what to look out for in 2nd hand equipments ?

AhV · 28th September 2004

Hmm... noted some of you esp. Adam offered his valuable assistance and advice to LEADWE before he got his hands on a second hand 10D. As some of you may already know, I just registered and joined CS not too long ago although I have been reading the threads here

The fact is I usually get my cameras and accessories new from my regular camera shop. As I need a spare body, I am viewing a EOS 1V + PB-E2 tomorrow if time permits. What should I look out for in a second hand set ? Any advice is appreciated ... At least, I dun have to worry about CMOS and CCD

I know shutter check is a must.

Duh... I hope this is not a FAQ. If yes, refer me to the relevant threads ?

andi1704 · 28th September 2004

for my personal the most trusted one is TCW ( The Camera Workshop) at penisula, they very helpfull and reasonable for the prices. i highly recomended them than the others.

ofcourse they also sell the brand new item as well.

sequitur · 28th September 2004

check if there's anything wrong with viewfinder

LCD buttons work ?

LCD screen ?

the wheel turns (if there's a wheel) ?

the tripod mount can screw ?

and since it's eos-1, check whether got any cracks in the rubber sealings (esp if you're going to want to use it outdoors).

sane · 1st October 2004

I'm also interested to know how to check 2nd hand lenses, and after a cursory search I found this article: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~parsog/Guy/usedlens.html

Mount the lens on your camera and with the camera set on manual or Bulb, open the back and look through the lens and be sure it closes down to all apertures smoothly and easily. Check surface elements. Minor cleaning smears are normal. So are minor blemishes on the front element, these normally do not effect image quality if they are not particularly large and do not cut through the lenses coating.

The rear element is very important. It should not be scratched and the coating should be fully intact. Some lens barrel looseness is normal, particularly with modern, plastic barrelled lenses, but it should not seem excessive (this has to be a judgement based on experience with similar lenses or other factors).

Screw heads that are marred or are rusted in the center indicate disassembly at some point.

External condition is an important indicator. Scratches that are applied from retrieving the lens from a bag over and over are normal, but if the lens has evidence of impact, this could indicate problems. Many lenses survive falls, but you as a potential buyer do not know to what extent the lens impacted, so you must insure the lens functions smoothly and properly when mounted on a camera. A roll of film must be taken (at its widest aperture at a close object) to insure internal elements were not jarred out of position.

Lastly, hold the lens to strong window light and carefully look through it from both ends. Though it can be difficult with some multi-element lenses, look for hazing (possible fungus), excessive dust or particle matters on the inside. Anything you find that is judged as a defect has to be weighed against all the factors combined, such as serviceability (if the lens is obscure and
technicians for it are hard to find and expensive), its general asking price relative to condition, etc. Many sellers do not closely examine their equipment when trying to sell it and may legitimately not be aware of something you discover, some may know and hope you take it before you see something you don't like, so each case is unique. Don't buy if you are not completely happy, and always stipulate a period in which you are allowed to return in the event of dissatisfaction.... Anon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Further to Anon's advice.......

First make sure the external surfaces of the front and rear elements are very clean before trying to "look through" a lens to evaluate it. Of course remove any filters first. The best way to show the surface dirt is to use a strong torch aimed obliquely at the lens surface. All the dust and smears show up quite well. Puff them off with compressed air or squeeze puffer and clean with a lens pen or your favourite method until the oblique light test shows nothing on the outside surfaces.

Next put the lens front down on a light box (those nice little 5"x4" battery powered light boxes are good for this) with the aperture fully open to look through it for internal dust and fungus. Sometimes the dust and fungus shows up better if you use dark field viewing. Achieve that by sitting the lens cap on the light box and gradually raising/lowering the lens above it so the view is black but the light coming obliquely from the light box illuminates the internal dust and fungus well. If any lens elements can be rotated (front element focussing types) then do so to try and see where the dirt may be.
If your lens has a mechanical aperture open/close control lever, gently move it to and fro while the aperture ring is set to maximum (wide open). It should easily move with no sticking or hesitation at any point and allow the aperture to open and close smoothly. Check the aperture leaves for signs of oil. Some lenses, particularly if conditions remain hot, will leak lubricant from other areas to end up on the aperture blades and eventually cause them to stick and not open or close quickly.

________________________

Emphasis (in bold) is my own... guess those with dSLRs and a laptop have an advantage here, since you can immediately check the picture quality. I think though that a number of sellers need cash from the sale quite urgently, so it'll be difficult to ask for this grace period.

Heh I never realised that there was so much to check! Think I should try this out on my own lenses. Wonder if there's an online guide with photos to illustrate all these

AhV · 1st October 2004

Originally Posted by sane

............Heh I never realised that there was so much to check! Think I should try this out on my own lenses. Wonder if there's an online guide with photos to illustrate all these

wa... I asked how to check for tell-tale signs on camera body and got more advice than that. Thanks guys for the pointers ... esp sane

..lengthy but useful

Lucky me, I met with a very responsible and nice buyer...explained and demonstrated to me why his camera was a "GOOD BUY" ... all the possible 'tell-tale signs' as per advice were all thoroughly checked and proven in excellent condition.

Of cos,

to a nice seller.... I am a proud owner of a 1V liao

Will leave this thread open for the weekend to see whether there are more advices for others, who are not seasoned buyers and sellers of this forum.

Adam Goi · 1st October 2004

If you can get a experience person to tag along, that would be great! It can also act as a learning experience for you!

AhV · 1st October 2004

Originally Posted by AdamGoi

If you can get a experience person to tag along, that would be great! It can also act as a learning experience for you!

I know, lah... was waiting for a good man like you

you helped LEADWE, right ?

Anyway, too late..I have already bought the cam liao. Maybe next purchase, I 'chio' you

Lucky me, he is a trusted CSer. So, I was impressed by his understanding of his camera .. definitely a pro. Of cos, I did a little homework. Afterall, 1V is an awesome camera !!!

Thus, although it was my FIRST purchase, I am wiser now. Learnt alot from the seller. I know what to look for in my next purchase liao

jacktjk · 3rd October 2004

Hi Adam, no one like me so kind, next round i sell things, better look for me, hehe

leadwe · 3rd October 2004

Jack was a great seller and Adam was fantastic to help. Appreciated it greatly...

AhV · 3rd October 2004

Originally Posted by jacktjk

Hi Adam, no one like me so kind, next round i sell things, better look for me, hehe

hehehe..... I was interested in your 10D too but LEADWE beat me to it

So, I buy 1V instead

Both of us happy buyer now.

You have other things to sell in future ? Let us know quickly, hor ..... u said u r nice seller

jacktjk · 3rd October 2004

Originally Posted by AhV

hehehe..... I was interested in your 10D too but LEADWE beat me to it So, I buy 1V instead Both of us happy buyer now.

You have other things to sell in future ? Let us know quickly, hor ..... u said u r nice seller

No problem lah

28th September 2004	#1
AhV Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Northland Posts: 2,158	what to look out for in 2nd hand equipments ? Hmm... noted some of you esp. Adam offered his valuable assistance and advice to LEADWE before he got his hands on a second hand 10D. As some of you may already know, I just registered and joined CS not too long ago although I have been reading the threads here The fact is I usually get my cameras and accessories new from my regular camera shop. As I need a spare body, I am viewing a EOS 1V + PB-E2 tomorrow if time permits. What should I look out for in a second hand set ? Any advice is appreciated ... At least, I dun have to worry about CMOS and CCD I know shutter check is a must. Duh... I hope this is not a FAQ. If yes, refer me to the relevant threads ?

28th September 2004	#3
sequitur Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 2,825	check if there's anything wrong with viewfinder LCD buttons work ? LCD screen ? the wheel turns (if there's a wheel) ? the tripod mount can screw ? and since it's eos-1, check whether got any cracks in the rubber sealings (esp if you're going to want to use it outdoors). __________________ my flickr.

28th September 2004	#2
andi1704 Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 540	for my personal the most trusted one is TCW ( The Camera Workshop) at penisula, they very helpfull and reasonable for the prices. i highly recomended them than the others. ofcourse they also sell the brand new item as well.

1st October 2004	#4
sane New Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 38	I'm also interested to know how to check 2nd hand lenses, and after a cursory search I found this article: http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~parsog/Guy/usedlens.html Mount the lens on your camera and with the camera set on manual or Bulb, open the back and look through the lens and be sure it closes down to all apertures smoothly and easily. Check surface elements. Minor cleaning smears are normal. So are minor blemishes on the front element, these normally do not effect image quality if they are not particularly large and do not cut through the lenses coating. The rear element is very important. It should not be scratched and the coating should be fully intact. Some lens barrel looseness is normal, particularly with modern, plastic barrelled lenses, but it should not seem excessive (this has to be a judgement based on experience with similar lenses or other factors). Screw heads that are marred or are rusted in the center indicate disassembly at some point. External condition is an important indicator. Scratches that are applied from retrieving the lens from a bag over and over are normal, but if the lens has evidence of impact, this could indicate problems. Many lenses survive falls, but you as a potential buyer do not know to what extent the lens impacted, so you must insure the lens functions smoothly and properly when mounted on a camera. A roll of film must be taken (at its widest aperture at a close object) to insure internal elements were not jarred out of position. Lastly, hold the lens to strong window light and carefully look through it from both ends. Though it can be difficult with some multi-element lenses, look for hazing (possible fungus), excessive dust or particle matters on the inside. Anything you find that is judged as a defect has to be weighed against all the factors combined, such as serviceability (if the lens is obscure and technicians for it are hard to find and expensive), its general asking price relative to condition, etc. Many sellers do not closely examine their equipment when trying to sell it and may legitimately not be aware of something you discover, some may know and hope you take it before you see something you don't like, so each case is unique. Don't buy if you are not completely happy, and always stipulate a period in which you are allowed to return in the event of dissatisfaction.... Anon -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Further to Anon's advice....... First make sure the external surfaces of the front and rear elements are very clean before trying to "look through" a lens to evaluate it. Of course remove any filters first. The best way to show the surface dirt is to use a strong torch aimed obliquely at the lens surface. All the dust and smears show up quite well. Puff them off with compressed air or squeeze puffer and clean with a lens pen or your favourite method until the oblique light test shows nothing on the outside surfaces. Next put the lens front down on a light box (those nice little 5"x4" battery powered light boxes are good for this) with the aperture fully open to look through it for internal dust and fungus. Sometimes the dust and fungus shows up better if you use dark field viewing. Achieve that by sitting the lens cap on the light box and gradually raising/lowering the lens above it so the view is black but the light coming obliquely from the light box illuminates the internal dust and fungus well. If any lens elements can be rotated (front element focussing types) then do so to try and see where the dirt may be. If your lens has a mechanical aperture open/close control lever, gently move it to and fro while the aperture ring is set to maximum (wide open). It should easily move with no sticking or hesitation at any point and allow the aperture to open and close smoothly. Check the aperture leaves for signs of oil. Some lenses, particularly if conditions remain hot, will leak lubricant from other areas to end up on the aperture blades and eventually cause them to stick and not open or close quickly. ________________________ Emphasis (in bold) is my own... guess those with dSLRs and a laptop have an advantage here, since you can immediately check the picture quality. I think though that a number of sellers need cash from the sale quite urgently, so it'll be difficult to ask for this grace period. Heh I never realised that there was so much to check! Think I should try this out on my own lenses. Wonder if there's an online guide with photos to illustrate all these

1st October 2004	#6
Adam Goi ClubSNAP Idol Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Jalan Suka Posts: 5,321	If you can get a experience person to tag along, that would be great! It can also act as a learning experience for you!

3rd October 2004	#8
jacktjk New Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 39	Hi Adam, no one like me so kind, next round i sell things, better look for me, hehe

3rd October 2004	#9
leadwe Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: East Posts: 918	Jack was a great seller and Adam was fantastic to help. Appreciated it greatly...