Saw a deal on a Canon 70-200 f4 lens

[jaguaraz]

Sorry moderators if this is not the right place to post. I read a post from a new Canon user who was saving up to buy a 70-200 f4 lens. Just saw this deal on the "Slickdeals" website which usually vets these types of deals and it is from Ritz Camera. According to Slickdeals, it is $400 cheaper than the next best merchant. Anyway, I am a Nikon shooter so, if this is a good deal and helps my Canon brethren then great. If anyone knows of the user that just posted about that lens in the last few days, please pass it on.

RitzCamera.com has Canon 70-200mm f/4 L-Series IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens on sale for $629.99 - 3% code CJRCLC =$611.09. Shipping is free.

 

[bratkinson]

I've always been a little leery of Ritz Camera. Do your homework on them before you pull the trigger.

If you're looking for something in the 70-200 range, you may want to consider what I did...the Canon EF 80-200 f2.8L, aka, the 'magic drain pipe'. It's the predecessor to the 70-200 lenses and can be had these days for a little more than what Ritz is offering for the f4. The 80-200 was last made in 1995 or thereabouts and gives drop-dead sharp photos. I couldn't be happier with mine and only recently started using it indoors with incredible results. The limitation being is that Canon will NOT service the lens. So if something goes wrong with it, I'm on my own. FWIW, I found mine on ebay from a seller based in Japan with an outstanding rating over 10,000. The lens was in close to perfect, near new condition and was in my hands 2 days later!

 

[jaguaraz]

Noticed this morning that the deal is dead now. I think it must have been a 24 hour sale.

 

[Steve5D]

I've always been a little leery of Ritz Camera. Do your homework on them before you pull the trigger.

You say that as though you had a bad experience with them or as if you might know something about them.

Yes? No?

What makes you leery?

 

[texkam]

FYI, I picked up a very gently used one for $550 about 6 months ago, and have seen others in that range on the used market. YMMV. Because people like to upgrade to the 2.8 from this, there seems to be a fairly steady supply.

 

[texkam]

You say that as though you had a bad experience with them or as if you might know something about them.

Yes? No?

What makes you leery?

Ritz Camera Liquidation Approved After Second Bankruptcy - Bloomberg

 

[JohnTrav]

I picked one up used for a really good deal. You can find a bunch of them used for anywhere between 500-550. I seen one the other day on another forum site I am on pbnation for 495 asking price.

Also amazon offers it for 629 and they are very reputable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000053HH5/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1367945059&sr=8-4&pi=SL75

Hopefully that link work. Also amazon has a used marketplace. I did not check that out though.

 

[.SimO.]

That deal you saw was a typo from the company originally stating it was the IS version being sold. They corrected it in a short period. Just FYI if anyone was trying to hunt for it.

 

[jaguaraz]

Even though I was the original poster, I don't have a dog in the fight. Just trying to pass on a deal if it truly was one. Seemed to good to be true for a new one with VR (or canon version) and I guess the deal ended quickly.

 

[Dao]

I saw that in the deals site and did pull the trigger simply because of the price. I know it was a price mistake. Basically someone made a mistake and enter the IS and the non-IS version with the same price. And that was why the IS lens was over $400 cheaper than any other places.

They caught it later and sent email out for cancellation.

 

[ronlane]

I saw that in the deals site and did pull the trigger simply because of the price. I know it was a price mistake. Basically someone made a mistake and enter the IS and the non-IS version with the same price. And that was why the IS lens was over $400 cheaper than any other places.

They caught it later and sent email out for cancellation.

So they cancelled your order for it at the lower price? That doesn't sound right. They should have to honor their mistake. (CODB)

 

[jmash]

Got it price matched at local retailer it will be here tomorrow!

 

[ronlane]

Got it price matched at local retailer it will be here tomorrow!

Now that company has honor. They may not be in business long taking losses like that but they did the right thing.

 

[Dao]

I saw that in the deals site and did pull the trigger simply because of the price. I know it was a price mistake. Basically someone made a mistake and enter the IS and the non-IS version with the same price. And that was why the IS lens was over $400 cheaper than any other places.

They caught it later and sent email out for cancellation.

So they cancelled your order for it at the lower price? That doesn't sound right. They should have to honor their mistake. (CODB)

I do not think it is wise for them to honor the price since it was all around the deal sites => Lots of order. If we talks about one or 2 orders, that's a different story. If they lose $300 per order and there were 1000 people ordered the lens, then that is $300000 lost in couple days.

Big boys usually do not usually honor price mistake as well including Amazon, Dell, Bestbuy or Newegg. However, some companies will include a one time use coupon for future purchase just to compensate the inconvenience.