What is the best lens deal you ever got?

i got a pretty crazy deal just last week...

- canon rebel xt w/ 18-55 kit lense
- (4) genuine canon batteries
- (2) generic canon batteries
- (2) 2 GB cf cards
- (3) 1 GB cf cards
- canon 50mm f1.8
- and a canon 16-35 f2.8 L

all for $600!

Were they on crack and looking for a fix? I'd done that deal even if I didn't need the gear.

Naturally Aspirated wrote in post #8709318
i got a pretty crazy deal just last week...

- canon rebel xt w/ 18-55 kit lense
- (4) genuine canon batteries
- (2) generic canon batteries
- (2) 2 GB cf cards
- (3) 1 GB cf cards
- canon 50mm f1.8
- and a canon 16-35 f2.8 L

all for $600!

wow, well i got a 50D with a 28-135 IS kit lens, with all the accessories, for 700 bucks. less than 4,000 clicks at the time. this was a few months ago. it was in awesome condition.

i just picked up a tokina 12-24 for just over 300 bucks. it's in awesome condition as well.

Found a Leica ii in a junk shop for £5 in the mid 80's sold it next day for over £200

Bought a 300d for £50 with four batteries and an 18-55 only one non canon sold the camera for £130 a few days latter and got £50 for the lens.
Bought my 18-55 old one for £8 and a 35-135 with hood and filter for £25.

Bought a Nikon mount sigma 20mm 1.8 for £25 and sold it for over £100
My wife bought me a nikon D100 with a sigma 28mm 2.8 for £100 it also had the grip got £250 for the body, £60 for the grip and £70 for the lens.

Got my G9 brand new for £220 ish.

I tend to set a maximum limit for anything I buy always at or a bit lower than its value. Also I wait for anything at a silly price if I have the spare money. Ive kept the spare batteries just in case I could afford a used 5d, which the wife said we have the cash (she does the money) so Ill be looking for one next wk.

Last week got a 70-200 2.8 L IS, hood, bag, tripod foot and circular polarizer for $970. Lens is pristine and used only 3 times. Sharp as can be and just an awesome thing to hold!

Thank you Craigslist!

Most of the great lens deals I got were from friends here, or were eventually turned around here,. so in either case,. I can't be specific!

I did get my current EF 500mm f/4L IS from Mike Hatam over on FM for a mere $4K...
It had a broken mount,.. which I replaced fro $35.00 from Canon and 20 minutes of my time, I suspect that puts another $1K to it's resale value ( the fact that it now works perfectly! )

Methodical wrote in post #8710091
Were they on crack and looking for a fix? I'd done that deal even if I didn't need the gear.

appararently they used this gear to take pictures of things around their work area. but they stopped using it because a point and shot provided a bigger convenience whenever they needed to take shots. so this thing sat in their drawer most of its life! funny thing is, when he showed me the kit, he had the 18-55 kit lense in a Canon lense bag, (not for the 16-35 mind you) and said something to the like of, "You probably know a little more about higher end glass, but there's an expensive one here (pointing to the kit lense in the Canon bag), and a cheaper one under neath (referring to the L glass)"

Well anyone know where i can get a 50d for $800 or less and a tamron 17-50mm for less than $300? Anyone.... anyone...???

I'm hoping to catch a yard sale with someone trying to rid themselves of expensive photographic junk. So they thought the L was a cheap lens. I bet you couldn't wait to get hold of it and in the back of your mind you were saying come on come on enough talk lets do the sell.

Wonder if they did a google after the sell

Naturally Aspirated wrote in post #8710448
appararently they used this gear to take pictures of things around their work area. but they stopped using it because a point and shot provided a bigger convenience whenever they needed to take shots. so this thing sat in their drawer most of its life! funny thing is, when he showed me the kit, he had the 18-55 kit lense in a Canon lense bag, (not for the 16-35 mind you) and said something to the like of, "You probably know a little more about higher end glass, but there's an expensive one here (pointing to the kit lense in the Canon bag), and a cheaper one under neath (referring to the L glass)"

Naturally Aspirated wrote in post #8710448
appararently they used this gear to take pictures of things around their work area. but they stopped using it because a point and shot provided a bigger convenience whenever they needed to take shots. so this thing sat in their drawer most of its life! funny thing is, when he showed me the kit, he had the 18-55 kit lense in a Canon lense bag, (not for the 16-35 mind you) and said something to the like of, "You probably know a little more about higher end glass, but there's an expensive one here (pointing to the kit lense in the Canon bag), and a cheaper one under neath (referring to the L glass)"

so what was the L lens? did you buy it, how much?

Vivitar Series 1 28-90mm for $5. Bent filter ring, but the lens takes great pics!

RiaGurl wrote in post #8713977
so what was the L lens? did you buy it, how much?

read post# 242

wow crazy good deal.

I got a 70-300mm IS for 450 refurb. It is not a great deal. but it was awsome that it looks absolutely brand new. My best deal was the 18-55mm that was free with my camera. yah.

I got a 70-200 IS and 15mm fe through a merchandise incentive from my company, so I only had to pay the taxes on the redeemed points.