Bought a duff camera from a work colleague.

[UnknownStuntm...]

Bought a camera on Tuesday from a chap who works in my office who has a photography studio, and works 'outside normal working hours' as a photographer. Deal was; Canon 350d, 18-55mm Canon lens, unbranded lens cap, strap, charger, 1 canon battery, 2 unbranded batteries, unbranded battery grip with AA battery carrier, video lead, bag with broken zip, and a tripod of unknown quality. Total price £280.

No CF card, no charger mains lead, no box, manuals, instructions, original body cap or small lens cap. No original battery door (was removed to fit the battery grip). Never saw the tripod, I guess he 'forgot' about it. Oh, and crucially, no receipt - neither from new purchase or this transaction.

Now, the price of the rig wasn't cheap compared with ebay prices, but I figure the bloke is a pro, and he is starting his own business up and I've got no reason to think he'll stitch me up. In fact I want to help him with his business if I can, and he wants a better 2nd camera. This was his 1st, then he bought a better one, so this was his backup, now he wants a better one.

I had a 256Mb card, which I put in when I got the camera home on Tuesday evening. (I work as an IT techie, so I know how to insert a card...) Camera worked ok, except on manual focus you can feel a small notch at a point in the focus range. Camera takes pictures, and saves them to a card, everything seems ok. Connected the camera to the PC with a USB lead and took the pictures off that way. Bought a 4gb CF card online, and it arrived Saturday. Took my 256 card out and looked inside and the bottom right pin as you look in, is bent over. The pin was well and truly flat, and as I'd just taken the card out, I figured it must still work with the bent pin. Inserted the 4g card and indeed it still works. Seems like it might be a pic for an extra data channel maybe.

On looking at the lens today, I can see inside and there is a small pinion gear with a tooth missing, which skips at a specific point, meaning the lens doesn't focus 'perfectly', but to all intent and purpose, the lens does work.

So I contact him and tell him I've found two faults, and immediately he kicks off telling me 'this is why I never like selling anything to people I know, they're gonna try to pull a fast one', 'you caused the damage', 'I expect your missus kicked off about you spending the money' etc. I explain I'm not happy with the faults on the camera, and there must be something we can do about it. He's not listening though, and goes off ranting so badly his missus grabs the phone off him and says 'take the camera to work tomorrow and he'll see if he can fix it.

I don't expect a box fresh A1 minter of a camera, but for £280 I expect something that isn't broke. I'd looked at the camera for about half an hour in the office, before I gave him the cash - with a different lens on - and with his own CF card in it. I had no reason to distrust him, and feel now that because of his reaction to me telling him the camera is broke, that he knew about the two faults before hand.

I don't think he's got the tech skills to fix the bent pin (I know I don't think I could do it without completely disassembling it and getting a new part - and I'm normally comfortable stripping and rebuilding IT equipment). And the lens is pretty much a write off - they're about £60 on ebay anyway.

The thing is, the camera works, but when I come to sell it, it's got these faults, which I didn't cause....

tl;dr - bought a camera that's not in fully working order, wouldn't like to take the 'hit' of faulty goods at resale time.

What would you do?

[DanceLikeAMon...]

I'm afraid it's sold as seen so not a great deal you can do even if he did know about the faults in advance. Guess you just have to rely on him having a better nature and maybe see if he will pay a proportion of the costs to get the lens on eBay.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Kit lens is crap anyway. I understand that it should be fully working, but if he wants to go halfs on an ebay lens, just get the cash and put it towards some better glass.

O, and personally I'd feel more comfortable buying lens from somewhere like this:

https://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/used-lenses/used-canon-fit-lenses/

Rather than ebay. Prices aren't that much higher, and you get added assurance and a warranty even with used kit.

I don't think you really have any comeback to be honest. I would have been sold as seen so to speak.
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[Clanger]

Try a different approach.

Take the camera to him, and ask him to explain stuff to you...point out the things that have caused you trouble, and ask him if it's something you are doing.

It might do the trick.

Especially if you keep on going back to him for help and advice. He might even take it back off you and give you a refund if you bug him too much (but remember to be soooooo nice about every single encounter).

Hope it helps!
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[Redoko]

His reaction says it all. He knew about it.

Although he might not of tried to pull a fast one, he did know about it... Get him to pay for the small fixes. The camera is 2nd hand but for £280 (as you said) you expect decent quality.


Hope it turns out alright, look forward to hearing an update on the situation.
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[UnknownStuntm...]

Ok, with a little chat at lunchtime, he came round quite quickly. He said 'it's not about the money, it's about the reputation' (which makes me think Redoko, you're right, he did know about the issue with the pin being bent). He said the lens has always made a clicking noise and he assumed it was just a click. He also had the cash there with him, so I said, yes please, I'll have my cash back.

So, result, without having to get my knuckles dirty. Thanks all

[DanceLikeAMon...]

Nice one. Yeah, sounds like he did know all along. Spend the extra cash and buy a new one - save you a lot of hassle, plus you get a guarantee.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Reputation wise at least he has done the right thing.

Still think £280 was way too much for that camera anyway. For £100 more you can get a new Canon 1000D, or for £30 less a used 20D from a dealer.

All the best

Keith
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