Is my NEX 6 new?

I received a new NEX 6 from Sony on Thursday. I shot and deleted about 5 pictures and then today went out to shoot a little. When I checked out the photos I noticed that the first picture number was 374. Did they send me a return? The box wasn't sealed (I don't think any of them are), but everything otherwise looked in new condition.

You should get in contact with Sony and ask them that question.

Mine wasn't sealed. Very suspicious, especially if from Sony, but they may test before shipment (one would hope) and perhaps didn't reset yours to zero.

trax87 said:

trax87 wrote:

I received a new NEX 6 from Sony on Thursday. I shot and deleted about 5 pictures and then today went out to shoot a little. When I checked out the photos I noticed that the first picture number was 374. Did they send me a return? The box wasn't sealed (I don't think any of them are), but everything otherwise looked in new condition.

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Were there any tags attached to yours?

Did you use a memory card that has been used with another Sony camera? If so, the new camera is picking up the file number series from the previous camera...had that happen to me.

Actually, yes. I used the card in another NEX camera, but I did reformat the card before going out to shoot today. Would that matter?

trax87 said:

trax87 wrote:

I received a new NEX 6 from Sony on Thursday. ... When I checked out the photos I noticed that the first picture number was 374. Did they send me a return? ... but everything otherwise looked in new condition.

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Having 370 shutter clicks on a "new" camera kind of sucks, but realistically the shutter is good for 100K or more and as you say, the camera seemed otherwise new. You could just reset the count to zero and pretend the first 370 never happened.

I'd be annoyed beyond measure, and I might even send Sony a scathing e-mail threatening to never again buy a Sony product, but in the end I think I'd just move on. In a week or two you'll have your own 370 shutter clicks and the camera will still be essentially new.

In the interest of full disclosure: I bought a used NEX-6 on eBay and it was obviously used but the shutter count had been reset to zero so I have no idea how many pictures had been taken. Every bit of 370 I'm sure. Maybe we just cancel each other out.

Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure you'll enjoy the camera when you get a copy you can be happy with.

But you said you did 5 test shots, then deleted, THEN formatted the card, and went out to shoot. If you didn't format the card before shooting the first 5 test shots, then the new camera picked up the file number series from your older NEX. Since the new camera already picked up the numbering series, it will count from there even when you use a formatted card. Do you still have the old NEX? Check the last file number you have there...it will probably be around 360-something.

I think you're right. Unfortunately I sold the older NEX, so I don't have it to check, but 300-400 or so sounds about right. I bought it used and it was set to zero and I didn't use it much before deciding to sell it and upgrade to the 6.

I just got off the phone with Sony and they essentially told me the same thing -- i.e., that the card would pick up the previous numbering. They also said that even if the camera was reformatted it probably wouldn't reset to 0001. I also asked about the lack of "hang tags" and they told me that some cameras have them and other do not, but that they stop putting them on cameras after the first 90 days of production and the lack of them is not an indication that the camera is or is not new.

I have to assume that the camera was new and your explanation (and theirs) is correct. Nothing else about the camera suggests otherwise and I have no way to know for certain anyway and no way to prove it even if that wasn't the case. Certainly if it was a return and intentionally resold as new, the people at Sony are smart enough to know to reset the counter. I have to believe that Sony is more honest than that in any event.

In any event, I have 30 days to return it, so I'll have time to test it out and make sure all is OK.

Thanks very much for the help!

Hey, thanks for the commiseration, but I think perhaps my initial concern was unfounded. At least I hope so. See my reply to the comment above. Life's too short, right?

The bad news is that you might be the victim of the same scam that I got caught up in.

I've posted this story before. My 'open box' supposedly new Pana. LX3 was defective. It was returned to the store by the original buyer in another country, then the crooks shipped it here where it got re-sold to me. This apparently goes on inside all of the camera makers.

It would be an "inside job." Organized crime is everywhere. Pana. would not own up so I still have this unusable camera 3 years later.

trax87 said:

trax87 wrote:

In any event, I have 30 days to return it, so I'll have time to test it out and make sure all is OK.

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And when you return it, I guess someone else will post this kind of thread sometime later.

This is what happens when people abuse no-questions asked return policies.

You can't have your cake and eat it in this scenario. Why do you think in America many things come in boxes without seals? To help mass retailers manage returned items, especially after major holidays.

In my asian country, Sony cameras all come with tamper-proof aluminium seals on both top and bottom of the box complete with serial numbers. Promo stickers across the flash pop-up cover and on the body. Even for budget point and shoot.

This is because we cannot returns goods once sold.

A number of cameras nowadays have a field in the exif data that stores the shutter count. That would be the real number that you're interested in.

The software that came with your camera might have the option to view the shutter count. There is other software out there that has the option, but there is always a chance that they do not support your camera model (yet). The same applies to online shutter count checkers ( google search: http://www.google.co.za/#site=&sour...38,d.d2k&fp=4803f708c1f50d7a&biw=1280&bih=677 )

Hope this helps.

--
WimS

calterg said:

calterg wrote:

calterg said:

trax87 wrote:

In any event, I have 30 days to return it, so I'll have time to test it out and make sure all is OK.

Click to expand...

And when you return it, I guess someone else will post this kind of thread sometime later.

This is what happens when people abuse no-questions asked return policies.

You can't have your cake and eat it in this scenario. Why do you think in America many things come in boxes without seals? To help mass retailers manage returned items, especially after major holidays.

In my asian country, Sony cameras all come with tamper-proof aluminium seals on both top and bottom of the box complete with serial numbers. Promo stickers across the flash pop-up cover and on the body. Even for budget point and shoot.

This is because we cannot returns goods once sold.

Click to expand...

I understand your point and there can be a reasonable debate about whether the US return policy is a good or bad thing, but who said anything about abusing a no-questions asked returned policy? I have 30 days to make sure the camera is OK and if it's not I don't think returning it is "abuse" of the return policy. I have no intention of returning it if there is no problem.

Also, there are laws in the US that are supposed to prevent resale of open box items without disclosure. Retailers generally disclose the goods as "open box" and slightly reduce the price. This is a cost of their doing business. Again, there can be a debate about whether this whole practice is good both for the consumer and the customer, but that is how things are supposed to be done and it is dishonest for a retailer to resell without disclosure (and I'm not suggesting that was done in this case).

trax87 said:

trax87 wrote:

trax87 said:

calterg wrote:

trax87 said:

trax87 wrote:

In any event, I have 30 days to return it, so I'll have time to test it out and make sure all is OK.

Click to expand...

And when you return it, I guess someone else will post this kind of thread sometime later.

This is what happens when people abuse no-questions asked return policies.

You can't have your cake and eat it in this scenario. Why do you think in America many things come in boxes without seals? To help mass retailers manage returned items, especially after major holidays.

In my asian country, Sony cameras all come with tamper-proof aluminium seals on both top and bottom of the box complete with serial numbers. Promo stickers across the flash pop-up cover and on the body. Even for budget point and shoot.

This is because we cannot returns goods once sold.

Click to expand...

I understand your point and there can be a reasonable debate about whether the US return policy is a good or bad thing, but who said anything about abusing a no-questions asked returned policy? I have 30 days to make sure the camera is OK and if it's not I don't think returning it is "abuse" of the return policy. I have no intention of returning it if there is no problem.

Also, there are laws in the US that are supposed to prevent resale of open box items without disclosure. Retailers generally disclose the goods as "open box" and slightly reduce the price. This is a cost of their doing business. Again, there can be a debate about whether this whole practice is good both for the consumer and the customer, but that is how things are supposed to be done and it is dishonest for a retailer to resell without disclosure (and I'm not suggesting that was done in this case).

Click to expand...

Seeing you are not alone in doubting the newness of your bought item, perhaps US laws should be amended to make 'Manufacturer-sealed-in-box' mandatory for camera resellers if declared as new item.

Get photographers and bring it to your US consumer rights Association's attention. Then you can have your cake and eat it too, in time for your Nex-10 purchase.

'Manufacturer-sealed-in-box' is a common term in 1/12 scale action toy figure collectors lingo.

Any item not sealed or seal broken immediately loses up to 30% its market value to serious collectors.

My own Nex-6 seal was broken and I got a discount.

First,, they're sealed and you have to remove sealing to open the box...it was the case of all my purchases,,,nex5n-5R-6, Rx100,,,same sony sealing.

then, as you switch on your camera for the first time, it asks you to set the date up...if it's set up once, it never asks again...if your's had not asked you to do, then it was already set by someone,,, sure, by previous owners.

then, photo number shall start from 0001...

i'm sure, yours is used. sorry.

ijustloveshooting said:

ijustloveshooting wrote:

First,, they're sealed and you have to remove sealing to open the box...it was the case of all my purchases,,,nex5n-5R-6, Rx100,,,same sony sealing.

then, as you switch on your camera for the first time, it asks you to set the date up...if it's set up once, it never asks again...if your's had not asked you to do, then it was already set by someone,,, sure, by previous owners.

then, photo number shall start from 0001...

i'm sure, yours is used. sorry.

Click to expand...

You are Right!!

Now that you mentioned it, I had to set date and time for all my diigital cameras; one each from Fuji, Lumix and Sony. They all came in manufacturer sealed boxes.

This is simplest way to know if your supposedly new camera has been used before.

Thank you for the memory jog.

My box wasn't sealed, but many people have reported not having sealed boxes and I'm not certain that is necessarily determinative. I did have to set the date and time.

The picture files from your old NEX should still be saved in your computer....you can confirm the ballpark last file number that way.

Heard this story on NPR one morning....regarding return policies. Somewhat related to the above discussion on return policies . Not exactly the same, but related. See link below: