Which used equipment risk is greater: Lenses or Body?

My confidence in used electronics has improved lately. Before, my policy was to never buy used electronic equipment, this dates waaaay back. I recently bot an IBM Thinkpad X-31 (corporate lease expired $410usd) on Ebay and it's has run well, so I'm thinking about a camera and lens.

The major risks on a laptop are three: screen ($200+), harddrive ($60-200) and motherboard ($2-300). Harddrive failure probably the most common due to moving the active computer and jiggling the disk writing arm. I reasoned that not all three would fail at once and so the risk of a major expense is low, offset by a low initial price.

What are some of your thoughts?

PS:

I started a new thread to discuss risks, but I really liked this one about costs.

DSLR Costs by Alex M

The lens is fairly fool proof, provided it hasn't been drop, things to look for are if its a Nikon, move the diaphragm actuating lever in the rear of the lens, the aperture should snap back the moment you let go, if its a Canon, you will need to mount the lens on a camera @ f/22, press the depth of field and the aperture should snap into position without any hesitation. inspect the filter ring for impact sign and rotate the zoom and focus ring, they should be smooth and without a stiff spot when rotating, a stiff spot is a sure give away of impact.

The body is a tougher one, things like battery drain, occasional shutter malfunction are very hard to pin point in the beginning, so make sure you have a fair assesment prior to commiting, have a return warranty policy written down and agreed upon and are buying from a reputable source or person.

HI,

I have got a used Nikon105mm which was a bargain, before I parted

with my cash I tried it & the seller told me if their are any problems

bring it back & he would refund the money. I was going to buy a used

D200 Nikon & the seller tried to scam me but did not get away with it.

So I do not find a problem buying used equipment as long as you can

check it over.

Andy

like they said above, the ability to inspect the gear in hand is key so i'd avoid ebay if possible. With lenses, in addition to what jean mentioned, I'd check for mould with a flashlight, then throw it on the camera, testing focus speed & shoot a ruler to check focus accuracy.

with cameras, there are exif reader programs that will tell you how many shutter actuations the camera has. also look for scratches on the rear corners of the camera, which can indicate a drop. shoot the sky at a small aperture to check for sensor scratches, or just check the sensor with a flashlight in cleaning mode. cheers,

chris

HI,

I was going to buy a used D200 Nikon & the seller tried to scam me but did not get away with it.

So I do not find a problem buying used equipment as long as you can

check it over.

 

Andy

Andy,

Could you elaborate on the type of scam? I think lots of us would like to know those facts.

Glad to hear of your good result with the lens.

SS

I have purchased numerous used lenses from the Fredmiranda forums. All have been in impeccable condition.

I'd check for mould with a flashlight,

hehehe, word from an islander. We don't mould a lot on mainland so I tend to forget this , thanks for the reminder

Mould or fungus on lenses can be irrepairable! And its commoner than you miht think - lenses stored in closed containers without a dessicant can suffer (I've seen some lovely examples here in the UK). It can be cleaned but even if this is possible it is likely to be expensive and repairers rarely guarantee against it reappearing.

Cameras - now that they are digital - can suffer from scratched sensors, if someone has been heavy handed. It would be the sensor glass cover which would be scratched and again I would suspect an expensive repair. A dusty sensor might be preferable!

When I buy used I either buy from a dealer who offers a warranty and/or trial period, or I inspect very carefully indeed. A small torch shone through a lens will help check the glass for mould/fungus/dust. Sensors require a card and laptop - take a shot of a plain neutral (white paper) and download it, then inspect with the contrast boosted hard. Scratches and scuffs should show up if they are going to be noticable.

I have bought many many lenses and digital camera bodies on Ebay or Fredmiranda. I have had great luck with just about everything - but make sure you get shipping insurance anyway! If something gets broken in shipping it's your responsibility.

W/ that said, I did get a 1DsmkII with a broken shutter. It only had 2400 clicks on it, so I think it was broken in shipping but who knows. It also had a big booger on the sensor which I was able to clean off. Canon replaced the shutter for free, so I ended up getting a pretty good deal - but it was stressful.

James

Thanks for the replies, but only one of you indicated there was more risk in the body than lens, and I guess that's probably correct given the compexity. Still, I kind of thought that the bodies were made to take shocks better than lenses.

Thanks for the replies, but only one of you indicated there was more risk in the body than lens, and I guess that's probably correct given the compexity. Still, I kind of thought that the bodies were made to take shocks better than lenses.

don't worry about getting used equipment. ALL of mine are used. Cameras, lenses, flashes, housings, strobes, everything.

except the memory cards i think. have yet to had a bad experience, so i'm lucky i guess.

i figured i saved a couple of thousand dollars already which meant more diving for me.

i'm not too fussy, but the stuff should work according to spec. lenses are sharp, focus well, no weird sounds when focussing. check the front and rear elements for scratches, and against a bright light for any gunk in the other elements.

like the others mentioned, bodies are a little harder to check with all the potential hidden problems. i'm glad we need more lenses than bodies!

its a good idea to check for a seller's rep, and i avoid fleabay. places like the fredmiranda forums work well for me. i'm one of those lurking in there just waiting to pounce on a good deal...

i'm looking for pawnshops too. anyone knows any in the whiteplains/westchester area? such a rush when you score a good bargain!