Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen
Good point. Also, Canon L lenses seem to hold their value pretty well, so you should be able to sell the lens at a resonable "loss." If you buy an used lens, you may even be able to sell it for more than you paid for it!
I tracked the 24-70mm f/2.8L prices on eBay for a while. The average selling price then was $1,047, versus a new lens at $1,270, $1,190 with rebate. Not all of the sales were strictly comparable, of course: some lenses were nearly new, some several years old; some included a filter, though often they were low-quality filters; some had the original box, others were missing the hood. The average price rose a bit while I was tracking it, from $980 to $1,047. I've bought several L lenses on eBay, and none new. (The only lenses I've bought new in the last 2 years were a cheap Sigma 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 when I first got my 30D and a 50mm f/1.8 II.) Here is a comparison of the prices I paid (excluding shipping) and the current non-rebate new price. In most cases, I paid less than the average price on eBay.
- 70-200mm f/4L $545 (including tripod ring) vs $640 + 150 = $790 (a real bargain!)
- 70-200mm f/4L IS $919 vs $1100
- 70-200mm f/2.8L IS $1325 ("well-used" & missing soft pouch) vs $1900 (retail price has gone up a lot in the last year; the retail price when I bought mine was $1699)
- 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS $995 vs $1500 (that price has gone up a lot, as well)
- 200mm f/2.8L $520 (including black ring) vs $749 + 150 = $899 (another major bargain)
- 17-55mm f/2.8 IS ("almost L") $780 vs $1030
If Canon does come out with a "Mark II" 70-200mm f/2.8L IS and it's more expensive, the value of used "Mark I" lenses may go up. If it comes out at the same price as the current lens, used values will likely drop.
Reply With Quote