Frequently asked questions

We track prices from online retailers and marketplaces, such as eBay and Amazon. For each lens we keep only listings that are really that lens (the right maker, focal length, aperture, version and mount), from UK sellers, at a price you can buy at today. We show a retailer's prices only while we can keep them up to date, and we're adding more retailers.

Lenses with a price are re-checked three times a day, and lenses someone has a price alert on every two hours. Lenses we haven't found yet are looked for every couple of days. Each price shows when it was last checked.

Yes. eBay prices include the seller's UK postage, so you can compare like with like. "Free P&P" means there's nothing to add.

New is unused (open-box items count as new). Used is second hand. Refurbished has been checked or repaired by the maker or a seller and sold as working. The best price is the cheapest new price, or used or refurbished when there's no new one. The others are listed under it.

Prices and stock change quickly, especially for used lenses: one may have sold or changed since we last checked. Always check the listing before you buy.

We haven't found a listing we're sure is that exact lens. Older and less common lenses often have none for sale, and we'd rather show no price than the wrong one. The buttons still search the retailers for you.

Some eBay sellers run codes for money off. When one applies to a price we show, the price already has it taken off, and the coupon icon shows the code, the saving and when it ends. Enter the code at checkout. All current codes are on the Discount Codes page.

Yes: use "Email me new discount codes" on a lens page or the Discount Codes page. You can stop them with the link in any email.

Choose a lens, a target price and which conditions you'd accept (new, used and/or refurbished). When the cheapest price in those reaches your target, we email you once, and the alert switches off. You can set it again with a new target.

No: you can set an alert with just your email address. With an account you can see all your alerts in one place on My Price Alerts, change targets, pause them or delete them.

Every email has a link to stop it. If you have an account, you can also pause or delete alerts on My Price Alerts.

Yes. When you buy through a link to a retailer we may earn a small commission from them. It costs you nothing extra and never changes which price we show as the best.

No. LensWatcher is independent. We take part in the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates programmes, which is how the site is paid for.

For now, yes: prices are in pounds from UK sellers. Other countries may follow.

Please tell us at hello@lenswatcher.com. It helps a lot, and we read everything.