand new? The reality is, if you find a quality used camera or other camera equipment, like lenses, drones, filters, and tripods, you’re very likely to have just as good an experience using it as you would if you’d bought a brand new one. There are some things you should watch out for, of course, but once you know your way around shopping for used gear, buying used can provide its own special set of benefits. 

The first thing you’ve got to understand is that getting a used camera doesn’t mean you’re getting a useless camera. If you’ve ever bought a new piece of camera gear before the old one died, you’ll understand this well. Many photographers upgrade their kit when they want or need a new feature or capability, not just when their original camera stops working. That used camera likely has plenty of miles left to go, and it can gain a second life on the used market. It’s easy to add to your kit bag, too, as plenty of lenses and accessories for those cameras will also find their way onto the market. 

Now, it’s natural to be worried about what you’re getting when you buy used. If you go with a random seller online who doesn’t allow returns, offers no warranty, and doesn’t have a strong online reputation, you could get burned. But reputable platforms tend to back up their sales. MPB, for example, provides a six-month warranty on anything you purchase from the site, and all shipments are insured with signature required on delivery. That creates a secure pipeline and will give you more than enough time to ensure the product you got still has life left in it. MPB also has a 5-star rating on TrustPilot based on 16,000 reviews. 

Going with the used option not only helps you save money while you’re building out your setup but it also helps the environment by preventing those used products from winding up in landfill and eliminating the need to make new gear. 

The extra affordability of going with used gear can actually benefit you in a few ways. You may find that you’re able to buy a more capable item on your original budget, letting you get gear that could continue to work for you even longer than what you might have otherwise purchased. For instance, your budget might allow for a used camera capable of 4K video, but a new one that can only record 1080p, making the former likely to serve you better in the long run if you record lots of video. You can also have an easier time kitting yourself out for a wider range of shooting scenarios, like finding a used wide-angle and telephoto lens selling for less than the price of just one lens new.

MPB’s online platform makes it easy to find whatever used camera equipment you’re looking for with clear indications of the quality of the gear. The team inspects and documents the conditions of each item, including photographs so you can see exactly what you’re getting. The site recirculates over 300,000 items a year, showing it’s got the process down to a science. 

It’s also easy to keep the cycle going when you buy used gear from MPB, as you can quickly add your own old gear to trade-in or sell. 

If you’re ready to see the difference shopping for used camera gear can make, check out MPB.com.