Consumer DSLR - 2nd hand versus new - help needed.

[JAvA]

Hi All

I spent time in the 80’s with SLR doing portraits & weddings and a bit of motorsport and action photos – other priorities then took over and sadly I never made the transition to DSLR. I would like to restart my erstwhile hobby in DSLR mode and doing some bargain hunting have obtained the following best prices from SA online stores for entry level consumer cameras & 18-55 kit lenses:

Nikon D3100 - R 5500
Canon EOS 500D - R 4800
Canon EOS 550D – R 6400
Canon EOS 600D – R 6800

I have also looked at second hand cameras and have been quite surprised at high selling prices of fairly old and discontinued equipment such as Nikon D40x R 3000, D50 R 3500, D80 R 3000-R4000 and on the Canon side 350D R 2500, 400D R 2800, 450D R 3000 – R3500.

What is even more disturbing is the amount of ads (even in the classifieds on this site) where advertisers are advertising 2nd hand cameras at prices only a few hundred rand below new price or sometimes even exceeding new prices.

I have no doubt that some of these despite age and obsolescence are still great cameras, but many have shutter actuation counts close to maximum, that will require rebuilds.

Surely without warrantees a small difference between new and 2nd hand pricing can simply not make make a 2nd hand purchase worthwhile? Is a guarantee that important or are Nikon and Canon DSLR relatively trouble free cameras?

Or am I missing something? Has there perhaps since 2005 been a huge reduction in new camera prices, do DSLR hold their value that well or are sellers simply taking a chance?

All & any advice, comments and input would be appreciated from forum members.

[anco85]

A seller can charge pretty much what they want, it's their equipment, they make the rules. Obviously, to make a sale, his prices have to be competitive and this is based on the average sale price. That's why you'll always see cameras going for roughly the same price 2nd hand.

To answer your question though, I actually think the second hand prices are pretty reasonable. 3 grand for D80 is a bargain if you look at what they cost new when they were released, think they were about 8-10k, so you can't compare it to the price of a new D5100 really. New camera prices have dropped severely in the last few years which explains the small gap in prices you are witnessing.

[Leo Theron]

Coffee Man,

Your observations are correct.

Prices asked are sometimes quite high - what you do not see is the eventual selling price. As new models appear with better specifications, you must really know what you are buying… since newer models with better specifications are now littering the landscape. So we are back to the basic supply and demand equation.

The most important part: He who does the paying does the saying

[Steven B]

I would not hesitate at the right price.

I have been shooting the D700 with the three trinity zooms. When I wanted more reach I did a lot of research. No way can I justify a new exotic at this stage, I am just not good enough.

I ended up getting the TC-20EIII converter and then bought a second hand Nikon 300mm f2.8 VR (Mk1) from the USA on eBay for about 1/2 new price here in Australia. I had it serviced and adjusted before I used it but it is in nice condition.

Wanting even more reach I decided the best way was a DX camera. Rather than a new D7000 I bought a second hand D300, again on eBay, mint in box and about 18000 on the shutter. Paid AU$650. Same controls and feel as the D700. Fantastic pro build. Same AF as the D700 at half the price of the D7000. It was a no brainer for me. The D300 was the same price as a new D3100.

Here are my first efforts with this combo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2310051...7629456805380/


Steve

[Leo Theron]

Excellent shots, Steven B!

IMHO, the lesson in your thread is that you had a specific strategy and you planned and bought the equipment to go that way.

[Nqina Dlamini]

If I'm looking for 2nd hand equipment I always set MY budget, and go to the classified and submit a wanted ad.
That has worked fabulously for me. You get posts with people telling you that no one will sell their 40D for R2500, but there is always someone out there trying to desperately off-load some equipment.

The 2nd hand stuff that is prices "optimistically" turns to hang around for ever in the classified, most people just ignore it.