Buying & Selling Photo Gear with KEH Camera
KEH Camera is a well known company in most photography circles, but there are still quite a lot of people that we encounter that are not familiar with this great resource. As a photographer, buying gear can be quite expensive and complicated, so it’s nice to have this “third option” outside of buying new gear at full price or used gear from a seller (like on eBay).
With over 40 years of experience, KEH Camera is a trusted source for second-hand photography gear, and their inventory is loaded with options. They offer a great variety of equipment, including digital, 35mm, medium format, and lots more.
The gear is listed, often with options to buy, which have been sorted and priced by “grade”. From “as is” to “new”, there can be a wide span in the pricing, and that is a nice option to have. Their gear is guaranteed to work, as long as the grade is higher than “as is”. While I would have typically stayed at the highest grades, like “Excellent” or “Like New”, on some gear, those ratings are difficult to come by. For a camera that may be nearly 20 years old (or more), they may not have an option for “like new” at any point. One thing I learned quickly was that their grading system is generous and can be trusted. I’ve purchased numerous “bargain” grade items, and been surprised at how great the condition was. More on their Grading System here.
Among the gear that I’ve purchased from KEH, I’d say that all of it was in fantastic condition and it all worked as expected. Here is some of what I’ve purchased from KEH Camera:
Nikon 28-300mm F/3.5-5.6 - Excellent
This is my “go everywhere” zoom lens and it came to me in nearly new condition, from what I could tell.
Nikon 50mm F/1.8G - Bargain
This little lens was in perfectly good condition, with perhaps a bit a use visible on the barrel. It certainly doesn’t interfere with use, and would certainly have gained as many scuffs in my use!
Nikon 105mm f/2.8D Micro - Excellent
I went with Excellent on this lens because it was the only grade available, and I was not disappointed. The previous owner wrote “105” on the lens cap, and there were some very light scuffs on the barrel, but this lens takes stunning photos!
Nikon 200-500mm F/5.6 ED VR - Excellent
My biggest purchase from KEH, and one I was happy to make with them, since it is an expensive lens! I chose “Excellent” for this lens, because I wanted it to be minty, including all of the the caps and tripod mount. I’m not sure, but the lens looked like a new lens, without a box, when I received it. I’ve certainly worn this one out, and given it some scuffs of my own, but this lens is a stunner. And big.
Yashica Mat 124G - Bargain
After looking for this camera at thrift stores and estate sales for a couple of years, I finally decided to buy one from KEH. I paid a fair price for a “bargain” body, and this thing was a total beauty, out of the box. If I had to grade it, it’d get an Excellent, at least!
Mamiya 645 1000s - Bargain
This item was received in beautiful condition, but did have a somewhat slow shutter out of the box. After two rolls of film, the camera was showing shutter marks and shadows on the film. I contacted KEH Customer Service, and had a replacement camera in my hands in about a week. They honor their guarantees, in my experiences. Another beautiful camera, in great condition, at a Bargain price!
Fuji X100T - Bargain
This is the only digital camera I’ve purchased from KEH, and won’t be the last. I got a Bargain camera, expecting that I’d carry it everywhere and put it through the paces, so why get a brand new one? This Bargain came with some of the finish a little worn off (known to happen with plated cameras), but had all accessories and worked perfectly. I still love this tiny camera!
That’s my list of KEH gear experiences, and if you can’t tell, I trust their grading system and that I’m going to get great gear for what I pay. We love the idea of buying used gear, that has been fully tested and inspected, rather than buying something brand new. It saves money and it’s certainly better for the environment.
KEH always buys gear, which is how they get their inventory. They host buying events all over the place, nearly every weekend. If you’re near Atlanta, you can go by their headquarters and sell anytime. I’ve attended a buying event in California, and had a great experience. I had four items that were just gathering dust, and thought someone else might get better use of them. I met with their buyer, at a little table at my local camera store, and he inspected the gear, and made an offer. I liked it, it was very fair, and was quite a bit higher than I expected! They wrote me a check right there! Quick, easy, and fair… A great experience.
In all fairness, I’ll disclose that I was a content provider for KEH Camera for a couple of years, and was paid to write for them. I was proud to help further their reach, as well as to share various stories with their blog readers. This partnership did not impact my impression for this review, either of the quality of gear or customer service from the company. I’ve provided honest and real feedback, regardless of that partnership. If anything, working closely with them actually let me get to know the company better and only enhanced my already positive opinion of the company.
KEH Camera is a “small business” that has been going for over 40 years. In the last few years, they’ve evolved with a new website and made it even easier to shop their inventory. Their team is incredibly friendly, and always ready to work with you from helping with buying or selling gear, or resolving issues after you place an order. If you’re in the market for nearly anything photography related, take a look at KEH Camera!
