Is 42nd Street Photo Reputable?
Aug 7, 2018 16:04:00 #
Well I don't know them. I bought mine for $1595 including free battery grip fro B&H Dec 2016. So it could be real without the battery grip deal. But yes beware of gray market.
Aug 7, 2018 16:28:53 #
PixelStan77 wrote:
If you decide to do business with 42nd street photo, I would like to sell you the San Francisco Bay Bridge.
How much for the bridge? Has it been painted recently?
Aug 7, 2018 16:44:58 #
DanielB wrote:
I prefer to deal directly with my local Camera shops here in town for several reasons. 1st - they know me as I rent lenses from them frequently so they are always eager to help me out when needed. 2nd - I much prefer to support my local businesses before going elsewhere.
I agree with your philosophy, Daniel, however, I have no local camera shop within 75 miles of me. Living in a small rural town can be a hindrance or a blessing, depending on your perspective.
Aug 7, 2018 18:16:20 #
Aug 8, 2018 09:57:57 #
I would like to add to the "good" list. Unique in New Jersey. Aside from being reputal in my dealings with them there also free of NY tax.
Aug 8, 2018 11:39:11 #
burkphoto wrote:
This will go on for 10-12 pages with people damning them. Just do a search (button at top of this page) for "42nd Street Photo" and read the thousands of responses that have come before...
If not a local shop, do business with the trusted: "Adorama, B&H, Cameta, KEH, MPB, Roberts". KEH and MPB are used only.
I've dealt with the first four on that list. They're all great... trusted, prompt, efficient, and reasonable.
If not a local shop, do business with the trusted: "Adorama, B&H, Cameta, KEH, MPB, Roberts". KEH and MPB are used only.
I've dealt with the first four on that list. They're all great... trusted, prompt, efficient, and reasonable.
It seems that nobody listens to you about searching. They would rather not make the effort.
Aug 8, 2018 14:57:19 #
rbmartiniv wrote:
42nd St. Photo is offering a Nikon D500 for $1449, that's $450.99 under the regular price. It is by far the best price I have found for the camera. However, I'm a little skeptical and not sure whether to order from them or not. I have heard some stories about gray market and bait/switch tactics. Anybody have any experience with them? Thanks.
FORGET about them. Adorama & B&H. are for me...
Aug 8, 2018 20:31:33 #
Back in the day when Times Square was oftentimes referred to as "Slime Square" there were a number of of questionable stores on 42nd Street that sold electronics and some photographic equipment. My "favorite" was the one with the window display that featured Polaroid cameras with snap-on auxiliary "telephoto" lenses. I guess they appealed to the voyeurs (peeping Toms) that frequented the neighborhood. Of course, with no reflex or ground glass focusing, there was no means of attaining sharp focus! They still managed the sell them. Talk about "Shlock"!
One of theses exclusive shops boasted of lowest prices in town with a enormous sign exclaiming that they were "going out of business"! That sign was in their window for the better part of 10 years. After many complaints to the Better Business Bureau, a number of radio and newspaper consumer protection programs and columns and some actual investigations by a few government agencies it was found that their sign was completely "legitimate" in that the company was duly registered as "Going Out of Business Inc."!
Grey marketing is nothing new. Again, back in the early sixties, there was a guy in Queens, New York, operating from his home basement, selling enormous quantities of grey market Kodak Color roll film. It was indeed made by Kodak in one of their plants elsewhere in the word, probably in a hot and humid climate. The backing paper was twice the thickness of the American stock and had a funny smell. The paper was impregnated with some kind of an anti-humidity compound and the paper was so thick that it fowled up the film transport mechanisms of camera, most of which, were not adjusted for that material. The color negative film was literally "shipped" over by ship in non-refrigerated containers. Mass production wedding studios were buying up the stuff like hotcakes at 50% of the local price. You needed Hoodini to get a good color prints from the resulting negatives and camera backs were going down like flies. This went on for a year!
Sure, you can save money on gray market stuff but it's false economy. Saving 400 bucks on a camera may seem like a good idea until you get stuck with a malfunctioning camer that nobody wants to repair, there is no warranty service even if you are willing to pay and parts are not available through non-authorized sources.
Besides, I never wanted to support a business where the "mission" of the company is to mislead, bait and switch and cause consternation and aggravation for its customers. I imagine a guy who get up in the morning, eats breakfast and says, "Who am I gonna rip off today"!
Again, back in the good old days, in NYC, "Cross Town" in the 34th Street and 7th Avenue area, the more prestigious camera shops like Willoughbys were sometimes up to no good, as well, if the could get away with it. I saw a salesmen talk a client out of a top-of-the line Nikon kit in favor of a inferior no-name store brand. Although the Nikon kit was more expensive, the profit on the cheap kit, percentage wise, was far more profitable. Around the corner was the "Camera Barn" with some crazy war-surplus camera gear,still in stock 15 years after the war!The saleme touted "for the price of this Nikon with one lens, I can give you this East German beauty with 3 lenses, 3 filters and a case! Shhhhh...You just need to remember that if you used a little too much force when you plug in the synch cord, that the contact would fall into the camera body! Free- Band-Aids are included because you coud cut you finger on the machining on the lens barrel.
In around 1957, Minolta, brought in their model A 35mm rangefinder camera and a really nice 120 TLR called the Autocord. The local repair facility and distributorship was not all set up as yet so the manufacturer instructed dealers to "crush" and destroy any cameras that were returned by customer because of any manufacturing defects and simply replace the offending units with brand new working cameras. It was not cost effective to ship the lemons back to Japan for repair and they wanted to maintain an impeccable reputation. Some of the dealers were, instead, selling the defective cameras to a camera shop in The Bronx, where they were kinda doctored up, repackaged and SOLD at low prices to unsuspecting customers.
Ah nostalgia...so, according to all the aforementioned posts, it seem that 42nd Street Photo is the last vestige of the past of a pre-gentrified Times Square! Are they actually on 42nd Street? Or are the working from a basement in Brooklyn? Well, at least, eventually the customers do get a camera.
One of theses exclusive shops boasted of lowest prices in town with a enormous sign exclaiming that they were "going out of business"! That sign was in their window for the better part of 10 years. After many complaints to the Better Business Bureau, a number of radio and newspaper consumer protection programs and columns and some actual investigations by a few government agencies it was found that their sign was completely "legitimate" in that the company was duly registered as "Going Out of Business Inc."!
Grey marketing is nothing new. Again, back in the early sixties, there was a guy in Queens, New York, operating from his home basement, selling enormous quantities of grey market Kodak Color roll film. It was indeed made by Kodak in one of their plants elsewhere in the word, probably in a hot and humid climate. The backing paper was twice the thickness of the American stock and had a funny smell. The paper was impregnated with some kind of an anti-humidity compound and the paper was so thick that it fowled up the film transport mechanisms of camera, most of which, were not adjusted for that material. The color negative film was literally "shipped" over by ship in non-refrigerated containers. Mass production wedding studios were buying up the stuff like hotcakes at 50% of the local price. You needed Hoodini to get a good color prints from the resulting negatives and camera backs were going down like flies. This went on for a year!
Sure, you can save money on gray market stuff but it's false economy. Saving 400 bucks on a camera may seem like a good idea until you get stuck with a malfunctioning camer that nobody wants to repair, there is no warranty service even if you are willing to pay and parts are not available through non-authorized sources.
Besides, I never wanted to support a business where the "mission" of the company is to mislead, bait and switch and cause consternation and aggravation for its customers. I imagine a guy who get up in the morning, eats breakfast and says, "Who am I gonna rip off today"!
Again, back in the good old days, in NYC, "Cross Town" in the 34th Street and 7th Avenue area, the more prestigious camera shops like Willoughbys were sometimes up to no good, as well, if the could get away with it. I saw a salesmen talk a client out of a top-of-the line Nikon kit in favor of a inferior no-name store brand. Although the Nikon kit was more expensive, the profit on the cheap kit, percentage wise, was far more profitable. Around the corner was the "Camera Barn" with some crazy war-surplus camera gear,still in stock 15 years after the war!The saleme touted "for the price of this Nikon with one lens, I can give you this East German beauty with 3 lenses, 3 filters and a case! Shhhhh...You just need to remember that if you used a little too much force when you plug in the synch cord, that the contact would fall into the camera body! Free- Band-Aids are included because you coud cut you finger on the machining on the lens barrel.
In around 1957, Minolta, brought in their model A 35mm rangefinder camera and a really nice 120 TLR called the Autocord. The local repair facility and distributorship was not all set up as yet so the manufacturer instructed dealers to "crush" and destroy any cameras that were returned by customer because of any manufacturing defects and simply replace the offending units with brand new working cameras. It was not cost effective to ship the lemons back to Japan for repair and they wanted to maintain an impeccable reputation. Some of the dealers were, instead, selling the defective cameras to a camera shop in The Bronx, where they were kinda doctored up, repackaged and SOLD at low prices to unsuspecting customers.
Ah nostalgia...so, according to all the aforementioned posts, it seem that 42nd Street Photo is the last vestige of the past of a pre-gentrified Times Square! Are they actually on 42nd Street? Or are the working from a basement in Brooklyn? Well, at least, eventually the customers do get a camera.
Oct 28, 2018 23:04:07 #
dasher123
Loc: Gulf Coast... Paradise!!!!
Yep....Hunt ' s photo in Memphis, great people ....many dealings back in late '80's -90's ....fond memories! (Dasher).
Oct 31, 2018 13:04:44 #
rbmartiniv wrote:
Really? Everbody here warns about them (run away, fast) just about every month for years!42nd St. Photo is offering a Nikon D500 for $1449, that's $450.99 under the regular price. It is by far the best price I have found for the camera. However, I'm a little skeptical and not sure whether to order from them or not. I have heard some stories about gray market and bait/switch tactics. Anybody have any experience with them? Thanks.
Oct 31, 2018 13:48:26 #
PixelStan77 wrote:
If you decide to do business with 42nd street photo, I would like to sell you the San Francisco Bay Bridge.
HEY! That's my bridge. I ordered three years ago. 42nd St. says it's on back order right now, but I should be patient.
Nov 8, 2018 08:55:57 #
AndyH wrote:
I'd think the odds were down to four or five pages by now. It's been repeated so many times... but hey, someone could also ask about Abe's of Maine! (another shady operation)
I'll add Hunt's Camera to burkphoto's list. Many of us here, including me, have dealt with them since they were known as Hunt's Drug, and were in the back of an actual drugstore. Good people, good citizens of photo nation, and good source of bargains and honest dealings.
Andy
I'll add Hunt's Camera to burkphoto's list. Many of us here, including me, have dealt with them since they were known as Hunt's Drug, and were in the back of an actual drugstore. Good people, good citizens of photo nation, and good source of bargains and honest dealings.
Andy
Oops, looks like you missed as it has hit 6 pages as of this post.
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