Online store help!!!!

Hey there,
I'm looking to buy my firt digital SLR well...my first SLR all together. I'm wanting to get a Canon 10D. I've looked around at TONS of places for the cheapest price. I'm on a strict budget and if I buy the camera at retail price I'll hardly have enough to get a good lens much less the memory card needed for the camera. I found a website, www.expresscameras.com , that is offering a 10D kit which includes 2 canon lenses, a tripod, 512mb card, case, cleaning kit, extra battery, and a few other things that I can't remember at the moment. They're advertising this kit for $1,849.99. I know this is an extremely cheap price and I don't want this to be some bait and switch operation. I'd hate to be taken advantage and I'm a beginner at this so I'm a little vulnerable. If anyoen has any thing to say about this site whether it be good or bad please please please tell me. Thanks. Much appreciated.

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Originally Posted by tubaman2010

Hey there,
I'm looking to buy my firt digital SLR well...my first SLR all together. I'm wanting to get a Canon 10D. I've looked around at TONS of places for the cheapest price. I'm on a strict budget and if I buy the camera at retail price I'll hardly have enough to get a good lens much less the memory card needed for the camera. I found a website, www.expresscameras.com , that is offering a 10D kit which includes 2 canon lenses, a tripod, 512mb card, case, cleaning kit, extra battery, and a few other things that I can't remember at the moment. They're advertising this kit for $1,849.99. I know this is an extremely cheap price and I don't want this to be some bait and switch operation. I'd hate to be taken advantage and I'm a beginner at this so I'm a little vulnerable. If anyoen has any thing to say about this site whether it be good or bad please please please tell me. Thanks. Much appreciated.

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You know the drill: "If it sounds too good to be true it probably is."

your phone conversation will go:

"Okay, we have one Canon 10D. Now, you'll need protective filters for those lenses, right?"

<b>"Well, no, I don't need them."</b>

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm showing that there aren't any more 10D's left at that price!"

<b>"Well..."</b>

"Okay, then. And you'll need a camera bag too, then right?"

<b>"Um, no..."</b>

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm showing no more 10D's in stock..."

It may sound ridiculous, but that's a story that's been relayed to me more than once about these "too cheap to be real" places. They make their money back by selling you camera accessories.

If you want to go to a good, honest internet dealer, try bhphotovideo.com, adorama.com or keh.com. All are excellent dealers with excellent reputations. Good luck.

Rick

I didn't check out the link you put on so I'm not sure what lenses they were including but right now Canoga Camera has a great deal on the 10d and you could add a few lenses and a CF card for the price you listed. I bought a 300mm lens from them and had no problems.

http://www.canogacamera.com/e/env/0001CB9Z458YNRsMvE1R8C0/info_pages/cam_info.html?link=-DD-/view_cart.html&add|eq:49847

Mike

Tubaman,
Take a look at this link and scroll down to Express Photo & Video and Express Camera. It think this will answer your questions.

http://www.photo.net/neighbor/one-subcategory?id=2

Terry
Fellow tubaman

A little plug for this site: When you're ready to buy, click on Shop at the top of this page, then Shop By Dealer. Links to several reputable dealers (and some others I'm not personally familiar with) are listed there. If you get to their website this way, photographyreview.com gets a couple of bucks and it doesn't cost you anything.

I have the same feeling about that deal as the others. I've had great experiences with B&H, Calumet and Adorama. Their prices are very good but fair. What if you get that 10D with no warranty, instructions printed in Japanese and for some reason can't get them to help you after the sale? If your budget is that tight, just get one lens. The other stuff (tripod, bag, etc) probably isn't very good or they would tell you specific brands and models of what it was.

Canoga Camera is a solid company and they've supported this site for years now. I've spent a lot of my own money with them. And they're prices are often as good as it gets.

I don't know there are any posts for that dealer, but take a look at the Dealer Feedback Forum here. Even if the company you're looking at isn't listed, others will be. You should be able to find some recommendations on that forum.

http://forums.photographyreview.com/...splay.php?f=10

And the rest of you - please post more of your experience with camera dealers on that message board. It needs more participation.

Thanks-

Thanks you all who replied to my message. After finding some reviews on photo.net and othe sites about expresscameras.com I have decidied to not even think about dealing with them. I am lookign at conoga though. I've decided to get a Digital Rebel since I am a beginner at this andthe 10d is a little too professional for me. Thanks you again.

Glad that we could help. Let us know when you get your camera and please post something about your experience on the Dealer Feedback Forum.

B&H and Canoga Cameras. I also know a number of people here swear by Calumet as well.

If it isn't one of those three, I wouldn't risk it.
~Brian

PS. You can add Adorama and KEH to the list as well based on others recommendations.
~B

These are the companies I use 99% of the time. And after numerous orders and a pile of money, I never had a problem.

Of the three I primarily use B&H. KEH is great with used equipment and is very generous with their used equipment condition ratings. Adorama has very good on-line digital print service.

-Dave-