Thoughts on purchasing 2nd hand?

[coolhand78]

Hi,

I'm looking to get my first decent camera and I'm wondering that the general consensus is with purchasing gear 2nd hand ie. ebay?

Clearly, you can get better gear at a lower cost but what are the pitfalls (apart from the obvious*) with purchasing 2nd hand camera equipment...?
Is there anything specifically related to camera gear that I should be cautious of?

Also, as i'm new here I havent had the opportunity to browse the classifieds section of this forum, is it a particularly good place to purchase from?


Thanks


* By obvious, i mean dodgy sellers etc...

[ricktas]

just the same as anything. cars, houses, computers. Second hand can be a great bargain or you can get an absolute heap of crap. basically BUYER BEWARE. It really is up to you to check out anything you buy second hand to make sure of it's condition. The Classifieds forum here is locked until you get 30 days membership and 50 posts, but check out cameramarket in the meantime

[Hayaku]

In terms of lenses, just be aware if there is anything inside it like dirt or especially fungus.

For cameras, try to find out how many shutter actuations have been done if possible. Different models have different ratings on them and it will give you an idea on how much longer the camera will last.

For example a 60d is rated for 100k shots. In theory, a 60d that has taken 99k shots will soon die but that rating given by camera companies is an estimate more than anything else.

[enseth]

I'm of the opinion that generally speaking, camera gear is well looked after. Most photographic enthusiast treat their gear with care and tenderness, just like their spouses :), so you can get some really good gear for good prices. This being said, be diligent.

[ricktas]

You also have to be careful that you are not purchasing stolen gear. Good quality camera gear is something that is often stolen in burglaries etc. I will buy from a local camera store that has a second hand cabinet, and I would buy from another AP member, but I would not buy second hand on e-bay, gumtree, etc

[jjphoto]

Buying second hand cameras or lenses is a minefield even for the experienced second hand buyer. Aside from the broad, 'big-picture', things to look out for, each camera or lens may have unique quirks or weaknesses that you also need to know about and look out for as well. In a nutshell, if you have no experience buying second hand then maybe you're best to buy from a camera shop that also sells second hand gear, as they normally offer a short warranty as well. This will cost more but is safer.

I find that that the major online auction site is a kind of clearing house for rubbish, so as often as not, cameras and lenses are in quite poor condition and sellers often supply very poor images and/or claim to know nothing about the items so it's almost impossible to know the TRUE condition of the article you are seeing. Bargains are often not bargains, just rubbish. There are lots of excellent quality items to be had, from fair and reasonable sellers, however usually from businesses rather than private sellers. If a seller provides lots of excellent and clear images with detailed descriptions of faults and is quick to answer all questions then you are at least better informed. The sellers feedback rating is extremely important too.

I noticed you are in QLD so fungus may be a greater issue for you (due to high humidity). Fungus can be anywhere, not just lenses, so keep an eye out for it.

This lens came from QLD. The seller described it as 'clean'!
http://photocornucopia.com/images/Lenses/General/g_019_400.jpg

There are several forums that have active second hand sections. The first one is probably the most active Australian forum for that, worth looking into.

http://forums.overclockers.com.au/forumdisplay.php?f=70
http://www.apug.org/forums/forum379/
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=14
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/10

[Dazz1]

You also have to be careful that you are not purchasing stolen gear. Good quality camera gear is something that is often stolen in burglaries etc. I will buy from a local camera store that has a second hand cabinet, and I would buy from another AP member, but I would not buy second hand on e-bay, gumtree, etc

I quite agree. Having bought other stuff from eBay, not cameras, quite a lot, I can assure you that there is great value in buying from a local store, rather than online auctions, when dealing with stuff that really needs to be inspected first hand before purchase.

I would suggest that a local second store that has a proper warranty is also a possibility. One secondhand store has a 90-day warranty on cameras, and I know from personal experience that they DO honour their warranties.

[Epoc]

I have found a few bargains second hand. However, I now find that most sellers want more or auctions go for more than buying new grey items. Hence now most of my purchases come from DWI as they offer great service, speedy delivery, local phone numbers and local warranty repairs should they be needed.

[coolhand78]

thanks for the info guys, i think i'll stick with stores until i'm a bit au fait with the in's and out's of specific gear...

[Kym]

Tell us what you want to do with your photography...


Landscapes - wide angle lens (10-24)
Portraits - 50-150 focal length, fast aperture (f/2.8 or better)
Macro - specialist lenses
Wildlife/Birds/Sport - longer focal lengths up to 500mm, fast AF and frame rate


That will affect the features you need.

[coolhand78]

Tell us what you want to do with your photography...


Landscapes - wide angle lens (10-24)
Portraits - 50-150 focal length, fast aperture (f/2.8 or better)
Macro - specialist lenses
Wildlife/Birds/Sport - longer focal lengths up to 500mm, fast AF and frame rate


That will affect the features you need.

Hey mate,

I've got a more specific thread on the gear i'm looking at getting here

http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?121873-Newby-looking-for-gear-advice

For this thread I was just looking for general thoughts on purchasing 2nd hand gear, rather than have the 2 threads overlap...

[ving]

go ahead but take care...

[MasterOfRoc]

You also have to be careful that you are not purchasing stolen gear. Good quality camera gear is something that is often stolen in burglaries etc. I will buy from a local camera store that has a second hand cabinet, and I would buy from another AP member, but I would not buy second hand on e-bay, gumtree, etc

I recently bought a second hand lens from eBay, and have had nothing but good news.

Having said that, it was a condition of purchase that I'd see the lens and have a mate who is in the know check it out entirely before making any payment.

The seller showed me his studio showed me everything about his photography business, It was a perfect transaction, And I was 100% satisfied it was all legit.

However, there is no way in hell I would be buying off eBay or gumtree, without due diligence

[crafty1tutu]

I have bought most of my camera gear off Ebay and never had a problem - maybe I have been lucky. My first camera (Canon 350D) and my Canon 180 mm 3.5 L series macro lens even came from USA. I think you have to ask questions re fungus, dust etc and make sure that the seller has good feedback.