Do optics get better with age ?

[Dano3467]

I see optics FS constantly, but almost all are used, what ceases to amaze me is price, there either at or to close to new price, not always, just mostly.

Even beat up ones seem, I may be a little out of line, OK I know you can just pass, but still, what's up.

So do they get better when it's used ? Battle proven ??

[Merc1138]

More like... well taken care of quality optics retain their value, and everyone else assumes their beaten up made in china walmart scope is the same. You see the same thing with camera lenses, spotting scopes, telescopes, etc.

[ExtremeX]

More like... well taken care of quality optics retain their value, and everyone else assumes their beaten up made in china walmart scope is the same. You see the same thing with camera lenses, spotting scopes, telescopes, etc.

+1

Doesn’t matter if you are taking about scopes, binoculars, camera lenses, spotting scopes, microscopes… Optics that are from good manufactures and are popular, sought after, or rare/low production/hard to find items often times retain their value VERY well…

I had camera lenses I purchased 3-5 years ago that have actually gone up in price due to the cost of raw materials and manufacturing. I ultimately made a profit or sold for what I paid.

I truly consider buying optics an investment, especially if you are buying good quality hardware. Ya you might see a little depreciation but don’t expect fire-sale prices every time.

On the flip side… optics that are of poor quality or items that aren’t very popular would be harder to sell, or have a much higher rate of depreciation. It’s up to you to do the smart shopping.

[Merc1138]

Right. The not-so-obvious benefit to buying such optics is that you can re-sell them and recoup most of your cost if it turns out you need something else. That might even mean you buy and sell 5 scopes just to try something different and "lose" next to nothing if you were buying and selling at market values.

[kcheung2]

Similar to the comments above, some products were better back then. A modern Tasco scope is nothing impressive, but the older ones made in Japan were pretty nice.

[JDay]

Fine optics are like fine wine.

[Capybara]

I am a cinematographer. My main set of prime lenses that I mount on expensive, state of the art digital cinema cameras were all made in the 1960s and early 1970s. They are worth far more today than they sold for new.

Gun optics are the same. Buy something quality and name brand like Leupold, Swarovski or high end Nikon and it will possibly even grow in value.

[trigger945]

This thread delivers! I did not know this about optics.

Honest question: How about ACOG and US Optics? Are they considered "quality" that they will hold their values? Or are they "middle of the pack" and depreciate more?

[bsg]

More like... well taken care of quality optics retain their value, and everyone else assumes their beaten up made in china walmart scope is the same. You see the same thing with camera lenses, spotting scopes, telescopes, etc.

^^^ this.

[stix213]

Also, sometimes the listed price is the starting place for negotiations.

[toby]

Optics ore very trendy, companies are changing things daily sometimes they create an almost perfect optic and then someone has a brain fart and decides to try to up the anti and messes things up so that previous optic actually becomes better then the new version, not always but it happens. That older optic has a following and it will command a high price. Just my view. I have some of those so called older optics for that very reason.

[Caseless]

I see optics FS constantly, but almost all are used, what ceases to amaze me is price, there either at or to close to new price, not always, just mostly.

Even beat up ones seem, I may be a little out of line, OK I know you can just pass, but still, what's up.

So do they get better when it's used ? Battle proven ??

Most reputable manufacturers offer limited lifetime warranty. Thus the high resale value.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I paid $650 for a used Unertl scope that originally sold new for $90.

[SB1964]

I waited for my T1 micro with Larue QD mount for over 8 months. Same price other vendors charge with (same optic) crap mounts. Think I'd dump it for a lot less, think again.

Holds zero on & off the gun better than anything I've ever seen.

Do they get better, no. Quality holds it's value. Optics tend to have cycles of what I consider "trends" Bigger, smaller, CHEAPER, colors, modular etc.