New or used camera lens

[Dane layer]

I am looking to get some new lens for my camera (someday anyway)  the ones i have are what come with the kit.  So would you recommend new or used?  New would be nice but are a little pricey. I want to do more evening night/  dusk dawn pics. You have any recommendation for places to buy from?

[silverwolf1]

Used from a reputable source is just as good as new, at about a third the price.
I go through Adorama for my used needs:
https://www.adorama.com/Used
They check carefully for things like chipped/ cracked internal glass, microscopic seperations of barrels etc. that can ruin a photo though you can't see them on the lens.
sw

[Actaeon]

Another good place for new & used camera equipment is B&H:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/
eBay is a good source for camera equipment, too, and you can often get some pretty good deals, but I'd be careful buying used lenses on eBay unless they come from a seller with a high feedback rating and the description confirms the lens has been fully inspected/tested. Some eBayers are more thorough than others.

[Dane layer]

Thanks ill have to take a look

[Ramseys]

To quote a famous Scotsman, "You can not change the laws of physics".
In a zoom lens you have extra glass to absorb light, as well and extra surfaces to reflect said light.
And lengthening paths for the light to travel.
So unless you pay really big money, all zooms are slow. f 4 if you are lucky usually  5.6.
Prime lenses, (one focal length) are much faster for a lot less money.
35mm, 50mm, and 85mm can  all be had in f2 or faster.
Some 50s go all the way down to f1.2 (Canon actually had on that went to F .95!
In case you have an extra $4,000.00 laying about.
 

[Dane layer]

I prefer to manualy focus mine, but beign your basic kit lens they do ok with that but are not smooth at all and when doing videos you can see the jerkyness in.

[silverwolf1]

Manual focus is usually less "jerky" in a Prime lens too. I agree with Ramseys on them versus a Zoom.
sw