The lens is one of the main things in photography besides the camera. The results of the photo can also be determined by the type of lens you use, apart from skill of course. But good lenses usually have a high price. So, if you want to buy used lenses, check out the following tips!
1. Who is the seller
If you want to buy online, you can see the track record of the seller. But if you buy directly at the shop, you can do research about the shop first. Mimin suggests that it is better to buy directly at the shop because you can immediately check the condition of the goods. If you want to buy online, maybe you can do COD so you can still check the goods first.
2. Open the lens aperture to the largest opening.
On Canon lenses, the aperture opens automatically if it is not mounted on the camera. On Nikon lenses, you can move the lever on the back. After that, you can point the lens in front of the light and you can see if there is dirt or mold on the inside of the lens.
3. With the aperture open, check whether there are scratches on the lens element using a small flashlight or you can also point it at the light and move it so you can see the entire shadow of the lens element on the inside.
4. By pointing the lens at the light, rotate the lens slowly to see if there are any loose/loose parts. Hold it to your ear, do the same thing, try to listen for any unusual sounds from the camera.
5. Check the camera mounting parts, make sure nothing is cracked, broken or missing.
6. Check the threads on the front of the lens. Make sure there are no dented / chipped parts. You can try installing a filter. Sometimes lenses are sold with filters installed and are quite difficult to open. Don't force it to open the filter because there is a possibility that it will damage the lens because the filter has been in place for a long time. You can check whether the threads on the filter are installed properly, so you can install a new filter on the front.
7 . If it is sold as a package with a lens hood, check whether the lens hood can be attached properly to the lens.
8. If you buy a zoom lens, try all focal lengths. Make sure it runs well, doesn't stutter, and doesn't make any strange sounds when used.
9. Try rotating the focus ring and check whether everything works well.
10. Check the camera mounting by attaching it to the camera and removing it again. Make sure everything is secure and not loose. You can try it a few times to make sure.
11. You can try taking photos with this lens. Try all focal lengths, make sure autofocus works well.
12. You can use a newspaper as a substitute for a focusing chart. Take several photos to make sure the lens has good focus, not misfocus. But each type of lens has different sharpness.
13. If the lens has a VR (Vibration Reduction) or IS (Image Stabilization) feature, make sure it works well. You can try it by using a low shutter speed, turning the feature on and off and seeing the difference.
14. Check all equipment . Everything related to lenses such as box, manual, lens pouch, front & back cover, hood, and so on. Make sure you have received all the equipment that was promised.
15. Check if there is a guarantee, and how long it lasts. If possible, you can ask for a sales receipt to make it easier for you to find out the historical record of your lens.