So, in a couple of weeks I will be getting my new DLSR. I have chosen which one I want but was wondering, does it matter where I buy it from? Does it matter if I buy online or in-store and if I buy online, can I just shop around places such as Amazon and Jessops and find the best deal?
I need a bag and a UV filter too, should I order these with the camera or get them seperately?
Finally, on a side note, I am just starting to look into tripods but am having a slight problem. I am 6ft and am struggling to find a tripod that extends high enough for me! My price range is probably under £200, maybe even less, I'm not sure yet, I'm just enquiring. Do any of you tall people have any tips?!
When I was shopping for my first DSLR, I researched, decided which one I wanted, found the average price from various online sites, then walked into my local camera store where I have bought many things over the years to purchase it. Their price was considerably higher than the average price listed online. I asked about purchasing it at the price I wanted to pay for it (again, the average price from online shopping). The store clerk told me, quite imperiously, that they do NOT discount their merchandise and by buying it from them I was not only purchasing the DSLR but "you are also paying for MY expertise."
This clerk looked to be all of perhaps 17 years old. M-a-y-b-e he was old enough to be a college student, but a young one, if so. I probably still have cameras in my closet that are older than him that I purchased new. I am well on the north side of 40. Paying for HIS expertise? I don't think so. What disappointed me most, I think, was that I had dealt with this store for many years.
Needless to say, I didn't buy my DSLR there. I did purchase it -- and have since purchased two other cameras and a nice lens -- online. My online store of choice is Adorama (www.adorama.com). I have had nothing but good experiences in dealing with them.
If you do buy online, I'd say go ahead and get everything you need in one order in order to consolidate shipping charges.
As for a tall tripod, I'm 5'3" on a good day when I stand up REALLY straight and the sun is directly overhead. So I'm no help with that one.
All that is just my experience/opinion. YMMV, as they say....
I got mine online...I would go that route for the camera/lens part. I however would not buy a camera bag online until you have been able to get an idea for what you want and try it out in the store. Unless you know what kind you already want, what they advertise might not actually fit what you think it does. I do not like the camera bag that came with mine but it was part of a kit, so I deal with it, its' not that bad, just not what I thought. (Horrible grammer in that last sentence) Double check the size of your lens before you buy filters. You can buy step up and step down rings but they introduce vignetting and other possibly undesirable side effects so I would suggest getting the right size from the start. Same goes for tripods. Try them out in store so you can find one that works for you....don't skimp if you don't have to. You will end up spending more money in the long run buying several "cheap" tripods than if you had bought one good one to start.
I am all for supporting local business, but if they are unable/unwilling to either price match or discount their product to keep your business, I say go where you can afford to. If you can get a deal by bundling products, go that route, just know what products you specifically want before you order.
I am also in the market for a new camera, shopping around. I realize my local camera shop is a bit higher, but they offer free cleanings, can do some repairs locally, and they do offer some instruction. And the clerks are old enough to offer advice I would respect. But I am still undecided. I will be interested in following this discussion!
I agree with @shadesofgrey on waiting to buy a bag, so you can evaluate even what type of bag you want, keeping in mind the kind of shooting you like to do, whether or not you want to carry your camera around with you everywhere, if you want to have it double as a place to put your wallet, keys, phone, etc. The important thing is to make sure it fits into your criteria. Read reviews and watch videos, too, so you can get a feel for what the bag will be like in real-world situations. I had a bag once that I loved, but I didn't take into consideration that it was impossible to access the bag without setting it on the ground. Not good when you're on a hike and it's muddy and/or wet.
Dont buy from Jacobs - they've gone into liquidation, but the stores are still open and they're taking money for orders - just not honouring them. ENjoy your first camera when you get it!
I'm also looking at buying my first DSLR. I saw an ad today for the Canon EOS 600D for R9000 (686 pounds, $1077 at today's exchange rate). Does anyone reckon this could be a good deal?
Oh, and I purchased my current bag off of eBay. The person who listed it said he had bought it, used it a couple times, then put it away in the closet and bought a bigger one. The photos of it looked like it was in fine shape. It's a Lowepro backpack that lists new for over $100, I paid about $43 for it. And it did look to be in brand-new condition when I received it. I then sold the Canon bag (no, I don't have Canon equipment, but I'd liked the bag when I was shopping for a previous one) I'd been using on eBay as well.
I have not purchased camera equipment from Adorama, but I have purchased computers. They are very good to deal with and you will probably get free shipping.
I got my Canon T2si in October in a boxed kit with an 18-55 mm and a 55-250mm zoom and a bag...it was a very good deal and I have liked it. I will say I just bought another bag that is slimmer and stays on my shoulder better. Wolf/Ritz store here says that they match prices...when I went in to discuss the 100mm f 2.8 macro lens, and they knew I was shopping around online, they said they'd match the price. and they have a 10 day return policy...at least on lens. So that might work if the store does that....good luck!
@simon0128 Thanks Simon. I checked out the link. The ad I saw was for a twin lens package. Do you think the jump from a P&S to a 600D is too great? I'd prefer not to go the bridge route tho
Erm...
which one you buying, out of interest.
yep like these guys said - I buy all my cameras off ebay, probably totalling around 40 cameras over my project, and I have never had a single blip in my satisfaction. My DSLR I got for £240 and it was worth £340 at the time. I bought my bag off amazon for super cheap, but ebay does bags really good. I got my tall Vanguard tripod off my dad, but ebay carries a similar one for about £20, the light weight double extender. I buy all my film off ebay. My experiences in Jessops are all negative, as said above, I usually get retarded 12 year olds serving me, and they always get it wrong. I don't go anymore after they developed a film and told me the pictures weren't very good. I thought that was a low of customer service.
@kwiksilver No its not to greater jump, you can use all the basic settings on the 600d, until you get more familar with it. The 550d is all so a great camera at a cheaper price. The 600d has a flip out screen with a built in wireless flash. Once you get an slr you will get the bug in buying tripods lenses, bags, filters etc
@simon0128 tx but haha - i hear you about all the extras :) Thanks Simon. Maybe I'll take the plunge tomorrow - the ad I saw was for this weekend only :) includes DSLR course/training (I think) - that will be a deal breaker :) Ooooh ... getting excited :)
CameraPriceBuster is (or was when I lived in the UK) the definitive source for the best camera and lens prices: http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/
You can also check out price trends (a disheartening way to realise how much high-end lens prices have risen over the last 3-4 years)
Note that they only list UK stock, not Hong Kong stock like Panamoz (linked by an earlier poster) sell. Hong Kong prices are generally slightly less, but for Canon at least, any warranty is usually provided by the seller rather than by Canon (as they don't cover grey-imported goods). This may be an acceptable tradeoff for the reduced price, but be aware and consider any potential hassle involved should the camera have a fault -- and that there's no guarantee the seller, and hence the warranty, will still be around when you need it.
We buy almost everything from B&H Photo/Video and have for YEARS after a very similar experience as Shannon. @sjoblues B&H always have a very competitive pricing and are stellar to work with - have never had a complaint!
@lyno A couple friends who are pro or semi-pro photographers have told me that B&H and Adorama are "six of one, half a dozen of the other," meaning they're equally stellar sources for purchasing equipment, so "flip a coin." Can't go wrong with either one. I don't remember now why I settled on Adorama when I did...they might've had the DSLR in a bundle with a couple other things -- memory card, table-top tripod (like I need another one of those), case -- that wasn't offered exactly the same on B&H. Now that I have some customer loyalty at Adorama and all else being equal, I shop around but have continued to buy from there.
I like to support my local camera store so I usually buy my camera bodies from them (the prices are similar to what I see online) but I also purchase from both B&H and Adorama. Both have great sales, sometimes one store will have a better price and the next time the other one will have the better price. Adorama is one of the companies Amazon uses on their website. When you are checking prices check both websites because they don't always show the same sales.
If you are ordering online make sure you do not order grey goods. They will be listed as "imported". They only have a warranty from the store you buy it from and do not qualify for manufacturer rebates.
I am not sure about the tripod. How tall do you want it. Don't forget the ballhead will add extra height. B & H has a bunch. They have a Cullmann Aluminum tripod that is 70" tall but it will only hold 17 lbs. I waited and saved to get a gitzo. To me it was worth it. I have had it for about 6 years and it is still in great shape.
I am assuming you live in England since you listed the price in pounds. If you are going to order from B& H or Adorama I would email them and ask about warranties before ordering any camera or lens.
I have a slik 700DX tripod, it is really tall, I am only 5'2" and if I have it fully extended I would need to stand on a box, but it is very heavy.
I tend to buy my camera stuff on line but will often go to a store first to get a feel for it.. Also if the store price is comparable I will get it from them. As I am in Australia The online stores I use are mainly from here, with the goods being shipped in from Hong Kong
I have used onecall.com, which for me is also a local store. They started out as a local, family-owned store and then got a website and now do lots of online business as well as their two local stores. So I feel great about supporting them and also their prices are pretty competitive with some of the "big boys." I first dealt with them for my school and they gave us such great education discounts and service that I started using them personally, too.
I like B+H, I live in a remote part of Australia, and ordered my last camera body online late Friday pm and it arrived at my door from the US on Tuesday am. Great service. I have also purchased 2 Camera bags online with no issues and I use both of them, often.
No idea about tripods, I use chairs, ladders, rocks and the planet to set up my camera.
I've purchased new and used equipment from Adorama, B&H, Keh, JR, and Amazon. I've had good luck with all of them. I have been really pleased with the used items I've purchased from Adorama.
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This clerk looked to be all of perhaps 17 years old. M-a-y-b-e he was old enough to be a college student, but a young one, if so. I probably still have cameras in my closet that are older than him that I purchased new. I am well on the north side of 40. Paying for HIS expertise? I don't think so. What disappointed me most, I think, was that I had dealt with this store for many years.
Needless to say, I didn't buy my DSLR there. I did purchase it -- and have since purchased two other cameras and a nice lens -- online. My online store of choice is Adorama (www.adorama.com). I have had nothing but good experiences in dealing with them.
If you do buy online, I'd say go ahead and get everything you need in one order in order to consolidate shipping charges.
As for a tall tripod, I'm 5'3" on a good day when I stand up REALLY straight and the sun is directly overhead. So I'm no help with that one.
All that is just my experience/opinion. YMMV, as they say....
I am all for supporting local business, but if they are unable/unwilling to either price match or discount their product to keep your business, I say go where you can afford to. If you can get a deal by bundling products, go that route, just know what products you specifically want before you order.
http://panamoz.com/index.php/digital-cameras/canon/canon-eos-600d-dslr-with-ef-s-18-135mm-f-3-5-5-6-is-lens-kit.html
which one you buying, out of interest.
yep like these guys said - I buy all my cameras off ebay, probably totalling around 40 cameras over my project, and I have never had a single blip in my satisfaction. My DSLR I got for £240 and it was worth £340 at the time. I bought my bag off amazon for super cheap, but ebay does bags really good. I got my tall Vanguard tripod off my dad, but ebay carries a similar one for about £20, the light weight double extender. I buy all my film off ebay. My experiences in Jessops are all negative, as said above, I usually get retarded 12 year olds serving me, and they always get it wrong. I don't go anymore after they developed a film and told me the pictures weren't very good. I thought that was a low of customer service.
@sobefree Manfrotto 055XPROB Max Height: 178.5cm with out tripod head
http://www.fotosense.co.uk/manfrotto-055xprob-pro-tripod-black.html
http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/
You can also check out price trends (a disheartening way to realise how much high-end lens prices have risen over the last 3-4 years)
Note that they only list UK stock, not Hong Kong stock like Panamoz (linked by an earlier poster) sell. Hong Kong prices are generally slightly less, but for Canon at least, any warranty is usually provided by the seller rather than by Canon (as they don't cover grey-imported goods). This may be an acceptable tradeoff for the reduced price, but be aware and consider any potential hassle involved should the camera have a fault -- and that there's no guarantee the seller, and hence the warranty, will still be around when you need it.
If you are ordering online make sure you do not order grey goods. They will be listed as "imported". They only have a warranty from the store you buy it from and do not qualify for manufacturer rebates.
I am not sure about the tripod. How tall do you want it. Don't forget the ballhead will add extra height. B & H has a bunch. They have a Cullmann Aluminum tripod that is 70" tall but it will only hold 17 lbs. I waited and saved to get a gitzo. To me it was worth it. I have had it for about 6 years and it is still in great shape.
I am assuming you live in England since you listed the price in pounds. If you are going to order from B& H or Adorama I would email them and ask about warranties before ordering any camera or lens.
I tend to buy my camera stuff on line but will often go to a store first to get a feel for it.. Also if the store price is comparable I will get it from them. As I am in Australia The online stores I use are mainly from here, with the goods being shipped in from Hong Kong
No idea about tripods, I use chairs, ladders, rocks and the planet to set up my camera.