While clearing out my office I realized I had a few pieces of camera gear that was in great condition but rarely used.  That's the case for many professional and amateur photographers.  You buy something you need but you end up using it only a few times.  Today you no longer have the need for that type of photography gear anymore. So, rather than having this gear sitting around collecting dust I decided to investigate selling it.

My 'go-to' camera store is B&H Photo.  Check out their Used Gear page where you can enter your product(s) for consideration and get an instant quote on their used value.  

What's in my camera bag?What to sell?

I had a couple of old Speedlites, a Sekonic light meter and a few other odds and ends.  They were all in excellent condition but I couldn't remember the last time I used them.  After entering in the product information on the site I got an instant quote. Once I accepted the contract, B&H issues a free shipper that you print out. Then you box (carefully) up your equipment and ship it out.  They notify you by email when your products have arrived.  Then they inspect the gear to ensure it meets the level of condition you listed.  About 2 weeks after receipt I got a check in the mail.  That check just paid for a new Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro lens that I've had on my wish list.  I also got a $50 rebate plus I had a Canon coupon resulting in a $70 total savings.  The total cost didn't make a dent in my wallet since I received my used equipment check.

There are other places you can buy and sell used camera gear including Craigslist, Borrowlenses.com and other camera sites. Here are the quick Pros and Cons:

Craigslist or other used gear website

Pros

• Easy and free to list
• Great place to review what other people are selling similar gear for
• Easy cash

Cons

• You never know who you're going to meet. Plan on a public location like a coffee shop or library
• They can call you back if something goes wrong
• Takes a lot of time to meet someone to sell the gear

All-in-all it was a great way for me to clean up my office and get cash back for equipment that was just sitting around.  And the best part - now I have a new lens that I love - and will hopefully use.  But if not, I know where I can get some cash back!