[xenochimera]

so i have gotten rid of all my audio gear for sometime now, and i am thinking about going into photography. i have a nikon n6006 35mm slr that someone gave to me as a gift but now i want to move into the DSLR arena. just wondering what are some good places to buy used gear? i am specifically looking for a canon 40D.

so far ive been on:
fredmiranda
POTN
Keh, B&H, and Adorama.

just wondering if there are any additional good sources. thanks.

 

[krmathis]

eBay maybe?
Seems to be quite a lot of camera gear on there.

 

[ka-boom]

Without a doubt KEH.com is the best.

 

[Mr. B]

I've bought all my gear on eBay (30D, a couple lenses). Most prefer B&H and KEH which are great but I had a low budget and you can better gauge the shutter wear based on how people describe their usage. I would look for some amateur who said they barely used the camera over one that was used by a pro for tens of thousands of shots.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I would go for KEH over B&H (sorry ^) and the rest. KEH is by far the most reputable online camera shop. I've made multiple very expensive transactions with them, and they are always great to deal with. I found out one of my lenses had an issue after using it for a month and a half (I went photographing for a month, and didn't discover the problem until I got my negatives back) and they immediately exchanged it for a new one, not only that, they sent the new one before I sent back the old one

But ebay is the cheapest. You are taking some risk, but if you're smart about it, that can work. I personally would not buy a used digital camera body, as it's hard to know what the censor has been through, but I think lenses are pretty safe, you can just look at the glass and know if it's in good shape.

 

[ozz]

Another vote for B&H not to mention they stock almost everything.

 

[deadly55]

I've heard adorama is good too.

 

[jc9394]

B&H for all my camera and camcorder gears. No issue with customer service. Have a problem when I was in NY last year, walk out couple G lighter.

 

[hembergler]

B&H worked out great for me, great prices and fast shipping. You might also want to check out Newegg. Although their camera/lens department is not quite up to par with their computer hardware section, some very good deals pop up now and then.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryp /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't want to go tit-for-tat with KEH. They have a fine reputation, but I think our excellent rating speaks for itself.

I think b&h is the best place to buy new camera equipment, great prices, great service. I bought my whole Nikon D3 setup there, and it was cheaper then ebay!

But for used, I think KEH is just the most dependable, because that's all they do.

 

[ka-boom]

What is up with B&H's goofy schedule? They're closed on Friday and Saturdays (or something weird like that??!) I don't remember exactly what days this happens on, but I've visited their website many times to be greeted with a "We are not accepting orders now" red message.

So I head right over to KEH or Adorama.

Don't get me wrong, I've spent close to $2,000 at B&H and every transaction has been outstanding and fast. But their rules on (not) working weekends just irks me as I work into the evenings on weekdays and dont get home to order online until after normal business hours when places are closed. At times like this is when weekEND ordering is important.

 

[Samgotit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka-boom /img/forum/go_quote.gif What is up with B&H's goofy schedule? They're closed on Friday and Saturdays (or something weird like that??!) I don't remember exactly what days this happens on, but I've visited their website many times to be greeted with a "We are not accepting orders now" red message.

Owner is an Orthodox Jew.

Here is the schedule:
B&H Photo Video Hours of Operation

I very rarely use anyone but B&H and Amazon for new equipment. For used stuff, I like the For Sale Forum on POTN.

 

[dima1109]

POTN without a doubt for Canon gear. A good condition 40D can be had for under $700 easily, sometimes even for ~$650.

 

[ka-boom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryp /img/forum/go_quote.gif Samgotit was kind enough to post our schedule and point our our owner is a Hasidic Jewish gentleman. Our web site runs 24/7/365 except you cannot make a purchase from late Friday afternoon to sundown Saturday (NYC time), and on a handful of Jewish holidays. This is not my area of expertise, but as I understand it, neither he nor his business may engage in commerce on Sabbath or certain holidays. There's more on this at Jewfaq, if you're really interested. As you noted, we go out of our way to do all we can to make sure people know this well in advance. Frankly unlless you time your visits to our site to coincide with these days, I do not think many times probably accurately reflects your experience. BTW, we will be closed Thursday, July 30, 2009 for Tisha B`Av, one of the most solemn and serious holy days (not a holiday in the usual sense at all) of the year.

Hmm, well, I'm not going to comment on any of that but thanks for clarifying. I never would have found that information on the B&H site. And here I was thinking it was website maintenance!

 

[skyline889]

I like eBay for used gear. It's a bit of a crap shoot with the condition of the gear but you can score some great deals and Paypal will usually cover you if it's not in the stated condition (Most of the time though, the seller will usually work with you to rectify any problems). If you're willing to sort through the junk and find a good seller, it's hard to go wrong with eBay. I got my second D50 during the Live 35% promotion last year on eBay for around $180. There was dirt on the sensor however the seller paid for me to get the sensor cleaning solution and wipes and I cleaned it myself. $180 for a now like new D50 is cheaper than you'll find at any 3rd party dealer! I'm sure B&H and KEH are great but it's hard for them to match the prices on eBay since you're paying for guaranteed quality (Which you don't get on eBay).