Recommended sites and sites to avoid

[kummy]

You got a lot of time for surfing .And i never check this so frequently .

[NaturalWoman]

wow, who knew. i read all feedback. i love amazon though and rely on the feedback. my favorite place to shop is b&h though.

[Grandpaw]

wow, who knew. i read all feedback. i love amazon though and rely on the feedback. my favorite place to shop is b&h though.

I personally have never hear of them but this is what I found when I did a search on Google. Click on the link below, Jeff

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...k&myworld=true

[foolmelon]

Thanks Jeff for the great list!

According to BBB, there are 3 more you may consider to add to avoid list:

PhotoDynasty.com
Razz Photo
BEST PRICE CAMERAS

They are same company of CityWideDigital.com. Check out the link below:

http://search.newyork.bbb.org/reports.aspx?id=12668

[Grandpaw]

Thanks Jeff for the great list!

According to BBB, there are 3 more you may consider to add to avoid list:

PhotoDynasty.com
Razz Photo
BEST PRICE CAMERAS

They are same company of CityWideDigital.com. Check out the link below:

http://search.newyork.bbb.org/reports.aspx?id=12668

Thanks, I checked them out and up dated my list. I already had Best Price Camera on the list and I added the other two, Thanks again Jeff

[SuperAlien]

Thanks for your information. Consider to avoid list is too larger than the recommended.

[vilz_vilz]

Hi!
I was reading your comments about the ebay store Big Easy cameras. I just bought a Nikon d5000 from them. I havent received it yet but I am a little worried about the extras. What can you tell me about it?

[Frog]

What extras did you get?
A lot of the 'package' deals have a tripod, bag, maybe some filters, extra lenses, card reader, memory card, etc.
Checking the list of Nikon authorized USA dealers, I see it is not on the list, so you won't get a Nikon warranty with it.
Many of the things in a lot of the package deals are not quality items. Cheap tripods, off brand lenses that may or may not be good, uv filters of low quality that introduce flare to a lot of photos, etc. Not saying this is the case with your package deal but it is in many cases and then if you get serious about your photgraphy, you end up having to buy new quality items.
Hope your deal turns out ok and don't know if you can back out of it or send it back now.
I know one Nikon authorized dealer on ebay and that is Cameta. There are others but I don't recall which they are now. Always look for the 'authorized dealer' logo.

List of Nikon USA authorized dealers http://www.nikonusa.com/fileuploads/...uthDealers.pdf

[vilz_vilz]

Frog thanks for the advice!!
This is the link of the bundle: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

If you can check it out and let me know what you think!

Thanks!!

[Frog]

This all depends on how serious a photographer you are or intend to be.
Taking the items individually:
The 18-55 is a kit lens and is a pretty good lens.

Lens cap keeper....the ones I've had lose their sticky quickly and then you lose your lens cap. They also get in the way.

uv filter A good uv filter will cost probably over 50 dollars. Some use them to 'protect' their lenses but the quality of the uv is less than that of the glass on your lens and your image quality decreases because of this. They also can add flare from light sources. They say it is multi-coated and that is something to look for but I doubt it is a good one. They also are not necessary on digital cameras to reduce uv or haze as this is done easily in editing programs.

tripod A good tripod will cost some money and then you have to get a good head to go with it. There are a lot of cheap tripods out there and they are better than nothing especially if you are on a firm level surface with no wind.

wide angle lens Notice the brand on this and any other item listed is not given. I spent around 490 for a well reviewed wide angle lens. They don't even say what the wide angle is. Is it a 10mm 11mm 12mm? Is a zoom that goes from widest to not so wide?

4gb memory card may be an ok one but again it has no brand.

flash A good Nikon flash..d600, d800, d900 are great but they do cost money.
No way to tell if the one they are selling is any good at all or if its going to end up in the trash or forgotten somewhere cuz it doesn't work. If it works with all digital cameras, that means it isn't made specifically for a Nikon.

telephoto lens No name and notice that it says it is a conversion lens. That means you screw it on to your lens to give it more zoom. You also lose f/stops and image quality. With this one I'd guess a lot of quality.

card reader May be an ok one. Card readers are cheap and most do an acceptable job.

camera bag Seems from the picture that it is a very small one and I'd wonder if the d5000 will even fit in it. You sure won't get an extra lens or stuff into it.

accessory kit mini-tripod probably won't hold your camera up. Cleaning stuff...ok..but be careful how you clean. Get a lens pen and some micro-fiber cloth for sure. Don't know if the cloth in theirs is a micro-fiber. screen protector...don't know.

I'm sorry to be so discouraging but maybe other new buyers will read this too.
I see a 14 day return policy so maybe you'll luck out with that.
The price is good but you aren't getting the Nikon warranty and you are getting a bunch of stuff that if you are serious about photgraphy, you will end up trashing for quality items.
It has taken me 5 years to save and shop for the gear I have and it isn't all top notch but it is reasonably good and I can expect it to work when it is needed.

Whether you keep or can return the camera, please give a review of your experience.
Wish you'd asked here first.

[vilz_vilz]

Frog thanks for the detailed information!!!
I am a beginner so I dont know much about cameras. I wish I had seen this before.
They send me an email about a warranty but I did not even recognize the company.
When everything arrives I will share my experience!!

Thanks and regards!!!

[iluvendo]

Hi, I too found bigeasycameras on ebay. After all that was said about gray market cameras, I decided to go online to Nikon USA ( I wish to purchase a D700) . Bigeasy cameras stated the package has a 1 year limited warranty (just not a 1 year USA warranty) Calling Nikon USA, the service rep told me that the USA warranty was 1 year parts and labor, whereas bigeasycameras stated over the phone in a live call that the warranty was 90 days labor and 1 year parts. Sounds fishy ? You bet !

Furthermore, although they are not an authorized Nikon dealer (stated) that they get their cameras from authorized dealers (overstock) so the customer does get the Nikon USA warranty and a super price.

I think their story sounds too good to be true.

I would appreciate your kind and utterly honest comments

[Grandpaw]

Hi, I too found bigeasycameras on ebay. After all that was said about gray market cameras, I decided to go online to Nikon USA ( I wish to purchase a D700) . Bigeasy cameras stated the package has a 1 year limited warranty (just not a 1 year USA warranty) Calling Nikon USA, the service rep told me that the USA warranty was 1 year parts and labor, whereas bigeasycameras stated over the phone in a live call that the warranty was 90 days labor and 1 year parts. Sounds fishy ? You bet !

Furthermore, although they are not an authorized Nikon dealer (stated) that they get their cameras from authorized dealers (overstock) so the customer does get the Nikon USA warranty and a super price.

I think their story sounds too good to be true.

I would appreciate your kind and utterly honest comments

If you were getting a NON GREY official Nikon, you would also be getting the official Nikon warranty as stated by the Nikon USA service rep. If you are getting anything else IT IS NOT going to be covered or even worked on without a warranty by Nikon even if you will pay for the repairs out of pocket. STAY AWAY from these folks. Please take the time to read the information at the link at the bottom of my reply. This is too big an investment to throw your money away on.

Think of it this way! Let's say you were walking down the street and someone opened up the back of a van and gave you the same story that they have a Nikon that they bought from an authorized dealer that they can sell you for cheap and you can save some bucks, would you buy it? As I see it, the only difference between the two is the person that is telling you the story, Jeff

[vilz_vilz]

Hi!
I received the camera yesterday. The camera is great and brand new. To my surprise the nikon warranty was inside the box. The extra lenses are not oem but they look good. The tripod is not as good as you see in the picture. The carrying bag is spacious but cheap, I have to buy a good one. The other stuff were pretty good. They offer a battery upgrade that is a ripoff so dont buy it because I saw it at amazon just for $9. The customer service was nice. They dont accept paypal, so you have to call and do the payment with a credit card. After all I got a good bundle

[iluvendo]

Grandpaw, thanks a million for the sagely advice !

[flintlock62]

Grandpaw. Have you had any experience with skypointdigital.com?

[Grandpaw]

Grandpaw. Have you had any experience with skypointdigital.com?

Congratulations, I think you have found a site that has the lowest rating of any I can remember. Stay away from these folks. See link below for information, Jeff

http://www.resellerratings.com/store/SkyPointDigital

[flintlock62]

Thanks, grandpaw. I knew the prices were too good. I read the reviews and needed a good laugh today.

[Frog]

That's pretty great vilz.
I'm especially pleased that you did get a Nikon warranty.
Now don't go away. Post some pics, ask some questions, and join the family.

[vilz_vilz]

Thanks for the welcome Frog!!! I am so happy with the camera. I will post pictures soon!!

[cameradino]

Don Wiss has a great encyclopedia of camera store addresses. You can almost tell if a vendor is legitimate by looking at the store front. I doubt it applies for exclusively used dealers (KEH looks like it may not have the store front they used to, even), but it's very enlightening.

One experience from Abe's Of Maine years ago did me in. I hear Abe's may have cleaned up, but the bad taste is still lingering. A long time ago I did sales as well, so I know the tricks some of the dealers used. Luckily for the consumer, the internet makes most of the tricks obsolete. Link plug to Don Wiss below.

http://donwiss.com/pictures/ManhattanStores/
http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/

Some of this is hilarious.

[Grandpaw]

Don Wiss has a great encyclopedia of camera store addresses. You can almost tell if a vendor is legitimate by looking at the store front. I doubt it applies for exclusively used dealers (KEH looks like it may not have the store front they used to, even), but it's very enlightening.

One experience from Abe's Of Maine years ago did me in. I hear Abe's may have cleaned up, but the bad taste is still lingering. A long time ago I did sales as well, so I know the tricks some of the dealers used. Luckily for the consumer, the internet makes most of the tricks obsolete. Link plug to Don Wiss below.

http://donwiss.com/pictures/ManhattanStores/
http://donwiss.com/pictures/BrooklynStores/

Some of this is hilarious.

Thanks for sharing the information with us, Jeff

[ramagroup]

i bought a cannon tx1 powershot form broadway photo... i did my research.
put the order thru online. got a call from a costumer rep.
"we just received your order calling to confirm that"
i said "yes, that is me"
he says "you know we have a special with the same camera in it that would save you money"
i said " oh really, what is it?"
he says " you can get all these added lenses, lenses and batteries and extended warranty for not much more"
anyways... he talks me into paying for 2 lenses that are not compatible to the camera... i confirmed that with cannon... sends me a dead battery that does not hold a charge well... a knock off battery... and to top it off they sell me a 5 yr warranty and the company does not exist anymore...

i was super ripped off...

not sure where they get there products but ... i would never buy anything from them again.

when i spoke with cannon and the lens manufacturer about the products and they both confirmed that the products where not compatible ... broadway photo still insisted they where compatible ( l.o.l) they are out of there minds.

from what it seems from my conversation with them... they seemed to be so sort of a fundamentalist group... the way the spoke.
trying to persuade me by fear... and how honorable they were.

there tune changed when they found out i was an attorney...
they sent me a bunch of free stuff.

but never admitted to there lies... and now after a year the camera does not work.

terrible... warning to you all.

[cameradino]

Broadway Photo is one of the worst. Nobody's really addressed the used market here. Most of the used dealers exist on the web as well as on eBay. I find eBay is a good indicator when other ratings sites don't have data:

Obviously KEH and B&H are beyond rebuke.

A few of the lesser-known used camera dealers --

Arsenal Photo:
http://www.arsenal-photo.com/
And on eBay
http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=photo-arsenal-worldwide&ssPageName=VIP:feedback&ftab=FeedbackAsSeller

98.5%. 98.5% sounds better than it might be.

Camerarepair.com:
http://www.camerarepair.com/
And on eBay
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...ab=AllFeedback

Others:
http://www.brooklyncam.com/
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAP...ab=AllFeedback

Both 99.9%+

In general, you can find most of the used dealers rated on eBay. Not all of them are not on Reseller Ratings sites like the new dealers. I use eBay as a 2nd information source.

It looks like 99%+ is "good" on eBay.

i bought a cannon tx1 powershot form broadway photo... i did my research.
put the order thru online. got a call from a costumer rep.
"we just received your order calling to confirm that"
i said "yes, that is me"
he says "you know we have a special with the same camera in it that would save you money"
i said " oh really, what is it?"
he says " you can get all these added lenses, lenses and batteries and extended warranty for not much more"
anyways... he talks me into paying for 2 lenses that are not compatible to the camera... i confirmed that with cannon... sends me a dead battery that does not hold a charge well... a knock off battery... and to top it off they sell me a 5 yr warranty and the company does not exist anymore...

i was super ripped off...

not sure where they get there products but ... i would never buy anything from them again.

when i spoke with cannon and the lens manufacturer about the products and they both confirmed that the products where not compatible ... broadway photo still insisted they where compatible ( l.o.l) they are out of there minds.

from what it seems from my conversation with them... they seemed to be so sort of a fundamentalist group... the way the spoke.
trying to persuade me by fear... and how honorable they were.

there tune changed when they found out i was an attorney...
they sent me a bunch of free stuff.

but never admitted to there lies... and now after a year the camera does not work.

terrible... warning to you all.

[Anbesol]

I looked over the list and noticed KEH wasn't listed as one of the good guys. But I see plenty of talk about them, so, can you put them on the good guys list?