Refurbished cameras and the stuff that goes with them: I'm buying my daughter a refurb Nikon D7500 for Christmas. It was either that or the D7200 but since I already have one, I...

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

I'm buying my daughter a refurb Nikon D7500 for Christmas. It was either that or the D7200 but since I already have one, I figured get her the 7500 and then I can use it. Rule #1 of gift-giving. Get people stuff that YOU also want, so you can borrow it.

She has an older camera already so she has a lens. I wouldn't need a lens to go with it for now but she'd need a better one in the future.

My question is: Cameta has a lot of refurb 7500's but they are all different prices and come with different "accessories". Are the cameras in all the different kits relatively the same quality (ie: shutter clicks) and they just throw other stuff in there? Or if the camera has more clicks, do they add more accessories to it? I know some come with a lens, but some do not. And the prices are all close.

Would it matter which refurb kit I get, or would I just decide based on the accessories if the cameras themselves are all about equal? Am I making sense?

roxiemarty Loc: Florida

I would check the manufacturer of the Nikon for refurbs. I bought my Canon 70D directly from Canon refurbs. They guarantee the camera's and you are not paying for alot of extra stuff they throw in that is not needed. That is only my opinion though. I'm sure others will chime in with theirs. Good luck.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Cameta is very good for refurbs. See what they offering and determine the cost of those items separately. If you don't need all the extras, don't get them. The refurbs I've bought had between 5 and 942 clicks. You'll have to wait till you get the camera to see how much it's been used, though. If you think it's excessive, you can return it.

Looking just now, it seems that you have only two choices for refurbished: body alone or with a lens.
https://www.cameta.com/index.cfm?fa=display.search&page=1&keywords=d7500

JeffR Loc: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

I highly recommend Cameta for Nikon refurbs because they provide an extended warranty (90 days from Nikon +their own warranty for an additional 9 months = 1 year). I wouldn't let the accessories influence your decision much. They are generally not very useful and end up sitting in a drawer.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

I've bought two different refurbs from Cameta. My D610 only had 12 shutter actuations, but I never checked the count on my Olympus. I bought both as "body only".... Be careful as the D7500 can't meter if the current lens is an older manual focus. I have lots of older MF lenses still and that was a criterion for me. Those older lenses are cost saving as opposed to the latest & greatest and their results are more than sufficient for the vast majority of users...

Saycheeze Loc: Ct

I’ve bought several refurbs from Cameta, never a problem. I’d stay away from any package with accessories, most of that stuff is low quality ‘crap’. Buy a refurb, body only. If you need accessories buy quality, you’ll never be sorry. This doesn’t mean you need to buy the most expensive, but that $10 tripod in the accessory bundle will blow over in the first breeze and there goes your D7500. BTW, I have a D7500 and really like it a lot. It’s a powerful little bugger that does almost everything really well.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

I have bought one refurb from Cameta and was totally pleased. I contacted them a couple weeks ago regarding USA/Grey refurb items and they stated that the lenses are all USA. I did not inquire about cameras.

As far as "extras", they are an incentive and a way around MSRP...some companies offer 2 to 4% gift cards on some items. My experience has been that most of the extras are not high quality items. On one new purchase I even got a free tripod!

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

aschweik wrote:

I'm buying my daughter a refurb Nikon D7500 for Ch... (show quote)

Check to make sure they are Refurbs and not used. There is a difference. Also, kits are not created equal. If you do not need the stuff in the kit, just skip it. Refurbished means they have gone over the entire camera to make sure every part and function meets factory standards. Most new cameras are not checked that completely.

Fotomacher Loc: Toronto

Screamin Scott wrote:

I've bought two different refurbs from Cameta. My D610 only had 12 shutter actuations, but I never checked the count on my Olympus. I bought both as "body only".... Be careful as the D7500 can't meter if the current lens is an older manual focus. I have lots of older MF lenses still and that was a criterion for me. Those older lenses are cost saving as opposed to the latest & greatest and their results are more than sufficient for the vast majority of users...

The D7500 also has NO built in drive motor so it will not auto focus with Nikkor AF lenses, only AFS lenses.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

According to Nikon's compatibility chart and other sources, it appears that it does have a built-in focus motor...
https://www.nikonusa.com/Images/Learn-Explore/Photography-Techniques/2011/Which-Nikkor-is-Right-for-You/Media/NIKKOR-lens-compatibility-chart.pdf

Fotomacher wrote:

The D7500 also has NO built in drive motor so it will not auto focus with Nikkor AF lenses, only AFS lenses.

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

The one lens she has is an AFS lens (18-135). So now that brings up another question. Is it better to get the 7200 with the motor drive? Or doesn't it matter if she'll probably only be using newer lenses?

Thanks to all who replied! And thanks, Jerry. Using your link, I see I missed the body-only when I looked at Cameta earlier.

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

That answers my question, Scott. If it has a built in motor, then I think I'm good to go with the 7500. Thanks!

Keen

The D7500 is still rather new. For so many refurbs to be available, there may be something wrong with it design wise. Or maybe people buy it, decide they want something else, and trade it in, after which the D7500 they traded in gets refurbed for general purposes. The D7500 only has one card slot, so it would seem like a step down from a D7200 which has two. If I were you, I'd get the daughter a refurbed Nikon D750. I would look at: nikonusa,com, bhphotovideo.com, adorama.com, and keh.com. Then get a full frame lens, or two. Again, a refurb would be wise, if obtained form the right source. Having a D7200 yourself, and having access to your daughter's D750 would let you experience both a crop frame system, and a full frame system.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

At twice the price, it would be nice but maybe the OP has a budget? Actually, it really depends on what the OP shoots normally. I have both crop & full frame DSLR's and which I use depends on my subject matter...I also have a mirrorless... Plus loads of older manual focus lenses. My choice was easy to determine...

Keen wrote:

The D7500 is still rather new. For so many refurbs... (show quote)

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

Thanks for the advice, Keen. I forgot to mention my daughter is an adult (she will be 29 tomorrow!....Good God). I'm figuring I can get her a 7200/7500 now and someday when she gets better at photography, she can buy her own full frame! (And maybe one for her mother). She's busy with school and work but wants to do more photography as time permits.

I've been deciding whether the one card slot on the 7500 matters much to her. I keep changing my mind! Thanks to all for trying to help me out!