Question Concerning "New" T1i

[Renegrenade]

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a T1i / 500D off of eBay. While I can already hear some groans, the company I bought it off is a powerseller, have dedicated customer service numbers, and seem to be selling hundreds of cameras a month, so they appear to be quite trustworthy.

Everything they sell comes brand new, and true to their word I got it in the original box, all accessories, looking pretty spanking new. However, I noticed one slight discrepency that I wanted to ask with you guys.

When I bought my old 1000D (XS), the photo numbering system started quite cleanly at 100-0001 (probably around 08 due to in-store testing of the camera etc.). I have used it up to about 5300. Now, when I started using the new camera, the numbering system seemed to "pick up where it left off" so my images were numbered starting 100-53xx.

This, to me, either means the camera depends on the SD card to number its photos. Since I don't believe this is the case, the alternative is that the camera has already been used before, and the number 5300's just a coincidence!?

Can anybody confirm or deny what I suspect? When calling their customer service I was told they sell everything brand new and can't help with technical queries, but they offered me a 3 year parts-and-labour warranty straight off the bat. Should I be suspicious, or...?

 

[moze229]

I do not know for 100% certainty, but I would suspect that the camera is using indexing data left over from the card. They do not work all that different from computers, and the data handling is similar. When you "erase" images from your card, there is still data left behind in a "scrambled" state. There is also indexing data left behind so that the camera knows where to begin numbering. To my knowledge, the camera itself does not store this data.

For what it's worth, by the strange chance the camera had been used, what are the chances of the numbering being the same exact range where you left off before? I wouldn't worry about it.

Matt

 

[PhotoXopher]

Are you sure you're using the new camera?

 

[KmH]

Did you format the card in the new camera before you started shooting?

 

[Big Mike]

It's not uncommon that cameras don't start at 001. I'm not sure why but I hear that a lot.

 

[Dao]

I believe if you use the same card and did not format the card in the new camera, it will have issue like that.

 

[itznfb]

there is an index file left on the memory card. so there is a very good chance it is from the memory card.

 

[flyin-lowe]

This might actually be a good thing for you. The reason I say that is I have tons of pictures of my kids on my computer that my father took with his XTI and 40D. Now when I go to save my pictures with my new XS they are numbered the same and I have to change the "name" of the file to save it. I have seperate folders so on my desktop its not an issue but when I save them all to my external drive for a backup I have to change them.
Just something to think about.