Do You Buy New?

[Chris101]

I buy about twice as many used cameras as I do new ones. Over the years:

Kodak Instamatic 104 new, 1966 ($60)
Polaroid SX-70 used, 1972 ($130)
Mamiya 645 new, 1976 ($500)
Crown Graphic used, 1977 ($100)
Burke & James 5x7 used, 1977 ($100)
Canon A-1 new, 1979 ($450)
Canon A-1 new, 1980 ($320)
Argus C3 used, 1982 ($25)
Kodak Signet used, 1984 ($10)
Rollei TLR f/3.5 Tessar, 1985 ($45)
Olympus OM-1n new, 1985 ($280)
Mamiya 645 used, 1986 ($160)
Olympus Auto-Eye used, 1989 ($0)
Nikon 950 new, 1999 ($1000)
Olympus D-100 new, 2001 ($100)
Nikon D100 new, 2002 ($1600)
Nikon F5 used, 2005 ($400)
Holga 120N new, 2006 ($20)
Nikon D70 used, 2006 ($0)
Agfa Billy used, 2006 ($0)
Nikon FG used, 2007 ($30)
Leica M4-P used, 2007 ($650)
Canon EOS 630 used, 2010 ($0)

Used cameras obviously have a price advantage!

 

[Doug]

I have bought new, and bought used. There are advantages and drawbacks either way. I usually have researched it pretty well in advance, so know what I'm looking for. "New Old Stock" is particularly interesting, if at the old pricing! An example is the 28mm Summicron from a dealer evidently tired of looking at it on the shelf, still with the old $1850 price sticker. Demos and refurbs can be attractive ways of getting up-to-date equipment too.