PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Your lucky day!

Don

Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

The Minota XD-11 was my favorite film camera of all time. It's a gem!

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Why even bother with "ugly" buy something; good and be done with it. Save your money until you can afford it.

Toment Loc: FL, IL

Goo Gone???

Bayou

I once bought a "Bargain" rated D3300 from KEH, and it was practically new...cosmetically and with a shutter count of about 5,000!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I didn't know that "Ugly" was a category.

Somewhat related - I can't understand why someone offers an item on eBay that is "untested." There's a huge difference between buying something that works and something that gets trashed as soon as it arrives.

tripwest Loc: Rochester, NY (Kodakland)

The Minolta XD11 was also my first personal SLR. I did like it, a lot. The electronic touch shutter release was cool and quiet. It had multiple auto exposure modes (if I remember correctly) which did a great job of giving me what I wanted.

But something in my head (probably heart and soul too) was saying...

"Nikon... go the Nikon way."

"Its not a camera, its a NIKON!"

https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DVyHPy8A6Iqc&ved=2ahUKEwiW0cv19577AhXBF1kFHeAdDZYQtwJ6BAgQEAI&usg=AOvVaw0fM9ZTHqFxzx0gDAJWrueP" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DVyHPy8A6Iqc&ved=2ahUKEwiW0cv19577AhXBF1kFHeAdDZYQtwJ6BAgQEAI&usg=AOvVaw0fM9ZTHqFxzx0gDAJWrueP



Traded it in for a Nikon FE (~82) in black. It was oh sooooo beautiful. Made me feel like a professional in high school. I know it (not me) looked super cool.

And just for the record, I paid for it with my own money. My parents did not buy it for me. I had a paying job(s) since I was 10 years old.

My only regret was that a not too long after, Nikon came out with the FE2 (1983) and I really could have used that faster flash shutter sync, with the low (ASA, lol) film speeds and all those indoor high-school yearbook pictures I took.

Now I have 40 years of Nikon schtuff and no real regrets about it.

FE 👉👉👉👉👉👉👉 D750

Happy HoliDAZE! Enjoy all the black Friday, cyber Monday, and amazing photo bargains to be had through the end of the year! Oh, and time with family and friends. 😁

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've got you beat by ten years.

pj81156 Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

First, that is judgmental. You don’t know me. Next, it’s none of your business how I spend my money. And then, I did “buy something good.” $51.15 with free shipping and it looks and performs as it should. Where could I do better? How I save and spend my money is my business. I promise, traderjohn I will not tell you how to save and spend your money if you promise to not tell me how to save and spend my money.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

It's hard to have the final word with a loser on the internet. A better approach is just ignore the rude comments from those not worth giving the slightest thought to. Worse, you acknowledged he'd got your goat even though the response was to someone else. Practice silence and self-discipline around trolls. A casual review of this user's posting history shows it's nothing but similar comment trash.

pj81156 Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

You are right CHG_CANON. Especially after the sermon on Sunday in my church was on turning the other cheek. But it’s so hard when dealing with people who think they know what’s best for strangers.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

My strategic hierarchy of intelligent buying:

#1 Curated used products with guarantees — These are goods that have been carefully evaluated for condition, then tested, cleaned, adjusted, and brought up to date with the latest firmware (where applicable). They are offered for sale by a reputable dealer. (i.e.; This ain't yer average Craigslisting.) Generally, anything with a warranty is fine, as it has been thoroughly checked out and adjusted before sale.

#2 Refurbished products sold by the manufacturer or regional importer — These are usually returns, demo units, or other almost new stock items that have been tested, repaired if needed, restored to like new condition, and packaged with all the items sold in new stock packages. They actually have a lower failure rate than brand new items, because they get a thorough unit inspection, not just a spot check on the factory production line every 25th unit or so. They usually have the same exact warranty and accessories as brand new items.

#3 New products in original packaging with US warranty — These are the worst value, but they do come with the pleasure of an unopened box and its subsequent unboxing experience.

#4 New products in original packaging with gray market warranty — These are a terrible value if you cannot get service in the USA because the importer won't provide parts and/or service for UN-officially imported items. But they can be a good value if the manufacturer will repair them for a fee, or sells replacement parts for use by independent service shops.

About warranties and the "Bathtub Curve Phenomenon" — A warranty is basically an insurance policy that protects a buyer against defects in parts or manufacturing. But it also stipulates that if YOU broke the thing, you pay for the repair.

IF there is any sort of problem with parts or manufacturing techniques, then most items will fail very soon after first use. If they survive the initial few hundred hours of use, chances are good that they will last quite a long time, if cared for as directed. Near the end of the product's "designed life span," failure rates spike. The graph of this "life cycle frequency of failure," from first product use to end of product life, looks like a cross section of a bathtub.

That's why I favor buying gently used goods, rather than brand new ones. I'm happy to let someone else take the hit of depreciation. Used goods have also passed the risky first portion of the bathtub curve.

I'm also happy to let someone else risk a failure on first use that results in a return, repair, and factory refurbishment. I don't care if a product has been a demo unit or was returned in like new condition because it was unwanted. I'll gladly pay less for an item that is likely more heavily scrutinized than new merchandise.

There is no shame in buying used, or new... But there is plenty of satisfaction in buying things for the right reasons. We all have different reasons.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

"It's so hard when dealing with people who think they know what’s best for strangers."
That would include a hell of a lot of people on this site.

pj81156 Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

I have just turned the other cheek.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

I have bought ugly ones before with no problem. Of course ugly in a lens may be a problem, and that is why talking to the excellent customer service there is important.
Bargain is my favorite grade.