Thread: ***DSLR Thread***

Right now I think B&H Photo SUCKS! Yeah, I know they are actually a very good company. I've been using them for many many years and have always been pleased with them. But right now I am pissed! Let me explain:

Back in February, I posted in this thread how bad ass I was because I had just pre-ordered the new Nikon D800. Well I learned a hard lesson--B&H is NOT the place to purchase a newly introduced camera. I thought, well these guys are the largest camera shop in the US so they should have a good supply of the cameras when they come out. The camera was introduced February 7. I ordered it within a minute or two of when B&H started taking pre-orders at 9:00 pm PST on Feb 6. Sounds like I got a pretty good chance of getting one of the first cameras, right? Apparently not. The camera came out a week ago and tens of thousands have been sold worldwide, but the camera is in short supply. Amazon has moved a bunch of them. Many people have even found them at their local Best Buy. Pro photographers who are part of Nikon's NPS program had their's dropped shipped to them. But, if you ordered through B&H's website, you are still waiting and they won't give you a straight answer why. People, like myself have called and are now being told that it could be the end of May before they will be able to ship pre-orders to the people who odered in those first minutes! WTF? Had I ordered through my local camera store or Amazon.com I would have my camera now! Who would have thought?

The reason I pass along this story is to give you fair warning. There will be several new and amazing cameras introduced this year from both Canon and Nikon. If you just gotta have one of the first ones, don't pre-order through B&H. Go to your local camera store and get on their list, or try Amazon.com. Otherwise you might be very disappointed.

BTW the reviews of the Nikon D800 are incredible. Even with 36 mp it still has excellent high-ISO capabilities--as good or better than the D700. DXO Labs gave the sensor in the camera it's highest rating ever.

Originally Posted by DeaderFan

Right now I think B&H Photo SUCKS! Yeah, I know they are actually a very good company. I've been using them for many many years and have always been pleased with them. But right now I am pissed! Let me explain:

Back in February, I posted in this thread how bad ass I was because I had just pre-ordered the new Nikon D800. Well I learned a hard lesson--B&H is NOT the place to purchase a newly introduced camera. I thought, well these guys are the largest camera shop in the US so they should have a good supply of the cameras when they come out. The camera was introduced February 7. I ordered it within a minute or two of when B&H started taking pre-orders at 9:00 pm PST on Feb 6. Sounds like I got a pretty good chance of getting one of the first cameras, right? Apparently not. The camera came out a week ago and tens of thousands have been sold worldwide, but the camera is in short supply. Amazon has moved a bunch of them. Many people have even found them at their local Best Buy. Pro photographers who are part of Nikon's NPS program had their's dropped shipped to them. But, if you ordered through B&H's website, you are still waiting and they won't give you a straight answer why. People, like myself have called and are now being told that it could be the end of May before they will be able to ship pre-orders to the people who odered in those first minutes! WTF? Had I ordered through my local camera store or Amazon.com I would have my camera now! Who would have thought?

The reason I pass along this story is to give you fair warning. There will be several new and amazing cameras introduced this year from both Canon and Nikon. If you just gotta have one of the first ones, don't pre-order through B&H. Go to your local camera store and get on their list, or try Amazon.com. Otherwise you might be very disappointed.

BTW the reviews of the Nikon D800 are incredible. Even with 36 mp it still has excellent high-ISO capabilities--as good or better than the D700. DXO Labs gave the sensor in the camera it's highest rating ever.

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't/couldn't you just cancel the pre-order and get it elsewhere? I mean, I understand the frustration, I'm just curious why you'd still be waiting (if you are).

Originally Posted by SmytheKing

Out of curiosity, why wouldn't/couldn't you just cancel the pre-order and get it elsewhere? I mean, I understand the frustration, I'm just curious why you'd still be waiting (if you are).

That is something I am looking into. The problem now is that the camera has gotten so much aclaim that everyone wants one. So, consequently, camera stores have long waiting lists now. If you go on Amazon today, the say your order will ship in 1 to 2 months. (They have a listing for a "used" one at $1200 over retail. People are flipping them on Ebay too for big profits.) So basically, I just made a bad choice going with B&H in this situation. But now their promise of "late May" is about the same as Amazon. Its not really B&H's fault. There are just not many cameras to be had. The "pro" NPS customers got taken care of but B&H didn't get inventory for regular mailorder. My understanding is that Adorama customers are complaining too.

There is a lot of pent up demand for this camera (and the D4) because Nikon has had to push back introducing new pro cameras for a year due to the earthquake in Japan and the floods in Thailand. They had two main factories completely wiped out. Canon, on the other hand was less affected. Supply of the new 5D Mark III is tight but you can find one if you look hard.

I will keep my place in line at B&H for now, but I will also call around to a few local camera stores and see what they can do for me. I'll keep checking Best Buy too.

Originally Posted by DeaderFan

That is something I am looking into. The problem now is that the camera has gotten so much aclaim that everyone wants one. So, consequently, camera stores have long waiting lists now. If you go on Amazon today, the say your order will ship in 1 to 2 months. (They have a listing for a "used" one at $1200 over retail. People are flipping them on Ebay too for big profits.) So basically, I just made a bad choice going with B&H in this situation. But now their promise of "late May" is about the same as Amazon. Its not really B&H's fault. There are just not many cameras to be had. The "pro" NPS customers got taken care of but B&H didn't get inventory for regular mailorder. My understanding is that Adorama customers are complaining too.

There is a lot of pent up demand for this camera (and the D4) because Nikon has had to push back introducing new pro cameras for a year due to the earthquake in Japan and the floods in Thailand. They had two main factories completely wiped out. Canon, on the other hand was less affected. Supply of the new 5D Mark III is tight but you can find one if you look hard.

I will keep my place in line at B&H for now, but I will also call around to a few local camera stores and see what they can do for me. I'll keep checking Best Buy too.

Ah ok. That makes sense. From the original statement I was under the assumption that you had passed up other options because you had pre-ordered it already. I wasn't sure if there was a non-refundable deposit or something to that effect. Thanks for clarifying.

I don't really understand why someone needs to have the latest and greatest camera from Nikon or Canon. To each his own, I suppose, but that's a ton of money to spend on something that might just be minutely "better". I had enough jitters dropping a grand on my DSLR.

Originally Posted by UnholyGoalie

I don't really understand why someone needs to have the latest and greatest camera from Nikon or Canon. To each his own, I suppose, but that's a ton of money to spend on something that might just be minutely "better". I had enough jitters dropping a grand on my DSLR.

The D800 is quite a bit more than minutely better than B's D200.

The D4 isn't enough of an improvement over the D3 to have me clamoring for one, though.

Ah, I don't know the specs on any of the new models because I have little hope of affording one.

The 5D MkIII has me wishing for the Mega Millions.

Originally Posted by ValleyFan

The 5D MkIII has me wishing for the Mega Millions.

If I win I'll buy everyone in this thread one along with a 24-70 and a 70-200 lens. Seems reasonable.