Do you buy your camera/lenses new or used??

[J Ney]

If used... how do you find them? Auction sites? Wanted Ads? Used Camera Stores?

[vinny]

oddly, the only gear I've purchased new, I've not been happy with.

[David Karp]

Almost 100% used from MPEX, KEH, this forum, some E-Bay, once from a friend, once on Craig's List. I have only purchased a few items new: my darkcloth, my first four film holders, and my first lens (210mm Caltar II-E). Everything else is used. Most of the items looked like nobody ever touched them before I purchased them.

[Ole Tjugen]

Used.

Here, APUG, Ebay, KEH, local shop, here and there, all over...

In general, I find the used stuff cheaper.

[Ron Marshall]

Used, KEH, Badger, Calumet, MPEX.

[Vaughn]

Both Zone VI 8x10 and Fuji W 300mm bought used from Midwest Photo. Tripod/head I bought new directly from Ries. Lenses since then have all been bought used, as have the film holders -- although 3 were wood Fidelitys which were never previously used.

Pack was bought new. Previous 4x5 and 5x7 cameras (and lenses) were bought new. (back when a LF camera and lens could be bought new for <$600.

Vaughn

[Daniel_Buck]

I've purchased a few things new, but mostly used. it's cheaper that way :-) Like Vaughn, I purchased my Ries new, and pretty much everything else used (or given to me free, used)

[J Ney]

First 4x5 camera / lens were luckily found on Craigslist... since then, it has mainly been eBay with few disappointments

[Eric Leppanen]

The vast majority of my LF equipment was bought used, mostly via MPEX, Ebay and Badger Graphic. The only exceptions were a couple lenses that I bought new when I first entered LF (I did not have enough lens knowledge to feel comfortable buying used at that time), a couple SSXL's that I bought when those lenses first entered production, and a lens and a couple cameras that rarely hit the used market (did not want to potentially wait 12+ months).

[Rodney Polden]

Mostly eBay and the altogether excellent LFPF For Sale section. Some gear I've bought new on eBay (but mostly used), some new stuff from stores, but it's hard for stores to offer sensible prices any longer in this era it seems. I tried to buy a regular tripod screw recently in a camera store I have used for 30 years - no luck, not even available. I can find them on eBay.

I wish all photographic needs could be met as simply as buying used cameras and lenses through eBay. On another thread here, Acros 8x10 film is being offered for around $9 to $11 a sheet. It's a great film, but when 8x10 black-and-white costs even $5, let alone $10, some of us will be forced to shoot much less. Thank heavens that there are still some Chinese manufacturers offering 8x10 for $2.50 or $3/sheet.

Who knew we would all be rescued by the Chinese?