Buying photography equipment
In 2001, I tried to purchase an Epson 1280 I found at a good price. Instead of the product, I got a “hard sell” over the phone trying for ink and a USB cable at an outrageous price—they didn’t want to ship me just the 1280. I had them cancel my order and went to MicroCenter.
That was my first exposure to the dark underbelly of Brooklyn camera dealers. After that experience, a network search told me my experience was a common modus operandi.
Often when buying photography and video gear the best price you see often isn’t. What goes on is you try to purchase something from them at the price listed, and they’ll try to do things like sell you parts that are supposed to be bundled with the product or other accessories that you don’t want or don’t need.
Even when you find multiple similar (but not the same) prices for the same product from different stores, it turns out the stores are actually the same store—the DNS records and web design offer a clue. Also, these places will spam the merchant review sites to artificially pump up their ratings. It takes a lot of work to winnow the good from the bad.
BoingBoing points out that there is an ongoing project to post pictures of these dealers. I love it.
I shop at Adorama and at B&H.1 You don’t get the best prices, but you can trust them. If you are local to the South Bay, you can go to Keeble & Schuchat.
Last week, however, when I ordered a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens from Adorama, they delayed my order to try to sell me a 52mm UV filter.2 The evil influences of these Brooklyn camera dealers?
November 30th, 2005 at 3:21 pm
BoingBoing picks up a PriceRitePhoto incident. *sigh*
June 19th, 2007 at 6:34 am
[...] this lens from Adorama. I highly recommend them as an online merchant as it is hard to figure who are the reputable sellers out there. (BTW, after I got my 18-200mm on a great deal, I also highly recommend Roberts Imaging. The price [...]
January 1st, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I also wonder if part of this is the cultural differences of haggling versus non-haggling. I used to shop at 42nd, but pretty much go with B&H nowadays.
And, I love K&S in Palo Alto. They have always been helpful.
January 1st, 2008 at 9:44 pm
[...] an engineer, given your budget, what you like to shoot, and people you’ll be surrounded with (Hawk and others) made the 5D the obvious [...]
January 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
@Jeremy: There is that. I guess the basic rule is risk is higher. I’ll note that I paid $150 less for my 18-200mm than what it sells for on eBay because instead of buying through B&H and Adorama, I bought through Roberts Imaging in Indiana.
April 19th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
[...] By the way, an Adorama representative e-mailed me last month about activating my affiliate account so I’m putting their banners and giving them some link love like I do B&H. Purchasing photography equipment on the internet hazardous to your pocketbook. [...]