Our Gear Experts have been appraising, grading, and renewing cameras, lenses, and accessories for more than 40 years using our proprietary system—the industry’s gold standard.
If it comes from KEH, it’s the real deal. Guaranteed.
Each individual piece of equipment receives a quality rating after a thorough 10-step inspection process by our team of top-notch technicians.
Grades are based on cosmetic attributes and not on functionality, as all equipment is guaranteed to work as intended unless otherwise noted, or if it falls under the AS IS grade.
If you’d like to know more about our inspection process, see below for a detailed breakdown.
Digital Camera Bodies
- Visually inspect the physical condition of the body, including any components inside the mirror box or sensor areas, screens, battery doors and memory card pins.
- Insert a test battery & memory card, powering the camera on.
- Set camera mode to Manual (M) or Aperture Priority (A).
- Clear all prior menu settings, input test settings and clear the sensor using a bulb blower.
- Attach a test lens and test the camera’s metering capabilities and calibration.
- Adjust the diopter and inspect the viewfinder area.
- Change meter settings and confirm that they change in viewfinder
- Test the camera’s shooting and focusing capabilities including vibration reduction, continuous shooting modes, video capabilities, flash modes and white & black exposures.
- Inspect the image quality of these test photos on a separate computer screen to check for focus issues, sensor dust or damage, hot or stuck pixels, or any other quality issues.
- Note any problems, damage, wear, loose or missing pieces and confirm grade before sending to the next step.
Film Camera Bodies
- Visually inspect the physical condition of the body, including any controls, lens mount, battery contacts, viewfinder or rangefinder, mirror box, film back, shutter and bellows if applicable.
- Insert battery if applicable, then check and reset any custom functions.
- Inspect any LCD displays and diopter.
- Set Mode to Manual (M) or Aperture (A) Priority and input test settings.
- Attach test lens and check metering accuracy, adjusting for over and under exposure.
- Check shutter speeds from 1 second to the camera’s highest setting, including B and T modes, while making sure the shutter opens completely at all speeds.
- Load test film and check film advance mechanisms including the frame counter.
- Check motor drive and film rewind if applicable.
- Test self-timer, depth of field preview and flash abilities including PC sync.
- Note any problems, damage, wear, loose or missing pieces and confirm grade before sending to the next step.
Lenses
- Visually inspect the physical condition of the lens including grips, mount area, filter ring threads, hood locking tabs and more.
- Thoroughly examine the glass from the front, rear and sides with a bright light, checking for any anomalies throughout the lens like haze, dust, fungus, scratches, cleaning marks or damage.
- Mount the lens to a test camera body.
- Rotate the focus, zoom and aperture rings through their full range for stiffness, loose areas, and roughness or grit.
- Test autofocus accuracy both near and far if applicable, taking note of any squeaks or sounds.
- Check aperture response at widest and smallest, taking note of any sticky apertures or oil spots.
- Activate image stabilization if applicable to confirm proper engagement.
- Test lens shutter speeds if applicable from 1 second to the fastest speed, making sure that the shutter opens smoothly and completely.
- Test any buttons or switches on the lens including focus hold, depth of field preview or zoom locks.
- Note any problems, damage, wear, loose or missing pieces and confirm grade before sending to the next step.
Our grading system
| KEH Grade | KEH Description | KEH | B&H | ADORAMA | AMAZON |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEW | Not previously owned. No wear, new glass. Unopened box, complete with manufacturer's warranty or KEH 180-day Warranty, whichever is longer. | ||||
| LIKE NEW | No signs of use. No wear, new glass. Opened, still in manufacturer's packaging, with original accessories and instructions. KEH 180-day Warranty. | ||||
| LIKE NEW MINUS | Barely used. Very limited signs of wear. Glass could contain light dust or debris. Excellent picture quality. Accessories usually not included, unless noted. KEH 180-day Warranty. | ||||
| EXCELLENT PLUS | Lightly used. Very limited signs of wear. Glass could contain light dust or debris. Excellent picture quality. Accessories usually not included, unless noted. KEH 180-day Warranty. | ||||
| EXCELLENT | Average use. Average signs of wear. Possibility of dings or blemishes. Glass may have average dust or surface marks. Excellent picture quality. Accessories usually not included, unless noted. KEH 180-day Warranty. | ||||
| BARGAIN | More than average use. May have dents, dings, or finish loss. Glass may have scratches, dust, and blemishes. Should not affect picture quality. Accessories usually not included, unless noted. KEH 180-day Warranty. | ||||
| UGLY | Heavily used. Extensive, visibly wear. Multiple impressions in the finish, excessive finish loss, and brassing. Glass could have significant debris, marks, and/or haze which could affect picture quality. Accessories usually not included, unless noted. No caps or hood. No warranty. | ||||
| AS IS | Heavily used. Equipment either doesn't work or doesn't work as intended by the manufacturer. Generally usable for parts only. Box and accessories not included. No warranty, no returns. |
