Buying a NEW Kit or piecing together a USED Kit

My wife and I are planning on upgrading from our point and shoot and after reading plenty of different sites and recommendations have settled on the D3100 (it fits our price range and also seems to be the most "user friendly" of the "entry level" dslr's). My question is we can get a kit from sams club that includes the 18mm-55mm lens and the 55mm-200mm lens for $648 out the door (it also includes a bag and SD card). I can get the same camera and lenses used (all rated EX+) through KEH for $528.88 (I imagine I can add a bag and SD card for $40?) putting me at $568.ish. Am I better off getting the new kit or going with used items and saving $80 or so dollars. The other option would be to go through KEH and instead of getting the 55mm-200mm lens get a Bargain 70mm-300mm putting me at $482 before adding a bag a nd SD card).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

If it is your very first DSLR, i would buy new. You get the full year Nikon warranty, plus you get those nice shiney new boxes!! I think you will get better "buyer satisfaction" if you buy new for your very first DSLR. It's more satisfying than carrying a camera home in clear plastic bag, which i did with my used D80, lol

While AC016 makes a good point, I have been very pleased and satisfied with "Factory Refurbished" Nikon products. Yes, the warranty is shorter, but I like the fact that the gear is QC'd twice, once when it was first made, and a second time when it was refurbished. Buyer-refurbished is something I'd stay away from.

Obviously, if money is not an issue, buy new. Good luck.

Welcome...$80 dollars is not a lot of money if you have to pay for repairs...

At least a knew camera has 12 months warranty....

I vote new, too. Nikon warranties do not transfer so an $80 savings can be eaten up quickly if you have to send something in for repair.

Cameras have really gotten affordable with great kit prices. If you belong to a Costco or BJ,, check out their kits too. Totally recommend going new.

and remember you only have 30 days to send in your warranty card, Local camera store will often do that for you, but you have to ask if they do,, don't assume, This time my shop did not, and now my D800 is unregistered for warranty! 4 months to go, and it won't matter, but a dumb mistake.

I would have to agree with all the others...go new.
Which ever choice you make, it will be a good one!

Double check the 70mm-300mm to see if it is the "AF-S 70-300mm VR" version...most important is the "AF-S".
The D3100 does not auto focus on non AF-S lenses due to the required motor.
AF-S lenses have the motor built in the lenses...such as the 18-55mm & 55-200mm that is in the kit.

If it is, grab it!

AC016 said:

If it is your very first DSLR, i would buy new. You get the full year Nikon warranty, plus you get those nice shiney new boxes!! I think you will get better "buyer satisfaction" if you buy new for your very first DSLR. It's more satisfying than carrying a camera home in clear plastic bag, which i did with my used D80, lol

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Would have to say that is probably the better option.

But from personal experience I bought a D3000 with kit lens a couple of weeks ago for £200 ($320) brand new unused in the box, picked up a 55-200mm NON VR lens for £47 second hand ($75) and flashgun for £25($40). Found a bag in a close out sale for £10 ($16) and using my 16gb memory card from the point and click. So total from the kit is £282 ($451) which is £32 above cheapest store price (on line or in store) for body and 18-55mm kit and i got the 55-200mm lens and bag and oh my gosh i think my brain has melted with all these figures.

I did what i could afford to do, it was not cash all out at one time i could have lived without the other bits, so only initial expense would have been the £200 for camera + kit lens.

By the way welcome to the wonderful world of the Nikonites. Why not stop by the new members page and introduce yourself. http://nikonites.com/new-member-introductions/

Thanks for everyone's feedback, especially the warranty registration comment and the suggestion to double check the 70-300mm lens, it would not have auto focused with the D3100.

Cost was important, but we also valued everyone's input on having a warranty so I guess you could say we went ahead and met in the middle and went with a Factory Refurbished (which comes with the factory 12 month warranty) with the 18-55mm and 55-200mm kit lenses.

Looking forward to it's arrival.

YPNick said:

Thanks for everyone's feedback, especially the warranty registration comment and the suggestion to double check the 70-300mm lens, it would not have auto focused with the D3100.

Cost was important, but we also valued everyone's input on having a warranty so I guess you could say we went ahead and met in the middle and went with a Factory Refurbished (which comes with the factory 12 month warranty) with the 18-55mm and 55-200mm kit lenses.

Looking forward to it's arrival.

Click to expand...

Excellent choice!
Refurbished can actually be better than new, due to the quality control before it is released back out for sale...plus maintaining the full factory one year warranty.

EXCELLENT value. Good luck and enjoy.