Used Sets in B&S Section


Andy75

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Jul 28, 2010
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Hi am new in DSLR photography n looking for a Canon 550D, 500D cam. Would like to know if the sale threads in B&S section are relatively safe-to-buy? or better to wait longer to hv enuf to buy new one? Thanks all to share yr views n plse excuse me if I sounded too blunt :sweat: as am newbie.:dunno:
 

It is better that you have basic knowledge of how to check the stuffs you going to buy.. + the warranty cards, dealer stamp on the warranty and receipt... and knocks or water damage to the body which will void the warranty etc... If you are not confident it would be better you get a new set.

For DSLR Body.. usually need to check the shutter count if possible.. check for dust or even scratces in the sensor.. unless you dun mind making extra trip to service center. Check the inbuilt flash and some common functions of the body and make sure they are functional.;)
 

1. know what the average brand new price is ....... you need a base from which to compare

2. check on seller's background......... I usually prefer to buy from reputed sellers or from people with good and friendly history of forum participation (just me, i prefer dealing with photographers rather than people with 95% history of buy/sell

3. if dont know how to check, bring along someone who does

search similar threads ...............so many advise out there buying 2nd hand
 

A good advice is to bring along someone who knows how to check for good stuffs. Be sure to check everything from the smallest details of a cam before buying. Anyway, I might be selling my 500D to upgrade.:;)
 

1. know what the average brand new price is ....... you need a base from which to compare


this is good advice, lots of sellers at BnS section selling items close to if not at retail price ( even after 1 year of usage )

Buying at these prices would mean giving the seller 1 whole year of free usage and you end up with no warranty for your camera.
 

this is good advice, lots of sellers at BnS section selling items close to if not at retail price ( even after 1 year of usage )

Buying at these prices would mean giving the seller 1 whole year of free usage and you end up with no warranty for your camera.

yes, agree.. hence, please do your homework before buying from B&S.. no shortcut
 

The pricing for 500D seems pretty much alright.
However, the prices they are selling for 550D are VERY STEEP... Some cost more then the retail price.
Seen in 1 thread a guy selling 550D body alone for 1100... Whereas we can get a brand new set with full warranty at 10xx.
Or if you are new to DLSR, you may consider a 450D to start up. It cost only 500~600.
 

If you really need to know.

Used sets in B&S is NOT 100% safe to buy from.
Even from shops, it is NOT 100% safe to buy from. But generally, they are safer to get from, than from people you don't know and can disappear into thin air. Not literally of course.

So get someone who is knowledgeable to hand hold you in the beginning. But find out what is the price difference. If the price of an original equipment and an used equipment doesn't differ that much, why for the little bit of money take such a high risk?

End of the day, nothing in life is risk-free. It is all about risk management and your appetite for risk-taking and risk-exposure.

If you are very new to the world of DSLR. I would suggest you to get a brand new set because at least you got warranty as a safety net if you don't know how to take good care of your equipment.
 

Research on the new price. Call up shop. Decide if paying 80% of a new item but without warranty is worth it.

I am more comfortable buying from people with not only B/S thread. Do a search on his posts.
 

I think u buy new better. As a newbie, quite limited in knowledge (I mean for me when I started photography). I get everything new. Until I'm more familar with lenses and body checking then started to scout for sec hand thing in the bns session.

Hope this helps.
 

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I beg to differ. Many used sets cost only half a k compared to a brand new set.
Besides, TS may or may not go into photography completely... So if he decided to drop the hobby, he can still hold on to it or let it go back to the B&S at a similar price.
Comparing it to a brand new set, he will definitely not be able to get the full price back.

I, myself is a B&S regular. Half of my gears are purchased from the B&S corner so i will not be so condemning regarding a second hand equipment. And who says that a brand new set will be in perfect condition? They may be worst off compared to a second hand set.

However, some things to note before stepping into the world of second hand equipment is to be prepared. Have a friend who is equipped with such knowledge. Try getting a second hand set with several months warranty remaining. Search the forum on some relevant issues regarding secondhand stuff. It will help you a lot.
 

I beg to differ. Many used sets cost only half a k compared to a brand new set.
Besides, TS may or may not go into photography completely... So if he decided to drop the hobby, he can still hold on to it or let it go back to the B&S at a similar price.
Comparing it to a brand new set, he will definitely not be able to get the full price back.

I, myself is a B&S regular. Half of my gears are purchased from the B&S corner so i will not be so condemning regarding a second hand equipment. And who says that a brand new set will be in perfect condition? They may be worst off compared to a second hand set.

However, some things to note before stepping into the world of second hand equipment is to be prepared. Have a friend who is equipped with such knowledge. Try getting a second hand set with several months warranty remaining. Search the forum on some relevant issues regarding secondhand stuff. It will help you a lot.

Actually, when you buy used, your risk level is much higher. Warranty cannot cover negligence. Drops, water, wear and tear.. etc,... all not covered. Warranty covers only manufacturer defect only. Read the terms and conditions on the warranty card. If the used item you buy develops a problem, and you bring it in to the service center. If they say the problem is due to wear and tear or negligence, you are out of luck. Plus, the longer a product is being used, the more wear and tear there would be.

Buying new from a authorized dealer, you have a lot less risk. And trust me 99.99% of the time, a new set will be in better condition than a used set. That is common sense. And when you buy new, if you find a problem within a couple of days, you can return for an exchange with the shop. Or bring it to the official service center to get it fixed or replaced. Because you can prove you just bought it new, and the problem couldn't possibly come from you.

You can say pricing is much better used. But take a look at prices BnS. Sellers are usually trying to recover maximum dollar value from the stuff they are selling. I often see asking prices for out of warranty units HIGHER than new prices of the items (just look at the 35/1.8). You really need to be doing lots of research, know the market and know the product inside out to be able to make a relatively low risk purchase in BnS. Even experienced photographers are getting duped many times. Why? Because experienced photographers do not necessarily mean they are experienced with second hand market, nor are they experts in hardware and equipment evaluation and appraisals.

IMHO, I cannot recommend newbies to buy from BnS. If they can afford it, they should just buy new.
 

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I think u buy new better. As a newbie, quite limited in knowledge (I mean for me when I started photography). I get everything new. Until I'm more familar with lenses and body checking then started to scout for sec hand thing in the bns session.

Hope this helps.

IMHO, I cannot recommend newbies to buy from BnS. If they can afford it, they should just buy new.

I also think as someone who needs to ask whether it's safe or not to buy from B&S, means you may not be equipped to assess the risk factors, the acceptable conditions, the true value, etc. Almost everything is Mint or 10 condition, but as dd123 says, don't expect it to really be so from everyone. We all have different expectations when we say something is Mint.

Myself, when I get something from BnS, I am prepared to camp late nights to find good bargains.
 

....

Even from shops, it is NOT 100% safe to buy from. But generally, they are safer to get from, than from people you don't know and can disappear into thin air. Not literally of course.
...

I disagree with this statement. If you know why certain items get into 2nd hand stores _and_ still have the same price as BNS here.....