Buying Camera gear!

[Cupcake]

hi everyone!

i'm new to Austphotograpy and photography in general, and i'm looking into buying a entry level slr camera - canon obviously since i can then share lenses with my brother who also has a canon.
i have been looking at the new 500d which can be bought for about $575. however there have been some better cameras going cheaper second hand on gum tree and the camera store. i was just wondering how good it is to buy second hand cameras? is it safe to buy them from other states without having seeing them first hand? and also if there is good deal that i can check out -what should i look for? and how do you check if there are smudges and dust bunnies on the sensor?
any thoughts/tips/hints would be greatly appreciated

Cupcake

[Tommo1965]

plenty of scammers on gumtree..I wouldn't buy anything interstate ..only local that I can pick up ...ebay from a established sellers is another matter...also paypal adds some protection

I was looking for a D700...must be one scam in every two I looked at ....two of those in my home state ....


as for buying used...no issues at all....a used low shutter count camera can be a real bargain....

[ricktas]

If i was going to buy second hand, I would look at local camera stores and ask if they offer any sort of warranty. Some have say a 90 day warranty. Usually (if they are good) they will have checked the gear out before sticking it up for sale in their store.

[Wayne]

Reputable Ebay sellers, however you usually find better bargains shopping overseas. Forums, Ebay etc from the USA have many reputable sellers offering great deals. Almost all of my gear came from USA/HK and I have saved thousands $$.

[Bennymiata]

IMHO, you're better off to buy new.
Yesterday's pro camera, could easily be outperformed by today's entry level camera, so always buy the newest model you can afford.
If you don't know what you are looking for in a used camera, you could easily buy something that is faulty or is about to fail.

If money is tight, then buy grey and save yourself heaps.