KEH Used Camera Rating

eric727

Hi,

Currently looking for one used Nikon F3, found 3 options from KEH, is Bargain a appearance with heavy signs of used camera?

Did some research and found many KEH shares their experiences that KEH rating is conservative, even Bargain can be many Excellent in eBay. But there is huge price gap between Bargain & Ex, is this still the case?

1. Ex+ - $487
2. Ex - $399
3. Bargain - $218

Thank you.

donaldejose

https://www.keh.com/shop/grading-system My complaint about KEH is that they do not list the shutter actuations and they know very well it is a very simple and easy thing for them to do. Thus, you don't know the "age" of the shutter. You can assume a bargain body has a well used shutter. When that shutter goes it will cost about $400 to replace.

mhedges

How do you get the number of shutter actuations from a film camera?

donaldejose

Right, you cannot. My complaint is limited to how KEH advertises digital bodies. Why have they chosen not to included shutter actuations? Seems like a deliberate major omission to me and makes me suspicious of them although I have met two KEH technicions once when I sold gear to them and they seemed nice. When buying a digital body I want to know the shutter actuations so I do not buy them from KEH.

mhedges

Ah. Well, that seems reasonable. I've bought all my cameras new but have looked around at used stuff and I'm always a bit suspicious about the eBay listings where they refuse to list shutter count.

eric727

There is one time I shop used camera from
Japan, the shop keeper explained me that, they generally do not check on the shutter, but they look at the mount and the rubber (on the where we hold the camera) to determine how heavy is this camera being used.
If a heavy user, they will most likely changed lens more often, thus the lens mount will have more scratches compared to the camera that seldom be used.
Well, this make sense to me.
However, KEH do not publish their used gear photo, it is hard to decide which condition should go.
Cheers~

donaldejose

"We sell to you sight unseen, just trust us and, by the way, we refuse to tell you the shutter actuations when that would be easy to do." Seems sketchy to me. Seems untrustworthy. I think they used to publish photos of each item many years ago.

TriShooter

KEH provides a warranty to protect their buyers. I have bought from KEH for at least twenty years and never had anything happen the company did not pleasantly resolve. You can quickly check the number of activations yourself when you get the camera. The new owners have reduced the price they pay for equipment and increased their selling prices which is more an issue to me than shutter activations. The buyers are knowledgeable and very good at identifying the condition of a camera visually which usually corresponds well with shutter activations.

MrFotoFool

I have bought several things from them over the years (and sold to them once or twice) and the condition and price has always been good. Only one time did I have an issue and I returned the camera and got refund no problem. That was a Canon digital camera body that reeked of cigarette smoke (the previous owner was obviously a chain smoker). I mean the second I opened the box I could smell it before I even took it out of the plastic. I don't know how they could not notice this (honestly I think they should have refused to buy it in the first place). But that is one bad experience out of many good experiences, so I would not hesitate to buy from them if I wanted used gear.

framer

I been getting stuff from them for 20+ years. I swear a few item that said bargain were beautiful. I have not checked recently but they had a 14 day no question asked return policy and everything comes with a 180 day warranty. Yes I've had a couple of issue with them but they always step up and get it right fast.

framer