Used photographic: between business and scams here's what you need to know | Guide

Used photographic: between business and scams here’s what you need to know | Guide

Posted by Gianfranco Baldari
Last Updated:April 4, 2021

Photography is a passion as beautiful as it is expensive. Are the prices often too high? Would you like to save some money on your next purchase but don’t know how to evaluate a used camera and distinguish between business and scams? This article is written for you! Buying photographic used is not difficult if you follow a few small tips!

I often buy and sell used photographic material from private individuals, with the web everything is easier, you can meet new people and always have new ideas / advice that you can use in future projects. However, the risk is always around the corner, so I decided to write a mini-guide to help you avoid many small unpleasant situations.

General warnings for buying a used camera: remember that it is a world full of business and scams

Buy used only with hand exchange! I will never stop repeating it, online markets, especially the ads that seem the most advantageous, business unmissable, very often they are scams!!

Here because non you should trust the very helpful person on the other side of the pc / phone:

  • if you use PayPal, to be sure, it will be enough for him to prove that he has sent a any package (perhaps with a nice brick inside) so that you can forget about the refund;
  • he saw himself send a ID, it may have been stolen to some unfortunate;
  • if he sends you photos and videos of the item, it does not mean he will send it to you!

Here are some of the most common scams on the well-known site immediately.it

If you haven’t escaped yet and want to buy your second hand safely, here are my rules

  • Always and only exchange by hand, in public places and during the day;
  • To show up! Whether by email, text or over the phone, to ask for sincerity I like first of all to be sincere;
  • Try to understand if the other person shares our same passionand, very often those who sell used photographic equipment are obviously passionate about photography, so try to understand for which “project” they had taken the lens, or what they liked, what prompted them to sell it, in short, a chat about passion that you have in common!
  • Make sure you are provided with the item with box and / or receipt, this prevents you from buying stolen goods (as far as possible);
  • If something stinks you in the previous points, or ascertain these doubts, or forget it, the market is full of honest sellers, just move on to the next!

    • Moving between business and scams is not easy when you want to buy a used camera, yet with these simple rules you avoid taking a few scams!

    Used photographic: between business and scams here's what you need to know | Guide

    What to consider when buying a used digital camera

    Buy used cameras it is quite simple and at the same time a bit risky, simple because the parameters to be evaluated are quite few and identifiable, risky because there is always the possibility that using all the necessary attention, however it can stop working suddenly being a electronic device. As a good rule I always try to buy material with a residual guarantee, in order to be protected from hidden defects that I or the previous owner may not notice at the time of sale.

    Used body like new? The most important parameters to evaluate

    • Sensor integrity, by far the most important thing, replacing a damaged sensor can cost more than buying the same new camera. And if the sensor is also clean, so much the better, that can be easily remedied, with a maximum of 30 euros in any repair center, you can give yourself a good clean.
    • Number of shutter shots, the shutter of the cameras is one of the components most exposed to wear and is very expensive to replace, it could potentially break at any time, the manufacturers “test” a useful life of the shutter of at least 100-150 thousand shots in the cameras of medium-high range, while the professional ones can also be tested for 500 thousand shots. A camera with a few shots is newer, it’s worth investing two extra bucks for a less worn shutter.
    • Functionality of all buttons and dials, perhaps the simplest part, check that all buttons, joysticks and dials work correctly, especially in dated cameras, pay attention to the rings, they could be made of hardened rubber and no longer make the correct grip, for the rest, you can go quiet.
    • Aesthetics and integrity of the shell, even the eye wants its part! and not only, falls have never been good for electronic devices, or to the screens, obviously blows or scratches depending on the entity can lower the value of the camera, but it is difficult for them to affect its functionality so you can be quite calm on this juncture!

    I bought several used cameras, I really enjoy trying out and experimenting with new equipment! The last purchase was the Fujifilm-X-Pro2 that I have reviewed who.

    I hope you enjoyed this mini-guide to responsible purchasing, if you want further information, clarifications or know what other type of material you want to buy, leave a comment below!

    Soon, I will propose other articles: an in-depth study on the most recent objectives and one on the vintage ones!