Buying 2nd hand eyepieces

[GarryLazereyes]

As I have just started this hobby ive been looking to expand my collection of eyepieces.

And I see alot of eyepieces that comes up in the 2nd hand market place here on SGL but I dont have the nerve to buy since I dont know that much about ep´s. 

My question as a complete noob is what should I look out for ? Even if the EP looks nice in photos does the age of it come in play? would eyepiece X from 2015 be a better year than 2014? Or is it like a good wine ? 

I would love to hear some pointers what to look for!

 

[tuckstar]

Second hand is always a gamble. I have brought plenty second hand and never had a problem. Use respectable places like here or astro buy and sell rather than ebay for example. Astronomers tend to take care of there kit. Always pay with PayPal goods and services or credit card so you have some protection if things go wrong.

As for make and model, that will depend on what you want to do with it, what scope you have and what budget you have.

If you have a local club it might help to see what the members have. I tried out some es 100° before I went and spent alot of cash on something I might not of liked or got on with.

[Alfian]

LIke @tuckstar I have bought many EPs here and astrobuysell and not had a problem, in fact most of my whole astro' gear is second hand. Some common sense and caution is always good and it does no harm to ask the seller questions if you are not sure. You can always post a specific question on the forum about an EP.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Most of my EPs are second-hand, and I have never got a lemon. Most of them I bought on SGL or ABS-UK.

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, tuckstar said:

Second hand is always a gamble. I have brought plenty second hand and never had a problem. Use respectable places like here or astro buy and sell rather than ebay for example. Astronomers tend to take care of there kit. Always pay with PayPal goods and services or credit card so you have some protection if things go wrong.

As for make and model, that will depend on what you want to do with it, what scope you have and what budget you have.

If you have a local club it might help to see what the members have. I tried out some es 100° before I went and spent alot of cash on something I might not of liked or got on with.

Have to mainly agree with this advice.

Almost all my kit has been purchased used and most via SGL, no problems so far.
Astronomers tend to look after kit very well and used is a less painful way into more expensive EP.

The payment is a very personal thing, if you pay via Paypal either the seller or buyer gets clobbered for fees, which to me is a waste.
I always try and pay by bank transfer and to date have had no problems.

eBay is a mine field for used kit, unless you are comfortable and able to write off the odd eBay purchase, then give it a miss.
Again I will take a roll of the dice on eBay, subject to the pictures and description. 

[GarryLazereyes]

Thanks for the answers. 

 

I just get nervous when I see something here that I like but noone else is picking it up

[Moonshane]

Not much can go wrong with an eyepiece in normal use. As long as it's been cleaned carefully and has not been dropped it should be as good as new in use which is what matters. 

Cosmetic damage to the body or missing original caps and box in some cases should reduce the price as it will reduce resale value. But if you can live with scratches on the nosepiece etc sometimes you'll get a bargain.

I normally see people in the hobby as astro friends so use the PayPal friend and family option. No fees and same risk as bank transfer. Strike up an email conversation with sellers. This shows if they are astronomers or not. SGL has almost no risk, ABS has little risk and ebay has more risk in my experience.

Buying used is often my preference and an advantage is you can sell at less loss than new if you change your mind, circumstances or hobby preference.

[Ricochet]

As a general rule I would rate second hand equipment advertised here over equipment only advertised on ABS because it is more than just a sales board. No one wants to get a reputation for selling duff equipment and so there is an extra onus on the seller to look more critically for faults and describe them in the adverts.

21 minutes ago, GarryLazereyes said:

I just get nervous when I see something here that I like but noone else is picking it up

In this case I would start by looking at the price that is being asked as the most likely reason for something not selling. The general rule for second hand pricing is up to 2/3 of the new price, although certain rare items can go for more than this. Of course it is always possible that something simply falls off the first page of adverts and is forgotten about and that is the only reason it has not sold.

[JOC]

Yes, Yes, and Yes - I haven't yet bought a brand-new Eyepiece.  SGL classified have supplied most of my kit apart from my OTA and mount which I got from FLO.  I've never had a bad one yet.  When you don't see people going for an EP it's probably because most on SGL are somewhat maxxed-out on EP bargains that can't be resisted.  What I've done is to ask on the respective thread about whether the EP is going to be recommended for your telescope and other SGLers pitch in with their comments - this can be very helpful.  At the end of the day 2nd hand EP's seem to go at a set price so you are unlikely to lose anything on the deal except for the postage if you buy one, try it and then sell it on yourself if you don't like it.  That's what I've done on just a few occasions.  Now I am sitting on my hands and not buying anymore (or at least that's what I've told myself ;-D ).  The other alternative is to decide what you'd like to try and post on the wanted thread and see if someone want's to shift one on.  

The only thing to be aware of is that the SGL classifieds are addictive.............and that can be to the detriment of your bank account!!!

[GarryLazereyes]

looks like ill be pulling the trigger on some second hand ep soon

thanks for the help!

[Alan White]

37 minutes ago, JOC said:

The only thing to be aware of is that the SGL classifieds are addictive.............and that can be to the detriment of your bank account!!!

Too true!

@GarryLazereyes take note, its so darned true.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I have purchased secondhand eyepieces, (plus other accessories), from SGL and UKAB&S members. Safer than buying from a auction sites or other sites selling secondhand items.  

[Star Struck]

All of my eyepieces have been bought used.

Buying from SGL and UKAB&S is the recommended way as you are buying from genuine astronomers.

[brantuk]

Whatever eyepiece you buy check it will give you the width of field you require and the correct magnification you're after. You should also beware of eye relief and also think about the size of aperture you'll be looking through. We all see differently (including people who wear glasses) and you really want to ensure the eyepiece fits you personally as well as your scope (or scopes if you have more than one).

I always check the technical specs on a retail site first and estimate the used price to about 50% to 70% of the "new" price depending on age and condition. Bear in mind some folks will build in a little leeway for negotiation, especially if you're buying more than one item from the seller. You can also ask about the condition of the rubber eye guards, and how it's been cleaned and how often. Pay special attention to the coatings too. Good luck.

[TheBobGeezer]

Skywatcher 7-21mm Zoom Eyepiece 1.25 Inch from Bristol Cameras.

This has served me so well with the Skywatcher 130PM.  It is the perfect guide ready to swap to the Celestron Omni 4mm for extreme detail.  Very happy.

 

[iPeace]

The only sub-optimal experience I've had was an eyepiece with a damaged rubber eyeguard that the seller didn't feel compelled to disclose beforehand - or comment on, when queried by me, afterwards. That disappointment was compounded by later finding forum posts (of much earlier date) by the seller which made it obvious that the defect was fully well known...but apparently not worth mentioning in the advert.

Apart from that, it's been all good and good fun. Stories of long-lost EPs returning to their original owners after many ferry crossings, etc.

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, iPeace said:

The only sub-optimal experience I've had was an eyepiece with a damaged rubber eyeguard that the seller didn't feel compelled to disclose beforehand

I've experienced that too on a single occasion. A rubber eyeguard had some damage, which was very disappointing. Rest of my purchases have been good.

[domstar]

After SGL I always have a quick look at ebay. There's got to be some excitement from this hobby during seemingly endless cloudy periods. Strangely, when the sky is clear I don't feel I need anything new-just when it's cloudy.

[Demonperformer]

As always, the golden rule is caveat emporium - let the buyer beware! 

[Paul73]

17 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I've experienced that too on a single occasion. A rubber eyeguard had some damage, which was very disappointing. Rest of my purchases have been good.

Better not ask who you bought it from / sold it too! ????

Generally, SGL members go a bit overboard when it comes to pointing out defects. They want their fellow stargazers to be happy with their new kit. I’ve had one disappointing experience on ABS, but the seller immediately offered a refund. So no harm done. Enthusiasts selling to enthusiasts is generally fairly safe. 

Paul

 

[davyludo]

I was cautious about buying second hand at first as well....but now a lot of my kit is second hand (including one of my telescopes). I've bought on both SGL and ABS and never had any problems. Had some very nice and encouraging conversations with more experienced SGL members when buying kit from them. 

If you keep an eye on the sales section then you'll get an idea of what prices various bits go for. I wouldn't worry too much about seeing things sitting for a while - sometimes it's just a time where others are skint or are using incredible self control to not buy more stuff! I've been in that position myself where I've seen something I REALLY want and it's a good price, but I just can't justify the spend at that time. 

[25585]

Eyepieces are usually safe on ebay, but avoid buying anything more complicated such as binoculars or camera lenses.

I have had no quality issues but be wary of the use of stock photos instead of the actual item being sold. Also no returns accepted.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, 25585 said:

Eyepieces are usually safe on ebay, but avoid buying anything more complicated such as binoculars or camera lenses.

I have had no quality issues but be wary of the use of stock photos instead of the actual item being sold. Also no returns accepted.

I think that the protection you get with PayPal is pretty good. So long as you have asked the right questions then you have good cause to raise a dispute if there is an undisclosed problem. I bought a pair on binoculars off eBay which were described as optically in very good condition. It turned out that they had fungus growing on the prisms which was visible in use. I gave the guy every opportunity to sort it amicably but in the end I got a refund via PayPal, including postage.

To answer the OPs question, there are good and bad old eyepieces just as there are good and bad new eyepieces. It is often about the brand and source they come from that matters. For instance orthoscopics from Japan, Circle T for instance have a great reputation and even old ones can be picked up cheaply and will be good because the design hasn't changed much, if at all, over the years. 

With other brands/types I would say there have been good improvements in coating technology and also wider field designs which mean 'new' is actually better. By new I just mean more modern designs, obviously they can be bought used.

Televue, Pentax, Explore Scientific, Vixen, Baader, BST, Skywatcher, there are some good brands out there to look out for that will suit most budgets.

[25585]

40 minutes ago, Stu said:

I think that the protection you get with PayPal is pretty good. So long as you have asked the right questions then you have good cause to raise a dispute if there is an undisclosed problem. I bought a pair on binoculars off eBay which were described as optically in very good condition. It turned out that they had fungus growing on the prisms which was visible in use. I gave the guy every opportunity to sort it amicably but in the end I got a refund via PayPal, including postage.

To answer the OPs question, there are good and bad old eyepieces just as there are good and bad new eyepieces. It is often about the brand and source they come from that matters. For instance orthoscopics from Japan, Circle T for instance have a great reputation and even old ones can be picked up cheaply and will be good because the design hasn't changed much, if at all, over the years. 

With other brands/types I would say there have been good improvements in coating technology and also wider field designs which mean 'new' is actually better. By new I just mean more modern designs, obviously they can be bought used.

Televue, Pentax, Explore Scientific, Vixen, Baader, BST, Skywatcher, there are some good brands out there to look out for that will suit most budgets.

Buying old as in used is riskier. I had experiences with binoculars same as yours Stu. And a Rolleiflex TLR camera. Returned & was refunded for the latter, but got the bins cleaned professionally as it was a particular model I had wanted. 

To the OP, avoid ex-forces/services unless you are collecting. Older optics will have deteriorating coating, yellowing lenses - some had Thorium (before Lanthanum or Flouride was used) which was radioactive & decay produces the yellowing. 

Plenty good eps on the pre-owned market out there, it's a waiting game but keep checking. 

(No Pentax XW40s so far...)

[domstar]

4 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

caveat emporium

I think maybe I bought a tie there many moons ago .