graybeard

What you suggest is fine in theory, but there are not that many old fashioned camera stores around anymore. I live in Chicago, and we have pitifully few. Best Buy does not count. I wanted to buy a Canon 77D recently, but could not find one to lay my hands on. An 80D was as close as I could come, so I bought a 77D online and hoped for the best. Local stores of all kinds are, unfortunately, a dying breed. Your grandchildren will one day in the future say "you mean you used to have stores where you could actually see and touch the thing before you bought it"?

Black Elk Peak

In the last week or so I was looking on-line for a body only Sony a6500. I found a site that advertised a new a6500 body for $895.00. Since the going price is around $1195.00, I was skeptical. I contacted the vendor and asked if their camera was a "gray market" version. They promptly replied that it was an "international" version (read gray market) not a "US" version; no one year warranty, etc.

Bottom line, if it seems too good to be true it prolly is not. I do tip my hat to the vendor for the quick, honest reply. Do your homework before you click the buy now key.

Vaughan K.

BebuLamar

Do you still have Helix?

salewis

I find that very sad. Our world is getting more and more impersonal. I've seen tv ads showing people buying cars from vending machines. People buy cars without a test drive and clothing without trying it on. Record stores are becoming a thing of the past--no chance to browse. I love walking into a bookstore--just being surrounded by all of those books just waiting to be read. But we are losing those also. One of my other hobbies is magic. While we still have a large magic shop in Kansas City, in many other places such shops are closing due to competition from the internet. These are not only stores but gathering places for magicians.

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

The loss of B&M camera stores is that, a loss, a huge loss to photographers. Possibly due to the "I want it now" mentality that the world has adopted. Or maybe it is the laziness of society. I am with many others here who enjoy going into a store and having the option to browse and handle an item before buying. The internet has taken that away from us and it is not always the rapid result anticipated, or desired. As "salewis" said, the world is becoming "more impersonal" and that is what alienates us one from another. That is the sad part, we communicate less.

BebuLamar

It is the "I want it now" that I would buy from a local store rather than online. I would drive 100 miles, paying taxes and a bit higher price because I can have the camera in my hand today and not tomorrow. I think Amazon is working on it but so far they still can't deliver the goods the same day although they can take my money the moment I hit the buy button.

adamsg Loc: Chubbuck, ID

Can we get back to a more civil discourse? The ad hominem comments are wearing VERY thin.

salewis

Thanks for the comment, Adamsg. We should be able to disagree respectfully.

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

It's "all the above".
For someone who doesn't have access to a local brick and mortar, it's internet or nada.
Took 8 rolls of film to a nephew's local store for "rapid processing". Took a week. They left the sticker on from the actual (local to me!) lab- I paid @ 20% extra for their "service".
Another local store tried to split the bundle. Trying to upsell lenses to me, I discovered that their (advertised, price @ right) bundle was the body box, plus (ebay $25) "Neewer Starter Accessory Kit". The (normally) included bundle box (kit lens, etc) would be "extra". *smile*
I went to a Sears Outlet for a replacement home toolbox (mine;s rusted). There was 3 people I could see- a supervisor, a worker, and a cashier. The supervisor shows up- she interrupts us to try to upsell a small filled up rollaround (@$2600!) instead of the $75 plastic one I wanted. BTW, neither in stock. I go to Lowes- I get help. A worker directs me to another worker, who discusses various merits, and I get what I wanted. I enter Kohls, who advertised a toaster oven- 20 minutes later I find out the advertised specials are upstairs, other end, behind the aisles, on an endcap. And she seriously reminds me that there are no rainchecks, and the store is only legally required to have 5 on hand- when the store opens. I go to Walmart- a worker sees me bumbling, helps me with the who/what/why (niece moved) and 5 minutes later there's a box in may cart. Wanna guess what stores are thriving, and which are dying?
This is Los Angeles, Kalifornia. Home of "vanity sizing" and "vanity pricing". I can go ANYwhere on the 'Net and buy my wife a size 10 ANYthing- and it'll be a size 10. Free returns. Here, you need to know the store's policy- a size 10 here is an 8 over there, and maybe a 12 next door. Returns have a restock fee. Twice I was told the prices were higher here to keep out riffraff and looky loos. I don't buy her stuff here anymore.