# Nikon D90, Refurbished or Used



## Haileyrenee (Jan 24, 2011)

Hello all!  I'm looking to purchase a Nikon D90. I would like some suggestions on whether buying a refurbished camera or a used camera?  Also, where would be a good, trusted site to look at to buy? Thanks in advance for your help.

Hailey


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## Shiva_42 (Jan 24, 2011)

I purchased a refurbished body only from Cameta Camera.  They offer a dealer warranty beyond the 90-day refurb warranty if you're interested...I wasn't...

Paid approx $650.00 and am very happy...


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## Abby Rose (Jan 24, 2011)

I've heard good things about adorama, keh, and bhphotovideo.  I havent bought anything from the personally, though.


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## arcooke (Jan 24, 2011)

I'd go with refurbished rather than used.  When it's refurbished, whatever didn't work was replaced or fixed, and the camera was then fully tested by Nikon.  And because Nikon's warranty is only a year, you know the camera was used for less time than that.


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## MichiganFarts (Jan 24, 2011)

I bought my D70 used from B&H, works great.  I've never been burned buying from reputable dealers.


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## Starman Photo (Jan 24, 2011)

Arcooke makes a valid point. Also, maybe you should make the purchase from B&H or BestBuy so that you could buy the extended warranty on it for a couple of years as well. If something goes wrong after 90 days, you wouldn't have to pay a substantial amount to the manufacturer and wait for months before you could get it back.


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## KmH (Jan 24, 2011)

Most refurbished cameras are returns from buyers that had buyers remorse, had unrealistic expectations for the camera's performance, or because of ignorance thought the camera was malfunctioning when it wasn't.

A much smaller number are returns that needed some kind of repair because of a defect in materials or workmanship during assembly. A few are cameras used in the factory for various purposes or that were on display at a Nikon booth at trade shows.

Refurbished cameras that need it are returned to like new condition but because of legal issues cannot be sold as new.

All refurbished cameras get individually tested for correct functioning and calibration, but with new cameras only a random sampeling gets individual testing.

Nikon's warranty only applies to the original owner, but Nikon warranties the cameras they refurbish for 90 days.

Used Nikon cameras have no Nikon warranty because the warranty only applies to the original owner. Some camera buyers purchase 3rd party extended warranties that may, or may not, be transferable to a new owner.


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## slate mike (Jan 24, 2011)

I bought my refurbished D5000 from Cameta Camera and have had great luck with it. Couldn't tell it from new.


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## bluetibby1 (Jan 24, 2011)

I purchased my D90 from Digital cameras, all other cameras and everything photographic from Adorama Camera and it is great.. Highly recommend adorama.


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## flatflip (Jan 24, 2011)

+1 Refurbished from Adorama. They give you 30 days return policy with no questions asked and no RMA. You'll probably get a free photo book from them too. You upload photos to them and design your own book on their software.


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## Haileyrenee (Jan 24, 2011)

Thanks for your help everyone


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## SrBiscuit (Feb 24, 2011)

KmH said:


> Most refurbished cameras are returns from buyers that had buyers remorse, had unrealistic expectations for the camera's performance, or because of ignorance thought the camera was malfunctioning when it wasn't.
> 
> A much smaller number are returns that needed some kind of repair because of a defect in materials or workmanship during assembly. A few are cameras used in the factory for various purposes or that were on display at a Nikon booth at trade shows.
> 
> ...



this is good to read ketih. thanks for the info.
this is very timely as the tax return has arrived, and im ready to pull the trigger on an adorama D90 refurb.
keith, do you happen to know if shutter replacement is fairly typical?
my only fear is getting a refurb with 50k clicks on it. is that a risk at all?

looking to order monday or tuesday...psyched!


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## quiddity (Feb 24, 2011)

just a question. why buy refurb D90 when new ones are $745 at amazon?


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## SrBiscuit (Feb 24, 2011)

for me personally, i was initially on a $500 budget....i have since stretched that to $650 to get the refurb.
adding another $100 might not be feasible.
i was also unaware that amazon had them for 745 up until you told me. thanks for making the decision more difficult!


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## flatflip (Feb 24, 2011)

SrBiscuit said:


> my only fear is getting a refurb with 50k clicks on it. is that a risk at all?
> 
> looking to order monday or tuesday...psyched!



Check dealnews.com and adorama.com and BH.com a couple times a day between now and then for price changes. They go up and down. I saw the D90 refurb at adorama for $600 2 weeks ago, then it went back up.

I recommend deciding an acceptable shutter count now. Then when you get it you can keep it or send it back. Adorama has 30 day returns with no questions asked. BH is 15 days. You will lose shipping both directions though.


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## KmH (Feb 24, 2011)

arcooke said:


> I'd go with refurbished rather than used. When it's refurbished, whatever didn't work was replaced or fixed, and the camera was then fully tested by Nikon. And because Nikon's warranty is only a year, you know the camera was used for less time than that.


No you don't, because not all refurbished cameras had something wrong with them or were even originally sold at retail.

Some refurbished cameras had nothing wrong with them and were returned because of buyer remorse, but still have to be checked over, and cannot be resold as new. Some refurbished cameras were used in the factory or at trade shows, and also had nothing wrong with them. Those cameras may have been placed in service longer than a year previous but they still get inspected, refurbished if necessary, and can't be sold as used.

No doubt, some refurbished cameras were returned because of malfunctions, were subsequently repaired and are sold as refurbished gear.

Any warranty repairs needed that were so extensive Nikon simple replaced the entire camera for the customer, likely wound up in the trash bin, not for sale as a refurbished camera.

Cameras Nikon refurbishes include a Nikon 90 day warranty. Cameras refurbished by someone else don't have a warranty.

Nikon's warranty is only valid for the original owner, so there is no Nikon warranty when you buy used, even if the original owner had the camera for less than a year.

I buy most of my camera gear used. However, I have enough experience buying and selling used gear to (knock-on-wood) not have had any bad experiences.


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## SrBiscuit (Feb 28, 2011)

So I went ahead and placed an order for a factory demo refurb from cameta. They had it priced at 629, and with the added 1-year warranty, I couldnt pass it up.
HOPING that it gets here by the weekend so I can spend some quality time with it.

Psyched!


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## ulrichsd (Feb 28, 2011)

Shiva_42 said:


> I purchased a refurbished body only from Cameta Camera.  They offer a dealer warranty beyond the 90-day refurb warranty if you're interested...I wasn't...
> 
> Paid approx $650.00 and am very happy...


 
I also got my factory demo from Cameta.  I chose that over Adorama because they include a 1 year warranty on top of the 30 day warranty.

It came with only 198 photos, so IMO, not buying new is $100 saved that I can spend on something else.

Good luck,
Scott


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