Should i buy brand new or second hand DSLR Camera?

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ukg273

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Whats the difference in buying a camera brand new and second hand? Apart from price and condition obviously, is there anything to worry about if buying second hand? Say of eBay or on TP. Also, What do i have to know if buying a second hand camera? What questions do i ask the seller apart from the condition of the camera of course.

Also, is it a bad thing, if a camera has been 'registered' by the owner? I was thinking of buying a body brand new and lenses second hand? Would this be a good idea?

If some one could help a newbie then greatly appreciate it! (y)
 
As with buying anything second hand, a bit of common sense goes a long way. If a deal seems to good to be true then it no doubt will be. You should take the actuations / shutter count into consideration. I think you mentioned a 450D before now? The expected shutter life is about 100,000 clicks. Obviously you wouldn't want to buy a camera with 80,000 clicks already!

Weigh up cost against the camera. I'd rather spend an extra £50 on a camera new then second hand but, if you found one for say half the RRP then that could be a decent deal.

Stick to buying here on TP... people on here know their stuff and will answer any questions, plus they seem to look after their kit too!
 
a lex said:
As with buying anything second hand, a bit of common sense goes a long way. If a deal seems to good to be true then it no doubt will be. You should take the actuations / shutter count into consideration. I think you mentioned a 450D before now? The expected shutter life is about 100,000 clicks. Obviously you wouldn't want to buy a camera with 80,000 clicks already!

Weigh up cost against the camera. I'd rather spend an extra £50 on a camera new then second hand but, if you found one for say half the RRP then that could be a decent deal.

Stick to buying here on TP... people on here know their stuff and will answer any questions, plus they seem to look after their kit too!
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As above really, check the clicks, be sure of the overall condition of the camera if second hand and ask if you wold be happy with that.
I would recommend doing transactions through this site due to the overwhelming knowledge this forum has.
However if you see somethin on ebay and you want some advice on it, post a topic on it and include the link and people here will gladly help.
 
Keep in mind that a body is a 'disposable' item. That is to say it will have a limited life before new technology overtakes it and it becomes obsolete. People can and do use really quite old cameras, but they tend to be the ones that were very expensive to start with (such as professional level 1D's).

However, a lens is always going to have a useful role to play. Some do get updated and this has an effect on the value of the older version, but even the best cameras still need lenses.

I buy pretty much all my stuff second hand. It allows me to enjoy my hobby without it costing too much. High quality lenses hold their value surprisingly well.

With bodies, you can sometimes afford the next model up if you buy second hand. But the older the camera, the less it will cost, but the less it will be worth when you come to sell and upgrade. It might be cheaper to stretch to buy a just replaced camera which might be worth more in a year or so's time.

You need to settle on a model of body and the lenses you intend to purchase, check the new cost and look back on here and other sites and see what they typically sell for. Know what they are worth and when you see one advertised, you need to move quickly. Everyone loves a bargain!

Good luck.
Graham
 
a lex said:
As with buying anything second hand, a bit of common sense goes a long way. If a deal seems to good to be true then it no doubt will be. You should take the actuations / shutter count into consideration. I think you mentioned a 450D before now? The expected shutter life is about 100,000 clicks. Obviously you wouldn't want to buy a camera with 80,000 clicks already!

Weigh up cost against the camera. I'd rather spend an extra £50 on a camera new then second hand but, if you found one for say half the RRP then that could be a decent deal.

Stick to buying here on TP... people on here know their stuff and will answer any questions, plus they seem to look after their kit too!
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but whatever you do dont buy any gear off arkady:LOL:
 
My first dslr was a 400d which I bought new with a couple of lenses, I enjoyed it and a mate made a a very good offer on my kit at a time I was thinking of upgrading to a 50d.
I ended up with :-
a mint second hand 1dmk11n for slightly less than a 50d
a very good second hand 70-200L
a second hand Sigma 24-70 f2.8
I was lucky as I ended up with kit that would normally have been out of my reach had I had to buy it new. The only slight down side was the 24-70 is at the moment with Sigma as it wasn't as sharp as I would have liked. After this has been sorted it won't have been as much of a bargain, I was happy to pay a good price for a good unit but after the 'service' costs it will have cost me more than it's worth (but still less than the new price)
 
1D mkII is the biggest bargain on the 2nd hand market, followed maybe by 5D mk1 and the ones like 20D on the very low end of the spectrum.
Just like with cars things can be great or very sour. A bit of common sense helps to predict that. A couple minor scratches on the body are inevitable and wouldn't matter, but if you are looking at something obviously really well used then back off. You don't want a camera that photographed Afghanistan, Nairobi desert, all the celebs and also wildife in Alaska. Something that has about 20,000 for 40D is absolutely fine, or even 80,000 for 1D. Then you have to ask yourself is the seller reliable (how many sales, what items, but you don't want a serial re-seller either), can you meet up and inspect in person? Have they got all accessories, paperwork and box (proves ownership)? The ultimate bargain is something 1/2 year old with low use and remaining warranty at 2/3 of the price.
The things to look for on the camera is the overall function of all buttons and screens. Then check the shutter at very high speeds like 1/8000s. The image should be perfect otherwise it is failing. Then inspect the sensor and the filter (magnifying glass may help). There should be absolutely no scratches. The dust can be cleaned and you should probably ask for that to be done for you.

Lenses: should be as close to mint as possible, with no dents on the glass (indicates misuse). Fully check the operation and asses the IQ. Sigma lenses are particularly problematic and I wouldn't buy one 2nd hand unless tested extremely carefully and inspected photos on your laptop on the spot.

Lastly, if you travel a lot outside EU it may be wiser to buy new as you may have trouble with customs.
 
mastertrinity said:
but whatever you do dont buy any gear off arkady:LOL:
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Well, my Army kit does get hammered, but then it doesn't belong to me, so I couldn't sell it even if I wanted to...:D

My kit gets looked-after very well, as those who have bought stuff off me will attest to...lol
 
Arkady said:
Well, my Army kit does get hammered, but then it doesn't belong to me, so I couldn't sell it even if I wanted to...:D

My kit gets looked-after very well, as those who have bought stuff off me will attest to...lol
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thats good because we've seen the state those d3's have been in:D must be fun to play about with expensive cameras and not worry about the damage, well apart from being shot at:)
 
I just bought a brand new Sony A700 from ebay and gotta say I can't fault the seller.He said what was missing and the condition of the camera and I'm a happy chappy.One thing I do is look through the feedback of the client even if they have 100%.

I'm gonna be selling my Sony A200 this week and ain't sure if I should put it on ebay or try here?Not been a member that long on here so not sure if people will buy from me?
 
DEANSUPREME said:
....I'm gonna be selling my Sony A200 this week and ain't sure if I should put it on ebay or try here?Not been a member that long on here so not sure if people will buy from me?
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Just thought I'd mention it to you..."classifieds"
 
I've had 6 DSLR's. Only bought one new, that's because i was an early adopter. Canon 7D.
All my lenses bar one purchased used. The only other new stuff has been flash guns, batteries, grips, cards and tripod/heads.
Saved quite a bit of cash, happy with all my used purchases.
 
mastertrinity said:
thats good because we've seen the state those d3's have been in:D must be fun to play about with expensive cameras and not worry about the damage, well apart from being shot at:)
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Both with less than 10,000 actuations...:LOL:

Bargain...
 
Personally I started out with a new Sony a200 DSLR and then a second hand 70-300mm Sigma lens, which was ideal. I didn't have the budget for a brand new lens and I spent a long time searching ebay and researching whether the lens had good reviews. It worked out great for me!

I have since had new lenses also and can see the benefits of both

Good luck with your shopping!
 
daugirdas said:
Lenses: should be as close to mint as possible, with no dents on the glass (indicates misuse). Fully check the operation and asses the IQ. Sigma lenses are particularly problematic and I wouldn't buy one 2nd hand unless tested extremely carefully and inspected photos on your laptop on the spot.
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A dreadful libel on Sigma lenses! .... I've bought 4 secondhand off eBay and all are brilliant. It does help if you can buy off someone local to you who will allow personal pickup. That way I think you can almost certainly trust them.
 
I've sold and purchased second hand and have been lucky to have picked up some really mint kit. Equally I have sold gear that has been very well cared for so I'd like to think that the majority of photographers are pretty honest.
 
ukg273 said:
Whats the difference in buying a camera brand new and second hand? Apart from price and condition obviously, is there anything to worry about if buying second hand? Say of eBay or on TP. Also, What do i have to know if buying a second hand camera? What questions do i ask the seller apart from the condition of the camera of course.
Click to expand...

If your thinking of buying from ebay - then try and get additional pictures (not the ones that they have already posted) & try not to end up like this TP memeber did.... "purchase"
 
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