[forensicscientist]

While my local Wolf Camera does not "officially" sell Pentax any longer....it seems they have "close-out stock" as the employee told me. When I asked specifically what they had, he said "pretty much anything you want".

I said OK, how about the FA-31mm? He went into the back, and re-appeared with a brand new, in the box, FA-31mm. Price: $880+tax. The box had never been opened....I was the first.

so who knows what the future holds. Maybe my local Wolf just has lots of unsold stuff??

[VaughnA]

While my local Wolf Camera does not "officially" sell Pentax any longer....it seems they have "close-out stock" as the employee told me. When I asked specifically what they had, he said "pretty much anything you want".

I said OK, how about the FA-31mm? He went into the back, and re-appeared with a brand new, in the box, FA-31mm. Price: $880+tax. The box had never been opened....I was the first.

so who knows what the future holds. Maybe my local Wolf just has lots of unsold stuff??

I just bought a 55-300 from Wolf's eBay store, clearanceCtr. They shipped from Fort Worth. Picked up a perfect 'demo' lens in the box for 279.00 with full warranty. We have nothing at our local Ritz.

[VaughnA]

I just went to the Ritz webpage. They have K7 and K-m's in stock according to the web page. I don't see any lenses or flashes.

Edit, they have a LOAD of pentax lenses on the clearance page.

18-250 for 340
55-300 for 297
50-135 for 790
16-50 for 620..

I wish I had some money..

[BB_Zone28]

I just bought a 55-300 from Wolf's eBay store, clearanceCtr. They shipped from Fort Worth. Picked up a perfect 'demo' lens in the box for 279.00 with full warranty. We have nothing at our local Ritz.

I bought one of those also. Needed something to cover the longer focal length range and the price seemed real good. The lens looks like new, the box was a little tattered.

[Eruditass]

I bought one of those also. Needed something to cover the longer focal length range and the price seemed real good. The lens looks like new, the box was a little tattered.

hmm, new metal mount w/ quick sh ift $279, or DA L kit version for $200...

[BB_Zone28]

hmm, new metal mount w/ quick sh ift $279, or DA L kit version for $200...

I bought mine before the DA L kit version was released.

[slickster]

I read about Adorama, B&H and Tristate, I can buy cheaper from them in NY than I can wolf / ritz anywhere, so brick and morter are fine, but just don't gouge, because we the customer can't be loyal to 1970 pricing, when we couldn't shop around

[dragonwsun]

I just bought a 55-300 from Wolf's eBay store, clearanceCtr. They shipped from Fort Worth. Picked up a perfect 'demo' lens in the box for 279.00 with full warranty. We have nothing at our local Ritz.

I just bought one DA 50-135mm for $649.99 and still waiting for the invoice so I can pay for it by credit card. However, I just found one negative comment from F8&Bthere when I read the lens review of 50-135mm. I'm worrying about the quality of this new/demo lens. Is there anyone else bought new/demo like this from the same store? How about the product?
The following is the comment from F8&Bthere：
“I got a great deal on this lens through the Wolf/Ritz camera surplus via eBay, so I can't complain too much. But it may be that I got a slightly less than perfect copy because this thing flares really badly. Without any filter, and with the hood on, I get all kinds of flare with any strong light source in the background. I don't mean pointed right at the sun or anything, I'm talking about even indirect sunight through a window behind the subject. I have many other lenses and this one is by far the most flare prone. Yet googling around I can't find hardly any mention of flare being a problem with this lens.
Other than that, it focuses slow for a motorized lens, and tends to hunt quite a bit in less than ideal light. At least for a high end lens like this.
But on the positive side I'm still giving it a 9 because it is sharp, renders colours quite nicely, has wonderful bokeh for a zoom, and I don't feel my flare problem should bring down the overall score for this lens here.”

I just bought one DA 50-135mm for $649.99 and still waiting for the invoice so I can pay for it by credit card. However, I just found one negative comment from F8&Bthere when I read the lens review of 50-135mm. I'm worrying about the quality of this new/demo lens. Is there anyone else bought new/demo like this from the same store? How about the product?
The following is the comment from F8&Bthere：
“I got a great deal on this lens through the Wolf/Ritz camera surplus via eBay, so I can't complain too much. But it may be that I got a slightly less than perfect copy because this thing flares really badly. Without any filter, and with the hood on, I get all kinds of flare with any strong light source in the background. I don't mean pointed right at the sun or anything, I'm talking about even indirect sunight through a window behind the subject. I have many other lenses and this one is by far the most flare prone. Yet googling around I can't find hardly any mention of flare being a problem with this lens.
Other than that, it focuses slow for a motorized lens, and tends to hunt quite a bit in less than ideal light. At least for a high end lens like this.
But on the positive side I'm still giving it a 9 because it is sharp, renders colours quite nicely, has wonderful bokeh for a zoom, and I don't feel my flare problem should bring down the overall score for this lens here.”

Post an example with EXIF data.

[MoparFreak69]

That is too funny! I do like that Fedex (DHL was the same) will deliver it when it gets there, not when they say. But, most of the time those times are the same for me at least (living in Minnesota, everything is coming from the East or West coast it seems!)

On the other hand, if I miss a UPS package that needs a signature, the driver told me I can just meet him by their drop-box at 4pm down the street - you certainly seem to be right that the service from both can vary a great deal!

Yeah we have the same deal here with UPS (OOPS I COULD have delivered your package today but I forgot). Fedex will even deliver saturday here for no extra charge. I was surprised several times when the Fedex truck showed up saturday and threw a box my way and said have a good day. Tracking said I would get it monday.
I too love how UPS wont deliver it until the day of (or the day after usually) the estimated delivery date. You already got it here, why waste storage space and the cost of having someone inventory it every few hours or whatever interval they use? Rediculous!

[Biro]

My wife and I both commute to NYC every day from our home in central New Jersey. It's a long commute and we leave before anyone starts delivering and return long after they stop. Under these circumstances, doing business with UPS is impossible.

One never has any idea when UPS will need a signature for delivery. If they do, often they'll leave a little slip with a box checked indicating I can sign it and have them leave a package (you don't want to do this with too many items but this option can be very helpful - if it worked). The only problem is, checking that box seems to mean nothing to the driver. If they need a signature from me in person, then why check the box? I can pick up the package at their depot - as long as it's between 9am and 5pm Monday through Friday. And if I don't pick it up within three days, the package gets sent back.

Often, if I'm not home, the little slip left by the driver will indicate it's the third (and final) time they have attempted delivery - when it's clearly the first. I can't tell you how many times I have lost a day or half-day of work just so I could retrieve something from the mindless UPS system. I've even had problems with UPS when I'm home. I've had the doorbell ring and by the time I got to the door, the driver was already stepping back into the truck - with my package.

With FedEx, they'll deliver on Saturdays if necessary and if I tell them to hold the package for most of a week until I can pick it up at their depot on the next Saturday, no problem. For me, doing business with FedEx is a pleasure. I actually will no longer order items above a certain value from Amazon and other business because I know they'll use UPS to sent it - and require a signature in person.

[Pentax_XTC]

After UPS left my Sigma Flash (now sold to a friend) in front of my door in the middle of the day for "Signature Required", I now have them ship to my work address so I can sign for it. I have also found that they will deliver to a business address by 10:00am in most cases. Seems to me they don't care about the residential or 'occassional package receivers', they just focus on business.