There’s nothing like a good camera to raise the bar when it comes to traveling. Of course, photography gear is available across a wide spectrum of budgets, right from affordable to those with eye-watering prices. We were looking to up our photography game without breaking the bank when we first heard of MPB. Since we wanted to prioritize lightweight and versatile equipment, we found MPB to be one of the best in the business. This MPB review delves deep into the world of this online platform where we can trade, sell, and buy any used video and photo kits. No wonder it has taken the world by storm, considering that it’s also trusted by nearly a quarter of a million visual storytellers across the world.
The brand is committed to making photo and video kits more affordable and accessible. Hence, we were thrilled to be exploring it to get our next amazing piece of camera equipment. Here’s a detailed review of the website and everything that it has to offer for budget travelers.
A Wide Variety Of Choices
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One of the top reasons we, and thousands of other users, love MPB is the sheer plethora of choices when it comes to buying used cameras and other photography and videography gear. Since we were buying used, it meant that we had access to almost every digital lens and camera from every major camera brand. This included everything from Fujifilm, Olympus, and Nikon to Panasonic, Sony, and Canon, as well as everything from mirrorless to digital cameras.
What’s more, we even found choices for mirrorless and DSLR lenses covering any and every available aperture and focal length. If that wasn’t enough, there were all kinds of video and photo accessories we have ever needed, including studio lighting, batteries, and more.
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Excellent Response Times and Deliveries
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Since it was our first time using a “used gear” website, we were super concerned with customer support, especially once we’d placed our order. However, the entire process of ordering and getting in touch with MPB was very easy, quick, and smooth. In fact, the website even offered international express delivery for a little extra moolah. Moreover, we could even select the date of delivery. What left us impressed was the MPB contact form, where we left a question asking about the expected delivery date. And we’ve never gotten a response to a service email that quickly, and a positive one, at that.
Additionally, the website covered issues including incorrect condition of the products, mis-listed items, faulty chargers and batteries its 14-day returns policy. What’s more, they would arrange for replacements too during that period. However, they weren’t covered by their 12-month warranty.
Another thing we loved about MPB’s entire process is that they had insured their deliveries very well. While most order fulfillments go extremely smoothly, things do go wrong sometimes. In such cases, and every case actually, they had insured their deliveries. Also, this is regardless of whether one is buying from within the UK, the EU, or the US. In fact, even the equipment that you sell to MPB is insured.
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An Eco-Conscious And Sustainable Model
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We were impressed by the fact that MPB‘s business model — trading, selling, and buying used kits — was 100% circular. Since we’re eco-conscious users, we were interested in upgrading our equipment from MPB. What impressed us was that this entire process generated a lot less waste than we had bought brand-new items from anywhere else. Firstly, they delivered all the used kits from the website in beautifully boxed and plastic-free packaging. In fact, not only was the packaging completely free from plastic, but it was also made from 100% recyclable materials. Of course, the fact that we were able to find the exact photography and videography equipment on MPB meant that the products already existing in the market were upcycled. So the entire process is sustainable.
Furthermore, MPB is applying and extending these circular principles to its entire operation chain. As of 2022, more than 50% of the electricity they used was renewable, with their aim for that number to reach 100% by 2025. In fact, they even aim to reach net zero carbon for their courier services by 2035, for their data centers by 2030, and for their buildings by 2025.
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A Bunch Of Guides
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Which used travel photography gear website have you seen that puts out original content for all kinds of users? MPB does, and how. Behold original content by MPB, which not only includes video and photo kit guides that cover all their favorite brands and genres, but they also have a section with podcasts and videos.
Not only that, but they also post inspirational interviews with the most exciting visual storytellers out there in the market. This is invaluable for budding photographers and videographers who are looking for a good place and information to start their content creation journey. Last but not the last, they even dish out a boatload of tips and techniques. This is immensely useful to content creators at all levels for bettering their visual storytelling.
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Excellent Pricing
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While it was good knowing that we were reducing waste, we also wanted to save a bit of money at the same time. After all, good photography and videography equipment isn’t exactly inexpensive, is it? In fact, brand-new camera lenses and bodies are so notoriously pricey that the lenses end up costing more than the camera body itself!
That’s why we loved the collection from MPB, which categorized items according to the condition that sellers were selling them in. For instance, some of the items are in such excellent condition that the only difference between something brand-new and a second-hand piece is some cosmetic wear and tear at the most, but the stuff won’t work any differently.
For instance, when we went looking for used Canon cameras, we had a few good filters that we could apply. These included not only the cosmetic condition but also price groups. Additionally, we could choose megapixels, FPS (frames per second), and even the type of product – whether entry-level, premium/compact, mirrorless cameras, or more.
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Excellent And Accurate Condition Of Products
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When we first ordered from MPB, we were a tiny bit nervous about its condition, despite the many five-star ratings. However, we were delighted to find that the product not only came in excellent condition but also exactly matched the description and the features that were listed when we ordered the product.
Unboxing our new camera was a fantastic experience indeed, with no unnecessary giant boxes or layers of plastic wrapping like online marketplaces. What’s more, the camera and the lens came sitting perfectly, and they were exactly how the seller had described. Aside from a few scratch marks or dust, which is always mentioned in the features by the way, we had no complaints from our MPB experience.
All in all, you get what you pay for when you order from MPB, and there are no unpleasant surprises. What could be better?
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Is MPB cheap?
While they might not be the cheapest, yes, MPB’s prices for used photo/video gear are usually very competitive.
Can we get a discount on MPB?
MPB offers exclusive discount codes for students, education staff, military and first responders, and healthcare workers. Additionally, if you refer MPB to a friend, you both get USD 20 off. Read more at MPB’s promos section.
Can I update an order?
You cannot update or modify an order once you have placed it. You need to place a separate order to add any other items.
Some images on this article are copyrighted by MPB.
