What to look out when buying 2nd hand camera?

**Shadow** · 25th Dec 2007, 17:11

what do you need to look out ifyou want to buy 2nd hand Canon camera? The camera still under waranty but I don't think ware and tear are cover by waranty.

Thanks in advance

**Simon** · 25th Dec 2007, 17:57

perhaps you like to state what camera and what equipments/lenses it come with.

maybe give you a rough idea what to check for, firstly make sure you inspect the lense for fungus, whitish web growing within the lense. There isn't much you can check for, perhap ask the owner questions on the camera itself. Things like shutter count for DSLR, when was the last sensor clean.

If possible ask for a personal guarantee for a week, there might be problems you will not know of till you try the camera yourself

**Shadow** · 25th Dec 2007, 18:18

Canon EOS 400D with kit lens EF-S 18-55mm, Shutter count is about 10k, waranty left 3 months with 5 year harvey norman waranty. What is harvey norman waranty?

**PeterGwee** · 25th Dec 2007, 18:23

Extended warranty offered by Harvey Norman instead of the common Canon 15 month warranty.

I'm skeptical about getting 2nd hand products especially things like cameras. After doing quite a bit of online reading and research, the maintenance cost of the camera is also a worry (I was thinking of getting a Canon EOS 40D with kit lens 17-85mm package and maybe an extra zoom lens if the cost doesn't burst my budget but now am reconsidering.)

Regards,
Peter Gwee

**Shadow** · 25th Dec 2007, 18:34

does it mean that harvey norman will do the servicing if something happen to the camera?

I'm thinking to get this because it still have 3 months canon waranty. so that if anything happen I can just return it to canon for servicing. But I do not know what usually cover by waranty. I don't think scratches will be cover by waranty so that would be the first I will look for, lens and LCD scraches, LCD dead pixel.

I will be visiting the guy place to view before buying.

**PeterGwee** · 25th Dec 2007, 18:44

As Simon mentioned, you need to really try the camera before you will notice anything wrong. If you are a veteran in digital photography then you will likely spot issues fast but not a newbie I guess. Mold, scratches, motor issue, flash dead and etc are potential ones. You probably need to get a dry cabinet to store the camera and lens to keep them from getting fungus due to high moisture. Digital photography as a hobby ain't cheap if you ask me and I haven't even bought anything yet.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

**Shadow** · 25th Dec 2007, 19:19

what if I send the unit to Canon service center? would they be able to do so called camera health check?

**PeterGwee** · 25th Dec 2007, 19:42

Lens cleaning is not free from what I have read from clubsnap forum. Servicing is not part of warranty.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

**Simon** · 28th Dec 2007, 17:25

I believe you can ask canon service centre to look at the camera and service it like clean the sensor, but it is chargable unlike nikon :P

I think the HN warranty covers the usual breakdown of the camera excluding servicing, but instead of sending it to canon directly, you go to the HN shop that the camera was purchased from and they will inturn send on your behalf to canon for any repairs. I also think there is a clause that includes replacement of the camera if in any case, the parts is no longer in production. (you need to read the warranty)

**Shadow** · 29th Dec 2007, 09:12

Yes decided to buy the camera, still have 6 months waranty plus havey norman extended waranty, though the owner do not know whether harvey norman waranty is transferable or not. My this year bonus gone

Anyway I send over the unit to canon for sensor cleaning as well as general checking. Not that expensive around $20 but if you want to do full body checking, it cost $120. Cleaning only couple of hours but checking took 7 days.... can't make it for new year fire work

Next in the list is fet ST-E2 and macro lens.

By the way, in the kit lense there is macro simbol with 0.28m/0.9ft, what does the number mean (newbie question)?

**trident** · 29th Dec 2007, 09:50

Robert,
Looks like we are shopping for the same stuff, maybe can go together and get discount for buying double.

**Shadow** · 29th Dec 2007, 10:17

sure thing why not

One thing those small shop at Funan doesn't seem to carry ST-E2, they don't even know what is that.

**trident** · 29th Dec 2007, 10:49

Robert,
I go to MS color at AMK, a bit far for you!
At funan I think there is a shop called John 3:16,
they should have it.

**Simon** · 29th Dec 2007, 13:43

funan - John 3:16 (abit on the high side)
penisular hotel - The camera workshop
penisular (across the hotel) - Cathay Photo
Shaw leisure (beach road) - TKFoto (my new favorite place for equipments)
MScolor - Ang Mo Kio central

**valice** · 29th Dec 2007, 23:13

TK is a good shop.
Only problem is their opening times.

Robert, that number tells you the nearest working distance you can work with between your lens and the object. I cannot remember exactly is the distance from sensor to object or front of lens to object.

**Shadow** · 30th Dec 2007, 00:19

I did not go to John 3:16 because lots of customer at that time and I was in hurry.

Vincent, does it mean that the camera will not be able to focus is the object distance less than 0.28m/0.9ft?