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B+W

CHECKOUT

Before you splash the cash on a new piece of kit, check out the secondhand

market, says Daniel Calder. You might be able to find a bargain.

Visit one of these six retailers for some serious savings.

TESTS AND

PRODUCTS

KEY DETAILS KEY DETAILS

A

lthough Wex

Photographic has

a showroom in

Norwich, it’s the

hugely successful website that

the company is justly famous

for. There are more than 16,000

different products listed online,

with one of the largest stocks

of used digital equipment in

the country. You will regularly

find over 100 listings of Canon

and Nikon DSLRs, a similar

number again of compact

system cameras and around

70 compacts. Lenses are well

represented too, with around

250 Canon options, 150 Nikon

and a good smattering of most

of the other major brands. It’s

also a sensible place to check

for secondhand tripods, bags,

battery grips and filters.

The website is suitably

polished, with each item

photographed from a couple

of angles and given a detailed

condition statement with a

rating between 6 and 10. It’s

worth noting that Wex often list

returned, open box, demo and

refurbished products that have

very little wrong with them but

are discounted nonetheless.

The company offers a

generous 12-month warranty,

as well as

free 4-day UK

delivery for

orders over

£50. There’s

also an option

to collect from

the store, or

pay £4.99

for next day

delivery or

£8.95 for

weekend

delivery.

B

oasting a massive

inventory of used

digital equipment, an

excellent website and

next day delivery service, MPB

is one of the best places to

buy pre-owned photography

gear online. That is, as long

as you wish to buy a Canon or

Nikon DSLR and their related

lenses or, to a lesser extent, a

Panasonic, Olympus, Sony or

Fuji compact system camera.

It’s also a good place to check

for flashguns, battery grips

and tripods.

The website enables you

to find products without

difficulty and results are laid

out in a grid of large thumbnail

images which can be sorted

by name, price or condition.

Every bit of kit is photographed

in a consistent style from a

variety of angles and given a

detailed condition rating. The

shutter count is listed and any

accessories included in the

package are clearly stated.

There’s also an overview of the

camera or lens so you can see

the tech specs without having

to look elsewhere.

Products can be bought

outright or with part exchange,

and each item has the security

of a 6-month

warranty.

Orders are

sent that

day if placed

before 4pm

and cost

£8.95 for

goods over

£100.

WEX PHOTOGRAPHIC MPB

BEST FOR...Volume of products BEST FOR...Online service

Wex often sell secondhand products that are

practically new, but at discounted prices.

The website at MPB gives you all the information

you need and is the best in the business.

Address Unit B Frenbury Estate, Drayton High Road, Norwich, NR6 5DP

Website wexphotographic.com

Contact 01603 486 413, [email protected]

How to buy Shop, online, phone

Warranty 12 months

Address None

Website mpb.com

Contact 0345 459 0101

How to buy Online, phone

Warranty 6 months

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