How to get eBay alerts for a used camera lens or body

Start with the mount

A lens only fits cameras with its mount, and several mounts share a brand name. Put the mount in your keywords or in “Must include”.

Third-party lenses from Sigma, Tamron and Tokina are made in several mounts under one name. A Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art exists for Canon, Nikon, Sony and others, so put your mount in “Must include” for those.

Get the exact model and version

Lens generations often look alike but differ in sharpness, stabilization, focus motor and weather sealing. The version is part of the name, and sellers write it in many ways: II, Mark II, Mk II, MkII, mk2.

• Canon’s EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS zoom has had three generations: IS, IS II and IS III.
• Nikon’s AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED was followed by the f/2.8E ED VR, which adds vibration reduction.
• Canon’s EF 50mm f/1.8 II uses a small, noisy focus motor; the later f/1.8 STM is quieter, which matters for video. USM, STM and HSM all name focus motors.
• Tamron gives each lens a model code, which sellers often put in titles: the SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD is A007, and its G2 successor is A032.

Write the name the way most listings do, which is usually the maker’s own spelling, like 70-200mm f/2.8L. Version spellings are hard to require, so it often works better to exclude the versions you don’t want. Hunting the II? Add III to Exclude and check each alert for the rest.

Fungus, haze and separation

Glass problems are the main risk in a used lens, and sellers who don’t know lenses often miss them. This is what the terms mean:

Scratches on the rear element affect images more than small marks on the front. The best check is a bright flashlight shone through the lens from the back in a dark room; it shows fungus, haze and dust clearly. “Clean glass” in a listing is a good sign, but ask what the seller did to check.

Shutter count and body checks

For a camera body, the shutter count is how many times the mechanical shutter has fired. Compare it with the shutter life the maker rates for that model. Some cameras record the count in each picture’s file data; others need a menu, software or a service center, so ask the seller for the number and how they read it.

Also ask about sensor spots (a picture of a plain sky or white wall at f/16 shows them), screen scratches, worn or peeling grips, and the battery and card doors. For film cameras, look for CLA (clean, lube, adjust, a service by a technician), replaced light seals, and “tested with film”, which is stronger than “shutter fires”.

“For parts” listings and test shots to ask for

eBay’s “For parts or not working” condition means what it says. Treat untested and as is the same way: often the seller couldn’t make it work or had no way to try it. Unless you repair gear, add these to Exclude: for parts, not working, untested, as is, parts only. If you do repair, flip it and run a Spotter for broken copies of a lens you know how to fix.

Before you buy a working lens or body, ask for:

• A photo or short video of a flashlight shining through the lens.
• Unedited, full-size pictures taken with it at the widest aperture.
• A short video of it focusing on a body, and of stabilization working if it has it.
• Close-ups of the mount and contacts. Scratched screw heads on the mount can mean it has been opened.
• For bodies, the shutter count and a picture of a plain wall.

Searches for popular lenses also pull up caps, hoods, filters and cases. Exclude phrases, not words: hood only, cap only, case only, box only. Excluding “hood” would also drop every listing that says “with hood”.

Gray market and local pickup

Lenses and bodies imported outside a maker’s U.S. distribution are called gray market or grey market. They work the same, but the maker’s U.S. warranty usually doesn’t cover them. If warranty matters, exclude both spellings.

Heavy or expensive gear is worth seeing in person. A Spotter set to local pickup within 10 to 100 miles of your ZIP code finds sellers you can meet, so you can try the lens on your own camera before you pay. More in eBay local pickup alerts.

Set up a camera or lens Spotter

1. Keywords: brand, mount, focal length and aperture, like Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 or Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art.
2. Must include: your mount for third-party lenses.
3. Exclude: other versions, the for-parts phrases and the accessory-only phrases above.
4. Price: a maximum from eBay’s sold listings for the same version in similar condition.

Start from the lens, a sentence or a link

• Shop by photo. On a phone, “Take a photo” opens the camera, or you can upload a picture or a screenshot. Photograph the lens barrel or front ring, where the model name is printed, or the model badge on a body. Spotter Otter reads the brand, model and numbers, uses eBay’s image search for clues, and writes a description for you to check before starting, with the closest current listings for reference. A lens photo often doesn’t show the mount, so check that. The photo isn’t stored; it’s sent to OpenAI and eBay to identify the item.
• Describe it in your own words. Write something like “Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS II for EF mount, not for parts”. Luna, Spotter Otter’s AI, turns it into a search and a list of must-haves, which you confirm. A maximum price is required.
• Must-haves checked like a person would. The version is matched with the ways sellers write it: II, Mark II, Mk II, MkII. A listing that names the III is left out; one that doesn’t name a version gets a Maybe, so you can check the photos.
• Paste a link. Paste a store’s product page for the lens, or an eBay listing you missed, to start a Spotter for the same one.