What do you look out for when buying a used digital camera?
Hello all,
I'm coming up with a helpful guide video of a list of things people should look out for when buying an old used digital camera. I get asked a lot about my old digital camera recommendations, but I believe there's just some basic underlying points people should check into before purchasing that I have been burned by before. Here's what I have so far:
- Memory type and availability
- Battery type and availability
- Common issues with camera
I'm curious what else you would add to the list!
I'd add to it the availability and cost of desired accessories. You may think twice about getting into a system if a Lense you plan on purchasing down the road is rarely available and costs 3x more than what you would happily pay for it.
I just saw someone got a Q 08 wide zoom for only £116. Sad times.
Whether or not it shoots in RAW. I'm often tempted to buy an older Lumix point-and-shoot that I had for a while, and took on a few memorable trips, but I keep holding off because it doesn't shoot RAW, and messing around in Lightroom is just fun. (I know that can be done with JPGs, but still.)
I think it can be useful to do some research into the series that a camera is part of as a whole, at least looking at whether there were any revisions before or after the one you are looking at that might be a better fit for what you want to do.
Quote from Lim on October 11, 2022, 7:24 amI'd add to it the availability and cost of desired accessories. You may think twice about getting into a system if a Lense you plan on purchasing down the road is rarely available and costs 3x more than what you would happily pay for it.
I just saw someone got a Q 08 wide zoom for only £116. Sad times.
Great advice! I will definitely add that to my list. I often do point people to a system based on what lens they want - if they're on a tight budget. And what a lucky person getting that lens!
Quote from denniscrommett on October 11, 2022, 4:59 pmWhether or not it shoots in RAW. I'm often tempted to buy an older Lumix point-and-shoot that I had for a while, and took on a few memorable trips, but I keep holding off because it doesn't shoot RAW, and messing around in Lightroom is just fun. (I know that can be done with JPGs, but still.)
That's a good one! And maybe I'll bundle that with whether it can shoot priority/manual modes or only auto.
Quote from Ruby on October 13, 2022, 2:24 amI think it can be useful to do some research into the series that a camera is part of as a whole, at least looking at whether there were any revisions before or after the one you are looking at that might be a better fit for what you want to do.
That's really smart. I've bought cameras only to realize a camera earlier or later in the series had more of what I wanted, or a better, lens, or the more renowned sensor etc. Good advice!
