If this is your first camera
Pay more for proof. A first camera is easiest when the listing shows the exact body powered on, includes a working battery and charger, names the memory card type, and has a recent sample photo from that camera. You are not only buying the camera body. You are buying a setup that can actually shoot on day one.
Untested does not automatically mean broken, but for beginners it can hide the parts that make a cheap listing expensive: a rare battery, a charger that costs almost as much as the body, a Memory Stick or xD-Picture Card reader, a stuck zoom lens, or a battery door that will not stay closed.
When untested can make sense
If you are more experienced, an untested camera can be a real bargain gamble. It is more reasonable when the price is low, the seller is honest about what they could not test, the photos show a clean lens and complete battery door, and you already know how to source batteries, chargers, cards, and readers.
It also makes more sense when you would still be okay if the camera only becomes a parts body, display piece, or repair project. That is a different purchase from buying a reliable everyday camera for a trip, a gift, or your first CCD-style setup.
Read the wording carefully
- Untested: ask what was missing. No charger is different from "we tried it and it failed."
- As-is: assume you may not be able to return it just because it does not work.
- For parts: treat it as a repair or parts purchase, not a ready-to-use camera.
- Powers on: useful, but not enough. You still want the lens, flash, screen, buttons, card slot, and battery door checked.
Ask these before buying
Ask for one photo of the camera powered on, one photo taken with the camera, and one photo of the battery and card door open. If the seller cannot test because they do not have a charger or card, compare the total cost after you add those missing pieces.
For trendy models, keep the price honest. A low-cost untested compact can be fun. An expensive untested compact should leave enough room for the chance that you still need a battery, charger, card reader, repair, or replacement camera.
Simple rule
If you want your first camera to just work, buy the tested listing with the clearest proof. If you already enjoy hunting parts, testing batteries, and fixing little problems, an untested or as-is listing can still be part of the fun when the price matches the risk.