Where is the best place to buy used camera? pawn, ebay, paper, sales?

The shipping cost seems too high on ebay and the people selling cheap
don't have much of a record. I live in Vancouver where the asian
computer stores seem to be very cheap. Maybe i should just buy there?
At a pawn shop what should i pay for a used camera about year old? 50%
of retail? I have to say I am disappointed in how much they go for on
ebay.

 

Pawn shop cameras are often missing cables, chargers, instructions, etc.
I'd stick with Ebay. Great prices can be had but it requires some diligence
on your part. Or you could just try an asian computer store, what ever that
is.

EF

 

Since it's Vancouver, it likely means "hot goods" acquired by asian gangs or
just street-punks. If he's going to buy stolen goods, why doesn't he just
steal the stuff himself and cut out the middle man?

 

I go to KEH in Georgia for used gear. <http://www.keh.com>
They've always rated condition and price very fairly, and taken care of me
when there were any issues.

Godfrey

 

Try looking online for refurbished/reconditioned digital cameras,
especially on the manufacturers' own web sites. You kinda have to
hunt around, but Nikon, Kodak, and others offer refurbished digital
cameras and their accessories. In some cases the prices are better
than what you'd find for the same product on eBay, which a reseller
has usually spiffed up with a cheap vinyl camera case and a no-name
memory card to an overinflated "extra value" package.

Refurbished cameras are frequently a good deal. While they're built
in Asia by low-wage employees, many are refurbished in the U.S. by
experienced service technicians. The backside is that the warranty
isn't always comparable on a refurb -- 90 days to a year seems
average.

That said, Nikon Mall has only average service. I ordered a Coolpix
885 camera that was listed "in stock" on Friday. On Monday, they
called to confirm my order then told me it was backordered. On
Tuesday, they told me they shipped the camera. As is often the case,
the right hand isn't aware of what the left hand is doing.
\
-DK

 

| Pawn shop cameras are often missing cables, chargers, instructions, etc.
| I'd stick with Ebay. Great prices can be had but it requires some diligence
| on your part. Or you could just try an asian computer store, what ever that
| is.
Stolen cameras have missing cables, etc. It seems a lot of stolen stuff is
showing up on ebay too.
|
| > The shipping cost seems too high on ebay and the people selling cheap
| > don't have much of a record. I live in Vancouver where the asian
| > computer stores seem to be very cheap. Maybe i should just buy there?
| > At a pawn shop what should i pay for a used camera about year old? 50%
| > of retail? I have to say I am disappointed in how much they go for on
| > ebay.

The prices for no-name 2MP cameras are inflated. You are better off in
Vancouver for those.

 

You obviously don't know anything about Vancouver. "Asian computer
stores" are legitimate stores, often small and with just a few
employees, who build computers from parts and sell them. They generally
use name-brand parts, usually OEM (not retail box) but better than the
stuff that you find in Dell and Compaq machines. And they sell for less
than the name-brand machines.

The stores operate with low overhead, and give a few percent lower
prices if you pay by cash or debit rather than credit card. They're
often the cheapest place to buy things like CF cards and cameras if they
stock what you want.

Dave

 

I'm with you man. I live in the US and trying to get a deal of sorts on used
digitals on eBay is darn impossible. People seemed to be willing to pay 8
grand for a .0003 pixel that cost $20 in Office Depot 3 years ago. It's
almost that bad.

I'm all for the free market, but everytime I have to pay almost $300 to win
a used 2 megapixel model which is no longer made, it infuriates me. I think
I may just give up and buy a new one at Ritz. So Ritz is "the devil?" At
least they don't charge $300 for a used 2-year old model which I can now buy
the newer version of for $250. How nuts is that?

 

B&H has a used camera and accessories department. You might try there.
Also check Dell and Gateway. Both sell cameras and they might have some refurbished.

Rosita

 

Asian computer stores are set up by immigrants who must invest in
canada to become citizens. They can operate without making money. The
competition is quite fierce. The shipping on ebay is around 25 dollars
US and that is too much for a cheap camera. I think i will just buy a
benq 1300 for $89 at asian store.

 

A what?

 

It can be pretty comical. I saw a gallery program once for a Dirk Van Erp
show. I had just discovered his work. I WANTED that program.

The bidding went higher and higher. And higher.

I gave up. But I still wanted that program. So I checked out a used book
finder website. It directed me to Amazon, where I got it, brand new, for
$15.

I learned my lesson then and there about eBay. I never fall in love with
anything there, and only lowball bid.

 

I hate cheap assholes like you. You would never earn access to my pussy!

 

I found it even worse with computers

 

Compgeeks.com carries several refurbished name brands. Not surprisingly, the
prices are less than ebay.

| The shipping cost seems too high on ebay and the people selling cheap
| don't have much of a record. I live in Vancouver where the asian
| computer stores seem to be very cheap. Maybe i should just buy there?
| At a pawn shop what should i pay for a used camera about year old? 50%
| of retail? I have to say I am disappointed in how much they go for on
| ebay.

 

I have used two camera shops in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Camera and MidWest Camera. Both have lots of used photo equipment.
I have bought and exchanged merchandise at both of these stores.