Scratched Sensor or just dirty?

[rainbowarrior]

Hey everyone, I need some help. I am in the market to buy a used Nikon D200 on Craigslist. I have read a few things to look for to make sure that the body isn't a bad buy. I had the guy take a photo of a white wall so that I could see if the sensor is scratched at all. I asked him this because in his post he mentioned that there was a large piece of dust on the sensor and I wanted to see it. Still pretty new and can't seem to find any info online of what a scratch might actually look like or how to identify one. Take a look at the image below and let me know what you think...Scratches anywhere? When I zoom in to the upper left corner I notice a faint line. Scratch or just a smudge? Thanks for all the help.

 

[Steve5D]

I don't see a line, but I do see dust..

 

[Awiserbud]

I think i see it, at the bottom in the centre, looks like a quarter moon on its side. (had to look closely though) :lmao:

 

[bratkinson]

If that's a picture of a white wall, I'd certainly question the big dark area at the bottom. Perhaps it's merely a shadow from a lampshade in the field of vew. Or it could be some serious defect.

If possible, take a laptop with you and shoot a couple of pictures with the camera. Then load them onto the laptop where they can be looked at closely. I'd also ask him to lock up the mirror (I'd have to read the directions to figure out how to do it on my own camera) and then look at the sensor in good light with a magnifying glass.

While I bought a used Canon 30D on ebay from a seller 800 miles away and got a perfect camera, my thinking is that if they are disclosing one problem, there may be others. So check carefully. It's your money.