KEH has given me fair prices on equipment that I've sent to them and sent good values back to me when I've bought. They also did a major, good faith price adjustment when a one-of-a-kind apparatus was partially non-functioning. I have continued to deal with them over 25 years. You will get good treatment from them.
only one word of caution. To KEH, all versions of copal shutters are equivalent. They do not distinguish between the shitty old fine toothed chrome ring copal and the nice new all black copal....sometimes the photo will show the lens in a nice new black copal and they'll ship the same lens in a old chrome ring copal.
I will never buy a small or medium format body from them ever again. They grade on cosmetics and only on cosmetics. The camera can be mechanically non functional but cosmetically beautiful and they have no qualms about rating it EX+
Equipment rated at any level above "As Is" is checked for basic functionality, and guaranteed.Originally Posted by BradS
Non-functional equipment is NEVER rated above "As Is".
Issues may exist with particular functions in rated equipment. For example:
if a shutter has M sync, I'm confident that is never checked since nobody uses it any more.
You can return any rated equipment within 14 days for exchange or refund. They even pay return postage.
What's the problem?
- Leigh
If you believe you can, or you believe you can't... you're right.
The problem is that it is a pain in the ass! It always takes at least ten days from the day I place an order with them to the day the package arrives at my house...ten more for the return trip...now, another ten for the replacement item...get the idea? I do not like to play this game....and I've been stupid enough to do it more than once....never, ever again. Even bad eBay sellers are better than this....and with eBay, I can ask questions about the item I'm buying and see photos of the actual item. Sorry KEH sucks.
Further, in my experience they do not check functionality of 35mm gear...or if they do, they are completely incompetent (it has been a few years since I've stopped buying from them though so, that may have changed).
Well, Brad, if you want something to work 100% every time, stop buying used gear.
On the other hand... some KEH customers suck.
- Leigh
If you believe you can, or you believe you can't... you're right.
I've bought a few things from them over the years and have never been disappointed. Their international shipping rates (to Canada at least) are very high. I just ordered a $110 lens, and the shipping was $40, and Fedex then phones me up to tell me they want another $10 to "process" the item through customs. That $10 should have been an up-front cost, since they knew it was an international shipment, and of course it has to go through customs. Compared to what I would have had to pay in Canada, the lens was still a good deal.
No seller of used equipment is going to get it right every time. One should not buy used equipment on a time-critical basis. I bought a Pentax leaf-shutter lens from them that didn't work because of a dent that prevented the shutter cocking ring from turning. I'm assuming the dent occurred during handling for shipping. I didn't have time to send it back, so I fixed it myself--that was on me. I've bought a lot from them and will continue to do so--but realizing that testing for functionality isn't the same thing as testing for like-new operation, and that expecting them to get it perfect for a time-critical activity is like gambling with grocery money.
Rick "let's stick with actual experiences, not commenting on that of others" Denney
I'll buy that. +1
Garrett
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I bought a Nikon FE body, rated EX+ from KEH some years ago. It took ten days from the day I placed the order to the day it arrived. It was immediately apparent that the light meter did not work - at all. When I called the to ask for a return/replacement, I asked how this could happen. How could I get an EX+ camera with a broken light meter? The customer service guy told me straight out that 35mm gear is graded on cosmetics only...and it was true the FE was in beautiful cosmetic condition. I sent that one back, they sent another one. The replacement arrived some thirty days after my original order was placed. It too was beautiful and broken - the film advance did not advance the film. So, I called them and asked for a refund...which they begrudgingly gave me but that took another thirty days, approximately, to happen.
That's just one experience with them. I have purchased other stuff from them and been quite satisfied with what I received.
Other thing to consider:
1) you cannot ask questions about the specific item you are buying. The customer service people are in one building and the goods are in a warehouse some place far enough away that it is completely impractical for them to lay hands on an item.
2) The photo is definitely NOT a photo of the actual item you are buying.
3) if you pay for two day shipping and it takes them three business days to process your order, it feels like five days or more if you get weekend in there.
I don't understand why even a thread like this one becomes contentious - I honestly don't get it.
Back to the original question - I have been purchasing used gear from KEH for a few years - so far no problems. The equipment works and as others have mentioned, the ratings on the cosmetics is conservative. Some of the gear I received (a Fuji 645 that I eventually resold through this forum comes to mind) was rated EX - It looked new - not a blemish on it.
If you are ever in NYC, Fotocare also carries used LF equipment (on consignment) and the staff is very knowledgeable and helpful.
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