But, unfortunately, there’s a lot of counterfeit gear out there and many retailers mislabel items on their website. So, it’s important to use a little caution when shopping for new gear.
For example, a few months ago, photographer Lee Morris (from the great blog, F-Stoppers) purchased a Nikon MB-D11 battery grip on Amazon for $216. It turned out to be a fake (even though “Nikon” was written all over it), that normally sells for about $40.
There’s also a lot of unauthorized retailers out there that usually have attractively low prices, but many of them will end up shipping you fake stuff (if they even ship you anything at all).
So, who can you trust?
I recommend two options:
1. Buy from a local camera store that you’ve known and trusted for some time. If you already buy most of your gear from a local camera store that you’ve known for awhile, then I recommend sticking with them. Sometimes it may cost a little more to buy from them, but the important part is that you’re buying what you think you’re buying (and not some counterfeit version).
2. Buy online from Adorama or B&H. Both of these retailers have been selling camera gear since the 1970s, and are used by many professional photographers. I think it’s safe to trust either one of these places. Personally, I buy all of my camera gear from B&H, but I think either one is fine.
Full disclosure: I’m part of B&H’s affiliate program (I get a 2% commission on any sales generated through PhotoNaturalist, which helps me run this site), but I chose their affiliate program specifically because I trust them. Amazon actually offers TWICE the commission (around 4%), but I do NOT trust them for buying camera gear (because of stories like the one above from Lee Morris, and because of problems I’ve had personally with buying filters from them).
Where do you buy your camera gear from?
If you have another favorite camera store or have had good or bad experience at Adorama or B&H, please share your story with us by leaving a comment below! Thanks 🙂
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About the Author: Steve Berardi is a naturalist, photographer, computer scientist, and founder of PhotoNaturalist. You can usually find him hiking in the beautiful mountains and deserts of Southern California.
I trust amazon, but not amazon marketplace. Camera products purchased through amazon (not marketplace) are reliable. And amazon has a great return policy. Seriously, they are great. In fact I trust amazon for all my camera needs, moreso than Other dedicated online camera sellers
@Doug – Great point, the real danger are those third party retailers that sell through Amazon. But, sometimes it’s easy to forget to double check and make sure the product is coming from AMAZON and not an unknown retailer.
I bought a Nikon D60 with two lens kits online from B&H nearly three years ago, based on a recommendation from a friend who is a professional photographer. Got a great deal and was very happy with the experience.
I usually buy from B&H but on occasion when they either didn’t carry, or have in stock, what I needed I buy from Adorama.
I did buy from Abes of Maine once because the price was lower for my Pentax K100D and it was in stock at the time. I got the right stuff but the annoying sales call to try to get me to buy accessories, and the slow delivery, have made me never consider them again for any products.
I am fortunate to have a good local shop and I support them. I’ve had excellent results from Adorama and they tend to be my first choice if I’m buying online.
Here in Ontario, Henry’s provides very good service. I recently bought a Nikon D5100 and tele lens from them because I know that if there is any problem, they will make it right. A bonus: they will take your old stuff as a trade-in.
I have bought bodies and lenses from both, my preference is B&H because their website is easier to navigate. I also buy from the local guy if the price is close.
B&H for big purchases such as bodies, etc; however I have bought a couple of lenses from rental places such as LensProToGo.com and have been extremely pleased with those purchases. I will buy little things such as lens hoods, etc on eBay but I’m leary of buying big ticket items on eBay.
I’m generally a B&H shopper when it comes to new gear. I have never had a bad experience with them. I recently purchased a used EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens from http://www.lensrentals.com They regularly sell their used gear in order to keep their inventory up to date with the newest products. You can take advantage of that and get very high quality gear at a reduced price.
I live in Toronto, Ontario, and have ordered from B&H several times for both camera gear and computer add-ons like portable hard drives. Their prices are very competitive, even including duties and shipping, their range of products is much better than local stores like Henry’s, and they ship to Canada very quickly.
I always recommend B&H. They also keep your purchase history on line, in case you need to have proof of purchase for a warrantee. I once requested a receipt of a Nikon lens I bought years ago (it was purchased before they started keeping records on-line) and they were kind enough to dig it out and mail a copy to me.
Steve: I agree that you must exercise a degree of due diligence when purchasing online. Like Doug, your first respondent to this blog,with Amazon marketplace you must exercise a degree of caution but Amazon itself has been great for me.
I also believe that retailers must get real with some of their pricing. I purchased a 42″ 5 in 1 reflector set from a seller on ebay (within my country Canada) and I got it for 1/4th the price of the local ‘chain store’ Upon closer inspection they were the same product. The local retailer wanted about $90 for it.
One thing a smart buyer can do is use online pricing as leverage when dealing locally and not be afraid to ask the local merchant for a better deal. This ofourse will vary with products. Accessories seem to have the highest mark up and things like flash gels, reflector umbrellas.srands and beauty dishes have a 3-5 times markup over trusted ebay sellers.
In the end however when it comes to major purchases like a camera or flash set up I prefer the local guy over a long distance purchase provided the local shop is trusted and offers good service.
While I have not purchased from B&H or Adorama I have talked to these folks and would trust them with any purchase I woould make at a sistance.
Keep up the great work!
Jan
Even though I live in Southern Ontario, Canada, still buy most of my big purchases from B&H. While I’ll occasionally buy from Henry’s for smaller items, “Anne” is right – even with taxes, duties & shipping added on, B&H still comes out ahead. And they frequently offer “package deals” with NUMEROUS accessories where you get WAY more for less than the basic cost of a unit up here. So, it’s B&H for me. Highly recommended.
For those who are willing or who’s budget demands it the used equipment sections on Adorama and B&H are also an option. I have also purchased 35mm, and DX nikon camera bodies and lenses from KEH.com which specializes in used equipment, and I rank their service right along with Adorama and B&H.
I buy a lot of my camera stuff from Amazon and a fantastic camera store–Precision camera and video in Austin, TX.
I buy all my gear from B & H, I have gone to our local store, which is a fabulous place, but, they can never compete with the prices from BH. I’ve bought and returned and never had any issues with them on anything. Love them!!!
I use both B&H and Adorama. I ordered a lens from Adorama at Christmas and has it shipped to my daughter’s house in another state. Someone from the store called me and asked me a couple of questions that only I would know the answers to making sure that I had placed the order. I liked the fact that Adorama was not just interested in selling product but also wanted to protect their custera from possible credit cars fraud.
I like both B&H and Adorama, but I’d like to also recommend Outdoor Photo Gear (www.outdoorphotogear.com). They seem to specialize in accessories, like tripods, ballheads, camera straps, QR plates, etc. Though they don’t have the wide variety of equipment that the others carry, they’re very knowledgeable about their products, offer free and fast shipping, and are a delight to deal with. Their prices are very competitive with the other stores. I learned about them from Mike Moats’ workshop page.
I use our local shop as much as possible. If I have to special order an item, I use Amazon (not market place), or B&H, or Adorama. I was burnt real bad some years ago by a Craigslist seller, so use only the retailers I know and trust. Also Hunt’s Photos has a good record and prices are right through our camera club.
I guess for once in my life I am the fortunate one. I buy all over the place, but my principal difference from the others is I use PayPal card to pay for the items. PayPal has protected me from the bad guys. It doesn’t matter if it’s on line or from a local retailer(credit card scanners & bad employee’s) and sometimes bad businesses. PayPal is great protection, also eBay offers great protection and reimbursement for fraud and misrepresentation. Don’t be afraid, just know your customer service & security.
Living in Australia I have always found Digital Camera Warehouse to offer a ton of info on each product on their website and have had no troubles dealing with them Their prices are pretty good and their delivery excellent. To your door by overnight air and courier , insured, very securely packaged, starting at $11 for small items. ( I have no connection with DCW except as a customer ) . http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au is their website .
B&H is the place for me, for years. And they are very knowledgeable, they really know their products, if you have any questions or doubts they’ll help you clear the issues.
I went to the store in New York City for the first time this summer, it is a remarkable place. Merchandise handling totally automated, customer service on the other hand incredibly personal, all people, the most efficient and knowledgeable staff. You can ask anybody any question and they’ll know the answer. I know Adorama and Hunts are good places as well
I buy from a camera store in baton Rouge where I currently live and from a couple in Metairie (a New Orleans suburb) where I used to live. I like to have equipment in my hands before buying. I’m surprised you didn’t mention ResellerRatings.com – Store Ratings & Reviews.
Here in Australia we are often ‘tempted’ by the cheap prices from the Asian region … I’ve heard some bad stories and avoid buying anything other than the odd filter from these locations. I did buy my Canon 60D from a local company (which was more expensive than a lot of others but came with an Aussie guarantee) … http://www.ryda.com.au/ .. excellent and speedy service. Another one I used to buy a tripod and bag and were equally excellent was http://www.cambuy.com.au/ .
I agree with your comments. I tend to use B&H and Adorama. However, I also trust Hunt’s Photo and Video. They support our photo organization, Carolina’s Nature Photographers Association. They send representatives to our annual meetings and often have very good deals.
Just dropping by to say thank you for all the recommendations for shopping at Adorama, and to let you know that if you ever need advice or after-sales support with any order from Adorama, I’m only an email away: helen@adorama.com.
A couple of new features that you may not be aware of, are our ‘click by 7’ shipping guarantee – for all new, in-stock items ordered by 7pm ET we will get them out the door and on the way to you – except on the rare occasion that there are issues with ID verification.
Also, I noted that our used department was mentioned; we have over 25,000 used items in the Adorama warehouse, and as of a couple of weeks ago, everything rated V, D, E+, E or E- now comes with a full 6-month warranty (all other grades with a 3-month warranty) – and everything we sell, has a 30-day returns window.
I hope this is helpful, but please do get in touch if I can ever assist with anything else.
Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
http://twitter.com/HelenOster
@HelenOster
I agree with everything except B&H. I have used both them and Adorama for years. But B&H got to me for about $350 the last time I tried to do an order. Because B&H was closed for vacation I called the factory about a lens issue. By the time the factory finished their testing I naturally went over the 15 days. They told me to take it back to B&H anyway. I tried and got a person in customer service who just would not listen. He informed me that just because they are closed someone might answer the phone if they are there and because of that closed days do count. I ended up eating the money. But, since I do teach photography and Photoshop at a college I’ve suggested to my students to use Adorama or someone different. One holdout for B&H came up to me last quarter and said he ended up having the same problem and lost money by doing business with them.
@Richard Cherry — Your comments disturbed me as this is not in accord with our current policy. Please email order details to me at henryp[at]bhphoto.com so I can look into this.
—
Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video
I look around for weeks on the web thinking I am going with the lowest price, then I get scared of whatever company it is and buy from B&H. Have never been disappointed! Will stop wasting my time looking around!
I like Durys out of Nashville
Hey everyone, thanks so much for sharing your experience with B&H, Adorama, and other camera stores. Many of you mentioned Hunt’s, which I’ve also heard good things about.
In Canada Henrys and Vistek are very reliable but pretty much at the top of the price scale. Aden Camera in Toronto is a long-time local camera store that does very good on-line retail. Plus you can use them to get Henrys or Vistek to price match.
But if you really want a great experience and support, The Camera Store in Alberta: they carry some really great stuff you just can;t get elsewhere in Canada. I recommend them the most.
I have bought from Amazon.com I always make sure that it is elegible for prime shipping and never had a product. I also use Adorama and the same no problem easy returns, B&H I use if the others do not have what I want. Hunts is also excellent but since it is in Massachusetts I would have to pay 6.25% sales tax
i have to say B&H is the best in the business when it comes to camera gear. i love them and have never had a problem with them and shipping is extremely fast. they are always my first choice for buying gear, but i have bought from amazon as well.
I also buy my camera gear from Adorama and B&H. I’ve also purchased through Amazon with an exception. If I do purchase an item through Amazon I perform the purchase from Adorama or B&H only and not anything that is sold by Amazon itself. Sometimes there is a small discount if done this way rather than directly from the Adorama or B&H site but only occasionally. Also, Adorama and B&H usually have a great return policy than can be trusted over Amazon.
I have purchased mainly from B&H and Amazon proper.
The great thing about B&H is if you are part of Paypal’s Bill Me Later you can sometimes (depending on how much you have spent) get 3 to 6 months to pay something off, with no finance charges, as long as it’s paid off in full and you pay the minumum monthly payment. $35.00 I think it is. I also have the Bill Me Later cash back and when you click through to B&H through the cash back page, I have also received 1% cash back.
Charlton / Myer
Just dropping by to say “thank you” for your feedback, and your continued Adorama business.
And of course, to wish you all a very Happy New Year!
Helen@adorama.com
Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
@Charlton
I appreciate your vote of confidence but in the interest of accuracy I feel obliged to tell you we don’t have a presence on Amazon.com and do not sell through their site.
–
Henry Posner
B&H Photo-Video
I bought my Canon 100-400mm telephoto lens form an electronics market in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and I’ve never been really happy with it. It’s always been a little soft and erratic on the focus and, after about 2 years, the weatherproof seal started coming out from between the barrels. I read somewhere that lenses don’t get copied because they are just too complex but I still sometimes wonder…
Has anyone had any good/bad experience with bestpricephoto.com? Their prices seem to be way lower but i am not sure how reliabe they are. Thanks
I looked at your link for Best Price, the prices are about the same as Adorama & B&H. I didn’t find any better deals other than free shipping and that can be a big advantage for considerations. Their actual inventories (in stock etc..) was not that great, so I would stick to the big guys, easy returns, great costumer service, and safe.
B&H is the best….you can also check Berger Bros Camera on ebay, good service and if there is the slightest mistake in listing the seller is ready to refund half the amount of purchase