Canon Resale Value Guides

9 guides to what used Canon is worth — the price at each condition grade, which lines hold their value, and how to date or identify what you have. Canon resale is decided by the mount and the glass, not the badge on the body. Lenses outlive three generations of camera and that is where the money sits.

Which Canon pieces hold their value

L-series lenses, marked by the red ring around the barrel — the professional line holds value far better than any body and routinely outlives the camera it was bought for
Fast EF primes such as the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8, which stayed in production for decades and adapt cleanly onto current RF mirrorless bodies
The AE-1 and A-1 film bodies, which are the cameras a generation learned on and still sell steadily to students starting film
RF-mount glass in general, because the line is current and the supply of used copies is still thin relative to demand

And what pulls the price down

Kit zooms bundled in every starter box, particularly the EF-S 18-55mm, which were made in enormous numbers and are close to worthless sold separately
Fungus in the lens elements — it spreads, etches the coating permanently and makes a lens unsellable rather than merely cheaper
Early low-resolution DSLR bodies, where the sensor generation dates the files far more visibly than the shutter count suggests
Sticky aperture blades on old FD-mount lenses, caused by lubricant migrating onto the diaphragm, which needs a strip-down to fix

Identifying and dating yours

These are the checks that decide which end of the range a piece sits in, and they are the facts a serious buyer will ask for:

The serial number is on the base plate of a body and printed on the lens barrel near the mount — photograph both, because buyers use them to date the item
Shutter count is the real odometer on a DSLR: it is written into the EXIF of the last frame taken and free software reads it in seconds
The red ring marks L-series glass, and the EF, EF-S or RF designation printed by the mount tells a buyer immediately which bodies it will fit

WishThrift does not authenticate or inspect anything. Condition and origin are described by the seller against five grades — what each one means — so photograph the markings above rather than asserting them.

What Canon items are worth

The most-searched Canon items on the site, with the band the label typically commands against the generic range for the same item:

Item	Canon range	Any brand
Mirrorless Camera	£189–£735	£180–£700 (~$252–$979)
DSLR Camera	£94–£472	£90–£450 (~$125–$629)
Camera Lens	£63–£420	£60–£400 (~$84–$559)
Vintage Camera	£32–£315	£30–£300 (~$43–$420)
Film Camera	£32–£262	£30–£250 (~$43–$349)
Camera Flash	£21–£116	£20–£110 (~$28–$155)
Printer	£26–£105	£25–£100 (~$35–$140)
Binoculars	£16–£94	£15–£90 (~$21–$125)
Scanner	£21–£89	£20–£85 (~$28–$119)

Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price.

Every Canon value guide

Selling Canon on WishThrift

Listing is free and there is no commission on either side — the price you agree with the buyer is the amount you keep, whatever the label is worth. Create a free account, or read the selling guides for what to photograph and how to price.

Frequently asked questions

Is used Canon worth buying?

It depends far more on the line than the label. Canon resale is decided by the mount and the glass, not the badge on the body. Lenses outlive three generations of camera and that is where the money sits. Each guide below says which Canon lines hold their value for that item and which have almost none, so you are comparing like for like rather than paying for the name alone.

How do I check a piece is genuine Canon?

The serial number is on the base plate of a body and printed on the lens barrel near the mount — photograph both, because buyers use them to date the item. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything — condition and origin are described by the seller, so ask directly and expect an answer. A seller who has the item will send a photograph of the marking in minutes.

What is used Canon worth?

Across the 9 guides here, from about £16 to £735 (roughly $21 to $979) depending on the item and its condition. Grades run New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts.

Buying or listing rather than valuing? Used Canon sizing, labelling and prices covers how this maker’s ranges actually run. All brands.