Are tariffs also impacting the cost of used cameras? Used gear prices are on the rise, according to MPB price tracker

The new tariffs on goods imported into the US have caused a number of new cameras to jump in price, while many remain out of stock as shipments pause.

But the price of used cameras and lenses has also climbed by more than 4.5% in the last three months in the US, according to the MPB Used Camera Gear Price Index.

The pricing trend tracker illustrates how used gear prices rise and fall over time. Across all 5 different categories that the Used Camera Gear Price Index tracks in the US, the chart shows a straight jump up around April 15 2025.

That price hike hits just a few days after the Trump Administration’s reciprocal tariffs went into effect, although the higher tariffs were later paused at 10 percent for 90 days, excluding China’s 145% tariff.

For all used gear, the index shows an increase of 4.58% increase since February 01 2025. The largest jump in the chart is a 1.75% jump in one day, between April 14 and 15.

While the index indicates an increase in prices over the last three months, the cost of used gear in the US is still down by about 3.78% compared to the same time a year ago. Prices hit a low of nearly -10% at the end of December before starting to climb again.

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Unsurprisingly, the premium compact camera category that has seen a resurgence in trends has shown the steepest increase over the last three months, jumping by more than 6%.

Even the cost of used DLSRs has increased, however, with a 2.78% increase over the last 3 months. The cost of used lenses has jumped by 4.72%, while the cost of used cameras overall increased by 4.51%.

Adjusting the index to reflect UK trends, used gear saw a smaller jump in mid-April, but sits at 9.01% higher than it did 3 months ago.

The UK numbers show the steepest increase in early March. Over the last year, prices in the UK are down by 7.66%, but have begun increasing after hitting a low in January, a pattern that repeats itself when looking at the past 3 years of data.

A large number of different factors can affect the cost of used gear, which means tariffs may not be entirely to blame for the latest increases. Factors like economic uncertainty, which gear is trending, and what options are hard to find will also play a role.

For example, used Fujifilm camera gear is up by more than 15% over the last 3 years, while Sony, Canon and Nikon dropped over that same time period. The rise is likely influenced in part by the viral popularity of the X100 series.

Tariffs have affected the US stock of some cameras, with brands like Fujifilm pausing some pre-orders. Stock on some cameras in the US seems to be dwindling fast and, when that happens, it’s not uncommon to find that the used prices are near or even over the new-in-box price.

Looking at the list of MPB’s most popular used cameras also highlights some interesting insights. The Sony A7 III remains the most popular used camera for the last 3 months, followed by the crop sensor Sony A6000.

In third place, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR has increased in cost slightly, while the price of a used Canon EOS 5D Mark III has jumped by more than 10% in 3 months.

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