Hello, >My question: In case I have another chance like this, Should I avoid >photojournalistic used equipment (particularly those handled by Most PJs use their cameras very very extensively, so even if you cannot see the wear and tear on the outside, the frame count may be very high. In short, the general rule is this, the more banged up the camera, the cheaper it is. On the other, if the photographer has handled the lens well, even a 10year old lens will still give excellent results. Check out the lens and body carefully before buying. >non-owners?) Is there any type of equipment that are likely to be in better >shape than other? (cameras, lenses, etc.) I reckon the equipment that's in the best shape are owned by collectors who bought them new or mint. It's likely to be *unused* and the price is often about 10%-20% lower than the original. Remember when the F5 was intro'd? Quite a few casual shooters dumped their F4 for the new one. best, wes ______________________________________________ Memphis West Photography - Singapore http://www.memphiswest.com office(65.3536.044) beeper(65.9522.7170)