D300

Mr. Quiet

I would like to get a D300 that is in rather good shape, as in bran new, but second hand. I am worried about it because I have no idea if the camera has any problems with it, and if there wasn't I would just have to take who's evers word for it, you guys know what I mean? Right now I have a D40, but some how oil got into/onto the CCD, and that's not all! Some of the pixels on the CCD are blown too!!!!!

My main problem with buying over the internet is that I can't see what I am going to spend a good amount of money to buy and I can't personally check it out. I am not saying that people will cheat me, far from it!

So, can I get some help here?

THANKS!

DsrtVW

I had one problem with mine 2 months after I bought it. Complete fail. Warranty repaired. Has not missed a beat since. I use it almost daily. Have not check actuations but it is up there 30k+. Check out the Flea Market here on Dgrin the are always popping up there. Most failures on electronic equipment happen soon after purchase.
With the D300s coming out it will probably make more D300 come on the market.

michswiss

Aaron, you've got mail

bandgeekndb

My tips for a good online purchase of equipment:

For a camera:

• Make sure the actuation count is provided by a program that will accurately gauge the number of shots taken. Do not trust the file number, as that will reset after 9999 shots. Hopefully seller would be honest, but this ensures there is no guessing on number of times shutter has clicked!
• Ask to see pictures at various apertures, specifically a small aperture shot of a daytime sky. While the wide open apertures will give you an idea of performance at wide open apertures, the smaller apertures will give you a good picture of any junk on the sensor. The small aperture will accentuate any dust or schmutz on the sensor against the backdrop of the sky, so it will be easy to spot.
• Ask to see pictures, of decent size, of all 4 sides of the camera and top and bottom. Look for scratches (if you're worried about cosmetic, look hard, otherwise just look for performance hurting dings, scratches etc.). ESPECIALLY, look for signs of a camera being dropped, etc.
• Ask for picture of LCDs, both back and top (if applicable), as this will ensure there are no dead pixels on both LCDs, and problems with the sensor that may have been missed in other shots (small chance of seeing sensor problems with this pic, but it's another piece of assurance for your mind! ).

For all purchases:

• Check seller rating in the feedback thread here on Dgrin. Ask if they have feedback elsewhere, on other photography forums, or on a service like Ebay.
• Get a personal email, instead of doing transactions on DGrin here. Makes it a little easier to track down the person later if there are any problems.
• USE PAYPAL! Unless you're doing an in person transaction, where you can really inspect the goods, PayPal will help protect you if the seller fails to deliver the item, or fails to ship it properly, etc. Either someone here can explain their protection better, or you can just read their policy online to get a better understanding.
• Trust your gut. If a price seems too good to be true, beware. 9 times out of 10, it's just a seller helping out a fellow photographer, but there's always a chance for a scumbag. Follow the tips above and you'll have a lot less chance of getting screwed over.

Hope this helps! I've had numerous successful transactions on this forum, including a wonderful D90 that I love! Just be safe and the gods of Photography will watch over you!

~Nick

Mr. Quiet

Yes it does help, thank you very much!

GP Images

All three of my DSLR's (D70s, D200 and D300) have been purchased from listings on Craigslist. As well as most of my lenses and other gear. Have only had one problem with a Tamron lens that the seller did not tell me about. Everything else has been a positive experience and has saved me a lot of money and allowed me to expand my equipment well beyond what I could have done if bought new. Meet the seller, ask questions and if things don't add up then move on. Most sellers are honest and they are selling their equipment to move on to something else.
Glynn