The good, the bad & the ugly.
Digital Pros which advertised in this forum is one to avoid also.
I actually like Amazon for some purchases. I use common sense when deciding if I like who is going to fill the order. I have on at least three occasions bought a camera, tried it out, decided I did not like it (or found fault) and returned it. They are very lenient when it comes to cameras.
sb
Loc: Florida's East Coast
Elliern wrote:
Has anyone used Beach Camera? I notice that both Amazon and Best Buy use them as 3rd party sellers.
For my online photo equipmentI have used, and would use again:
B&H
Amazon
Costco
Best Buy
Canon
I have also used Abe's of Maine many years ago, but would probably not do so again.
Be aware that Amazon acts as a storefront for many sellers - so when you buy a Canon camera from Amazon, you can look at the top of the page and see that the actual seller is Canon - or it could be another camera shop. There may not be any indication of whether the item is gray market or not. So you have to be cautious. Amazon has some advantages - 2-day Prime shipping is wonderful. Their customer protection is very good with 30-day returns on most items.
I bought from Abe's many years ago - but that was before I learned about gray market sales - I don't know if their
products come with US warrantees or not.
Costco has good prices, but some of the big box sellers do a little slight of hand sometimes - the packages they sell may not include the exact same lenses that are generally packaged with the manufacturer's kit. But the reviews here seem to be very favorable in general.
Unfortunately, Best Buy has replaced your corner camera shop as the only place you can physically go and pick up a camera and see how it feels and how it works (well, sometimes - they often aren't functioning when I go).
i only use b and h and adorama ...they are reputable and will offer great service..i see many of the salespeople when i go into the store itself..they are very helpful and knowledgeable ..they stand by their service...both are highly established businesses in nyc..
B&H has a great no hassle return policy.
I guess I am old fashioned. But I would think that when buying a camera, lens,flash etc, that a person would want to go to a store and buy the item.
Anyone ever think about the fact that there are hackers out there that have gotten into the files of various different banks and other stores. And gotten email addresses and bank account info? Gee I hope you guys also have a good drive wiper on the computer because the banking info is still on the computer for someone to get a hold of.
B&H, Adorama and KEH the cream always rrises to the top.
I googled my favorite camera store from my year in Washington, DC, to find out they are no longer in business. I have a preference for buying local and am a lomgtime customer of Wolfe's in Topeka. This is not to be confused with Wolf which is a chain.
For cameras, there is nothing like getting your hands on one and looking through the finder. There is nothing like being able to feel the lens before buying or being able to get a deal on a used lens that just came in.
That said, I have had to buy stuff mail order and I have used Adorama, B&H and Cameras of Oregon.
When dealing by internet the rule is caveat emptor.
Ranjan
Loc: Currently Cyber-Nation!
MarkD wrote:
B&H, Adorama, and keh are great to deal with. I've never used Cameta, but I've heard good things about them. I don't concern myself with the others. These three have earned my trust and loyalty.
I have purchased several items from Cameta, through amazon and have never had reasons to complain. Products were as described, shipping reasonably fast, pricing very competitive.
las
Loc: West-Central Illinois on the Mississippi
I've had good experiences with Roberts in Indianapolis.
birder585 wrote:
I have read snippets here & there on this blog on the good online camera stores & the bad ones. I would appreciate 1 spot to go to for reference when I need it to know where to shop. So, who are the good ones & who are the bad ones?
Adorama, Amazon, B&H, Cameta, Crutchfield, Hunt's, Robert's, and probably some others. An authorized dealer will be approved by the manufacturer, so it will be reputable, and the prices will be just about the same from one seller to another.
phlash46
Loc: Westchester County, New York
Dngallagher wrote:
To be safe - the ABC of on line buying
Adorama
B&H
Cameta Camera
You can add KEH for used as well.
Add Roberts Camera as well. Good people.
birder585 wrote:
I have read snippets here & there on this blog on the good online camera stores & the bad ones. I would appreciate 1 spot to go to for reference when I need it to know where to shop. So, who are the good ones & who are the bad ones?
I don't know the bad one because I only shop at Adorama & B&H. I don't care the others! I use online shopping at Adorama and in store shop at B&H. Adorama doesn't charge sale tax to CT. I like walking around in the store of B&H in NYC, because it's huge lots stuff displaying around.
If you want to reply, then
register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.