It seems like everyone has that one family member who decides to suddenly give you an exuberant amount of money for Christmas. It's usually either a grandparent who showers you with overbearing hugs and giant lipstick filled kisses, or a weird uncle who you haven’t seen in years. After you write your thank you cards and pay your dues to the pestering treasurer of your campus organization (which is me if you're an Armstrong student), then you still might have a couple bucks left over for your wonderful hobby of photography.
Now I am all for careful deliberation as to what type of gear you buy and when. One must always think of what exactly they need for upcoming expeditions, but after you decide what to buy then you must subsequently decide how to purchase it. Personally, I always vouch for used gear. Many times used gear is very well taken care of and comes to you at a fraction of the price.
1. Local Camera Shop
If you are lucky enough to live in or go to school in a big city then there might be a local camera shop around town, but the chances of that are slim. Most individuals do their camera shopping online nowadays simply because there is a much broader selection of goods. Though if you are more looking for the experience then I would highly suggest searching out an old school camera/print shop. These guys know what they are doing, and they have loads of information to share.
2. Keh.com
Next is my personal favorite place to buy camera gear. They have one of the largest selections of used gear in the industry, and their rating system sets the standard for all others to follow. I have bought the majority of my gear from this website, and will continue to do so. In my opinion, you don't have to buy the highest or even second highest quality rated items for the piece of equipment that you're looking for. Many times the bargain rating will perform wonderfully and cause you no issues.
3. Ebay.com
When one thinks of finding good priced used gear then a name always comes to the top of everyone's minds, Ebay. I have to caution you though while you can find some killer deals on Ebay, you must know exactly what you're looking for and buy it from a reputable seller. Also, many sellers will gladly answer questions about the item and send more pictures before had, you just have to ask.
4. bhphotovideo.com and Adorama.com
Lastly, there are the classic large-scale retailers such as B&H Photo and Adorama. These retailers have the most comprehensive selection, and when you spend lots of money on things such as a new camera body then they tend to throw in a few goodies into your purchase for free. These can range from memory cards to camera bags. Now if dues have you running a little thin on cash then I recommend you find the used section on their respective websites. These can be especially useful for if you're looking for a specific discontinued item.
