Tri-State

desertscape · 01-22-2011, 12:43 PM

In my long quest to find a used 300mm EDIF for my 67, I stumbled upon Tri-State Camera of NYC. No used equpment was found but their listing of new lenses for the 67 was amazing. 75mm AL, 1000mm Reflex, 300 ED and a bunch of other rare lenses were seen. Has anyone every inquired with these guys to see if they actually have the lenses advertised? Their 645 lens listing was impressive as well.

tuco · 01-22-2011, 01:30 PM

Got a link? The Tri-State I found didn't list any MF equipment when searched for 300mm and Pentax. And I wasn't going to lift up and look under every link to find it.

When I went looking for my M* 300mm, I found places that listed it but when inquired they really didn't have it (old web pages, maybe). I ended up getting mine through Japan Exposures an equipment sourcing service. The service was good and the used price was satisfactory after all the fees. My thought was I didn't expect bargain basement price for a hard-to-find in the US lens. If you lived in Japan, it looks like you could get one from Amazon of Japan.

A funny story about that. I inquired to Amazon of Japan and asked if I could order from there while trying to get that lens. They said, yes, but you need to create a new Japan account. They provided useful English links plus other helpful information. They concluded the e-mail with a list of things that could not be exported. The list was so comprehensive that, really, you couldn't buy hardly anything worthwhile!

Tom S. · 01-22-2011, 02:33 PM

I'm not saying I wouldn't order from them, BUT... I would be careful!

TriState Camera

GeneV · 01-22-2011, 02:56 PM

I've heard mixed things about them for decades (since you ordered from their ad on the back pages of Modern Photography). I've purchased twice--once in the 80s and once in the last few years--and had no problems.

kuau · 01-22-2011, 05:37 PM

I got my New in Box FA200mm from them no problem

Shuttershane · 01-22-2011, 05:41 PM

A few weeks back, All of there 645 fa lenses they showed in stock are not other than the 200mm they had. Funny thing was they had a 200mm listed new for I believe 500 I called and verified and they said it was in stock. The next day i called to buy it and they raised the price to 1200. Needless to say I passed and bought a used one for 300.

desertscape · 01-23-2011, 01:53 PM

Okay, thanks to everyone for your feedback on this company. Tri-State looks like a real mixed bag. I will avoid them and look for the 300 EDIF used.

MetaD · 01-24-2011, 12:44 PM

Tri-state P645 pricing seems a little whimsical. Some items are way overpriced; some are expensive but not crazy; none are cheap. I mean the 645 FA 200mm is not a rare lens. Even after the 645D announcement, it has been available here and there priced below $400.

I think the pricing manager has been reading too many Buy-it-Now listings at ebay.

Shuttershane · 01-24-2011, 01:22 PM

MetaD, I agree with you about the Buy It now thing. The day I went to buy the lens from tristate was the day after I saw one go up on ebay for over $900

**Buffy** · 01-25-2011, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by MetaD

Tri-state P645 pricing seems a little whimsical. Some items are way overpriced; some are expensive but not crazy; none are cheap.

Well, the FA 35mm f/3.5 is listed at $799.99--that's crazy cheap for that lens. Would that it were true!

MetaD · 01-25-2011, 05:14 PM

Originally posted by Buffy

Well, the FA 35mm f/3.5 is listed at $799.99--that's crazy cheap for that lens. Would that it were true!

Two years ago, I lost an ebay auction for an FA35mm when it went somewhere North of $650. In the end I was happy to buy a manual focus 35mm for $525 at KEH. Since then, I've seen a few manual 35mm's but only a handful of very expensive buy-it-nows and a few ebay auctions for the FA.

If you want that focal length in an auto-focus, then you are going to pay for it. I have to insist that $799 isn't all that crazy.

Smolk · 01-25-2011, 05:40 PM

Not at all. Especially if you see that Ffordes now price a new one at £1699. Not sure whether they are over the top or a sign of prices to come.

**Buffy** · 01-26-2011, 10:51 AM

Originally posted by MetaD

I have to insist that $799 isn't all that crazy.

I disagree. I don't think you'll find a legitimate price that low anywhere. I have seen very, very few FA 35s go for under $1,000 at auction and I feel lucky to have acquired mine for about $950.

axcross · 02-04-2011, 01:27 AM

Thanks to a friend, a 67-II addict, I stumbled upon a mint 300 ED IF roughly 6 hours earlier. I was looking for it for a while now, but I only saw Takumars and non-ED IF versions going for anything from 400$ to a 1000$, which was a bit scary for me.
He found it on a russian version of ebay with a buy-it-now price around 1300$ - that was for the full kit but for the lens which was lost.It was listed for two hours when we pulled the trigger on it - I decided not to push my luck further and got the missing hood an hour later from ebay.
He's going to pick it up for me during the next couple of days and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I even thought of an over-the-weekend trip there just to pick it up.

Smolk · 02-04-2011, 07:22 AM

Originally posted by MetaD

Two years ago, I lost an ebay auction for an FA35mm when it went somewhere North of $650. In the end I was happy to buy a manual focus 35mm for $525 at KEH. Since then, I've seen a few manual 35mm's but only a handful of very expensive buy-it-nows and a few ebay auctions for the FA.

If you want that focal length in an auto-focus, then you are going to pay for it. I have to insist that $799 isn't all that crazy.

I guess I was lucky to find a good version of the A-lens for €300. I considered the FA version as out of reach for me, and never saw one going cheaply. They seem to be used on Canons with an adapter quite a lot, such is their reputation. If one really wants a good deal for 4 A-lenses including this one and the 120mm, see this: Marktplaats.nl > Pentax 645 met 4 objectieven, en asc. - Audio, Tv en Foto - Fotografie | Professionele apparatuur
Alas, I have all lenses and the camera already, but it's a highly desirable lot. Not sure if they will post worldwide, in fact quite a few people advertising on this website certainly don't. Doesn't matter for me, as I have family over there and travel back home quite a bit.

01-22-2011, 12:43 PM	#1
desertscape Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,272	Tri-State In my long quest to find a used 300mm EDIF for my 67, I stumbled upon Tri-State Camera of NYC. No used equpment was found but their listing of new lenses for the 67 was amazing. 75mm AL, 1000mm Reflex, 300 ED and a bunch of other rare lenses were seen. Has anyone every inquired with these guys to see if they actually have the lenses advertised? Their 645 lens listing was impressive as well.

01-22-2011, 01:30 PM	#2
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,026	Got a link? The Tri-State I found didn't list any MF equipment when searched for 300mm and Pentax. And I wasn't going to lift up and look under every link to find it. When I went looking for my M* 300mm, I found places that listed it but when inquired they really didn't have it (old web pages, maybe). I ended up getting mine through Japan Exposures an equipment sourcing service. The service was good and the used price was satisfactory after all the fees. My thought was I didn't expect bargain basement price for a hard-to-find in the US lens. If you lived in Japan, it looks like you could get one from Amazon of Japan. A funny story about that. I inquired to Amazon of Japan and asked if I could order from there while trying to get that lens. They said, yes, but you need to create a new Japan account. They provided useful English links plus other helpful information. They concluded the e-mail with a list of things that could not be exported. The list was so comprehensive that, really, you couldn't buy hardly anything worthwhile! Last edited by tuco; 01-22-2011 at 01:52 PM.

01-25-2011, 08:21 AM	#10
Buffy Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Greater Boston area, Massachusetts Posts: 389	Re: TriState Originally posted by MetaD Tri-state P645 pricing seems a little whimsical. Some items are way overpriced; some are expensive but not crazy; none are cheap. Well, the FA 35mm f/3.5 is listed at $799.99--that's crazy cheap for that lens. Would that it were true!

01-26-2011, 10:51 AM	#13
Buffy Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Greater Boston area, Massachusetts Posts: 389	Re: TriState Originally posted by MetaD I have to insist that $799 isn't all that crazy. I disagree. I don't think you'll find a legitimate price that low anywhere. I have seen very, very few FA 35s go for under $1,000 at auction and I feel lucky to have acquired mine for about $950.

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01-22-2011, 02:33 PM	#3
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	I'm not saying I wouldn't order from them, BUT... I would be careful! TriState Camera

01-22-2011, 02:56 PM	#4
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	I've heard mixed things about them for decades (since you ordered from their ad on the back pages of Modern Photography). I've purchased twice--once in the 80s and once in the last few years--and had no problems.

01-22-2011, 05:37 PM	#5
kuau Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Park City, Utah Posts: 208	I got my New in Box FA200mm from them no problem

01-22-2011, 05:41 PM	#6
Shuttershane Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 164	A few weeks back, All of there 645 fa lenses they showed in stock are not other than the 200mm they had. Funny thing was they had a 200mm listed new for I believe 500 I called and verified and they said it was in stock. The next day i called to buy it and they raised the price to 1200. Needless to say I passed and bought a used one for 300.

01-23-2011, 01:53 PM	#7
desertscape Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,272 Original Poster	Okay, thanks to everyone for your feedback on this company. Tri-State looks like a real mixed bag. I will avoid them and look for the 300 EDIF used.

01-24-2011, 12:44 PM	#8
MetaD Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 105	Tri-state P645 pricing seems a little whimsical. Some items are way overpriced; some are expensive but not crazy; none are cheap. I mean the 645 FA 200mm is not a rare lens. Even after the 645D announcement, it has been available here and there priced below $400. I think the pricing manager has been reading too many Buy-it-Now listings at ebay.

01-24-2011, 01:22 PM	#9
Shuttershane Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 164	MetaD, I agree with you about the Buy It now thing. The day I went to buy the lens from tristate was the day after I saw one go up on ebay for over $900

01-25-2011, 05:14 PM	#11
MetaD Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Colorado Posts: 105	Originally posted by Buffy Well, the FA 35mm f/3.5 is listed at $799.99--that's crazy cheap for that lens. Would that it were true! Two years ago, I lost an ebay auction for an FA35mm when it went somewhere North of $650. In the end I was happy to buy a manual focus 35mm for $525 at KEH. Since then, I've seen a few manual 35mm's but only a handful of very expensive buy-it-nows and a few ebay auctions for the FA. If you want that focal length in an auto-focus, then you are going to pay for it. I have to insist that $799 isn't all that crazy.

01-25-2011, 05:40 PM	#12
Smolk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Eerbeek Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,857	Not at all. Especially if you see that Ffordes now price a new one at £1699. Not sure whether they are over the top or a sign of prices to come.

02-04-2011, 01:27 AM	#14
axcross New Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 11	Thanks to a friend, a 67-II addict, I stumbled upon a mint 300 ED IF roughly 6 hours earlier. I was looking for it for a while now, but I only saw Takumars and non-ED IF versions going for anything from 400$ to a 1000$, which was a bit scary for me. He found it on a russian version of ebay with a buy-it-now price around 1300$ - that was for the full kit but for the lens which was lost.It was listed for two hours when we pulled the trigger on it - I decided not to push my luck further and got the missing hood an hour later from ebay. He's going to pick it up for me during the next couple of days and I can't wait to get my hands on it. I even thought of an over-the-weekend trip there just to pick it up.

02-04-2011, 07:22 AM	#15
Smolk Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Eerbeek Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,857	Originally posted by MetaD Two years ago, I lost an ebay auction for an FA35mm when it went somewhere North of $650. In the end I was happy to buy a manual focus 35mm for $525 at KEH. Since then, I've seen a few manual 35mm's but only a handful of very expensive buy-it-nows and a few ebay auctions for the FA. If you want that focal length in an auto-focus, then you are going to pay for it. I have to insist that $799 isn't all that crazy. I guess I was lucky to find a good version of the A-lens for €300. I considered the FA version as out of reach for me, and never saw one going cheaply. They seem to be used on Canons with an adapter quite a lot, such is their reputation. If one really wants a good deal for 4 A-lenses including this one and the 120mm, see this: Marktplaats.nl > Pentax 645 met 4 objectieven, en asc. - Audio, Tv en Foto - Fotografie \| Professionele apparatuur Alas, I have all lenses and the camera already, but it's a highly desirable lot. Not sure if they will post worldwide, in fact quite a few people advertising on this website certainly don't. Doesn't matter for me, as I have family over there and travel back home quite a bit.