MPB is the world's largest online platform for buying, selling, and trading used photo and video equipment. Founded in Brighton in 2011 by Matt Barker, the business has grown to operate from headquarters in Brighton, Brooklyn, and Berlin, recirculating between 350,000 and 570,000 items annually and adding over 1,000 products to the platform each week. MPB works differently from peer-to-peer marketplaces like eBay: they buy used gear directly from sellers, have it carefully checked and individually photographed by their in-house team of camera technicians, and resell with a six-month warranty as standard.
The model has produced one of the most consistent customer experience profiles in the industry: every item is exactly what's pictured (no generic stock photos), the condition grading is standardised across categories, and the pricing transparency means used items typically cost 33% less than new equivalents. The team is composed of trained camera experts plus seasoned photographers and videographers, an important signal for buyers who want gear that's been understood, not just inventoried. With 55,616+ Trustpilot reviews and an established 4+ star track record, MPB has established itself as the default option for first-time used buyers wanting low-friction, low-risk purchasing.
For UK photographers, MPB's combination of inventory scale, six-month warranty, free quotes for selling, and DPD pickup makes them particularly suited to high-volume use, both buying current-generation mirrorless and DSLR bodies and selling old gear without the friction of private listings. They're not the destination for ultra-specialist Leica, vintage film, or rare collector items (where dealers like Ffordes, Grays of Westminster, or Aperture have deeper expertise), but for mainstream digital used purchases at competitive prices with a clear warranty backstop, MPB is functionally the largest single source in the world.
MPB is the dominant force in the UK and global used camera market, no other operator approaches their inventory volume, with 1,000+ new listings per week dwarfing the entire stock turnover of most independent dealers. Their direct comparators are Camera Jungle (UK, Jessops sister, smaller scale, also online-only) and KEH Camera (US, similar model with smaller UK presence). Within the UK independent dealer space, MPB is in a different category altogether: the volume operator versus the curatorial dealers.
For mainstream digital DSLR and mirrorless used purchases, MPB will typically have the broadest selection at competitive prices with the most consistent buying experience. For specialist categories, Leica, Hasselblad, vintage film, large format, collector items, dealers like Ffordes (Inverness), Aperture (London), Grays of Westminster (Nikon), and Ian B Foto (Mamiya/Bronica/Fuji GX680) will have deeper expertise and more relevant inventory.
The standout MPB strengths are the standardised six-month warranty, the per-item photography (no surprise condition issues), the trade-in process simplicity, and the circular sustainability angle for buyers who care about that dimension. The trade-offs are the absence of in-person handling, the uniformity of the buying experience (great for first-time buyers, less rich for enthusiasts), and the lack of personal expertise on niche categories. For UsedLens users, MPB is essentially always worth checking as a baseline price/availability reference even when ultimately buying from a specialist dealer for a specific item.