# For how much should I sell my Nikon D40? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379 "2011-03-20T18:25:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![be\_bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@be\_bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/be_bright)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/1 "2011-03-20T18:25:26Z")
I want to sell my camera with its kit lens through my university’s classified ads so I don’t have to deal with shipping. There’s one problem: I don’t know how to determine its price. It has one major cosmetic flaw: the screen is [scratched on the top right](http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i397/springstorms/Various%20things%20for%20the%20internet/Photo1431.jpg)\* – I unwisely kept it in a bag with an old, uncovered Nikon lens…you do the math. There are a few other VERY minor scuffs here and there. You see them only upon close inspection. More importantly, there are no flaws with the camera’s electronics. It functions perfectly. \*I’ll obviously take better pictures with a better camera for the actual ad. All I have right now is my crappy phone. 😛 On Amazon, the price for a used Nikon D40 + kit lens ranges from $300-$550. D: I don’t want to price it too high and rip someone off, but I don’t want to price it too low; I’m planning to use this money to go towards buying a D90. Help a sister out! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/2 "2011-03-20T21:22:02Z")
You really need to be using eBay. Every time I’ve tried to sell technology items locally the response was pitiful. The $10 to $20 for shipping and transaction fees will be more than offset by the better offers via the huge marketing exposure. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/3 "2011-03-20T21:42:41Z")
[http://www.keh.com/camera/Nikon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DN029990945020?r=FE](http://www.keh.com/camera/Nikon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DN029990945020?r=FE) [keh.com](http://keh.com) seems to be a reputable place for selling used gear and they are pinning the price around $300 depending on condition. They don’t have the kit as a package, but you can figure that in from the lens section. I’d expect to get less for the camera in a private sale. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/4 "2011-03-20T23:18:13Z")
Yeah, you really should use eBay. If you don’t, I’d say that damage is about $30 bucks to me. The LCD screen still works, right? Just that scratch makes it a little bit harder to see. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/5 "2011-03-20T23:26:25Z")
> [@be\_bright](#): > > I don’t want to price it too high and rip someone off Well, good news for you then: this isn’t possible. If someone buys it, then they didn’t get “ripped off” (because they apparently chose to pay the price you are asking for it). ---
**Author:** ![be\_bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@be\_bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/be_bright)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/6 "2011-03-20T23:30:32Z")
Yup, the screen still works. I haven’t ruled out the option of selling through eBay – but no matter where I sell it, I still have to decide how much I should sell it for, and the $200 gap in the price range seemed a little big to me. Thanks for all the suggestions so far! ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/7 "2011-03-20T23:47:52Z")
Which lenses are you including? ---
**Author:** ![be\_bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@be\_bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/be_bright)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2011, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/8 "2011-03-20T23:52:09Z")
The kit lens: the 18-55mm. It won’t affect the price very much, ha. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/9 "2011-03-21T00:09:14Z")
I think B&H Photo also buys used camera gear. In the ‘completed sales’ section of eBay, I see two right off that sold for about $340 and $360, without any scratches or dings. One had an 18-55mm lens, the other was just a body. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/10 "2011-03-21T01:33:08Z")
I bought my used camera on [Adorama.com](http://Adorama.com) - another place to see what others are charging. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/11 "2011-03-22T02:53:16Z")
I bought mine from a coworker for $350 Canadian, with 18-55mm lens and coworker threw in a memory card and camera bag. Funnily enough, between 6 of us, we now own a D40, D50, D60, D70, D80 and two D90s. No, photography is not part of our work. ---
**Author:** ![be\_bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@be\_bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/be_bright)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/12 "2011-03-22T06:13:54Z")
Including a memory card is a good idea. What size was it? ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/13 "2011-03-22T17:16:47Z")
> [@be\_bright](#): > > Including a memory card is a good idea. What size was it? 8GB ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/14 "2011-03-22T18:02:40Z")
> [@be\_bright](#): > > I haven’t ruled out the option of selling through eBay – but no matter where I sell it, I still have to decide how much I should sell it for… No you don’t. That’s the whole point of an auction - the buyers decide how much it’s worth. (As long as you give a detailed and honest description of the condition of the item.) ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/15 "2011-03-22T18:40:42Z")
How many pictures have you taken with it? There should be a way to see how many shutter releases have been done through the life of the camera somewhere in the menu. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/16 "2011-03-22T19:54:31Z")
To find the ballpark value of an item, I go to eBay, and search the completed listings. If you find a decent sample size, you can get a good idea of what the public generally believes an item is worth. Doing such a search, I’m finding closing prices that average in at around $300-$350, shipping inclusive. With that kind of a scratch and as a private sale, I wouldn’t pay more than $300 for it myself, if that. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/17 "2011-03-22T19:58:53Z")
Hell, even looking at Craigslist, I’m seeing prices of $300 locally for the above configuration, and I usually find Craigslist prices run higher than eBay. (although they don’t seem to in this case.) [See this listing, for instance](http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/pho/2269773679.html). That’s $300 for what is claimed to have “no bumps or scratches.” But, hey, if someone is willing to pay more for it, that’s not your problem. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/18 "2011-03-22T23:21:05Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > How many pictures have you taken with it? > > There should be a way to see how many shutter releases have been done through the life of the camera somewhere in the menu. I don’t believe it shows shutter activations anywhere in the menu on a D40, but the number of shutter activations is recorded in exif data. ---
**Author:** ![be\_bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@be\_bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/be_bright)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-how-much-should-i-sell-my-nikon-d40/575379/19 "2011-03-24T06:13:43Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > No you don’t. That’s the whole point of an auction - the buyers decide how much it’s worth. (As long as you give a detailed and honest description of the condition of the item.) :smack: For some reason I’d completely forgotten about eBay auctions. I was just thinking of Buy It Now items. Thanks for all the suggestions and help, everyone!