Choose a Reconditioned Camera and Save

Digital cameras are becoming more advanced every day, and manufacturers are adding great new features all the time. But even though you can get more bells and whistles today for the same price you would have paid for a film camera with fewer features only a few years ago, electronics can still be pricey, particularly if you like all those great features. So why not consider a reconditioned camera? A reconditioned digital camera will save you money while meeting the same specifications as a new camera.

If you're not familiar with reconditioned cameras, also known as refurbished cameras, they are products that have been returned to the manufacturer, retested and (when necessary) restored to the same factory specifications as a new camera.

"Refurbs" may be overstocked items, customer returns, demo or display models, or sometimes products with cosmetic flaws such as a scratch or dent that don't affect the product's performance, but make it less than perfect.

Whatever the reason, once a camera is returned to the manufacturer, even if it's in perfect working condition, it can't be sold as new. So it's inspected, restored (if necesary) and retested. Then it's sold as a refurbished or reconditioned camera at a lower cost than a new digital camera.

A reconditioned digital camera is not the same as a used camera. Here's why.

1. Refurbished or reconditioned cameras usually haven't been owned and used by someone else. A used camera is generally offered for sale when someone has tired of it and wants to upgrade to a newer, better model. In contrast, refurbished products typically haven't been used, or have only been used for short periods such as for a display or demo.

2. Another big difference between reconditioned digital cameras and used cameras is that used ones don't usually come with a warranty, while refurbished cameras often do. Sometimes the warranty will be the same length as a new camera, while other times it will be shorter.

3. A reconditioned camera will usually come in the exact same packaging as a new one, with all the same items you'd get with a new camera. Used cameras may or may not come with all the original contents or accessories, and may or may not come in the original packaging.

But what's one thing that a reconditioned camera has in common with a used one? They're both cheaper than a new one.