Topic: where to shop for used lenses?

[ozarkbilly]

I'm in search of a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens to go with my newly-purchased Nikon D40 body to hopefully use for concert photography.  I've been told that this is the best option for those on a budget who would like to be able to hopefully get some decent low-light shots.  Is there anywhere other than ebay to use as a source for a used one to save a few more bucks?

[Sanjay]

I have bought used lenses from KEH.com before.

[BJ]

fredmiranda.com if you aren't in a big hurry..kinda like the ys here

[phanophish]

Ditto the above recommendation for FredMiranda.

Also just FYI, the 50/1.8 will not autofocus on a D40.  It will be manual focus only since the camera does not have a focus motor.

[ozarkbilly]

Ditto the above recommendation for FredMiranda.

Also just FYI, the 50/1.8 will not autofocus on a D40.  It will be manual focus only since the camera does not have a focus motor.

fredmiranda.com looks like an excellent resource.  However, unless I'm missing something, you've got to be a paid subscriber to post a buy message?  And I had seen that this lens won't auto-focus on the D40 but from my research it is apparently still the most economical way to get decent shots from down front at a dimly-lit club. 

[phanophish]

Ditto the above recommendation for FredMiranda.

Also just FYI, the 50/1.8 will not autofocus on a D40.  It will be manual focus only since the camera does not have a focus motor.

fredmiranda.com looks like an excellent resource.  However, unless I'm missing something, you've got to be a paid subscriber to post a buy message?  And I had seen that this lens won't auto-focus on the D40 but from my research it is apparently still the most economical way to get decent shots from down front at a dimly-lit club. 

You have to be a member to initiate a thread in the Buy/Sell forum, but AFAIK you can post and respond to people offering them for sale.  Just keep your eyes open for one to come up there. 

The 50/1.8 is a great lens and will get you some great concert/low light shots, I just wanted to be sure you were aware of the AF limitation.  It can be kind of tricky to manual focus on a DSLR since there typically not a focusing prism like on the old school film SLRs.

[ozarkbilly]

thank you.  +Ts for the help/suggestions 

[gearscout]

Ozarkbilly,

This lens retails NEW for $110.  Some people bid more than that to buy a used one on eBay.  It is absolutely the best bargain in the entire Nikon lens lineup!

If that's too much, my suggestion is to go to the camera forums, like Nikonians.org and keep a lookout for it.  But nobody is going to sell it for much less than $90...unless it's battered.

[wjlapier]

If you plan on keeping the D40 for a while and you know that the lenses have to be AF-S to AF, meaning that you will have to manually focus with everything else, I'd consider older AI lenses.  KEH is conservative with their grading and I often purchase BGN grade lenses from them.  A BGN grade 50mm f/2 AI lens will run you about $40-50.  And the build quality is so much better than the current AF versions of f/1.8 and f/1.4 lenses.  Something to ponder.

Bill