Used camera gear can be a phenomenal bargain. It can also be a nightmare. Lens listings that promise perfect condition and arrive covered with the worst fungus this side of The Last of Us. Surprise customs bills that leave you underwater on a deal. And reliability on a 40-year-old electronic camera? Forget about it.But with a little know-how, you can find peace in your used-camera journey. After more than 150 personal transactions over the past 15 years, I’ve found my own routine. But there are people far more experienced than me when it comes to finding great deals on cameras and lenses.So, while I was in Tokyo for the CP+2026 camera show earlier this year, I checked in on the Japan Camera Hunter, aka Bellamy Hunt — a legendary film camera nerd, camera-shopping concierge, and sometime camera blogger. He took me on a fascinating tour through some of the city’s most beloved camera markets, all while explaining his philosophy of used-gear shopping.