Agree. I've bought 3 Nikon lenses, my D7000 and 2 Nikon flashes from Cameta- all refurb and all bundled to "sweeten" the package. All camw with a Nikon factory refurb certificate (90 day) and an additional 1-yr Cameta warranty through Mack. Plus free shipping and no tax (unless you are in NY).

Sounds like he is grey market dealer but won't admit it. I would call Nikon and find out the real deal on him.
If you do decide to purchase it anyway, make sure you indicate this you can return this item if the serial number doesn't match up with Nikon's list of US items. If he accepts, then at least you can have some legal leg to stand on.

I whittled down my cameras (Nikon including an Ftn, D5000, an D7000. Rolleicord Pre WWII), flashes, strobes, etc down to a much more workable number. Use only my D7000 and 3 lenses (Nikon 35mm f2.8, Tamron 18-270, and a Rokinon 14mm/f2.8. Have 2 Nikon flashes (SB 600 and 700 and the Phottix Strato ttl system. Some Lumiquest light modifiers and an LED light for video that I got for < $25 on eBay a few yrs ago.
I'm far from being a professional but I do enjoy photography and travel so these are more than enough.
PS: If anyone wants/needs a complete color darkroom (Beseler 67C dichro, etc.) let me know. Since going 100% digital, it's just a relic taking up space. Kinda sad

I think for all zooms, the lock only is for the retracted lens. Also avoids any stress on the internal workings. Just a matter of taking 2 seconds more to engage the lock and the same to unlock. Better than having to send it back for repairs (but just my opinion)

It's a known problem with this lens (and similar zooms). You have to trade off a easily maneuverable zoom vs one that is stiff.
I simply slide the lock closed and the problem goes away. And I also have a Lowepro Toploader Pro 70 which is a handy way of carrying your camera with your lens and accessories (like a 2nd lens, stobe, extra battery, SD card, etc). In addition, it offers protection when the weather turns south and you want to protect your equipment.

Try this to do a reset:
1: Rotate the "Power" switch to the "On" position.
2: Press the "Qual" button, located on the top left of the camera, with one finger and hold it while also pressing the "Exposure Compensation" button, which is marked with a plus-minus icon and is located on the top right of the camera.
3: Wait for more than three seconds while still holding the buttons down, until the control panel turns off briefly while the camera resets itself to the factory default settings. Release the buttons.

Good luck. If this doesn't help, then strongly suggest you send it Nikon or Mack Camera (they are very good and very honest)

All my refurbs from Cameta have come with a 1 yr warranty (Nikon 7000, Nikon SB600 and SB700). First 90 days is from Nikon and the balance is through Cameta using a 3rd party service. But in fact, I've never had to return anything for warrany issues as they have worked perfectly

I have bought nearly all my camera equipment from them (D7000, SB 700, lenses, etc.)and they are great. What's even better is that they will price packages based upon what you want and if you are outside of NY, it will be tax free and often with free shipping.
I normally ask for Lou Cohen but the other the sales people are quite knowledgeable and a lot are also pro photographers. Shipping normally goes out the next day but if you are in a hurry, you can get expedited service.
They also have a number of great refurb offers along with their own extended warranty that takes it to a year. In fact, all the refurb items I've gotten from them look and perform like new as they are manufacturer refurbed.
Good luck!

If you are a geek and like to build a machine, it can be a lot of fun and you can save money. It can also cause a lot of chest pain if you don't know what you are doing.
Unless you have spent time putting cards into mother boards and know which cable goes where, let someone else do the work. You can always go to MicroCenter or Tiger and buy a 2nd hard drive or additional memory to put into the machine if you feel the need to modify your machine, but if you are the primary builder, then you are also the person who has all the responsibility to fix it when something goes wrong.

First off, 3 month builder warranty at that price is no bargain. Also the hard drive is small (you really want a 1 tb hard drive). If it is not W7 Professional, then you are not get the full power of the OS. And finally, Office 2003 is ancient and has been replaced by Office 2007, Office 2010, and Office 365.
Then you have to add on a monitor, keyboard and mouse for at least $175more (that's only for wired, not wireless).
You can better with a name brand machine.

If it's any consolation, I have my Beseler 67 with a dichro head sitting in the back of my garage next to the developer tanks, an 8X10 easel, and an Omega color analyzer. Even have the big old timer clock that was accurate maybe 1 out of 3 times (OK, i bought it used for a great price). Went on line recently to see if I could buy paper and chemistry to print up some of my old negatives and the prices gave me chest pain. Sadly, now it's cheaper to scan the negatives and print them after doing touch-ups with Photoshop.
PS: Anyone want to buy a complete photo lab? I think I still have some paper that probably expired a few decades ago.

Back a long time ago when I was in high school, I worked for Scott Photo in Rockville Centre, NY. They were a big player in the mail order film processing business and we had well over 100 people in our building. We would pride ourselves in getting mail in by 8 am (I had to go to the post office is a Dodge van to pick up the bags) so it could be opened, processed, printed and mailed out the door before 3 pm. We had 4 color and 1 B&W processors and could do 10 rolls per bar, 6 bars per minute). and yes, every print was checked manually and the customer given credit for bad photos.
Might not have been as cost effective as Photoshop, but I know a lot of folks would be real happy when our mailer came to them with the pictures inside.
Now the building is just a warehouse and the business, like the Kodak photo finishing plant in New Jersey where I now live, is just a distant memory

Agree that since you already have a decent Nikon lens that you like and understand, just get just the body. If you want an additional lens (i.e the Nikon 35mm f2.8) you can get that for < $200 (Cameta, B&H, Adorama) and have a great system and still be $100 ahead.
Also, if you know which lens you want, Cameta does DIY kits, i.e. you choose the body and the lens and they will give you a package deal. Much better than doing it separately. That's what I did for my D7000 (body only and the Nikon 35mm lens).
BTW if you want to save even more, you can get the 7100 now as a factory refurb and put an additional $200 in your pocket and essentially get a second lens for free. Just make sure it is a Nikon refurb. Comes with a Nikon guarantee that is oftern extended by the vendor.

You can also go to the vendor sites (HP, Dell, Lenovo) and look at their outlet/refurb pages. You can a solid machine with Window 7 Pro for a lot less.
Unless you know W-8, stick with W-7. It is a solid operating system and you won't get stuck having to buy subscription software (i.e. Office 365 or the Photoshop). It's also why most big companies have insisted the Msoft continue to support and sell W-7 since W-8 is such a piece of dung. If you don't believe me, just look at their sales.

I would suggest you look to get a light modifier (I am a big fan of Lumiquest products because they are lightweight, affordable, made of high quality materials and their customer support is fantastic!)
I use their Quick Bounce since it is easy to adjust to amount of direct and indirect light and also their Soft Box. They also have a cinch strap that makes mounting very easy. Gary Fong makes excellent products as well. I use these with my SB-600 and 700 and also have the Phottix Strato TTL for Nikon so I can set up my lights for portrait work and get excellent results.
Good luck!