When you buy do you ...?

When you buy equipment, lenses etc, do you ignore dirty items?

  • I would only buy equipment that looks attractive, clean and tidy.

    Votes: 10 58.8%

  • I'm not fussed how dirty it looks as long as it's cheap.

    Votes: 3 17.6%

  • I would never buy equipment that looks dirty.

    Votes: 4 23.5%
  • Total voters
    17
  • Poll closed .
gramps

gramps

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It never fails to amaze me when people post items for sale here that are covered in 'muck'.
Some camera bodies and lenses seem so thick with embedded dust and grime that I wouldn't touch them with a barge-pole.
Obviously some items may appear with marks and/or scratches and that is understandable but do they need to be filthy?
So when you buy items do you look for them to be clean and tidy?
 
I tend to think if something is dirty it's been uncared for, so I wouldn't be interested in purchasing. If its clean and has a mark on it that is different as anything can be accidentally damaged as long as doesn't affect use.
 
Sometimes I am shocked by how my kit looks when I photograph it so I can sell it, I know it's really clean but dust on a camera body just seems to reflect flash light so badly. What really bugs me though is bodies being photographed without a body cap, thereby exposing the sensor, is that just me?
DIrty/mucky gear wouldn't interest me in the slightest regarding purchase, I think it equates to unloved equipment.
 
Mostly I look to buy clean, little used gear if it's going to be part of my main kit. If it's just something for casual or fun use like an old cheap vintage lens, I still like them clean [especially the internals] but I'm nowhere near as fussy about cosmetic marks or scratches.
 
MatBin said:
Sometimes I am shocked by how my kit looks when I photograph it so I can sell it, I know it's really clean but dust on a camera body just seems to reflect flash light so badly. What really bugs me though is bodies being photographed without a body cap, thereby exposing the sensor, is that just me?
DIrty/mucky gear wouldn't interest me in the slightest regarding purchase, I think it equates to unloved equipment.
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Dust on black gear can really get exaggerated when photographed, I think we all suffer this. I look after my gear really well and have still found a lens that looks 'like new' to the eye shows dust spots and white specs all over when photographed for sale. Annoying, but I think most experienced buyers allow for this, as they'll know only too well from selling too
 
Physical damage is higher on my list of concerns than dirt.
I know from when I sent my em1 to Olympus for its annual service I thought it was very clean. When it got back it was actually clean, you just don't notice the build up on it. I always spend time cleaning up used kit I have purchased online so it's looks good as new, sometimes it's rather gross!
 
If it's cheaper because it's dirty but otherwise OK then I'll buy it. I once got a Canon L lens from a dealer for 1/3rd the usual price because it had dust inside. Worked just fine. When I came to sell it I made a nice little profit as well! :LOL:
 
This is my 5D4 when I sold it after 2 years of ownership. Phone photo, unedited.

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If it's modern kit, it must be clean and undamaged.
If it's old film cameras, I'm less bothered because it'll probably make it cheaper and most things can be rescued; lenses however I am a bit more circumspect about, but even then I've had some horrors that worked ok.
 
I have not bought used kit for over 40 years but look after my kit and keep it clean. I did trade in my Canon 5D2 and 24-105mm mk1 for a 5D4 and 24-105mm Mkii and received the top price (Wex/Calumet) more than I expected. While I had looked after the kit, I did ensure it was clean and tidy before I took it to the NEC. They had a guy who only dealt with used equipment who carefully studied it and tested etc. and told me that he would expect to sell it on the same day.

Dave
 
I generally only buy clean cameras and lenses too as I think that reflects on how well/badly they have been treated.

However, 'every day use' scratches and marks wouldn't bother me on accessories and ancillary equipment providing it was reflected in the price.
 
MatBin said:
You need to get out more :)
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I shoot weddings with that camera, taken it to Japan/etc, and still look like that, I don't have time to laid down red carpet when i have to put it down somewhere and I do often. So I do wonder what people do to theirs when it gets all mucky and dirty.

I don't need to get out more, people need to be less careless :)
 
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Raymond Lin said:
I shoot weddings with that camera, and still look like that, I don't have time to laid down red carpet when i have to put it down somewhere and I do often. So I do wonder what people do to theirs when it gets all mucky and dirty.

I don't need to get out more, people need to be less careless :)
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I know how hard you use your cameras and what you do with them, it was a joke.
 
When I buy old kit I prefer it to look dirty. I have on occasion bought what looked like nice clean kit and when I received it it was clear that it had been cleaned with sandpaper. OK, a slight exaggeration but if the kit is not spotless you also know it has not been cleaned inappropriately. And signs of use are always a good thing as it means the kit works.
 
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