Buying used vs new

cr8ingwaves

So the income tax refund is sitting in my account and the time to upgrade my equipment is here.

I had planned on buying a new 7D....is the few hundred dollar savings worth losing the 1 yr warranty that would occur with buying used?


Has anyone ever regretted not buying new to begin with? My 20D was a refurb from B&H and I had zero problems with it until recently.


I am now suffering from paralysis due to overanalysis.

ziggy53

There is some risk with the purchase of any piece of electronic equipment. If the risk of buying used is bothering you, you can either purchase a third-party warranty for the used equipment or you can buy new.

Canon has some refurbished cameras listed through their website as does Adorama (neither just now however). I too have had excellent luck buying refurbished and used but I know, and I accept, the risks involved. If the worst should happen, and everything breaks sooner or later, I'm not gonna beat myself up over a past decision.

There is no "right" or "wrong" decision in buying new, used or refurbished. Each has benefits and each has risk. Choose the option that you feel you are comfortable with and proceed with the purchase. If you truly need the 7D then the only bad decision is not purchasing one. Think more about the lost photographic opportunities in hesitation.

If this decision is keeping you up at night with worry, then a "new" camera is in your future.

Dan7312

I don't have the URL for it but Canon sells refurb'd returns with a brand new warrenty. The are not always available, but you will save a few hundred dollars if they are.

cr8ingwaves wrote: »

So the income tax refund is sitting in my account and the time to upgrade my equipment is here.

I had planned on buying a new 7D....is the few hundred dollar savings worth losing the 1 yr warranty that would occur with buying used?


Has anyone ever regretted not buying new to begin with? My 20D was a refurb from B&H and I had zero problems with it until recently.


I am now suffering from paralysis due to overanalysis.

Dan7312

Canon refurbs
http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/subCategory_10051_10051_-1_12164

Dan7312 wrote: »

I don't have the URL for it but Canon sells refurb'd returns with a brand new warrenty. The are not always available, but you will save a few hundred dollars if they are.

cr8ingwaves

Ziggy, did my husband tell you that I was up all night wrestling with this purchase? lol

Dan, thanks for the link. No 7D currently in stock, but wow...1D Mark IV would be nice.

divamum

Have had fantastic experiences with refurbs, purchased through Adorama - they absolutely honour their in-house warrantee (yes, I've used it), and the service is fantastic both for purchase, and after-care. Big, big thumbs up all round.

I've also had good experiences buying used privately - you of course have to be wise about how you go about it, thoroughly research the product you wish to buy and the buyer you're purchasing from and generally "know the market" to be sure to ask the "right questions" about the piece of gear you're purchasing, but if you're willing to take the time, it can be a great way to acquire gear. Most of my lenses have been purchased used and, on the occasions I've had to sell them on, I've more or less broken even which has been great. I will say that I have in general purchased from people I "knew" via their online presence, or who have extremely high positive ratings within the community where they are selling (eg Fred Miranda); in all cases, those reputations proved well-earned and deserved.

If you don't want to buy privately, KEH is a terrific source of used gear that comes with a return policy so it's pretty much risk-free (although a little more expensive than buying privately). I've bought lenses from them several times and been entirely satisfied on all occasions.

davev

I've bought a ton of stuff used, but only two cameras, a Canon XT and a D60 converted to IR, I had no problems with them, or anything else I've bought used.
In saying that, I try to do my homework before buying anything. I know what it costs new, I know how much value cameras lose as
they get long in the tooth, or when the new model comes out.

I usually buy the cameras new and the lenses used.
For the most part, if a person has paid more than a $1000 for something, they take care of it.
Another thing I try to check on is if they're hobbyists or pros.
A hobbyist, in my mind, probably takes just a bit more care on how they put there cameras in they're camera bags.
They most likely don't do near the amount of shooting that a pro does, so even if their lens is older, it probably hasn't
seen the weather, the bumps, the wear and tear that a pros lens would see.

For me, because electronics can be so finicky, I have bought all but two cameras new.
Including P&S's, I've bought 13 cameras new, with the XT and just recently a D60 that's been converted to IR, used.

Same goes with phones, computers, Ipods, printers, TV's, all new.

cr8ingwaves

Thanks Divamum for giving me a few more places to look at. You should also know that the 135L is on my rental list because of your raves...lol I have to see what you love about it.

I usually buy the cameras new and the lenses used

This is my exact line of thinking Dave. Thanks for taking the time to post.

divamum

You should also know that the 135L is on my rental list because of your raves...lol I have to see what you love about it.

Bwahahaha.... Moogle Pepper loves his as much as I do mine - I'm not taking all the blame for spending your money!! Seriously, though, if you can use the focal length the 135 is beyond yummy. I luuurrrrveee mine

ThatCanonGuy

Buy used? If you ask me, absolutely! Or refurb. All of my gear I have bought used, except for the 70-200 which I got $50 off for buying it refurbished.

If you want new, then I say refurbished. Refurbished ones have been thoroughly inspected, unlike new ones. That should cost more, but it saves you money

craig_d

The more expensive something is, the less comfortable I am buying it used, because I don't want to lose my money if it turns out to have some hidden problem that crops up just after the return period ends. Of course the same kind of thing can happen with warranties when buying new, but the warranties are usually longer and my experience has been that new products either fail quickly or are good for a long time. But it depends on the source. KEH has their own camera repair service in-house, and the used cameras and lenses I've bought from them have always been clean and fully functional. I've had good luck with Adorama, B&H, and Collectible Cameras too. EBay, of course, is a mixed bag, but I've done pretty well there too simply by paying close attention to seller feedback and item descriptions and photos.

I've had mixed experiences with factory refurbs. One can be great, but another can end up failing again because it's just a lemon and the factory only replaced the failed parts without addressing the fundamental problem.

For the last year or so, my camera and lens purchases have been mostly used, because I've been buying things you can't get new anymore. Often they've been out of production for decades, like my collection of early '60s Nikkor SLR lenses and my late 1940s Mamiya Six (which is currently at Jurgen Kreckel's place for a CLA).

Art Scott

as stated above....used or refurb........I have learned my lesson on forum buying......I'll stick to ebay so I can get a square trade warranty on lenses and cams.....if I can get an aftermarket warranty on a used cam on a forum then I'll go for it, but so far I have found they require either to be bought off ebay or from camera store.......... off ebay I have found that I can get warranties for cams and such from individuals...but also make darn sure you get at least a 10 - 30 day check it out warranty.......I shy away from the no return for any reason seller........

cr8ingwaves

Thanks for the added input Art, Craig and TCG.

The 7D is sitting in my shopping cart at B&H and I am picking out a few other things. Will be pulling the trigger later tonight after I have contemplated my additional purchases more. so fun spending $$ on gear!

eta: Diva, can we really trust Ted? lol

ThatCanonGuy

While we're on the subject, can someone who owns it tell me how fast the 135L's AF is? Like, is it 70-200 AF, or closer to 85 1.2?

divamum

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

While we're on the subject, can someone who owns it tell me how fast the 135L's AF is? Like, is it 70-200 AF, or closer to 85 1.2?

Lightning fast - you barely even notice it because it just *works*. It rarely hunts - very, very occasionally, but not often. Of all my lenses, it has the zippiest and most accurate AF. It's also almost silent.

ziggy53

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

While we're on the subject, can someone who owns it tell me how fast the 135L's AF is? Like, is it 70-200 AF, or closer to 85 1.2?

It is capable of sports/action. Oh yeah.

divamum

ziggy53 wrote: »

It is capable of sports/action. Oh yeah.

See? Even our much-loved, objective Ziggster displays a hint of heartpounding gear-drool when discussing that lens. Doesn't that tell you something?! :giggle

cr8ingwaves

I hate it when a lens has a comma in the price..... looking forward to renting it and seeing if I need it.

ThatCanonGuy

It doesn't have a comma if you buy it used from Adorama... $999

But, I think you can get it used for $800 or so. You guys are making me want this:D (I really could use the 135, right now I use the 70-200 but that f2 sure looks nice ;~).

cr8ingwaves

I want to thank all of you for the input you provided. I am always amazed at the kindness and time everyone puts into their posts here. I have learned sooooo much from reading this forum. I hope to have something worthwhile to contribute as I learn and grow.

Alicia