EVA1: Buying a used camera?

K

Kevin Kelly

Active member
I'm considering buying a used EVA-1. They seem to be fairly robust. Any problem areas to look out for? Is there any way to check hours of use? How many hours would be considered "low mileage"?

Thanks.
 
Back in the day when cameras had tape transports, which were complicated mechanical marvels that were prone to wear and tear, hours of use were meaningful. But hours of use has little meaning for today's cameras. Being fully electronic with virtually no moving parts, the MTBF is very high. So high that hours of use don't really play a factor. Failures will be randomly distributed across all ages of the camera. The only known low hours item on a camera would be a fan. But even then, fans typically can run for 24x7x 5 years.
 
IMO, I think you should still be wary or at least curious about any extreme numbers. Anything over 1000 hours could be considered for some as a lot of use. A lot of heating up, button pressing, etc. But for others, 2000-3000-4000 might be normal and around the max they'd consider.

With that said, you'll rarely find a newer camera with that many hours on it with the amount of turnover there is with new toys today.
 
Nothing in particular with the EVA-1 different than any other used camera. Only weak points I’ve noticed is plastic parts attached LED monitor etc, but doesn’t really matter as replacement metal parts from small rig are preferable and higher quality. And cheap.

I’d be less concerned with “mileage” and rather use case. 2000 hours recording school plays vs 200 hours recording snowboarding... I’d buy the school plays camera.
 
A quick check at B&H: used price range $5.2-5.5k; while new price is $6.5k. I'm sure you'll find better deals out there. But at that price difference, I'd take the full warranty and zero wear and tear on the body, buttons, switches, etc. Cheap insurance, if you ask me, especially if you use it for anything remotely critical.

Maybe I'd take the risk if it was for a second cam, closer to 40% off MSRP, and had specific work lined up with it in mind that would pay it off quickly, etc., but that's my own personal threshhold.
 
I'm surprised at how high the prices still are for an EVA1, higher than an FS7! An FS7 is sub $3K, bet it will hit US$2.5K before this current economic crisis is over.

While a secondhand EVA1 is still US$4.5K or so on eBay? Especially surprising as an EVA1 was selling brand new for US$3.75K last year on eBay.

NorBro said:
IMO, I think you should still be wary or at least curious about any extreme numbers. Anything over 1000 hours could be considered for some as a lot of use. A lot of heating up, button pressing, etc. But for others, 2000-3000-4000 might be normal and around the max they'd consider.
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Depends a lot on how they're used, a camera could be set up for live streaming 24/7 and have an insane number of hours racked up.

While a camera which has been used "only" for a few months for a doco in war torn Syria... heh, it might have less hours on it, but it could also be beat up to hell!

Was just recently chatting with a FB friend who got back from a doco in Syria recently, they managed to destroy not one but two AMIRA cameras! And trashed a brand new (it's only just recently released!) Sound Devices 833.

Yikes
 
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Nah, 1000 hours is 1000 hours (let alone any more). That's a long time for recording, being used by someone, and/or just being on (for a cinema camera, not a security camera).

I wouldn't buy a camera with that many whether it was live streaming or just being used regularly. Maybe the live streaming could even end up being even worse with it constantly running and producing internal non-cosmetic damage.

At the end of the day, it's all moot because buyers will never know the truth.

I used to record snowboarding when I was younger and never fell or dropped the camera once, but if I was looking to sell it later and told any interested individuals that then they wouldn't be able to get it out of their heads and that would depreciate it immediately.
 
Turn over is high and cameras can take a ton of abuse. EVA1's are relatively new in the first place. I'd go for it.
 
As the OP, I want to let everyone know that I bought a used EVA1 with a little over 200 hours. Hoping to put this to good use soon.
 
Congratulations!
I'm sure you'll be happy with your decision.

Sometimes as camerapersons we do a shoot and just move on to the next one. One of the projects I've been working on with the EVA1 is a documentary for which we've been shooting interviews (occasionally) for more than a year. With several additional interviews now postponed until things open up again, the producer decided to do a work-in-progress edit -- which he shared with me last week. Even though I had originally monitored the camera while shooting, I was literally stunned by how good the EVA1 footage looked! -- which makes me that much more excited by the prospect of getting to continue with the EVA1 when we are able to continue.
 
Congrats!

I have a C300iii on order. Actually I’m on a field job, 1st one after a long time. EVA1 images look great and I see it going with a tear in the eye.
 
Clermond said:
Congrats!

I have a C300iii on order. Actually I’m on a field job, 1st one after a long time. EVA1 images look great and I see it going with a tear in the eye.
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Will be interesting to hear about your transition.
 
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