Bought a Refirb XTi

from B&H. the guy on the phone said it was like new... I just received it a couple days ago & love it... but then again i'm a newbie at this. I paid a total of $687 incl shipping to hawaii & a used polarized filter ($19 - quantaray).

I just read a thread pretty much stating that refirbs are bad. can someone please let me know if i should return it (i really dont want too) or should i just keep it.

I did buy a Mack 2yr warranty on the camera as well. Thanks for everyones faeedback.

The price for a brand new XTi on Amazon is only $696 with kit lens and one year Canon full warranty. And B&H is selling a new silver XTi with kit lens for $679. I'm not sure what shipping ran - something like $25? - but it looks like for a very small amount of money, you could have a brand spanking new XTi. My advice is to dump the Mack warranty - these are not usually worth the price, especially if you have a 1 year Canon warranty for a new camera - and exchange it for the brand new XTi.

I've heard different--that refurbs, esp. from a place like B&H, are better than new. They go over the camera with a fine tooth comb making sure everything is as should be. The last thing they want is to keep shipping stuff back and forth (esp. to Hawaii!). With the two year warranty, you can't go wrong! Just a warning---don't EVER try out a 5D or 40D!

irish1 wrote in post #4027124
I've heard different--that refurbs, esp. from a place like B&H, are better than new. They go over the camera with a fine tooth comb making sure everything is as should be. The last thing they want is to keep shipping stuff back and forth (esp. to Hawaii!). With the two year warranty, you can't go wrong! Just a warning---don't EVER try out a 5D or 40D!

Thank you very much... what a relief! I believe I got a great deal @ buying the camera & lens for $595.

The problem with refurbished units is that you don't know anything about the history of the unit. Was it used? And broken? Found defective? There's no telling. The only thing you know for sure about a reburbished unit is that it didn't work properly at some point. The thing is UNCERTAINTY. Personally, I think that uncertainty should be worth a substantial discount. Like 50%, not a measly 10%. I would rather buy a used camera from someone I thought might have taken good care of it than to pay nearly the price of a new unit.

And, no, a refurbished unit without a manufacturers warranty will never, ever be better than a new unit. Not if the manufacturer truly stands behind their product.

JackProton wrote in post #4027264
The only thing you know for sure about a reburbished unit is that it didn't work properly at some point.

Or it could have been a return because someone didn't want it and there is nothing wrong with it at all

I've never had a problem with any refirb i've bought from B&H, and often find them to be great. While you could have gone new, shipping to Hawaii is probably killer.

If it looks great, works great, it is great. Forget the cost and start snapping photos.

I have in the past bought refurbished things with no complaints. But, for high quality things such as DSLRs (or top-quality computer equipment which we all rely on) I would tend to not. Good equipment is an investment in quality.

It's true that brand new equipment can be DOA -- that's what the manufacturer's warranty is for.

In your case, hawngirl, I'd take that camera an really intensly exercise it for a month or so, and be very thorough at all kinds of settings, and be very picky if you notice something that might be off. You paid for the extended warranty, so be prepared to use it!

And, congrats for getting the camera and getting a start!

Hope this helps a bit,

Tony

Tony Long Photos on PBase

Duncs wrote in post #4027340
Or it could have been a return because someone didn't want it and there is nothing wrong with it at all

Sure, its possible. But returns are usually sold as "used" or sometimes "open box" units. Its also equally possible that the camera was dropped or had something else nasty happen to it. As I said, the uncertainty should be worth more than a 10% discount. I'd say that even if it was a brand spanking new unit that someone returned without even opening, that the Canon warranty you don't get with the refurb is worth much more than the discount.

Just as a perspective:

Quality manufacturers do test units that get returned. The strange thing is that many of these units go through testing with "No Problem Found" and so get shipped out as Refurbs. So, like Jack says above, there is uncertainty because we just don't know the history. You may be getting a great deal, but then again you may be getting a latent lemon.

Tony

Tony Long Photos on PBase

tonylong wrote in post #4027391
I have in the past bought refurbished things with no complaints. But, for high quality things such as DSLRs (or top-quality computer equipment which we all rely on) I would tend to not. Good equipment is an investment in quality.

It's true that brand new equipment can be DOA -- that's what the manufacturer's warranty is for.

In your case, hawngirl, I'd take that camera an really intensly exercise it for a month or so, and be very thorough at all kinds of settings, and be very picky if you notice something that might be off. You paid for the extended warranty, so be prepared to use it!

And, congrats for getting the camera and getting a start!

Hope this helps a bit,

Tony

Tony Long Photos on PBase

Thank you!

JackProton wrote in post #4027394
Sure, its possible. But returns are usually sold as "used" or sometimes "open box" units. Its also equally possible that the camera was dropped or had something else nasty happen to it. As I said, the uncertainty should be worth more than a 10% discount. I'd say that even if it was a brand spanking new unit that someone returned without even opening, that the Canon warranty you don't get with the refurb is worth much more than the discount.

Yea, sure, that too, All I was trying to do was make the OP feel better

If there was a major, constant fault, then I'm sure Canon would have spotted it and fixed it before re-selling it. I didn't realise there was no warranty with refurbs though, that doesn't sound like a good idea

Duncs wrote in post #4027491
Yea, sure, that too, All I was trying to do was make the OP feel better

Not trying to be mean or anything... Its just that I don't think refurb Canon dSLRs are usually a good deal when you look at all the different factors vs price.

I don't believe that Canon does the actual refurbishing in this case. I've heard that Canon doesn't actually sell any refurbed dSLRs in the US market at all (at least not through third parties).

Someone correct me if I'm wrong I'd understood it was just a 90 day B&H warranty.

Duncs wrote in post #4027491
Yea, sure, that too, All I was trying to do was make the OP feel better

If there was a major, constant fault, then I'm sure Canon would have spotted it and fixed it before re-selling it. I didn't realise there was no warranty with refurbs though, that doesn't sound like a good idea

They're is a warranty.. it's 90 days.

JackProton wrote in post #4027566
Not trying to be mean or anything... Its just that I don't think refurb Canon dSLRs are usually a good deal when you look at all the different factors vs price.

I don't believe that Canon does the actual refurbishing in this case. I've heard that Canon doesn't actually sell any refurbed dSLRs in the US market at all (at least not through third parties).

Someone correct me if I'm wrong I'd understood it was just a 90 day B&H warranty.

I think Canon does resell the refirbished item because the box is a Canon white box that has the words REFIRBISHED printed on it. It is not the red xti box.