Advice on where to get new camera(Craigslist or keh)

I'm looking into getting a used d610 Nikon from either keh.com or a guy selling one off Craigslist. I got the guy down to 1200, and the one on keh is about the same.. Keh sounds great because of the Warrenty but if what the guy from Craigslist is saying is true, he barely used his d610 because he just never found enough time, plus he still has the recipe from best buy..where as while the camera on keh is in excellent condition who knows how much it was used and I just learned there is a life span on the shutter on cameras....so I'm worried the camera from keh has been used a lot which maybe isn't a big deal if it doesn't have issues..? I have a good experience from keh but i was just buying a lens. I've never purchased a camera from Craigslist before so I'm kinda iffy about it. Advice?

Thanks!

lyork72391 said:

I'm looking into getting a used d610 Nikon from either keh.com or a guy selling one off Craigslist. I got the guy down to 1200, and the one on keh is about the same.. Keh sounds great because of the Warrenty but if what the guy from Craigslist is saying is true, he barely used his d610 because he just never found enough time, plus he still has the recipe from best buy..where as while the camera on keh is in excellent condition who knows how much it was used and I just learned there is a life span on the shutter on cameras....so I'm worried the camera from keh has been used a lot which maybe isn't a big deal if it doesn't have issues..? I have a good experience from keh but i was just buying a lens. I've never purchased a camera from Craigslist before so I'm kinda iffy about it. Advice?

Thanks!

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Did you check Amazon.com? I found a few in your price range listed: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00FOTF8M2/ref=olp_tab_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

There's also refurbished D610 bodies available. You can ask the seller for a shutter count.

Buying used is always a risk. Personally I'd want something with a warranty, so I have peace of mind if something goes wrong. That's a lot of money to lose on something you may not be able to return. Worst case scenario is that you buy a malfunctioning camera or worse.... gray market body, that Nikon USA won't touch with a ten foot pole.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpivkova/

lyork72391 said:

I'm looking into getting a used d610 Nikon from either keh.com or a guy selling one off Craigslist. I got the guy down to 1200, and the one on keh is about the same.. Keh sounds great because of the Warrenty but if what the guy from Craigslist is saying is true, he barely used his d610 because he just never found enough time, plus he still has the recipe from best buy..where as while the camera on keh is in excellent condition who knows how much it was used and I just learned there is a life span on the shutter on cameras....so I'm worried the camera from keh has been used a lot which maybe isn't a big deal if it doesn't have issues..? I have a good experience from keh but i was just buying a lens. I've never purchased a camera from Craigslist before so I'm kinda iffy about it. Advice?

Thanks!

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Get a copy of the Best Buy receipt - that rules out "gray" Also confirm shutter count. Ask for a recent jpg and run it through something like Opanda or Myshuttercount.com I've bought thousands and thousands of dollars of gear off Craigslist and an Ebay company here in Canada called Kijiji. I'd take that anytime over a place like KEH. No offence to KEH, just stores like that in general.

Refurbished at Nikon is also $1200

$1149 at Cameta with one year warranty - I don't know that store, others can comment.

Other good sources are FredMiranda and Nikonians Forums.

TAM63 said:

Refurbished at Nikon is also $1200

$1149 at Cameta with one year warranty - I don't know that store, others can comment.

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I bought my D800E refurb from Cameta. I believe it had shutter count around 10. They honored the warranty almost at the end of the year - but it was Nikon that charged me for 'impact damage'. The problem was an error message when old D lenses were mounted on the camera.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/23155184@N07/

lyork72391 said:

I'm looking into getting a used d610 Nikon from either keh.com or a guy selling one off Craigslist. I got the guy down to 1200, and the one on keh is about the same.. Keh sounds great because of the Warrenty but if what the guy from Craigslist is saying is true, he barely used his d610 because he just never found enough time, plus he still has the recipe from best buy..where as while the camera on keh is in excellent condition who knows how much it was used and I just learned there is a life span on the shutter on cameras....so I'm worried the camera from keh has been used a lot which maybe isn't a big deal if it doesn't have issues..? I have a good experience from keh but i was just buying a lens. I've never purchased a camera from Craigslist before so I'm kinda iffy about it. Advice?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I have done both successfully and with outstanding results. You definitely have to do your homework with CL and there is good bargains to be had but higher risk. YOU need to know a scam with CL. With KEH, there is less risk and fair market value. But either way you need to do your homework....

CL deals can be had, but do your homework and inspect carefully! 1200 sounds a bit high unless it is pristine with low shutter count and coming with MACK warranty or something.

Any retailer store that offers a warranty or other had to buy if off someone for cheaper and mark up. The realistic CL seller should be aware of this, but I find many CL sellers don't understand the used market and often are asking/expecting too much.

As another poster said, FM is another good site. The sellers/buyers there are more educated but even there I find sometime unrealistic seller expectations. I've bought several nice bodies there at good price, to later sell on CL to a knowledgeable buyer

Having owned so many "used" bodies, I only buy used as I've come to be confident that Nikon produces a reasonably good product so buying used at huge discount is a far better value proposition than new or "grey" knock on wood

The choice between craigslist and a retailer like KEH comes down to your tolerance for risk. When I consider a purchase that will be in the $1,000 or $1,500 range (i.e., anything with a comma in the price), my tolerance for risk disappears - I want the confidence that I can return it if it doesn't work right. Others are more comfortable than I am spending that much or more without a safety net.

Now, when the craigslist price is the same as a KEH price for EX or better grade, there's no contest - the used item with no warranty will never be worth as much to me as the same item with a warranty I have confidence in. When I decided to get my 300 mm f4 AF-S lens, a local seller was offering one on craigslist (here in Las Vegas) for $50 more than an EX+ example at KEH. He wouldn't budge on his price, and several years later, he may still have it for all I know. I got mine from KEH, one that no evidence it had ever been used.

A caution about craigslist (and any similar private seller system) - first, be suspicious if the seller doesn't seem to know how the item works - it could well be stolen. Second, if you agree to meet the seller, insist on a public place such as Starbucks or even a local police station (I've done that). Both parties need to be concerned about theft. You as the buyer will be bringing money to the meeting and that makes you a potential target, The seller is bringing something of value to sell which can also make the seller a target for theft. If the seller balks at meeting in a public place with witnesses around, you have just learned all you need to know - don't go.