I've been toying with the idea of upgrading from my 40D and adding a lens or two....checking out refurbs vs used vs new. Having talked to a number of smart people and looked at craigslist and the various forum listings a couple of times a week for the past few months, I've developed sort of a checklist with the main pros and cons of each option:
TOP CHOICES
- Buying used from a friend. This has a lot of advantages...first, you probably already have an idea about the person's character/honesty, how they treat their equipment, maybe even why they're selling it. Second, you can almost always borrow the equipment to see if you really like it before buying. Third, you know the item's history. And fourth, when you're dealing with a friend, the price may be very good, because the seller doesn't have to go through the hassle of listing or shipping the item, and he/she knows you're unlikely to pull a fast one, etc.
- Buying new. You get the advantage of a warranty and a retailer who (almost always, especially if you're detailing with a reputable one) will help you out if there's a problem.
ALMOST-AS-GOOD CHOICES
- Buying refurb/"blems"/open box. I've found that this is great for stuff like flashes, bags and tripods. I haven't tried it with a body or lens yet because I can't shake the sneaking feeling that there's some pesky problem that will return. "Cosmetic flaws" are a great way to save money--really, who cares if there's a small scratch on a monopod? That's going to happen soon enough with use anyway.
- Buying through forums. Obviously, this is a popular option. People want to protect their reputation, and many of the forum users seem like the kind of photographers who take very good care of their equipment. If they're selling, it's usually because they want to upgrade, or because they're not using the item very much. Most are very forthcoming about the condition and history of the item. The biggest disadvantage is that you usually can't try before you buy (regional/local forums excepted).
MIGHT BE FINE, BUT CAUTION ADVISED
- Craigslist. After scanning the listings for a little while, you start to get a sense for which ones to avoid. Confidence-builders include a good description of the item and decent photos. Warning signs are brand-new items without a box or receipts, items with multiple owners, sellers who won't answer questions about serial numbers or shutter counts, etc., and the countless listings that just sound fishy ("I bought this 1DS Mark III for my girlfriend and it's too much camera for her so I'm selling it for $2,000 for a quick sale"). Personal annoyance: Sellers who copy and paste descriptions of their gear from The-Digital-Picture.com and try to pass off Bryan's reviews as their own thoughts.
WATCH OUT
- EBay. Sure, you can find tons of decent stuff from reputable sellers, but it's still easy to get burned. And who wants the hassle of having to fight with someone over a problem? I bought a lens a few years ago that was described as "clean and optically perfect." The seller had lots of positive feedback. The lens arrived and there was a chip in the multicoating. The seller claimed that he was talking about the glassbeing optically perfect, not the coating, and when I looked back at the photos from the listing, the chip turned out to be visible (but the seller had managed to make it look like a reflection). Ebay wouldn't back me up because the item was as listed and pictured.I think a lot of Ebay sellers cruise garage sales looking for gear they can buy for pocket change to re-sell...in which case they probably know little about photography, and you're never going to find out the item's history. I also bought a power tool that was described as "starts right up and runs great." What the seller didn't say was that it would grind to a halt after 2 minutes of use, once the motor warmed up. I wouldn't buy anything used on Ebay unless I knew the seller. Well, maybe a lens cap.
Sorry for the long post...hope it's helpful!
Jeff
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Originally Posted by Stephen Probert
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