How much for my year old canon 500mm lens?

[Magpie70]

I can't even believe I'm contemplating selling this excellent lens (particularly after my last thread), but times are tough at the moment and I have to look at all avenues (photography is just a hobby for me afterall).

If (and a big IF!) I decided to sell my canon 500mm lens, which is in excellent condition, and just less than a year old, how much do you think I should be looking to get?

Bearing in mind there more than 5 grand new at the moment.
Any advice welcome.

 

[chris321]

I think the norm is about 75% of the cheapest new price, but L lenses tend to hold their value better than most, and go for about 80% and over. So given that the cheapest price is around £5000, then probably between £3750 and £4250 depending on whether you're in a rush to sell, and how good a condition it is in. Have a look to see how much they've gone for in the past, on ebay and on here, but of course bear in mind the recent price rises.

All this is theoretical however, I haven't actually seen one sold, just guesswork!

Chris

 

[Canon Bob]

A 15 month old copy went for £3950 (inc delivery) recently on another forum I frequent.

Bob

 

[malla1962]

I would say £4000-£4250

 

[hepburn]

i would say a tenner... and give me first refusal!

Good luck if you do go ahead and sell.

 

[StewartR]

It's very difficult to suggest a precise price with any real confidence. The kinds of general ranges that have been suggested above are about as good as you'll get. That would make a negotiated sale very difficult.

Last summer a customer managed to drop one of our Canon 500s and damaged it. (Don't laugh - she had the camera slung over her shoulder with the 500 mounted, and the mount wasn't up to taking all that weight pulling down on it.) Anyway, the damage wasn't terribly serious - the barrel was chipped down near the mount - and she suggested that rather than pay £400 to have it repaired she might buy the lens off me. But we found it completely impossible to agree on what would be a fair price (for an undamaged lens). There are just so few of them available second-hand, it was impossible to establish what the "going rate" is with sufficient accuracy for us both to be happy with it.