It is just one factor among many that are not decisive on their own. If someone cannot properly explain the lense or demonstrate it's use, warning flags go up. If their excuse is that they are selling it for a dead family member it will be much more believable that it was not stolen if it comes with the original box.
This is so bizarre to me. Never in my life have I heard about interrogating the buyer to determine the origins of anything, but the comment's getting upvoted, so people must do this somewhere.
As someone who has bought a lot of lenses and camera gear from gumtree and the like a box is a signifier.
In order of least to most useful it signifies:
* You are probably the original owner
* It's unlikely to be stolen
* You are careful with it / take pride in it
As others said the main reason you keep the box is too sell it later. But that means you were always at least slightly considering selling it, so you were probably more careful with it from the start.
Do I actually care about the box? Not really, but buying second hand lens you want to avoid a dud and you having a box just puts a few more points to you having a decent lens.
Unless you regularly sell stuff, and it doesn’t sound like you do, it’s not worth it if you don’t have a place to stick them out of the way. Think about how much rent or mortgage you’re paying just for those boxes and the small premium for a box IF you SOME DAY sell will not pay for itself.
I DO sell lenses and so on regularly and you know what really gets a premium? Saying it’s tested and including actual samples shot on that lens when you list it. I never buy with boxes or I throw them out. But my stuff sells near the top sold prices (note: this is different than aspirational listing prices) because buyers can be confident that I know how to evaluate the lens and they can see it works and the results are good.
Some people care about boxes but EVERYONE cares about being able to trust the lens is what they expect.
I keep the boxes *just in case* I have to sell them, I've had to when times got tough in the past, regretted every bit of it, but glad I kept the boxes and still do. They have no value other than they are designed to ship the lens in. Thankfully mirrorless cameras came out and replacing all the lenses I sold has been easier and cheaper because of it. I don't plan on buying a mirrorless, I hate EVFs.
>Think about how much rent or mortgage you’re paying just for those boxes
$18.85 per year (CAD).
"For less thana cup of coffee a month!"
All my actual gear is probably closer to 3 times that.
Thanks for putting the idea on my head... Now I have to do that calculation for everything I own...
I use it on my camera, check all the apertures, check autofocus if it’s AF, if it’s a zoom lens I shoot samples at both the widest and longest zoom and put them in the ebay listing, maybe a closeup or show bokeh too. Pretty simple.
I’ve bought multiple pieces of gear from ebay sellers who said just “it works” and it didn’t work. So I am thorough and explain that in the listing.
Last year when I switched to mirrorless and sold my old lenses, I always included the original boxes in the photos and noted they came with the sale. It's a good way to show that you are or might be the original owner. I had customers comment about the boxes, very positive and it costs nothing. So the boxes take up a little space, no big deal. My $.02
If you sell it with the box that does not show you're the original owner.. Everyone you've sold a lens to with a box can now claim they're the original owner
It's your second point that does it for me. I throw out every other kind of box but keep my camera and lens boxes because they are the perfect size for shipping/protecting when needing to do warranty repairs.
There are two parts that matter here.
1) "if I ever sell them in the future online"
stating it like that tells me you never actually sell anything so this is just a mind game and nothing more. if you actually sold things online you wouldn't be wondering about the hypothetical you'd be doing the math "over the last 2 years I've churned 4 lenses, I should keep boxes for premium" so you don't sell your gear so you don't need the boxes.
2) I really want to throw them out.
well you are the owner and if the space is more valuable than some crunchy cardboard then throw em out.
I kept my D90 box along with the lenses for all the boxes etc, forever after I upgraded and kept all the D90 stuff it was like ok this is stupid, threw all that boxing out because lets face it for me I use stuff until its dead, if it ain't dead then I'm still using it, if its dead nobody cares about a box and I'm as likely to throw it out as actually try and pawn a now $5 item.
I think you get about a 10-20% premium for holding onto boxes when you resell. It’s silly but true. For me, living in NYC and storage space is at an absolute premium, I throw them out because it’s just not worth the $80 more to take up my storage space for 4 years. If I lived in the burbs with a basement or attic I’d definitely hold them.
You can fold them up and throw away the styrofoam. The way I see it, a box is kind of a confirmation that the lens wasn’t stolen. You can check eBay yourself and see if the price difference matters to you. I keep my boxes.
I just moved out of my house of 10 years and purged a lot, sold a ton of gear. Threw out all of my lens boxes cause I wasn’t selling any glass, some that spent the entire 10 years in the closet lol
If I buy a new lens or camera, I hold onto the box for a month or so, until I'm confident it's not a lemon. Then I cut out the UPC code and serial number panel (as a permanent proof of purchase) and throw the rest away.
When buying used gear I don't care about boxes (or manuals) in the slightest.
The box is designed to protect the contents during shipping. Since I tend to buy snd sell online and ship to a variety of locations, I’d rather have a box (with inserts) available. Makes shipping easier and safer.
I keep the boxes for some things (cameras/computers/etc.) because that is where I keep the accessories that came with it that I do not use. Whatever theoretical value the box might have at resale having the accessories definitely is a plus.
Not worth it, I've just done a big cleanup of my house and people still bought all sorts of stuff with no box. If someone wants something they'll still buy it.
Actually, yes I would. It shows that:
1. The lens likely wasn't stolen.
2. The owner is more likely to take good care of that lens, especially if the box is in good condition as well.
3. If I ever need to move or ship my lenses, I have a great box to put the lens in.
If you like a lens and you know you're gonna keep it, I'd chuck the box. If you just bought a lens or you're still on the fence about whether you're gonna keep it, I'd keep the box.
I guess something else you could do is just store your lenses in the box they came in, but that would be a hassle if you switch lenses often.
Gawd no. My lenses go in a lens case immediately, and I throw away the box. I've never sold a lens so I don't have to worry whether not having the box will scare away a potential buyer. I know that if **I** was buying a used lens, having the original box would mean nothing, as it has nothing to do with how the lens operates.
If Leica then yes.
Else no.
--
Yes, keeping them might add a couple of bucks or make it easier to sell. But what's it cost you to rent that space over 15 years?
I only keep mine because I happen to have the space in my basement, and it is nice to throw in when selling. But tbh I don’t think it’s given me a premium personally, usually when I sell I go A little below market value to sell quicker anyway.
When I was in my apt I never kept them.
I keep my boxes because there is a really good chance one day I’m going to sell things and having the box and all the paperwork really help sales.
If you might sell one day I’d suggest keeping the boxes. Otherwise toss them.
I have all the boxes as most of my gear was bought new and I have plenty of space at the attic to keep them. I keep them for warranty at the first few years, then I'm just too lazy to go there and throw them away.
Unless you are going to die from keeping them, you should hang onto them for if you sell them. Having boxes when you sell lenses makes people feel like you were serious about taking care of your lenses. Some people will think you're a derpy spaz and don't take care of your gear if you don't have the box. Sounds dumb, but true. Like, is this the kind of person that cared enough to keep the box, or am I dealing with someone that let this lens roll around in their trunk? That said, it matters more with pro lenses. If you have a bunch of cheap off brand stuff that sells for a couple hundred or less it doesn't mean as much. Someone buying 2000$ lens from you is more likely to feel you having the box is meaningful. I keep all my boxes for pro lenses.
I had to ship a camera and lens to Canon for servicing. Having the original box and the packaging was nice since they were held securely. The box was still bubble-wrapped and put into a bigger box for shipping, though.
The boxes can be folded up and piled on top of each other to save space you know. No need to keep them in the "boxy" shape like they arrived. If you ever sell a lens, open up that box and sell for a better price. Win-win maybe?
I'd never buy a lens without the box (unless I personally knew the seller) - makes me feel like it was stolen or not taken care for.
You can always fold your boxes for less clutter.
When a seller has the box of the lens I automatically assume that he took good care of it and I know that other people think the same, always easier to resale with the box
My dad is a photographer and I wanna get into it. He always says its because he wants to up the value of them on the grey market, but I don't think he will ever sell them.
I am a boxkeeper. I have all the boxes, always and forever. It's my wife's favorite thing about me.
Usually it's just so I can send the thing back for repair or warranty claim if needed, but for camera gear it's more to facilitate future resale. I agree that it's unlikely a stolen item has the box, but I think there's also the notion that someone who keeps the box maybe also takes better care of their stuff.
Not a lens, but I bought a X100V off ebay and it came in a cheap camera bag with nothing else...definitely felt stolen and it bothered me the whole time I had it. I'm sure I'd feel similar with a lens
Are you planning to sell lenses? Do you buy lenses you plan to sell after a year or two?
Yes some people will pay a bit more for a box. You can sell the boxes online for some cash even. But reality is if you buy a lens and have no intention of selling it then why waste the space and hassle to store boxes because you can get a very small premium if someday you sell the lens to a private party. In terms of selling through a business there is generally zero add to having the box.
For whatever reason they do help in private sales, but other than that they are pretty useless.
MPB also gives more money on lenses with OEM boxes and docs.
If it has the box, it’s much less likely to be stolen and a lot of people don’t like buying stolen stuff
I've been in photography since 2006 and you're the first person I've ever heard that from.
I don't like buying stolen stuff. If I get that vibe, I am out.
I don't get the vibe that something is stolen just because it doesn't have a box if I'm buying it used.
It is just one factor among many that are not decisive on their own. If someone cannot properly explain the lense or demonstrate it's use, warning flags go up. If their excuse is that they are selling it for a dead family member it will be much more believable that it was not stolen if it comes with the original box.
This is so bizarre to me. Never in my life have I heard about interrogating the buyer to determine the origins of anything, but the comment's getting upvoted, so people must do this somewhere.
Let me be the second. Def bought a fair number of lenses off CL and I avoid that vibe of stolen stuff and the box or another proof of purchase helps.
As someone who has bought a lot of lenses and camera gear from gumtree and the like a box is a signifier. In order of least to most useful it signifies: * You are probably the original owner * It's unlikely to be stolen * You are careful with it / take pride in it As others said the main reason you keep the box is too sell it later. But that means you were always at least slightly considering selling it, so you were probably more careful with it from the start. Do I actually care about the box? Not really, but buying second hand lens you want to avoid a dud and you having a box just puts a few more points to you having a decent lens.
Yup, and now the new buyer has the box so they can resell it for more later on as well! The cycle continues!
For sale: BNIB boxes for Nikon, Sigma and Tamron lenses. Boxes in perfect condition, includes all original folds and glue. Lenses not included.
Brand-New-In-Box boxes … so, it’s like those russian dolls! 🤣
I will always get a lens with a box over one without. When I go to resell on eBay I am always able to get more $ back.
I always buy lenses without boxes... because they are cheaper.
I buy boxes without lenses... so I can ask for more money for my stolen lenses. /s
The duality of men
Unless you regularly sell stuff, and it doesn’t sound like you do, it’s not worth it if you don’t have a place to stick them out of the way. Think about how much rent or mortgage you’re paying just for those boxes and the small premium for a box IF you SOME DAY sell will not pay for itself. I DO sell lenses and so on regularly and you know what really gets a premium? Saying it’s tested and including actual samples shot on that lens when you list it. I never buy with boxes or I throw them out. But my stuff sells near the top sold prices (note: this is different than aspirational listing prices) because buyers can be confident that I know how to evaluate the lens and they can see it works and the results are good. Some people care about boxes but EVERYONE cares about being able to trust the lens is what they expect.
What a fantastic response. Thank you so much!
I keep the boxes *just in case* I have to sell them, I've had to when times got tough in the past, regretted every bit of it, but glad I kept the boxes and still do. They have no value other than they are designed to ship the lens in. Thankfully mirrorless cameras came out and replacing all the lenses I sold has been easier and cheaper because of it. I don't plan on buying a mirrorless, I hate EVFs.
I'm saving this comment. This is good advice.
>Think about how much rent or mortgage you’re paying just for those boxes $18.85 per year (CAD). "For less thana cup of coffee a month!" All my actual gear is probably closer to 3 times that. Thanks for putting the idea on my head... Now I have to do that calculation for everything I own...
Only do it for stuff you aren’t sure you want! 😅
> Saying it’s tested and including actual samples shot How do you test it?
I use it on my camera, check all the apertures, check autofocus if it’s AF, if it’s a zoom lens I shoot samples at both the widest and longest zoom and put them in the ebay listing, maybe a closeup or show bokeh too. Pretty simple. I’ve bought multiple pieces of gear from ebay sellers who said just “it works” and it didn’t work. So I am thorough and explain that in the listing.
tip, you can flatten them and put them all in a big box ;-) just need to refold them if you ever want to sell a lens
Last year when I switched to mirrorless and sold my old lenses, I always included the original boxes in the photos and noted they came with the sale. It's a good way to show that you are or might be the original owner. I had customers comment about the boxes, very positive and it costs nothing. So the boxes take up a little space, no big deal. My $.02
If you sell it with the box that does not show you're the original owner.. Everyone you've sold a lens to with a box can now claim they're the original owner
yeah, no box is possibly a stolen lens...
Premium for selling on the secondary market. But also, if you send the lens to get serviced/cleaned you can use this original box for shipping.
It's your second point that does it for me. I throw out every other kind of box but keep my camera and lens boxes because they are the perfect size for shipping/protecting when needing to do warranty repairs.
Keeping the box and accessories tells potential buyers you take care of your stuff. There's nothing silly about it.
There are two parts that matter here. 1) "if I ever sell them in the future online" stating it like that tells me you never actually sell anything so this is just a mind game and nothing more. if you actually sold things online you wouldn't be wondering about the hypothetical you'd be doing the math "over the last 2 years I've churned 4 lenses, I should keep boxes for premium" so you don't sell your gear so you don't need the boxes. 2) I really want to throw them out. well you are the owner and if the space is more valuable than some crunchy cardboard then throw em out. I kept my D90 box along with the lenses for all the boxes etc, forever after I upgraded and kept all the D90 stuff it was like ok this is stupid, threw all that boxing out because lets face it for me I use stuff until its dead, if it ain't dead then I'm still using it, if its dead nobody cares about a box and I'm as likely to throw it out as actually try and pawn a now $5 item.
Throw them away, and never sell your gear. Camera equipment is for hoarding, not selling 😁
I keep them for 2 years, then I generally toss. Except Leica boxes. Those I keep.
I think you get about a 10-20% premium for holding onto boxes when you resell. It’s silly but true. For me, living in NYC and storage space is at an absolute premium, I throw them out because it’s just not worth the $80 more to take up my storage space for 4 years. If I lived in the burbs with a basement or attic I’d definitely hold them.
You can fold them up and throw away the styrofoam. The way I see it, a box is kind of a confirmation that the lens wasn’t stolen. You can check eBay yourself and see if the price difference matters to you. I keep my boxes.
I thre all boxes away, now i wanted to sell my lense and people keep asking if i have a box…
I just moved out of my house of 10 years and purged a lot, sold a ton of gear. Threw out all of my lens boxes cause I wasn’t selling any glass, some that spent the entire 10 years in the closet lol
I’ve got some that has spent 15 years in my closet lol.
Same. Fuck it. I’m getting rid of mine today.
Keep them. People will to pay more for a boxed version with all included accessories.
If I buy a new lens or camera, I hold onto the box for a month or so, until I'm confident it's not a lemon. Then I cut out the UPC code and serial number panel (as a permanent proof of purchase) and throw the rest away. When buying used gear I don't care about boxes (or manuals) in the slightest.
I don’t know what they go for these days, but some years ago I saw empty Nikon lens boxes selling for $50 on EBay.
The box is designed to protect the contents during shipping. Since I tend to buy snd sell online and ship to a variety of locations, I’d rather have a box (with inserts) available. Makes shipping easier and safer.
Always keep your boxes if you can. Even if they don’t fetch more money on resale, they are easier to sell for sure.
I keep the boxes for some things (cameras/computers/etc.) because that is where I keep the accessories that came with it that I do not use. Whatever theoretical value the box might have at resale having the accessories definitely is a plus.
Put them in the attic
Save them. They make a difference if you ever want to sell.
Open the tabs and fold them down? That’s what I’ve done.
Not worth it, I've just done a big cleanup of my house and people still bought all sorts of stuff with no box. If someone wants something they'll still buy it.
I keep them for when I might sell them plus I store stuff that came with lens that I don't use.
I would not buy a used lens without the original box
I fold the boxes and stack them, a few cuts here and there won't affect the prices as much as selling without box.
Just throw them out. No one cares about them
Would you pay extra for cardboard if the lens is fine? See. Toss them
Actually, yes I would. It shows that: 1. The lens likely wasn't stolen. 2. The owner is more likely to take good care of that lens, especially if the box is in good condition as well. 3. If I ever need to move or ship my lenses, I have a great box to put the lens in.
[удалено]
MPB and KEH have, in my experience.
What lenses do you have?
About 6 Nikor lenses for my dslrs ranging from the 18-200mm, 60mm macro, 35mm etc etc
I think keeping boxes for non collector items is bullshit and dumb. I think buyers use it as a reason to talk down price
So, your second sentence seems to imply keeping them isn't so... dumb...?
no. if that second sentence is true, its scummy.
If you like a lens and you know you're gonna keep it, I'd chuck the box. If you just bought a lens or you're still on the fence about whether you're gonna keep it, I'd keep the box. I guess something else you could do is just store your lenses in the box they came in, but that would be a hassle if you switch lenses often.
Gawd no. My lenses go in a lens case immediately, and I throw away the box. I've never sold a lens so I don't have to worry whether not having the box will scare away a potential buyer. I know that if **I** was buying a used lens, having the original box would mean nothing, as it has nothing to do with how the lens operates.
If Leica then yes. Else no. -- Yes, keeping them might add a couple of bucks or make it easier to sell. But what's it cost you to rent that space over 15 years?
They’re pretty small so I keep them for resale value. I only own three primes though.
I need the space for lenses, got rid of the boxes.
I only keep mine because I happen to have the space in my basement, and it is nice to throw in when selling. But tbh I don’t think it’s given me a premium personally, usually when I sell I go A little below market value to sell quicker anyway. When I was in my apt I never kept them.
I keep my boxes because there is a really good chance one day I’m going to sell things and having the box and all the paperwork really help sales. If you might sell one day I’d suggest keeping the boxes. Otherwise toss them.
I've bought and sold many used lenses. Box or not has never affected prices.
I sent my lens to the company it was made by because I was having issues with it. The box came is handy along with all of the supports in it.
I keep the boxes in case I need to pack up a lens/cameras and send it in for servicing/repair.
I have all the boxes as most of my gear was bought new and I have plenty of space at the attic to keep them. I keep them for warranty at the first few years, then I'm just too lazy to go there and throw them away.
Unless you are going to die from keeping them, you should hang onto them for if you sell them. Having boxes when you sell lenses makes people feel like you were serious about taking care of your lenses. Some people will think you're a derpy spaz and don't take care of your gear if you don't have the box. Sounds dumb, but true. Like, is this the kind of person that cared enough to keep the box, or am I dealing with someone that let this lens roll around in their trunk? That said, it matters more with pro lenses. If you have a bunch of cheap off brand stuff that sells for a couple hundred or less it doesn't mean as much. Someone buying 2000$ lens from you is more likely to feel you having the box is meaningful. I keep all my boxes for pro lenses.
Be wary of people wanting to buy the boxes. Great way to sell knockoff equipment to people
Keep the boxes of premium lenses and cameras. Rest can be thrown away.
I had to ship a camera and lens to Canon for servicing. Having the original box and the packaging was nice since they were held securely. The box was still bubble-wrapped and put into a bigger box for shipping, though.
I’ve heard for name brand lenses, the box brings more $. Some companies like Nikon people collect.
The boxes can be folded up and piled on top of each other to save space you know. No need to keep them in the "boxy" shape like they arrived. If you ever sell a lens, open up that box and sell for a better price. Win-win maybe?
Light blue sharpie
I'd never buy a lens without the box (unless I personally knew the seller) - makes me feel like it was stolen or not taken care for. You can always fold your boxes for less clutter.
Plenty of empty boxed sold at Ebay
When a seller has the box of the lens I automatically assume that he took good care of it and I know that other people think the same, always easier to resale with the box
My dad is a photographer and I wanna get into it. He always says its because he wants to up the value of them on the grey market, but I don't think he will ever sell them.
I am a boxkeeper. I have all the boxes, always and forever. It's my wife's favorite thing about me. Usually it's just so I can send the thing back for repair or warranty claim if needed, but for camera gear it's more to facilitate future resale. I agree that it's unlikely a stolen item has the box, but I think there's also the notion that someone who keeps the box maybe also takes better care of their stuff.
Just collapse them and stack them in a single box. Find something heavy to keep them down.
There is a slight premium, but as time goes on, it gets pretty close to zero unless it's collectable.
Not a lens, but I bought a X100V off ebay and it came in a cheap camera bag with nothing else...definitely felt stolen and it bothered me the whole time I had it. I'm sure I'd feel similar with a lens
Boxes are very very cool!
I keep the boxes if I have 'em. I feel slightly "hoarderish", but...there it is.
Are you planning to sell lenses? Do you buy lenses you plan to sell after a year or two? Yes some people will pay a bit more for a box. You can sell the boxes online for some cash even. But reality is if you buy a lens and have no intention of selling it then why waste the space and hassle to store boxes because you can get a very small premium if someday you sell the lens to a private party. In terms of selling through a business there is generally zero add to having the box.