Craigslist buy?

Anyone bought a camera off of craigslist and gotten a good deal? I've been in contact with this seller on craigslist for an xti with less than 5000 actuations, here is what was written on the post...

Canon XTi, its in good condition, only one minor scratch on the top of the flash and the flash (plastic part not bulb) is cracked, not the spring or hood or anything like that, all that is good, its just that the little plastic screen has a crack in it but has no affect on the flash or pictures. just something i didnt find the need to replace because it still worked. COMES WITH: brand new (still have the box) Sigma DC compact 18-50mm lens with hood and all lens caps. also comes with a super wide angle macro lens .42x that attaches right onto the end of that lens. i have another lens that will come with it which is the Quantaray AF
100- 300mm telephoto lens. As you can see in the pictures it comes with a lowepro backpack, BOTH Canon softwares that came with it in the box, PC cord, Charger and battery, and a 1 GB memory card.
Perfect setup for someone who is just getting started in photography, this was my first digital and is amazing i would absolutely recommend it to someone. Price is slightly negotiable but i wont respond to low ball offers, this is a steal. Email me if you are interested

I am offering $400 and he's willing to take it, just was waiting for another person interested to show first, I was apparently second in line...

Should I be worried about the flash? Is $400 a good deal? I'm doing this on my own here! The closest thing to a camera shop I've got around here is Ritz and Best Buy. *Gags*

I don't think the scratch as described is anything to worry about. Most serious photographers only use the built-in flash in a pinch anyway. The lenses he is including aren't worth much though, and you'll want to get something better. So I'd say you're not getting much more than just a camera body and a bag for that price.

Used and damaged XTi, crap lens, and used bag for $400? Nominal price.

BTW, I love when people call their price "a steal" and have no idea what current going rates are for used gear.

If you're dying for a camera, then it's not too bad. If you're patient, you can get better for the same price. I think I paid $350 for my used XTi and kit lens, oh, must have been a year ago. Sold the kit lens for $40, and upgraded.

Yes you can find some great deals on craigslist if you a) know what a good deal is in terms of prices for gear b) are very patient and check CL often and finally c) have a bit of luck on your side to get the item as advertised and to have a seller that is on the up and up.

Craigslist is good, I've gotten good deals on there too. I'm actually sell my lightly used Canon XS on craigslist. I just listed it yesterday.. if you're interested, I can ship to you.

I'll send you the link via PM.

-David

Well the kid never let me know whether or not the deal went through, so I'll just pass... I also found this gem, hubby is leaning more towards nikon, and was thinking to surprise him with this... Here's the post...

Just purchased new D300 so am selling my approx. 2 yr old D50. In near perfect condition, never abused or dropped. Price includes:

D50 body
18-55 f3.5-5.6 G-ED lens
extended battery grip
Two lithium EN-EL3a batteries
Charger
USB cord
SanDisk 1.0 Gig memory card
two manuals

I know that the nikon d50 will accomodate the older nikon lenses, and that this is a camera both my husband and I are comfortable holding. I'm still holding out for a canon, but thought this would be a nice gift for the DH. This guy will sell to me for $350, and meet me halfway to pick up and test shot. Any recommendations? (besides the "no nikons!!!")

You can find the occassional gem on CL, but know what you know, and know what you don't know. Make sure you know what to look for purchasing anything off of craigslist, esp cam equipment. Google is your friend, and there are tons of posts and sites on what specifically to look for.

I lucked out and got an awesome deal this past weekend on a lens and flash.

I've found a lot of things on CL but I've also walked away from a lot of things that weren't as described.