matt_spitzer Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 I'm planning on purchasing a D200 with the 18-70mm soon. The question is how long it takes B&H to clear its back orders at this point. Are we talking a few weeks or several months? I realize it's a difficult question to answer, since both supply and demand are probably changing, so I'm really just after people's recent experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_koenig1 Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 I bought one a few weeks ago at a Best Buy in Orange County, CA. A few days earlier, I had called a few camera stores in the area and left my name and number. Within a week of getting the camera, all three called saying that had received some. B&H might be one of the few places that doesn't have it in stock. I just checked Best Buy and Circuit City on line, and both show it available. Unless you really only want to buy from B&H, I would suggest a little looking around. I don't think it would take too much to find one at this time. By the way, I am very satisfied with the D200 after using a F5 for the past 10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 According to various posts in this forum, D200 availability has not been a major issue in about the last month or two. Back in March, you might have to call a few places and need to wait a few days. For example, several days ago someone had a battery overheat problem with a one-week old D200 and managed to exchange for another one immediately at the store. Clearly, they can be found: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00G6sT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_graham3 Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 I see that Best Buy in NE Ohio is offering the D200 (body only) on its web site for $1614.99 in the latest sales circular. Plus, if you buy it online you get free shipping, a boon if you can wait a couple more days. Something else to consider, if you live out of state from the warehouse you pay no tax on the purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arthuryeo Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 Did you try getting it from Berger Bros. or Cameta? They are a reasonable dealer in eBay and many photo.netters and Nikonians have bought from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warren gleich Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 My small local Nikon Dealer finally retired and anything not bought through them came to my house from B&H. I gave up waiting on B&H and bought at the mall. Worked out ok as the price is the same and they had a kit in stock. Plus if there is anything wrong they will swap it out in the first 10 days. Doing tests for banding and bad/hot pixels. The surprise is this. I use Ritz for my online printing and am a member of there discount card program. It was up for renewal and bu doing so I got points for the camera. Now, I had now idea what that meant but the guy told me I would be getting a gift certific for around 80-100 bucks. So it is basically a free battery and some other stuff. I also bought a 2 gig card at Best Buy in the mall and it was on sale for less than B&H. B&H will get my money for a 12-24 and speedlight once I figure out which versions to buy though. Good luck. Warren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim_brown20 Posted April 23, 2006 Share Posted April 23, 2006 hi maybe you saw my post in the classifieds- it took me 2 months of wait lists calling etc.. to finally get one, and then another I had on back order came through so I have one to sell. Brand new USA in box body only with all manuals/cables/battery/charger/software etc... anyway contact me! cambio2@hotmail.com I live in colorado its listed in classifieds posted April 20 thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_spitzer Posted April 24, 2006 Author Share Posted April 24, 2006 Something I left out, that could be important: I'm based in Australia. Does anyone know if Best Buy will accept purchases and ship overseas? I know that B&H will, and trust them to do so (which is more than I can say for some of the competition), so I suppose that's why I specified them. Sorry, I can't really work a transaction with a private seller for bureaucratic issues specific to the institution where I work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Actually, B&H wouldn't ship a D200 even to Canada. See the posts by Juan Su in this thread: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FTfO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_spitzer Posted April 24, 2006 Author Share Posted April 24, 2006 Rats, foiled again! This guy's experience is similar to something I went through a few months ago when I was trying to purchase some high speed video equipment from an outfit in Switzerland. As is typically the case, the price from the Asian distributor in Singapore was 1/2 that of the Australian distributor. So, naturally we decided to go with with the Asian distributor, but the transaction was cancelled at the last minute by the manufacturer who (apparently having been contacted by the Oz distributor) informed us that it would violate their area agreement. So it appears that Nikon may now be doing the same thing. Well, at least that would explain what has been an ongoing mystery to me: why anyone would pay the >$100 markup to buy camera equipment in Australia. Now, for the revised question, does anyone know of any reputable retailers who will charge close to US prices and ship a D200 to Australia? (He asks, hopes sinking...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_spitzer Posted April 24, 2006 Author Share Posted April 24, 2006 Sorry, I meant > 100% markup. I'd be more than happy if it were $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmontgomery Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Luck may also play a BIG role ... I had been waiting since last December but hadn't ordered the D200. Then a couple of weeks ago ... with sheer luck ... I dropped by my local neighborhood Ritz Camera less than a mile from my house and they had a system with the small zoom. I thought about it and was hesitating ... and then my wife said: "... buy it!" and I did. I couldn't be happier. I played with it and then shot about 200+ shots over the Easter weekend when our four kids and four grandkids and 92yr old mother-in-law were at the house. I can't tell you how pleased I am with the D200 ... it's ... "it's so Nikon" and just feels right after owning other Nikon's in the past. Hang in there and maybe you can get lucky by trying the smaller stores in your area on an off day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 <I>and then my wife said: "... buy it!"</I> <P> Now, that is what I call marrying the right woman. I've got to ask my wife to read this post. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_spitzer Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 I just got the official word from B&H. It is true. They will not ship a D200 to an address outside the US. Of course, they have no position on having it shipped to a friend in the US. ;) While availability may no longer be an issue in the US, it appears that it is close to impossible to find a D200 for sale in Australia, and none of the reputable dealers I have inquired with is willing to speculate on when the importer will receive another shipment from Nikon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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