Where do you personally buy your cameras from?

[woodyracing]

bought my Canon T2i from Best Buy lol. Was going to order it online but realized I had a $100 gift card and they had it in stock. Ordered a couple of lenses and some GoPro gear from Adorama via Amazon with no complaints. Well actually I will say a lense I got from Adorama was shipped in a DirecTV receiver box which was kinda confusing until I opened it. The actual lens box was packaged securely inside but it's still weird to be expecting a camera lens and the UPS guy hands you a box with DirecTV logos all over it...

 

[Raian-san]

Amazon and BH

 

[e.rose]

bought my Canon T2i from Best Buy lol.

I figured out which camera I wanted first, and then checked out places that had it in stock.

I too, ended up buying it from Best Buy... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! THE HORROOOOOOOOOOOOR!!!! NOT *BEST BUY*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why?

Because someone tipped me of to a coupon I could find online and print and get 20% off of the camera... and considering that I was buying a camera that was 1 to 200 dollars MORE than what my husband wanted me to pay in the FIRST place... I figured I'd ease the blow with, "But BAAAAAAAABYYYYYYYY! I found a COUPON!!!!!!!" :lmao:

Anyway, I bought the camera from there, but I did NOT buy their... whatever care plan, warrenty, bull... because 1. I just saved on the price of the camera, I wasn't going to add to it, and 2. I read that it was a crock of bull anyway.

Canon stuff has a 1 year warranty on their stuff anyway, so I wasn't too worried about it.

After that though, I have bought everything *else* from either Adorama, B&H, or our local camera shop (depending on what it was, what it cost, and how desperate I was for instant buyers satisfaction )

Lenses, flashes, hard drives, what have you, were usually from Adorama or B&H.

Flash gels, umbreallas... local camera shop.. although my two most recent umbreallas were from Adorama, 'cause I be po' and they be cheaper than my camera shop.

(Yeah, yeah, I know... support local camera shops and all that... but when you're married to a musician and in between tours yourself... every penny counts. :lmao: )

 

[analog.universe]

But if the set that I'm looking at is $579 there and $596 somewhere else... I'm still saving myself money.. by going with the $579 with the extras.

It's like why pay more to get less just for the sake of getting less.

What you are paying more for is not the camera, you pay to buy it from people you know you can trust. A good camera shop will service their sales, they make a point to keep your business. If you have any problems, you know you're taken care of. If you want to return it for any reason or no reason, you know you won't get hassled. For little random nothings, sure, shop for the best price, doesn't really matter. If you're spending a few hundred on something that you hope will last you for years, isn't the peace of mind worth $30? Especially considering that the stuff you get for "free" is likely extremely poor quality stuff that you either don't need, or will replace anyway.

Also, did you consider shipping cost when comparing? I've never paid for shipping on camera equipment, it's most of the time included for free by the big shops. If your discount shop makes you pay for it that will be a chunk of the savings gone already.

I suppose it's a difference of perspective. Yes, $30 is $30... but for me it's worth it to try and earn an extra $30 somewhere (or save an extra $30... that's like, 3 meals cooked at home instead of eating out?) than to skimp with regards to something that will get a lot of use for a lot of years.

 

[mjhoward]

Before I bought mine, I tried calling a couple of local dedicated camera shops that were in town. Unfortunately the only two that existed, had gone out of business over the past 3 years. Since I bought my camera right as the D7000 was coming out, I purchased from Best Buy since they were getting them up to a month sooner than anywhere else. I was also able to use the 10% movers coupon on the purchase. For most everything else, I've either bought new from B&H or used from members at FredMiranda. Never had a purchase on used equipment that was sour. Would love to be able to buy locally though.

 

[ph0enix]

If I were you I'd seriously consider the Pentax K5.
They come up for sale used on the Pentax forum from time to time with less than 8k shutter actuations.
Hold the Nikon d3100 in your hand then pick up the Pentax k5 and hold it.........you will then see and feel the superior build quality of Pentax.

The whole "which camera should I buy" seems difficult. I mean everyone has a personal preference. How much do pentax cameras run?

The K5 that Lightspeed loves so much is roughly twice as much as the Nikon D3100.

 

[blackrose89]

If I were you I'd seriously consider the Pentax K5. They come up for sale used on the Pentax forum from time to time with less than 8k shutter actuations.Hold the Nikon d3100 in your hand then pick up the Pentax k5 and hold it.........you will then see and feel the superior build quality of Pentax.

The whole "which camera should I buy" seems difficult. I mean everyone has a personal preference. How much do pentax cameras run?

The K5 that Lightspeed loves so much is roughly twice as much as the Nikon D3100.

Yeah not going to happen. Ive been looking around and the cheapest I have found the camera that I want is $499 at HHgreg. I'm not looking to spend more then $600. And I will not buy used.

 

[mjhoward]

And I will not buy used.

Thats a shame, you can get a mint D90 that isn't much different from new for your $600 budget. IMO, it's silly to completely rule out used equipment when you can get much better optics, bodies, etc. for the same as what beginner level equipment costs new. In most cases, I've found that I couldn't tell that the item had been used for longer than a week, if even at all.

 

[analog.universe]

And I will not buy used.

Thats a shame, you can get a mint D90 that isn't much different from new for your $600 budget. IMO, it's silly to completely rule out used equipment when you can get much better optics, bodies, etc. for the same as what beginner level equipment costs new. In most cases, I've found that I couldn't tell that the item had been used for longer than a week, if even at all.

I agree with this. I've had a few friends come to me and ask what camera they can get for $500 or $600, and I always recommend a used mid-level body over any of the "interface limited" tiny bodies like the 3100 or Rebels. The difference in the viewfinders and ergonomics will affect your photography way more than the fact that maybe the camera is a few years old with 20,000 clicks and some scratch marks.

 

[DiskoJoe]

ebay mostly. go with the d300. A friend of mine uses that for her professional work. Good motor for the price and not just you basic entry level. You can grow with the 300. Lens will be the big investment. Do you have friends that shoot Nikon too? Always buy the same brand as friends. This way you can share lens.

Personally I shoot sony. Lots of people might tell you to not go that route. But the motors they make are good and the lenses cost less because the stabilization is in the motor and not the lenses. Usually makes lenses a few hundred dollars less.

 

[ph0enix]

And I will not buy used.

Thats a shame, you can get a mint D90 that isn't much different from new for your $600 budget. IMO, it's silly to completely rule out used equipment when you can get much better optics, bodies, etc. for the same as what beginner level equipment costs new. In most cases, I've found that I couldn't tell that the item had been used for longer than a week, if even at all.

Yeah, I'm thinking that my next camera will come from the used market.

 

[Derrel]

But if the set that I'm looking at is $579 there and $596 somewhere else... I'm still saving myself money.. by going with the $579 with the extras.

This line of thinking is fine on something that costs $29, and which can be replaced easily. On an item that costs $579, and on which REPAIR bills can EASILY hit $400, just for opening up the case and doing a check, saving $30 is not really quite the same as paying $596 from as walk-in store that will say, "Oh, that's awful! Here, let us take yours back and we will give you a new body."

I'm not trying to badmouth any one particular web site, but there is a very widespread tendency for the "lowest price" vendors on the web to offer less-than-quality merchandise as part of kits and packages--and sometimes you will find that what you are buying is "grey market". Meaning....Nikon USA will NOT REPAIR the items--at ANY price. You will need to have any grey market items sent to a private repair company, and not one of Nikon's well-staffed USA service centers. Does the web site state "USA Warranty"??? Or, will they try and sell you a 1,2,3,or 5-year "private, extended" warranty for $39, $59, $129, or $200???

Let's put it this way: it's not always a good idea to save $20,$25, or $30 by buying from a small web-based seller when you can have the USA warranty, easy return/exchange/replace options at the big dealers AND the majority of local brick and mortars...

 

[maaatter]

Just a quick question for those who buy online. Do you prefer B&H, Adorama, or even Cameta?

 

[Destin]

New: B&H, or Unique Photo.

Used: Wherever I find a good deal from a seller I trust. Ebay, Craigslist, local used stores, newspaper classified ads, etc.

 

[e.rose]

Just a quick question for those who buy online. Do you prefer B&H, Adorama, or even Cameta?

Whichever has the better deal.

The only difference between Adorama and B&H's service is the fact that B&H is closed more often than Adorama. But that's it. Sometimes B&H is cheaper... sometimes Adorama is cheaper... I always check both sites for what I'm shopping for and go with whoever is cheaper. I mean... and I also check our local camera shop, but they're *never* cheaper. Just more convenient.