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What to watch out for when buying second hand?

acearchie

acearchie

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2006
3,264
104
I am going to see a camera next week and I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for things to try out and test before I make sure I want to buy it?

I am normally quite good with technical details but I imagine I could get lost up in holding the new body!

I am having a look at a 6D and this would be an upgrade from my 600D although I would probably keep both for a while for filming purposes but shot photos mainly on the 6D.

Cheers!
 
mofunk

mofunk

macrumors 68020
Aug 26, 2009
2,421
161
Americas
If you have an reserves about buying second hand, then go to an Authorized Dealer and pick up a used camera. They will have a return policy. Or you try refurbish. Canon and Nikon sell them on their site and most of the Authorized dealers like B&H Photo and Adorama.
 
seveej

seveej

macrumors 6502a
Dec 14, 2009
827
51
Helsinki, Finland
acearchie said:
I am going to see a camera next week and I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for things to try out and test before I make sure I want to buy it?
Click to expand...

Well, some things depend on where you are at.
In general, the first thing I do is to make sure the seller (if a private person) is reputable and try to make sure that the gear is not stolen.

For bodies, look for bumps, dents and scratches. Make sure it does not creak or rattle. Take a few photos (while preferably using your own memory card), if you have the option to decide later, study the images. Try to ascertain how many images have been taken (the moving parts are still moving parts).
Ask the seller why he/she is selling the gear, and try to keep your feelers out.

For lenses the same things are relevant + looking for scratches, blotches and dust inside the lens. If the lens has been in production long, try to use the serial number to find out how old it is (and sometimes even googling the serial might turn up interesting details). Further, remember that you need to be able to try the lens and study the pictures. If you do not yet know the lens (and don't know what to expect), goto a shop first and try out a sample of the lens (new or good used), get a feel of how the parts are supposed to feel and move. Take a few sample pictures.

HTH & RGDS,
 
acearchie

acearchie

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2006
3,264
104
ijohn.8.80 said:
acearchie, sorry to go off on a tangent like this...

If you're having to get all new full-frame lenses for the 6D, have you investigated the D600? :confused:
Click to expand...

Funnily enough I hadn't. Whilst on paper it does look like the better camera I am a bit worried about the Nikon eco-system. I would be able to share lenses with my Dad (But I fear that that the majority of his are DX?) I think I would struggle as that would mean that I wouldn't really be able to keep my 600D which would have made a nice B camera on some of the video shoots I do.

I have also never heard anyone rave about Nikons video and I think in real life terms the 6D wins on low light noise levels.

Thanks for suggesting it as it has brought another camera to the table but it would be quite a drastic change if I went for it!

mofunk said:
If you have an reserves about buying second hand, then go to an Authorized Dealer and pick up a used camera. They will have a return policy. Or you try refurbish. Canon and Nikon sell them on their site and most of the Authorized dealers like B&H Photo and Adorama.
Click to expand...

I think I get completely taken in by price. I'm a student and hopefully attempting to make some money back on the cameras through work but as I'm sure you know it's a huge wad of cash to drop on such an expensive item. I will have a look at some refurbished models but the prices seem so much higher. Apparently this 6D still has 11 months warranty left so I'll have to have a look at whether it's possible to transfer this to a new owner.

seveej said:
Well, some things depend on where you are at.
In general, the first thing I do is to make sure the seller (if a private person) is reputable and try to make sure that the gear is not stolen.

For bodies, look for bumps, dents and scratches. Make sure it does not creak or rattle. Take a few photos (while preferably using your own memory card), if you have the option to decide later, study the images. Try to ascertain how many images have been taken (the moving parts are still moving parts).
Ask the seller why he/she is selling the gear, and try to keep your feelers out.

For lenses the same things are relevant + looking for scratches, blotches and dust inside the lens. If the lens has been in production long, try to use the serial number to find out how old it is (and sometimes even googling the serial might turn up interesting details). Further, remember that you need to be able to try the lens and study the pictures. If you do not yet know the lens (and don't know what to expect), goto a shop first and try out a sample of the lens (new or good used), get a feel of how the parts are supposed to feel and move. Take a few sample pictures.

HTH & RGDS,
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. I will definitely be taking a memory card and my laptop + 50mm to really give it a once over. Apparently it's BNIB as an unwanted christmas present so if there are any marks I'll probably reject it as if he's lied about that there are probably some other things he might try to hide!

Thanks for all the helps and tips so far.
 
S

snberk103

macrumors 603
Oct 22, 2007
5,503
91
An Island in the Salish Sea
Don't forget to pop the battery out and check the compartment for any battery leakage. It's more of problem with older cameras, but it only takes a second to check. Battery leakage sometimes explains why otherwise good cameras go for cheap.
 
Cheese&Apple

Cheese&Apple

macrumors 68010
Jun 5, 2012
2,004
6,606
Toronto
Hi Archie,

I don't know if you're talking about a private purchase or through an authorized retailer but if private, I would wonder why is the person selling such a new release.

I read an ad in another forum from someone selling a D600 that he didn't try or even look at in the store, took it home and didn't open the box then went on vacation for a month, came back, opened the box and then decided he didn't like the feel of it in his hands and couldn't return it to the place of purchase.

I suppose there are people with more money than brains but to me the story had more holes than swiss cheese. Bottom line...he was selling for $50.00 off retail.

I can say from my recent experience with a full frame body purchase that there is a lot of wiggle room in the price of a new body from a retailer. I made it clear to the salesman that I was starting from scratch and would be looking at other lenses in the future. I have no idea what the retail mark-up is but I did get a substantial price reduction from the advertised price. I'm sure that the salesman was banking on the fact that I would return to him for those lenses and he was right.

The moral of this long-winded story is that I paid a fair bit less for brand new than that guy that was selling second hand.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
acearchie

acearchie

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 15, 2006
3,264
104
Cheese&Apple said:
SNIP

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Click to expand...

I did think this. Being my largest purchase to date I was a bit worried about warranty.

I have since spent an extra £100 on top of the price that the used model was available for and managed to get it off eBay from a reputable retailer offering 3 years warranty so hopefully this week I should have a shiny new camera to go along side my 600d.

Now I need to get on looking at insurance as I would hate for anything to happen!
 
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