Canon Direct Store "refurbished"?

[Tangentabacus]

Anyone got any products from Canon's website that was "refurbished"? If so, what did you think?

 

[Big Mike]

In most cases, 'refurbished' gear is pretty good. Actually, sometimes it's better than what you get off the shelf.

When things are being made on the assembly line, they go through Quality Control (QC) and if they fail a test, they get pulled off the line. The item is then inspected and probably fixed by hand and fully tested. It cannot go back onto the assembly line, so must then be sold as refurbished. So you get an item that is not only brand new, but has been fully inspected and tested.

Of course, refurbished could also mean that the items have been purchased and returned...essentially 'used'. But when something is 'factory refurbished', it probably goes through the same inspection and testing, so you are very likely to get the item in perfect working order.

I don't have any experience with Canon refurbished gear...but I wouldn't hesitate to go that route.

 

[analog.universe]

I agree with Mike. I've never used refurbished Canon gear, but I have from a lot of other companies. Usually the quality control is more strict, the refurbished piece gets a tech's hands on it, where the others just get pushed through the assembly line. If it comes with a decent warranty I say go for it. Generally anything wrong with a piece of gear from the factory will make itself known pretty quickly, so with a warranty you're all set.