Buying anything second hand can be both an exciting and a stressful process. I hope this short-list of tips will help you when it comes to buying a second hand lens. There are some lovely pieces to find out there and it's possible to pick up some real bargains which will serve you well.
Buyer’s tips:
- Look for lens creep. Does the lens slip of its own accord or does it stay in place once you have positioned it?
- Make sure that the aperture ring works (visual check by looking into the lens)
- Look at the country of origin – Japanese lenses, for example, are usually good
- Look for scratches on the lens (at either end)
- Look down the inside lens to identify any internal damage lens
- Check for any external body damage
- Does the lens have a lens cover?
- Does the lens have a rear element cover?
- Has the lens passed any test process?
- Do the switches on the lens work?
- Try the lens on your camera body
- Find out what sort of guarantee (if any) the lens comes with
