Used Gear Snake Oil Salesman. And Two Nikon 500s!

My Used Canon EOS R5

If you purchased my Canon EOS R5, please get in touch with me via e-mail. I have lost track of that sale. 🙁

What’s Up?

Not much. On Sunday, it dawned cold and clear, a crisp 52 degrees. The pool was down five degrees overnight. Can winter in Florida be far behind? I worked on a few old images and lots of Used Gear listings. And I watched lots of NFL games on Tivo.

All are invited to leave a comment letting us know which of today’s two featured images is their favorite, and why.

So what’s with the title of today’s blog post? The Used Gear Page has been going great guns. I learned yesterday that David Rice sold all of his Nikon gear to a single buyer just two days after it was listed. And there are lots more great Nikon and Sony bargains below. I dug up two very fine images from my 2019 Galapagos trip, one made with the Nikon 500 PF, and one with the Sony a7R III, the 1.4X TC, and the FE 100-400mm. A used copy of each of those items is available for sale below. Running good images made with the gear for sale often results in a quick sale. Thus the “snake oil salesman” reference.

A bit more on the Used Gear page: in a somewhat volatile market, with many folks abandoning Canon and Nikon like rats from a sinking ship, I pride myself in being able to price stuff to sell fairly quickly while at the same time getting close to maximum fair value for the seller. More than ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you will get substantially more selling your used gear on on the BAA Used Gear Page than you would by selling it to the big boys or trading it in to your local camera store …

Today is Monday 8 November 2021. Wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day. This blog post took a long time to prepare, probably well more than five hours.

This Just In!

I woke early on Monday to learn that many of the items that were slated to be listed today, had sold overnight, most to a single buyer. But there are still lots of great Nikon bargains below. If you are looking for a specific item, please shoot me an e-mail with Wanted to Buy as the Subject line and I will let you know how that works.

Remember that you can find some great photo accessories (and necessities, like surf booties!) on Amazon by clicking on the Stuff tab on the orange/yellow menu bar above. On a related note, it would be extremely helpful if blog-folks who, like me, spend too much money on Amazon, would get in the habit of clicking on the Amazon logo link on the right side of each blog post when they shop online. As you might expect, doing so will not cost you a single penny, but would be appreciated tremendously by yours truly. And doing so works seamlessly with your Amazon Prime account.

Please remember that if an item — a Delkin flash card, or a tripod head — for example, that is available from B&H and/or Bedfords, is also available in the BAA Online Store, it would be great, and greatly appreciated, if you would opt to purchase from us. We will match any price. Please remember also to use my B&H affiliate links or to save 3% at Bedfords by using the BIRDSASART discount code at checkout for your major gear purchases. Doing either often earns you free guides and/or discounts. And always earns my great appreciation.

New Bedfords BAA Discount Info

Folks who have fallen in love with Bedfords can now use the BIRDSASART coupon code at checkout to enjoy free Overnight Fed-Ex Air shipping for orders over $1,000.00 and free Second Day Fed-Ex Air shipping for orders under $1,000.00.

Money Saving Reminder

Many have learned that if you need a hot photo item that is out of stock at B&H and would like to enjoy free Fed-Ex Air shipping as above, your best bet is to click here, place an order with Bedfords, and enter the coupon code BIRDSASART at checkout. If an item is out of stock, contact Steve Elkins via e-mail or on his cell phone at (479) 381-2592 (Central time). Be sure to mention the BIRDSASART coupon code and use it qualify for the free Fed-Ex Air shipping. Steve has been great at getting folks the hot items that are out of stock at B&H and everywhere else. The wait lists at the big stores can be a year or longer for the hard to get items. Steve will surely get you your gear long before that. For the past year, he has been helping BAA Blog folks get their hands on items like the SONY a 1, the SONY 200-600 G OSS lens, the Canon EOS R5, the Canon RF 100-500mm lens, and the Nikon 500mm PF. Steve is personable, helpful, and eager-to-please.

Selling Your Used Photo Gear Through BIRDS AS ART

Selling your used (or like-new) photo gear through the BAA Blog is a great idea. We charge only a 5% commission on items priced at $1,000 or more. One of the more popular used gear for sale sites charged a minimum of 20%. Plus assorted fees! Yikes. They went out of business. And e-Bay fees are now up to 13%. The minimum item price is $1000 (or less for a $50 flat-fee). If you are interested, please scroll down here to read the terms. Stuff that is priced fairly — I offer pricing advice only to those who agree to the terms — usually sells in no time flat. Over the past years, we have sold many hundreds of items. Do know that prices for used gear only go in one direction. Down. You can always see the current listings by clicking here or on the Used Photo Gear tab on the orange-yellow menu bar near the top of each blog post page.

If you would like to learn about selling your used gear on the BAA Used Gear Page, click here.

New Nikon Listings

Nikon D850 dSLR & MB-D-18 Battery Pack

Sale Pending within one hour of listing

BAA friend Fred Innamorato is offering a Nikon D850 dSLR in near-mint condition with tons of extras for an incredibly, ridiculously low $2096.95. The sale includes the original box, the front body cap, the strap, the USB cord, the battery charger, the manuals, a Nikon MB-D-18 Multi Power Battery Pack (a $396.95 value), the BL-5 Battery Chamber Cover (a $26.95 value), the original EL 15 (and three extra) batteries (a $218.85 value), the original charger, two (2) Nikon EL 18C batteries (a $339.90 value), the Watson Dual Charger (a $99.00 value), and insured Fed Ex Ground (signature required) shipping. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared unless otherwise arranged.

Please contact Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time).

When I shot Nikon, I used and loved my two D850 bodies while my D5 sat on a shelf in the garage, unused. In addition, I used the MB-D-18 Battery Pack that served as a vertical grip. As the D850 sells new for $2,996.95, and the battery grip extras total $1299.60 (if my math is correct), you can save $2,199.60! Thus, Fred’s package represents an amazing value. artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens

Sale Pending within one hour of listing

BAA friend Fred Innamorato is offering a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $2796.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, the lens strap, and insured Fed Ex Ground (signature required) shipping. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared unless otherwise arranged.

Please contact Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time).

Taking exceptionally long reach and giving it a hand-holdable form factor, this 500mm prime utilizes a unique Phase Fresnel element to greatly reduce the size and weight compared to previous versions of the focal length.

This PF element, along with three extra-low dispersion elements, also helps to virtually eliminate color fringing and chromatic aberrations in order to achieve a high degree of clarity, sharpness, and color fidelity. Complementing this advanced optical design, individual elements also feature both Nano Crystal and Super Integrated Coatings to suppress flare and ghosting, as well as a protective fluorine coating to guard the optical system from dust and moisture. Nikon & B&H

The Nikon PF series telephoto lenses are tremendously popular as they are relatively small and light and offer great reach. Both do well with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III. On my bucket list trip for the Emperor Penguins I brought two D850 bodies, the 500 PF, and the Nikon 80-400 VR lenses! The 500 PF is still hard to come by and sells new for $3,596.95. At $2796.95, Fred’s lens is a steal! artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR Lens

Sale Pending within one hour of listing

BAA friend Fred Innamorato is offering a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm f4E PF ED VR lens in near-mint condition for a very low $1,396.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, the lens strap, and insured Fed Ex Ground (signature required) shipping. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared unless otherwise arranged.

Please contact Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time).

Combining long reach and a portable form factor, the AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/4E PF ED VR from Nikon is a prime telephoto that features a unique Phase Fresnel element to greatly reduce the size and weight compared to other 300mm lenses. This element, along with one extra-low dispersion glass element, also helps to greatly reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing for improved clarity and color accuracy. Individual elements also feature both Nano Crystal and Super Integrated Coatings to suppress flare and ghosting, as well as a protective fluorine coating to guard the optical system from dust and moisture. Nikon & B&H

The Nikon PF series telephoto lenses are tremendously popular as they are relatively small and light. Both do well with the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III. I never owned or use this lens but BAA-friend Anita North did and loved hers, especially when working with tame birds at close range and in Africa. The 300 PF is still hard to come by and sells new for $1,996.95. At $1,396.95, Fred’s lens is a great bargain. artie

Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III

Sale of two Pending within one hour of listing

BAA friend Fred Innamorato is offering a Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III in like-new condition for a the BAA record-low price of $245.95. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear caps, the pouch, and insured Fed Ex Ground (signature required) shipping. Your item will not ship until your check has cleared unless otherwise arranged.

Please contact Fred via e-mail or by phone at 1-216-978-6369 (Eastern time).

As regular readers know, I always traveled with two or three teleconverters no matter which system I was using. This TC sells new for $496.95 so you can save a very nice $251.00 by grabbing this one today. artie

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR Lens

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/4E FL ED VR lens in excellent condition a very low $6750.00. The sale includes the hard case, the front and rear lens caps, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Karen via e-mail e-mail.

I never had the pleasure of owning this lens, the latest/greatest version of Nikon 500mm f/4 lens, I never had the pleasure of owning this lens, the latest/greatest version of Nikon 500mm f/4 lens, but I loved all of my Canon 500mm f/4s. They were lighter, easier to travel with, and focused closer than the 600mm f/4s. As it sells new for $10,296.95, you can save a very nice $3546.95 by grabbing Karen’s lens asap.. artie

Nikon D850 dSLR

BIRDS AS ART Record Low Price
Sale Pending within two hours of listing

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a Nikon D850 in excellent condition for the BAA record-low price of $1750.00. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, the lens case, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Karen via e-mail e-mail.

When I shot Nikon, I used and loved my two D850 bodies while my D5 sat on a shelf in the garage, unused … Still in production, the D850 sells new for $2,996.95. You can find several used copies on B&H for more than $2400.00, or you can save $1246.95 by opting to purchase from Karen. artie

Nikon Price Drop!

Nikkor 600mm AF-S F4 ED VR Lens

Price Reduced $550.00 on 8 NOV 2021

Used Gear Page regular William Dummitt is offering a Nikkor 600mm AF-S F4 ED VR lens in excellent condition for $4649.95 (was $5199.95). The lens would be excellent plus, but for the fact that the fully functional, Arca-Swiss compatible Kirk replacement low foot shows cosmetic wear. The sale includes the rear lens cap, the lens trunk, the original front lens cover, the manual, and insured ground shipping via UPS to lower-48 US addresses only. The original foot is not included. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Bill via e-mail or by phone at 1-314-918-0720 (Eastern time).

The 600mm f/4 lenses have long been the weapons of mass destruction for bird photographers. Especially when paired with a 1.4X teleconverter. This identical lens in 8+ condition is being offered for 6,099.95 here at B&H. If you are on a budget and looking for a Nikkor 600mm f/4 lens, grab Bill’s lens now and save a very handsome $900.00 off the B&H used price. artie

The AF-S 600mm f/4G ED VR Lens from Nikon is a high performance fast super telephoto prime lens for Nikon F mount cameras. It is compatible with both FX- and DX-format DSLRs and provides 900mm focal length equivalence on DX-format cameras. It is a robust and durable lens incorporating a magnesium die-cast barrel and professional-grade dust and moisture sealing allows it to be used in more rugged situations. It is extraordinarily long reaching and is effective for drawing in distant subjects and serves well those involved in sports and wildlife photography as well as other ultra-telephoto applications. This lens features the improved Vibration Reduction (VR II) image stabilization system that reduces the blur caused by camera shake, something particularly effective when shooting in dim light at such a long focal length. In addition, this lens also features the Tripod Detection mode, which reduces vibration that may occur due to shutter release, when mounted on a tripod. B&H and Nikon

New Sony Listings

FE Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS Lens

Sold before listing!

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens in like-new condition for the BAA record-low price of $1349.00. The sale includes the original box, the front and rear lens caps, the lens case, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Karen via e-mail e-mail.

The versatile 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses have long been big favorites of many nature photographers. They are great for landscapes especially with fall color peaking in many areas. I have used this lens with Canon and Nikon and SONY. I used my Canon version to photograph granddaughter Maya’s dance recitals and to create bird-scapes and pre-dawn blast-off blurs at Bosque del Apache NWR in New Mexico. They are fast and sharp and have 1000 uses. The 70-200 f/2.8 lenses are a specialty lens for bird photographers. Like the bad little child, when they are good, they are really, really good! I’ve used mine mostly for flight photography at point blank range where their performance is unmatched, especially in low light. I’ve killed with these lenses on the gannet boat in the UK, in Homer for eagles, pre-dawn and blizzard blast-offs at Bosque, and at Merritt Island on huge feeding sprees right next to the road.

This super-fast lens weighs only 3.26 pounds and is easily hand holdable by just about everyone. As it sells new right now for $2,298.00, you can save a cool $801 by grabbing Karen’s effectively new lens asap. artie

ps: To see what the 70-200 zoom lenses can do, see the blog post here.

Sony FE 100-400mm, F4.5-5.6GM OSS Lens

Sold before listing!

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6G M OSS lens in like-new condition for a BAA record-low $1298.00. The sale includes the original box, a LensCoat, the front and rear lens caps, the lens case, and insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Karen via e-mail e-mail.

This versatile, mega-close-focusing lens is easily hand holdable by most folks; it is much lighter than the 200-600 G lens. It is great for bird photography. I use mine often for flight photography, for head shots of silly-tame birds, and for large flowers, butterflies, frogs, and the like. It sells new for $2498.00 so you can save a handsome $1,1000.00 by grabbing Karen’s lens today. artie

Sony Alpha a7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body

Sold before listing!

Used Gear Page regular Karen McCormick is offering a Sony Alpha a7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera Body in like-new condition for BAA record-low $998.00. The sale includes the original product box, a protective screen saver, the front body cap, the strap, and nd insured shipping via Fed Ex Ground. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Karen via e-mail e-mail.

I used an a7R III extensively on my 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise. It performed flawlessly. I learned later that it was better for birds in flight than its replacement, the a7R IV! This body sells new for $1998.00. Folks wishing to get started with Sony can do so while saving a very nice $1,000.00. artie

New Canon Listing

Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR with extras!

Sold before listing!

BAA-friend Doug Bolt is offering a Canon EOS 7D Mark II dSLR in excellent condition for $650.00. The sale includes the front body cap, one battery and the charger, the camera body manual, a RRS B7D2 base-plate, (a $45 value), a SanDisk Extreme Pro 16GB CF card, a ScanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB SD card, and insured ground shipping via major courier to lower-48 US addresses only. Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Doug via e-mail.

Both Patrick Sparkman and I used and loved the 7D Mark II for several years until we both committed to using full-frame Canon bodies. We both made some truly great images with it. Two of my three 2016 Nature’s Best honored entries were created with the 7D II, one still, and one video. One thing is for sure: the 7D Mark II is the greatest value ever in a digital camera body. artie

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Please Remember Also

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Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail.

This image was created at Darwin Bay, Tower Island, Galapagos, Ecuador on 24 July 2019. I used the hand held Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS lens with the Sony FE 1.4x teleconverter (at 560mm) and the Sony Alpha a7R III Mirrorless Digital camera body. ISO 1000: 1/2500 second at f/8 (wide open) in Manual mode. AWB at 10:57am on a mostly sunny morning. Image #1: White-tailed Tropicbird in flight

The Forgotten Sony Body; the a7R III

While preparing the listing for Karen Karen McCormick’s a7R III, I remembered that this body had served as my main camera body on my 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise. As I viewed the images in the Galapagos 2019 folder, I was surprised to see that many of my favorite images had been made with he 7R III and my only Sony lens at the time, the FE 100-400 GM. I was even more surprised to see that many of those images — including lots of flight shots, had been made with the 1.4X TC in place.

Subject Placement Question

As presented above, Image #1 is a small crop from the left and below. I am not thrilled with the placement of the bird in the frame. Remembering that it is easy to add canvas with uniform backgrounds (if need be), where would you have placed the bird in the frame?

This image was created on 31 July 2019 at Punta Suarez — Espanola (Hood Island), Galapagos. I used the hand Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens and my souped up Nikon D850. ISO 500: 1/3200 sec. at f/6.3. NATURAL AUTO WB at 3:23pm on a sunny afternoon. Nikon Focus Peaking fine-tune value: +3. See the Nikon AF Fine-tune e-Guide here. Center Group (grp) AF point/Continuous (C in Nikon/AI Servo with Canon) AF was active at the moment of exposure and worked well. The image is perfectly sharp on the eye. Image #2: Waved Albatross in flight

Light and Deadly

At one point, I was using both Nikon and Sony gear. And that was the case on the 2019 Galapagos Photo-Cruise. When I needed reach, I went to the 500 PF with the battery grip. As you can see in the image above, the AF was pretty darned good. That same combo served as my long lens on my October 2019 bucket list trip to Snow Hill Island, Antarctica, to see and photograph the Emperor Penguins.

Typos

Feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment regarding any typos or errors in this blog post.