On 23 Oct 2001 13:06:18 GMT, nhdoc@aol.com (NHDoc) wrote:

>Personally, I think any "professional" photographer who buys a refurbished
>camera and uses it the very first time to shoot for a paying customer is not
>being very professional. Even if I were to buy a brand new camera I would be
>very reluctant to have the very first roll of film through it be an important
>one. I worked in a camera store for years and I can't tell you how many people
>bought brand new cameras to take on their once in a lifetime vacations and
>returned with all blank films due to a defect (either in the equipment or with
>the user). I always recommended to customers that they put a test roll through
>a camera to make sure a) the camera works properly and b) they know what they
>are doing. Just my 2 cents.

But worth MUCH, MUCH more...! ;-)
People assume that new = defect-free,
but it all too often isn't true!
The first roll through anything
photographic I buy is the test roll,
whether camera or lens (or camcorder...).