Refurbished

Digital Camera

On the other, there is that little voice in your head that may be telling you that a refurbished digital camera is just too good to be true and that there must be something wrong with a high quality unit for such a low price.

For anyone confused about buying a rebuilt camera, here are the pros and cons:

Pros of Buying Refurbished Digital Camera

A lot of people simply cannot afford the latest technology when it first hits the market. One of the biggest advantages of purchasing a refurbished digital camera is that it allows you to have the best technology at bargain basement pricing.

If properly rebuilt, a refurbished camera will provide you with the same high quality shots as a brand new unit without the brand new sticker shock. A lot of camera manufacturers such as Fugi Digital Cameras Division actually rebuild the units themselves so you can even get a limited 30-90 warranty with your purchase.

While newer units come with longer warranties, they also come with higher prices so it is nice to see that you can at least have some guarantee that you will be getting a quality camera and can take it back if something isn't quite right.

Cons of Buying Refurbished Digital Camera

If you have ever had a bad experience with a used car then you might have zero interest in buying some refurbished digital camera be it from the manufacturer or some third party company. Simply put-it's used!

You have no idea how respectful/disrespectful the previous owner was so even a newly rebuilt unit may not be up to par due to long term abuse or neglect.

A refurbished digital camera may come with a limited warranty if rebuilt by the manufacturer (and even most third party companies) but it will be nowhere near as long as one that comes with a new camera. Therefore, a refurbished camera comes with a lot more risk than a new unit.

You could very well be wasting your money if the camera only makes it 91 days because you will have no choice but to eat the loss.

One definite thing to watch out for when buying a refurbished digital camera is whether or not it has been rebuilt with the same parts used to build new cameras. It is entirely possible that your camera was refurbished with used or aftermarket parts that simply are not up to the same standards as those used to build new cameras.

Be sure to find out what the company policy is on using new or used parts to refurbish their cameras.

Should you buy a refurbished digital camera?

If you buy one directly from the manufacturer and know that they are using high quality parts-then yes, the risk is probably worth the reduced price and you should get a 90-day warranty just in case something does go wrong.

But, if you are buying from some 3rd-party company that specializes in refurbishing cameras, then you run a greater risk of substandard parts being used and the camera breaking well before you think it should. Having all the bells and whistles of a new camera at greatly reduced cost makes refurbished cameras very tempting, but be sure to do your homework and you should be fine.