Video: Useful Tips for Buying Second-Hand Lenses

When it comes to buying glass, deciding what you want and how much you’re willing to spend can be difficult even in the best of conditions. So, naturally, when buying second-hand glass, an added layer of caution is needed to make sure you’re getting what you’re looking and paying for.

To help with that, photographer Karl Taylor is sharing a few tips he’s found useful in his many years of experience. From the basic rule of looking to ensure that what you’re purchasing is what was advertised, to checking the front and rear lens elements for any scratches, Taylor goes over a nice list of things that will help make sure you don’t get the short end of the stick.

Coming in at just shy of nine minutes, it’s a bit lengthy, but there’s some very useful (and potentially money- and headache-saving) advice in there. So check out the video for a few suggestions from Taylor, and then let us know in the comments if you have any tips you’d like to add.

(via ISO 1200)