DavidM Loc: New Orleans, LA

I've bought several refurbished items from Canon and all look like new. I've only just recently had my 6D camera have a problem with error code 20 which I sent in under warranty repair (under 1 year) and they repaired it without question. It was about 2 months before the warranty was up. I'm very satisfied buy refurbished gear from them!

Meeker

No fun when you experience the "rarely happens" event. To top it off, even with a 3 year extended warranty, repairs are guaranteed for only 90 days. I had a shutter fail twice within 2 years, 10 months use of a new camera. Use of the extended warranty was used up by long repair times.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

There's no telling...

Many "refurbished" cameras are simply demo units, overstock returns, open box, or shelf-worn packaging.... where the camera itself is little different from new.

Some refurbs probably were warranty returned for an "issue"... but what that issue might be is impossible to say. Maybe the shutter needed replacement.... or maybe not. Probably only a small percentage actually need and get a shutter replacement.

While we use "shutter clicks" as a measure of how much use a camera has had... it's like high car mileage, any number of components might be worn and in need of repair. Shutter clicks only tell us that the camera has seen some use and refurbs are usually current or recently discontinued models that haven't seen all that much use.

Can't speak for Nikon, but Canon warranties their refurbs exactly the same as new (better than buying used from anywhere, but especially so buying from a private party on eBay).

Canon also allows right of return... if you buy a refurb from them, check the shutter count and it seems to much (or you have any other issue with the camera), you can return or exchange it.

Many of the better used equipment dealers (B&H, Adorama, KEH, etc.) also offer a one or two week right of return, as well as some 90 to 180 days of warranty.

Prior to being offered for sale, "factory refurbished" cameras would typically be tested by trained and experienced repair technicians... probably get more thorough and close inspection than quality control can give brand new items coming off an assembly line.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a refurb.... However you should carefully check sale prices before doing so. I was all set to pull the trigger on a couple refurb cameras last January, but found that I could actually buy new cheaper. Between rebates and bundling, free shipping and less sales tax, the cost of the cameras brand new was the better deal.

Kuzano

No, That would be ridiculously expensive for the MFR and unnecessary on many refurbs.

You see, many refurbs have never really been used to a point of failure (any function).

Digital camera's are complex enough for some people that they are returned to the store very soon, out of buyer remorse. Sold returns cannot be re-boxed and sold as new, by the store or the MFR. Sales are tracked and FTC regulation only allows the cameras to be sold as refurbished. Exceptions to that are Demonstration and Open Box (never sold).

Point made here.... A camera can only be sold once as new. Once tracked as sold, the original seller/retailer cannot shrink wrap it and sell it again as new... Regulations apply on resale of a previously sold new item. Must be refurbed, broken or not.

No distinction is made, outside of shutter count. All refurbs are required to pass the same check list whether failed and repaired, or no repair necessary. The buyer has no way of cherry picking the seller remorse model from a failed model. Warranty is the same refurb warranty. Not the original warranty. The most important part of refurbs are that there are MFR refurbs and SELLER refurbs. Seller refurbs can be done and sold by authorized repair facilities for the manufacturer in question. However, it's is unlikely that a Seller Refurbed item will meet the same standards as if the item is actually refurbed by the camera maker itself.

Refurb is still a smart choice. The only other choice smarter is to scour the used market for the seller who can't handle or doesn't like what he/she/it purchased.

Want a new shutter. Have the shutter replaced on your own dime.... usually pretty near the value of any camera over a couple of years old.

One more point. If you are an early adopter and you buy a very popular camera at full price, and for some personal reason you don't like it, and you are beyond a return point, try to sell it on eBay. I have done this about three times now and lost less than rent on a camera I sold within 3 months of purchase (approx). Of course, I keep all packaging, documentation and accessories for up to a year. I am also usually very low shutter count for a couple of months. Also, my motive to sell is personal and not a fault of the camera.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I have purchased several refurbs from Cameta. They warrant the Nikon (presumably Canon as well) refurbished camera bodies for a full year, and out of 6 refurbished cameras, I've contacted them twice, once for a bad battery, which they promptly replaced without question, and one D-7000 that worked OK, but the lens didn't "click in" when mounting.

If you are considering refurbished, make sure you deal with Cameta, Adorama, or B&H. The ONLY reason I go to Cameta first is that the other 2 only give 3 month warranties.

All very good companies.
Good luck

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Don

BebuLamar

A refurbished camera would have low shutter count in several thousands the most. In such a condition I rather not having the shutter replaced. Assembling a camera from parts is different from disassemble a camera and replace parts. The risk of the technician (however experienced and careful) causing some damage why doing it is much greater than a low shutter count.