Incredible price on a small Nikon

[Chuckanut]

Normaly, I would not do this and if I am breaking some rule, I hope the moderators will delete this post. But, Groupon is selling a Nikon J1 camera with lens for $165. I assume you also have to pay sales tax. Free shipping, I believe. It is 'refurbished'. I have no financial or other interest in Nikon other than owning one body and two lenses.

Nikon 1 J1 Digital SLR Camera with 10–30mm VR Lens Deal of the Day | Groupon

 

[omni550]

Looks interesting.

Although that got me to run an amazon search and there are many refurbs being sold for $132 - $159 with free shipping.

It appears to be the older model of J1 as well, which may explain their desire to clear out the inventory.

omni

 

[NW-Bound]

While I do not know a lot about cameras currently on the market, it does sound like a good deal. I wonder how they have so many cameras to refurbish. Did this camera have a bad record of being returned or worked on under warranty?

 

[aja8888]

While I do not know a lot about cameras currently on the market, it does sound like a good deal. I wonder how they have so many cameras to refurbished. Did this camera have a bad record of being returned or worked on under warranty?

I bought a refurbished Nikon last year from a NY seller (42nd street photo, I believe). It appeared to be new in the box with not a mark on it and the accessories still in sealed bags. It was an older model and may have been old stock never sold.

 

[Peter]

<pedant alert on>

The groupon ad says SLR, as in single lens reflex. The J1 is actually a mirrorless camera. As in, no mirror to switch between the sensor and the optical viewfinder.

<pedant alert off>

 

[Walt34]

While I do not know a lot about cameras currently on the market, it does sound like a good deal. I wonder how they have so many cameras to refurbish. Did this camera have a bad record of being returned or worked on under warranty?

One thing to look for is who did the "refurbishing". If Nikon did it, the camera is almost certainly fine. These are cameras that are returned for whatever reason, the buyer changed his mind, accidentally ordered the wrong model, or used it for a while and then returned it during the free return period instead of renting one. My understanding is that there are far more of those type events than actual defective cameras.

Whatever the reason the camera gets sent back to Nikon (or Canon, Pentax, etc.) and a technician checks out performance, makes any adjustments needed, and they repackaged it and sell it as "refurbished" with a new warranty.