Craigslist Meeting Over Used 30D

Harmony

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For those of you who read my Adorama thread, after asking around and contacting CCRA and etc, we've come to the conclusion that even though you're not supposed to pay duty on camera supplies, some border guys don't care. Also, with the 22% exchange rate, it just isn't worth it.

We've decided to go the local route and have been exchanging emails over craigslist.

Seems like one will come to fruition. It's a 30D and 18-55, used, with apparently 3000 actuations. He's not SURE though, and this is Richmond; we're planning to bargain. Especially since the email grammar has been nothing short of atrocious, and my dad suspects that he is Asian. (Now this is not racist, I am half Asian. The typed sentence structure is typical of Asian roots. Don't flame me for the comment, please.)

So we're setting up a meeting. Oh, right. It's gonna be in a public place. My dad's coming (He's 200 pounds and 6'1''.) so there shouldn't be any funny business :lol:.

Tips? Questions I should ask? Things I should look for? Look out for?
 
Download and read the manual before hand, know how all of the main functions of the camera work, and try them all. Bring a memory card so that you can check everything. Look over the camera carefully, including the removing the lens and looking at the mirror chamber. If it's dusty, dirty, or doesn't appear to have been cared for, be careful. Look at all the edges (the things that would hit first if the camera was dropped or banged against something) if there are dents or tears in the finish, ask what happened. Listen to the sound of the shutter and the mirror, at a range of different speeds, does it sound smooth and even? Run the lens through it's zoom and focus ranges, is it smooth? Are there any 'catches' or rough spots? Remove the lens, trip the aperture control with your finger. Do the blades move quickly and evenly? Are they free of oil?
 
Thanks, John! Downloading the manual is something that I didn't think of before, it will definitely get done.

Trip the aperture?
 
Definately check the CF card slot. My 30d had to be sent back to the factory repair to have it fixed under warranty. Take a good flashlight and look in the slot and check for damaged/bent pins.
 
Thanks, John! Downloading the manual is something that I didn't think of before, it will definitely get done.

Trip the aperture?

I'm assuming he means to adjust the aperture settings on the lens itself, which of course wont work if its a lens without an aperture ring.
 
Tripping the aperture refers to removing the lens and using your finger to [carefully] manually operate arm on the back of the lens which controls the iris itself. This is the same whether it's a lens with or without an aperture control ring. The yellow arrow in the image points to that arm. Hold the lens firmly in one hand, and look down the lens from the front element and with one finger, carefully push the arm to the full extent of it's travel and let it snap back. It should move quickly and smoothly, and the blades of the iris (aperture) should do the same. If there's any hesitation, stickiness or signs of oil on the blades, walk away.

Lens.jpg

Yes, this is a Nikon lens, but the theory's the same.
 
Ahhh. I see. Thanks for the information on the aperture trip-ping!

I will definitely check the CF card slot, but if I'm taking photos with it, shouldn't it already be in good working order?
 
Ahhh. I see. Thanks for the information on the aperture trip-ping!

I will definitely check the CF card slot, but if I'm taking photos with it, shouldn't it already be in good working order?

You'd like to think so, but Crosby's point is a good one. The holes in a CF card are designed to allow for pins that ever so slightly bent, so a card may go in, but have a good look first and if all the pins aren't perfectly aligned, ask what happened.
 
If you have a cf card, put it in and snap a few pictures. Then download some software when you get home, then you can check both the Image quality and you can ty and find some software to get the shutter count in the exif data, then you will know if he's lying to you or not. Also don't get discouraged by his grammar. I was selling a mini bike on craigslist and I sent emails back and forth to this guy, he had terrible spelling and slang and stuff like that. We set up a date for him to come and look at it and he was a completely normal, fine guy, you would never think he was the one sending the emails, but I guess some people just don't spell check or something, idk.
Good luck with the buy, I have never had anything but good luck with craigslist!
 
The CF card slot on mine worked fine for about 3 months. When I was camping and taking pictures on the lake, I switched cards and due to the sunlight glare on the card, I noticed a small indention on the face of the card near one of the pin holes. (very small indention) I thought it must have been a normal defect when the card was molded. Then one day it quit working.

Long story short, it was the pin that caused the indention and every card I owned had it in the same place (which told me it was bent for a while, some of the cards haven't been used for a long time).

Canon fixed it under warranty, best warranty claim experience I've ever had.
 

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