Hi Carrie,

I had always been a bit of an equipment snob, and would never have considered buying anything that had been touched by someone else. But now I think that I can put the money I save towards something else. As long as you go along with "caveat emptor" (buyer beware) and push for an extended warranty you can get some great savings.

For example I bought a megavision back for my hasselblad a few years ago - it cost over £15000 and although it did a good job it was quickly passed by a Canon digital SLR.

Now its gathering dust - its old technology and no one wants it. But it doesn't mean it wont take a good picture. Another example is a fuji digital compact; the f10 has just been made redundant by the f11 being released - that doesn't make the f10 a bad camera so you will be able to get them cheaper if you look around.

Try and take someone along who knows about cameras before you buy it and the minute you get it home get it set up and just shoot anything on every setting possible so if it starts to behave oddly you can take it back to the shop and get a refund.