USVI-On-Line

SO just got an Olympus SD1030 from www.buydig.com and is very please with the camera and the transaction.

We went to one of the sites that shows a bunch of places you can buy from and the prices and the ratings for the dealer.

I use B&H almost exclusively - prices might be a bit higher but you will get what they are offering and not be nagged into buying extras you don't need like many of the cheap outfits do to you. You will also be assured that the item is in stock and with their 3-day UPS ground delivery, it frequently gets to you overnight. That being said, we have used Amazon for a couple of camera items when B&H was out of stock and had good luck with them too. A lot of the low end outfits will suddenly be out of stock of the particular item you want but oh, can offer a kit to you for a lot more money and junky stuff you don't really want.

Thanks so much everybody, y’all are such a great resource!

I’ve checked out all the sites mentioned and the best price is at Ritz Camera (and by that I mean the best price from a company that doesn’t seem to be gray market). If I buy through Amazon.com, the seller is actually Ritz Camera but I’d have to pay $17 shipping through Amazon...but it’s free shipping directly, so I think I’ll probably do that.

B&H usually has the best deals online plus they are very reliable. Beware of gray market. Usually if you see a super low price that means no US warrenty. Ace photo www.acephoto.net Their website is down right now but call them. They are great to deal with. They have beat B&H on their prices. I go to their store here in Va all the time. Ask for Mo. Tell him what your looking for and he will set you up. No sales tax on out of state sales. I just bought my husband a Olympus 770 SW with a housing from him last week. I used to buy from Penn Camera here in Washington as well. I just like Mo because he always gives me a deal on what I'm looking for.

Ritz Camera is out of stock and many others (even those recommended here) had reviews that they are “bait and switch” outfits or sell gray market cameras. Grr.

DCPhoto, I called your guy Mo and he said that he has a refurbished model with a 1 year guarantee from Canon…it is $120 less than a new one. What do you think about refurbished cameras?

DCPhoto- So Mo told me that the refurbished camera would have a one-year warrantee from Canon USA. But I started looking around online and a lot of people said that they don’t warrantee refurbished cameras for that long…usually only 90 days if it is legit. So I went to Canon’s website and they had some refurbished cameras (though not the one I want) and all of the ones they are selling have 90 day warrantees. So now I don’t know what to think.

I ordered my daughters Canon 790 IS from Broadway Photo because they had a 5 star rating and their price was great. Two days after I placed my oder I got an e-mail stating that I needed to get in touch with them about my order. I called on a Sun. morning and spoke to a "sales person"-a$$hole. He tried to sell me every gadget that Canon could possibly offer and after I had a belly full I told him where to put it and that I just wanted my camera and nothing else. He actually told me that the battery that comes with the camera would only last 15 minutes. When I accused him of working on commisson and being an A$$HOLE, he hung up on me. I called the next day and found out my camera had been placed on back order, when they clearly advertise they have that camera in stock. I cancelled my order and ordered with a company called Profell and got a great price and didn't get the sales hassle. My camera came in about 3 days and she loves it. I would not buy a battery or memory card from Broadway Photo, much less a camera. This may be an isolated bad apple, but I'll never try them again.

teresa... www.frys.com or www.costco.com

both very reputible, both great deals... Costco will warrantee your camera for an additional year free!

I buy some stuff that way, but I would have Mo fax you the paper work that says that to be on the safe side. If He is unwilling to do that then don't buy from him. Gee, I hope he's not trying to rip you off after I recommended him to you. I go there all the time for supplies, but since he knows I'm a professional, he never pulls anything on me.

Sandy

Chiming in for B&H Photo. Had a problem with a Sony wireless speaker - problem ended up being with where we were setting it up and not with the equipment but they worked through it with me very patiently. I love their catalog - it's really an education on what's out there.

Also bought an Olympus digital from Beach Camera - they had the best price and I had the camera in about 2 days. No problems so I didn't get to test their customer service but the pricing and quick shipping would get me to order from them again.