Used camera lenses in Australia typically sell for A$115 to A$765 (about $81 to $540). Lenses hold their value far better than the cameras they attach to, and the entire sale rests on proving the glass is clear of fungus, haze and scratches.
What camera lenses are worth in Australia
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | A$767 | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | A$652 | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | A$498 | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | A$345 | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | A$192 | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Guide ranges converted from sterling at the 2 August 2026 rate, not quotes — sellers set their own price. Grades are seller-declared; WishThrift does not inspect or verify them.
What lifts the price
- Fast maximum apertures, which stay in demand across generations
- Original hood, caps and case
What pulls it down
- Fungus, which spreads and is often uneconomic to clean
- Wobble or play in the focus or zoom barrel
Selling a camera lens in Australia
Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.
Australia’s second-hand market is strongly local and strongly seasonal, with most activity concentrated in the eastern capitals and buyers who expect to collect.
Australia Post covers everywhere, but distance pricing is real and interstate parcels cost meaningfully more than local ones.
WishThrift has not opened Australia for trading yet, so this page is a guide rather than a live marketplace — the category becomes browsable here the moment the first Australian sellers list.
Working out what yours is worth
- Shine a torch through from behind and look for threads or haze
- Check the aperture blades snap cleanly and are dry
Getting it ready
- Work the zoom and focus rings through their range, and check for wobble in the barrel or a sticking aperture.
- Confirm the exact mount, since a lens that does not fit the buyer’s camera is worthless to them.
Photograph
- The lens standing upright, whole, with caps off
- The rear element and the mount contacts
- The focus and zoom rings, plus any scratch on the barrel or filter thread
Put in the description
- Focal length, maximum aperture and mount type
- Whether it has image stabilisation and autofocus, both working
- Optical condition: any fungus, haze, separation, dust or scratches
Brand, focal length, aperture and mount, in that order: “Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens”. Photographers search exactly this string. The mount is critical — EF, RF, F, Z, E and MFT are not interchangeable — and omitting it wastes everybody’s time.
Lenses sell steadily all year and hold value unusually well. Fast primes and well-regarded zooms sell quickly; slow kit lenses are abundant and cheap.
It costs nothing to list
There is no listing fee, no selling fee and no commission, so the A$767 a buyer pays is the A$767 you keep. You and the buyer settle up and arrange the handover between yourselves; WishThrift does not hold the money or ship the item.
Where in Australia
Australia is a big place and what sells well moves with it. These are the parts of Australia with their own page for camera lenses.
- Selling a camera lens in Sydney
- Selling a camera lens in Melbourne
- Selling a camera lens in Brisbane
- Selling a camera lens in Perth
- Selling a camera lens in Adelaide
- Selling a camera lens in Gold Coast
- Selling a camera lens in Canberra
Common questions
Where can I sell a camera lens in Australia?
List it free on WishThrift and deal with the buyer direct. There is no selling fee, so the whole amount stays with you. Bank transfer via PayID is instant and is what most private buyers will offer. Cash on collection remains common for larger items.
Is there any fungus or haze?
Torch it and photograph what you see. Fungus is the thing lens buyers fear most because it spreads and etches the coating, so a clear answer is worth a lot.
Is a lens with fungus worth selling?
Yes, but disclose it plainly and price accordingly. Some buyers will take on a cleaning project; a buyer who discovers it later will not.
Should I include the hood and caps?
Yes. They are inexpensive individually but their absence is noticed, and a complete lens sells faster.
More: how to sell a camera lens, what camera lenses are worth, or Cameras & Photography across Australia.