This is my disclaimer for buying used equipment online or even in a situation where you can inspect and buy the item in person.
Many of the items I acquire and talk about on this website are 40-70 years old, and many of them were in rough shape when I bought them, being priced accordingly. On the other hand, there are often rare or in-demand items of the same vintage that tend to command premium prices, regardless of whether they require repair or not. In any event, the used equipment I acquire – including the premium stuff – almost always requires some cleaning, maintenance, and/or repair – sometimes major repairs. Also, some equipment cannot be salvaged or has unknown defects that essentially render it useless, and this can even happen in the course of attempted repairs – so you take that risk every time you buy without a “live” examination of the item. I do all cleaning, maintenance, and repairs myself, and thus avoid paying someone else to do it. I’ve had a lot of practice, have had many successful outcomes and a few unsuccessful ones, and your results performing such work may vary significantly from mine.
Used equipment is acquired at your own risk, and I really don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking that decades-old vintage equipment can be had for low prices without some headaches and some losses. Furthermore, it will likely not be fully functional (especially lenses) until cleaned and repaired. You can usually pay a premium price for used equipment that has been inspected, tested, and warranted, and you can also use professional camera repair services. This is probably the best option for most folks. In any case, the end result of smart used equipment purchases is usually a net benefit in terms of one’s enjoyment of photography.
