What exactly is Refurb

[Photofarmer]

Often see canon cameras and lenses refurbished.

What exactly is it and why?

Returns and fixed up?

Rentals from companies and returned to canon?

Camera stores selling trades back to canon?

Seems you can save $ at times and nothing wrong especially high end lenses?

 

[MikeZ]

I don't know for a fact, but I've always assumed that these are lenses and cameras with issues returned to Canon, who then inspects and repairs the items for resale. Before switching to Canon, I purchased multiple refurbed pro-level lenses from Nikon and found that the equipment functioned perfectly, like new, at a considerable savings. Never had a problem.

 

[RedCobra]

All the stuff I got from Canon Refurb has been like new with a new warranty. Lenses and bodies (R5)

 

[Jake Shoots Birds]

It varies. They can be anything from open box, unpurchased items from retail stores (ie. the stuff the guy at the camera store hands you to check out), to customer returns. I would say that these make up over 90% of what's considered refurbs, as opposed to items that were damaged either in a shop or perhaps an industry show, though I suspect there are those. In those cases the repair is no different than if a customer were to send their equipment back, it's just that the item cannot be sold now as new.

 

[Chris Summers]

Agree with Jake. I've purchased quite a few items from the Canon store that were refurbished and about the only thing that made it different from brand new was often they come in a plain brown box instead of the usual new camera box. Oh and the price of course!