[WMBP]

.... The only time in history two triple plays have ever been pulled off in one game was that night. You can get to B&H/Adorama another time. What are the odds of two triple plays ever happening again.

CW: Just to make you feel worse, I think I saw that game on t.v. :-)


I didn't mention earlier where I've gotten my own stuff. I think I got both the K10D and the K20D (both new) from Amazon. I've certainly bought enough stuff from B&H and Adorama, but mostly lenses, tripods, etc. I'm an Amazon prime member and with discounts on shipping, I usually get the lowest price from Amazon. Plus, they have a good policy (or used to) where, if their price drops within 30 days after you buy, you can ask for the difference. I've gotten a couple hundred dollars back from them on that policy. The *ist DS I purchased used and I think that was through Amazon, too, from a private party who'd registered. Even before I moved to the Pentax DSLRs a few years ago, I'd purchased a number of Canon Powershot S-series (superzoom) cameras, and I am pretty sure they all came from Amazon, too. So all my digital cameras have been purchased online. Last time I bought a camera in a store was 2000, when I bought an Olympus Camedia 3000 and a Nikon N65 (film) just prior to our trip to China. Both good cameras - I still use the Nikon.

Will

[RoxnDox]

Both purchased in a real camera store. My K1000 was bought brand-spanking-new from (someplace I don't remember in the Seattle area), as a high school graduation present to myself in 1979. My K100D was purchased from a local Omaha store, a small 4-location chain (Rockbrook Camera) by my wife as a Christmas present for me. I've also bought my tripod, monopod, QR heads, and my 70-300 Promaster there - I really like to get my hands on something before I buy it,a nd I am fine with spending a bit more for supporting a physical store. And these guys always know what they're talking about and have never tried to push any particular product line.

Sadly, though, they don't have any Pentax gear in their online ads anymore, so I fear they may have dropped Pentax

Jim

[NaClH2O]

*snip*

"Sigh. Lucky guy. Last time I was in NYC I was hoping to visit either B&H or Adorama, not to buy, just you know as a kind of pilgrimage. Wife had an agenda though (Empire State, Statue of Liberty, Natural History Museum, etc.) and I think a visit to B&H was about #311 on her list and we didn't make it there. Next time!"

B&H is a BIG place and all bright and polish. Impressive in a massive marketing sort of way. Unfortunately Adorama has been recently remodeled to emulate B&H. They are a lot smaller than B&H physically and probably by volume. B&H is a big radio advertiser here. (their commercials are obnoxious...but most radio ads are) I much prefered the old Adorama, slightly cluttered with all kinds of used cameras on display in glass cases both from floor to waist height and then again just over the heads of the sales people. It was fun to walk into the store and do some browsing over old Rollei's, Yashika's and the like. And ogle the massively big Super tele's for the old Nikons. Sadly now it's all gone replaced with sales cases for high profit items, and there's even a "take a number" system to get waited on. I'm old enough to miss all that nostalgia type stuff.

"(Political editorial coming) States should wake up to this fact and eliminate sales tax on the kinds of high-dollar items that are sold commonly online, like computers and cameras. Would be a big help to local retailers.(end of editorial)"

It's even worse here. NY has instituted an internet sales tax so that the big online retailers like Amazon, Buy.com etc now charge me the 8.35%! I used to do a fair amount of shopping at both Amazon and Buy.com but no longer.

"I don't think the convenience of shopping online is that big a deal: I'd really rather see things in a store, hold 'em in my hand. But I hate to visit stores and chat up sales folks when I know in advance I'm just using them because I plan to buy online. So I generally DON'T bother with bricks and mortar stores at all. Not such a big deal with Pentax since so few bricks and mortar stores even carry Pentax products. On the other hand, I can't quite figure out how people buy clothes online. My body shape is too, um, unique for me to be able to buy anything other than socks online."

I'm with you on the "check it out at the B&M and then go buy online" scenario, it somehow feels dishonest to me. I still buy alot at Adorama, but mostly small stuff, lens pens, batteries, sensor swabs and the like. Surprisingly enough (or maybe not) Adorama has a very good used dept. And if you sell them something, they will give you a decent discount on new items if you spend the money right then and there. IIRC its 20% off but I might be wrong about that figure, it's been awhile since I sold anything there.

NaCl(they are a good source of used lenses...got my FA 20mm F2.8 there)H2O

[cardinal43]

I bought my K100D + 18-55 kit lens from Ritz, 2007 Labor Day weekend. I bought it from a b&m store rather than online because I wanted it that day. Also, I was afraid my lovely keeper of the check book might change her mind.

[chalion]

Bought my 1st Pentax new online from woot! (K100D), then last month I bought my K200D from a fellow forum member.

There are no close by camera stores that sell Pentax products that I can find.

(I'd like to add, I bought all of my FILM SLR's from fellow forum members-Spotomatic, 1 ME, 1 ME black & ZX-7).

[reeftool]

I bought mine in a Ritz store that no longer is open. It was my first DSLR and there was no way I was going to buy any new camera without seeing it and handling one before I bought it. I have no problems with mail order or internet shopping but buying a camera sight unseen is like buying a car without taking a test drive. I may buy my next camera body online but I will have handled it and checked it out somewhere first. I prefer to buy in a store but now the nearest camera store is 50 miles away. While I have bought lenses and other goodies by mail order for years, every camera I have ever owned so far I bought in a store. That may change because the camera store is becoming a rare thing only found in large citys.

[lesmore49]

I bought my K10D and my KM at local camera specialty stores, as well as all my lenses and equipment.

[PeterAM]

I bought my DS over the Internet (Buydig) and my K10D from a store (Camera Wholesalers in Stamford, CT). I had seen the K10 at a "tent sale" type thing there and spoke to a Pentax rep about; just before the time that it was coming out. Ordered a body and got it a couple of months later; interestingly enough, the price was better than B&H on that one.

Virtually everything else that I have bought - lenses, tripod, etc.- has been from B&H. The exception is relative to printers and consumables (paper, ink); that comes from Atlex. The few camera stores that are left where I live (just north of NYC) don't carry enough to make a visit worthwhile. I haven't physically been in B&H since I stopped working in NYC. My office was a few blocks away in Penn Plaza, but B&H at lunchtime was awful, so even then I used the 'net to order from them.

Gonna have to find somewhere to handle the K7 before I get one.

[res3567]

Bought my K10D used from a fellow in Europe off of EBAY.

Bought my K100D Super new from a Ritz Camera store that was closing.

[NaClH2O]

*snip*

The few camera stores that are left where I live (just north of NYC) don't carry enough to make a visit worthwhile. I haven't physically been in B&H since I stopped working in NYC. My office was a few blocks away in Penn Plaza, but B&H at lunchtime was awful, so even then I used the 'net to order from them.

Gonna have to find somewhere to handle the K7 before I get one.

Peter, there used to be a nice camera shop in Bronxville on the main drag there, IIRC an independant place with a nice friendly staff, I've forgotten the name of it, haven't been near Bronxville in years, is the store still there?

NaCl(sadly all the old "indies" seem to be gone)H2O

[PeterAM]

Salty:

The store that you are thinking of is Arista. It's still around but has not had any Pentax equipment (except the odd used film body) any time that I've been there lately. I used to get chemicals there (seems like a very long time ago), but rarely stop in anymore. The only other stores around here are Sam's (very little DSLR equipment of any brand; really digital printing and P&S oriented) and a Ritz in E'chester that I believe is kaput. Actually, the store in Stamford that I mentioned usually has some Pentax equipment and will order, but their prices are generally on the higher side. There's a really good store in Northern NJ (Bergen County Camera), with very knowledgeable people; I went there for a camera bag a couple of years ago

Like it or not, we're talking internet buying unless you go to Adorama or B&H in the city. It's really a shame that things have moved in this direction. I used to love to go to stores - cameras, books, records, tools, etc.- where the people were knowledgeable and passionate about the stuff that they were selling and wanted to talk. Then again, I guess using the word "records" dates me.....

[larryinlc]

I usually buy from B&H, but I purchased my K20D from Beach Camera via ebay. I had a paypal coupon to use so I got it for a grand total of 614.00.

Larry

[Ash]

First Pentax dSLR was the K100D, bought at Ted's camera store (biggest store in Aus) with twin lens kit (DA 18-55, Sig 70-300) - A$1000 back in Jan 2006

Moved to K10D from fellow forum member in Mar 2007

Bought *ist D as backup body from another forum member early this year

Now have gone with used K20D from Adorama last week - US$550 + shipping
so will be selling my *ist D soon...

[Arpe]

I didn't mention earlier where I've gotten my own stuff. I think I got both the K10D and the K20D (both new) from Amazon.

I tried to buy some gear from Amazon, but they won't sell camera gear to NZ! Idiots. Even though they sell books, CDs and other stuff to here, and even though other places sell camera gear to here. WTF?

[WMBP]

I tried to buy some gear from Amazon, but they won't sell camera gear to NZ! Idiots. Even though they sell books, CDs and other stuff to here, and even though other places sell camera gear to here. WTF?

Well, I can't imagine that Amazon would not love to take your money, too, so there must be some reason for this limitation.

On the plus side, you get to live in New Zealand. :^)

Will