Selling Lenses 🛒
19 April 2025
Selling lenses (and 📷) is easy. At least according to the offers from small and large camera dealers. Advertising with 'up to 70% of retail' should have the focus on 'up to'.
Here is my result: Quotes from camera sites and then selling at eBay at the average eBay price.
If the value is 0, they didn't want the lens.
Lens | B&H | Glazer's | Kenmore | MBP | eBay | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nikon AI-S 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 | 125 | 35 | 30 | 0 | 95 | |
Nikon AI-S 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 | 125 | 35 | 30 | 0 | 95 | |
Nikon 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AI-S | 25 | 15 | 15 | 28 | 145 | |
Nikon AI-S 70-210mm f/4.5-5.6 | 30 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 95 | |
Nikon AF 105mm f/2.8 D Macro | 75 | 72 | 100 | 118 | 185 | |
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II AF-S D | 50 | 27 | 10 | 42 | 115 | |
Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II AF-S D | 50 | 27 | 10 | 42 | 115 | |
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM | 70 | 52 | 50 | 72 | 185 | |
Sigma 50mm f/2.8 DG Macro | 75 | 0 | 30 | 128 | 165 | |
Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC APO HSM | 0 | 125 | 115 | 121 | 385 | |
Tokina 500mm f/8.0 Mirror Lens for Nikon | 0 | 0 | 35 | 125 | 165 | |
Ʃ | 625 | 403 | 435 | 676 | 1745 | |
Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG Fisheye | 140 | 50 | 125 | 87 | ||
Nikon AF 50mm f1.4D | 75 | 42 | 65 | 55 | ||
The quote from Adorama required to send in the lenses, but I was told the estimate would be around 500.
B&H's is similiar price, but there is an exception for the Nikon AI-S 28-85 f/3.5-4.5. Seems like a very sought-after lens, but not for MBP.
So far, B&H pays best for those (vintage) lenses.
The last two lenses I decided to keep, but I had them added to the quote to check. Would you sell for this price?
Update:
Lenses have been sold on eBay, with an approximate 15% fee deducted. The only exceptions are the two Nikon AI-S 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5, which I traded to B&H for a tax-free voucher. They are still listed for sale there1, quietly gathering digital dust.
The lens shelf now looks more intentional and less like a clearance bin.
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Both lenses were in like-new condition and nearly indistinguishable from each other, yet they are listed with noticeably different condition ratings and prices. So much for consistency in evaluations. ↩