first time dslr buyer from.craigslist ,.any tips?

[apathy_next2]

this is the first time I'm buying a dslr camera and I'm going to buy from craigslist I'm not sure how to really check it.

can someone tell me what exactly to look for since I don't have experience with dslr cameras
how much usage of the camera for it to be considered not high mileage?




Thank you

 

[angry hampster]

1st time buyers advice when shopping for a camera: 1. Don't buy from Craigslist. If you're looking for a Canon, join photography-on-the.net/forum and browse their For Sale section.

 

[radhak]

What is your background - what camera have you used till now? Do you want this for a one-time occasion, or will it be the start of a longer term hobby?

I bought my first DSLR (Nikon D40) on craigslist in 2008. And I've bought all sorts of related stuff (lens, filters, tripod, replacement camera D90, etc) on CL, and have never had a problem. I always recommend CL to everybody.

Before I bought the D40 I had never used a DSLR, other than trying a Sony a100 or something in BestBuy (which was what made me want DSLRs). So it is possible to come out ahead despite everything.

My advice is
a. Buy from individual photographers, not shops (or - horror - pawn shops ).
b. While professionals get rid of older stuff very regularly, the amateur selling off is a better source for you. Particularly the ones who buy in haste, and then realize they can't handle a big camera. How do you find out? Simply ask why they are selling it, and apply your truth-o-meter.
c. While the box, the manual, etc are not really value, their absence only tells you that either the stuff is really old, or the guy is careless (might as well mean he also banged up his camera), or stolen stuff. Not always, but possible. (My D40 did not come with box or manual). Try for the ones that have all that included.
d. Be patient. If you don't see what you want at the price you want today, tomorrow is another day.
e. Don't buy a DSLR as your first ever camera, or at least before you have used some p&s camera a bit. You should know the basics of photography - can you recognize an out-of-focus picture (so many don't even know)? flash usage, depth of focus, etc. Why - because without all that you don't know how good a DSLR can be : how will you know if the camera is functioning fully? (But then, this applies to before buying any brand new DSLR too, so not really CL related)

f. go Nikon. Not wanting to start something here, and I might be biased, but I feel Nikon offer more functionality even at the lowest end of its models. That said, even the lesser known DSLR brands of Sony or Panasonic have their proponents.

 

[fralexandr]

DSLRs and lenses can take upwards of 100k pictures
it might be prudent to ask if he is the original owner, and why he is selling it.

check the camera for any physical defects
test the camera by using each of the dial settings and modes by taking pictures (and shooting video if it has it).
for autofocus, take pictures of varied subjects at various distances
check if the built in flash pops up and works
check if the lenses attach properly to the camera body
if there's an external flash, check if it works when connected to the hot shoe

to test additional lenses
take some pictures with the lenses
remove the lens from the camera
open the aperature (for most older lenses use the aperature ring, for most newer lenses use the aperature lever)
look through the glass at a solid light colored background, looking out for fuzzy stuff, scratches, or obstructions (the glass should be clear)
make sure the aperature opens and closes smoothly
for zoom lenses, make sure the zoom works

most of these suggestions assume you know something about cameras already though.
as angry hampster suggested, for a first time buyer it might be much safer to buy from an online photography forum from a trustworthy member.

 

[apathy_next2]

My digital cameras was Canon SD400 to the recently bought(last year) Sony HX5V. The sony was a big step up for me and is a very nice camera. I really want to get into photography and I wanted to do it low cost as possible(I know I can't really go 'cheap' 'cheap' with dslr, but I'm not going pro either).


That is my back ground. I will familiarize myself more with camera functions before buying. Maybe play around with the Hx5v more since it gives a decent amount of manual controls

radhak, I was actually thinking Nikon as I been comparing I will get more functions for cheaper compared to Canon. At first I was looking into getting a used D3100, but the D90 is not that much more. I know its old and I will loose out on 1080p video, but you can't record more than what 10-20mins at a time anyway(totally blows), so who cares about that 720p will do. Plus BIG MAIN thing is the in body AF motor which will allow me to save on lens in the future...

Thank you fralexandr for those tips. I will keep those in mind.

angry hampster, although I was not considering Canon (mainly due to price reasons and seems like better availability on cl here in ny), I will give that website a go.

 

[dagamer34]

Start low and go slow. Photography can be an expensive hobby, but the basics are far more important than the amount of money that you spend on lenses.

I'd say get one of the older Canon/Nikon dSLRs and get a 50mm prime lens and go nuts. Read a few books. Watch a few videos. There are some online videos that should help as well. But shoot, shoot, shoot.

 

[maniac5999]

My digital cameras was Canon SD400 to the recently bought(last year) Sony HX5V. The sony was a big step up for me and is a very nice camera. I really want to get into photography and I wanted to do it low cost as possible(I know I can't really go 'cheap' 'cheap' with dslr, but I'm not going pro either).


That is my back ground. I will familiarize myself more with camera functions before buying. Maybe play around with the Hx5v more since it gives a decent amount of manual controls

radhak, I was actually thinking Nikon as I been comparing I will get more functions for cheaper compared to Canon. At first I was looking into getting a used D3100, but the D90 is not that much more. I know its old and I will loose out on 1080p video, but you can't record more than what 10-20mins at a time anyway(totally blows), so who cares about that 720p will do. Plus BIG MAIN thing is the in body AF motor which will allow me to save on lens in the future...

Thank you fralexandr for those tips. I will keep those in mind.

angry hampster, although I was not considering Canon (mainly due to price reasons and seems like better availability on cl here in ny), I will give that website a go.

Old 35mm guy here (well, relatively old, I was almost a photo minor around 2004 with 20 year old at the time Nikon full manual 35mm gear) My advice is to go to Adorama and B&H and play around a bit when they're slow. What I've found is that lenses last a lifetime, a body is transient. The 50mm f1.4 lens that my dad bought 4 years before I was born is still one of my go-to lenses 30 years later. Also, manual focus lenses go for 50-75% as much as their autofocus equivalents, which is really good if you're on a budget and want control. Because of this, when I went digital, I bought a D200 from Adorama for $500. The reason being is that it would still work with my 50mm lens (still $400 new or $200 used) or any other Ai or later lens. I will admit that the manual focusing is a bit tougher than with my old FM's split focus viewfinder, but the pictures are amazing.


My advice, whatever you do, go for a camera that you like and a good fast prime lens (35mm f1.8 on the D3100 is probably your best bet if you don't want used and manual focus) and enjoy the setup.

Edit: Re. dagamer's advice, 50mm is basically like your eyes will see the image on a 35mm film camera. the sensor on a digital camera is smaller than a 35mm piece of film so a 35mm lens on a camera like the D3100 behaves like a 50mm lens on an older camera like my FM.

 

[fralexandr]

In regards to the 10-20 minute limit, I believe that is normally due to a fat32 file size limitation. SDXC uses fat64 and in theory can record indefinitely. Only newer cameras support SDXC though (the D3100 supports SDXC though i guess on the D3100 the 10 minute limit could be due to something else).

 

[dagamer34]

In regards to the 10-20 minute limit, I believe that is normally due to a fat32 file size limitation. SDXC uses fat64 and in theory can record indefinitely. Only newer cameras support SDXC though (the D3100 supports SDXC though i guess on the D3100 the 10 minute limit could be due to something else).

The high end cap of 30 minutes is to avoid the 5.6% tax of being called a "video camera". Since most people never shoot that long, why pay the tax? Plus, the sensor might get overloaded with continuous shooting.

 

[elitejp]

I think it would be extremely hard to tell f a dslr is any good if youve never actually used a dslr.

I know the first time I went in the shop to buy a dslr the sales assistant took some pics for me and showed me how good the camera was by showing me the pictures on the cameras lcd monitor. After I finally did buy a dslr there was rarely a single picture that looked halfway decent. Then I shot raw and my pictures looked even worse. The only pics that came out good was when i used full auto. lol Its all good now but even so i would be hesitant to buy off of craigslist unless it was at a market value price.

I agree with angr hamster in joining the canon forum and buying there. The people there are enthusiast and will tell you pretty clearly what they are selling.

 

[ronbo613]

Even though I've bought a lot of expensive used camera gear, I would be hesitant to buy a used DSLR.
Electronic components can have a lot of hidden problems, here's an example; water in the camera. You shoot all day long in a cold environment then bring the camera into a warm room. Condensation forms on the inside of the camera. It will probably work again when it dries out, but repeating this process over and over will eventually damage the electronic components, but it happens over a period of time. Don't even ask what happens if you use a DSLR in or around a corrosive environment(like the beach and/or ocean).
I would buy the camera body new, and if you need to buy used gear, buy used lenses; you can see what you are getting.

 

[Syborg1211]

I had a good experience buying a used camera body and several good experiences buying lenses, filters, etc from craigslist. The key is really being familiar with the stuff to know the good from the bad. Also the person selling it is important too. It helps being a good judge of character, and you can talk to the guy to get a feel for how serious he is about this stuff. Most people really into photography know how to take good care of their equipment.

As others have said, for your very first DSLR, you might want to stick with new though. It takes knowing how to work a camera to know if it's any good or not. If you don't feel comfortable performing the tests that other people have mentioned above, then do yourself a favor and start off new.

Costco has great camera kits for the D3100 and D5100 that will provide you with everything you need to get started. I started with the D5100 and quickly moved to the D7000, but I don't regret starting with the D5100 at all. I actually owned the D5100 for almost a year before I really started trying to figure out what all the buttons did and how cameras actually work.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

first thing i like to do is to shake the camera to check for loose components on the inside. give it a good violent shake, like it's christmas eve and you're trying to figure out what mommy and daddy got you.

the next test is the centripetal force test. i hold the camera by the straps and whirl it overhead. what this does is test the strap to make sure it's secure. the last thing you want to happen is as you're hiking up everest with just the straps holding the camera around your neck, the camera comes loose and goes crashing down the mountain.

finally, i do the durability test. i position the camera about shooting height, so slightly above shoulder level, and i let it free fall to the ground... preferably a cement surface. a good camera should survive a 2 story fall without denting or even scratching.
if the lens cracks, or the body gets dented, i would hand it back to the owner and tell him I wanted something more durable.

disclaimer: make sure you have good running sneakers on that day