used MF dealers USA

[neil_grant]

<p>I'm unable to source an item of used medium format in the UK and I'm considering using a US dealer instead. I've heard of KEH and Adorama but have no experience of them. Are they reliable?</p>

[richterjw]

<p>Both are very good. I prefer KEH, but mostly because of its closer proximity to me and the easier manner to browse their selections. I have used KEH a couple dozen times over the last ten years.</p>

[tree]

<p>I have purchased hundreds of dollars of MF equipment from KEH over the years and have been very pleased with them. The service has always been prompt and professional. Others have reported poor experience with them, but I've never had an issue. Their rating system is very strict, and even items classified as "Bargain" are (for my purposes at least) high quality (for lenses BGN always refers to the condition of the lens barrel, for example: the optics are perfect.) I highly recommend them.<br>

I have not used Adorama at all: B&H is my source for new items, KEH for used.<br>

I suspect the biggest issue you will have, regardless of vendor, is the cost of shipping/customs/etc.</p>

 

[carbon_dragon]

<p>Don't forget B&H Photo.</p>

[yuri_huta]

<p>KEH and Adorama are very good. I've purchased from BH Photo Video as well. There are many smaller shops that I've had good experiences with, some specialize more than others and it might be helpful if you give an idea of what you are looking for - brand? lens? body?</p>

[fwstutterheim]

<p>Shipping from Atlanta (KEH) will probably be more than $100 (using UPS) and H.M. excise-men will charge you 20% VAT on the purchase price plus shipping and may be some duties. It makes sense only for items that are absolutely unobtainable in the EC and you have to be quite sure you are not going to send them back for any reason. In that case you will be out of pocket for an awful lot of money. KEH will not repair items sold to international customers anyway for duty and tax reasons. I have purchased from KEH's and was happy with their service. I did not go for any "bargains" though. Shipping from New York usually is somewhat cheaper. </p>

[ondebanks]

<p>I've bought loads of stuff from the US into Ireland, from KEH and many other sources. When the exchange rate being charged was around €1 = $1.25, a very simple rule of thumb for me was that the US dollar price would equal the Euro price once taxes and duties are included ($500 = €400 = €500 after import taxes). This made it easy to do price comparisons with the same item in the EU. Now that the dollar has weakened again to around €1 = $1.40, there's an even better case for buying from the US. The €-£ have been tracking each other's movements pretty closely, so this also applies to you in the UK.</p>

<p>Also consider Canada...Henry's has been a good dealer for me. And here's a tip: Canadian ebay auctions seem to be particularly good for us EU folks, because the currency advantages are similar to the US, but the US ebayers seem to not want to import stuff across the border from Canada (buying within their own huge US internal market saves them higher shipping, tax and currency costs), so there's less competition between us and other bidders.</p>

[henryp]

<blockquote>

<p>Don't forget B&H Photo.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[marc_batters]

<p>Neil, What are you looking for? Maybe someone here on P-net might have what you're looking for.<br /> Adorama's customer service is lousy enough for US customers, so I wouldn't want to wish that poor chance on someone from across the pond.</p>

[russ_britt3]

<p>We are lowering the value of our dollar as fast as we can.......so you can get a bargain.<br>

We are printing money as fast as we can, yes you are welcome.</p>

[jon_porter2]

<p>Koh's Camera (kohscamera.com) is another good U.S. source for used gear. I've bought several Bronica items from them and they've been exactly as described and no problems.</p>

[leighb]

<p>The big problem with B&H is they don't take orders on Saturday. No excuse for that.</p>

<p>High praise for KEH. I've bought a lot of stuff from them.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

[g_k7]

<p>Leigh, there is a VERY good excuse for that. B&H, as well as Adorama adhere to a set of beliefs that proscribe them from engaging in commerce on Saturdays. It's not like UPS or FedEx is going to pick up the package that day any way! I for one have no problem with them following that principle, it's their business and I simply plan ahead.<br>

<br />I've bought used from KEH and Adorama, I have not delved into B&H in that category yet. KEH I patronize mostly because they have all the little trifles I'm looking for, at some point during the sales year.</p>

[leighb]

<p>G K</p>

<p>That is not an excuse, good or otherwise.</p>

<p>Computers are not people, and they don't have religions.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

[g_k7]

Leigh, it's not an excuse I'm offering up.

 

It is, in fact, a fact - pun wholly intended.

[leighb]

<blockquote>

<p>Leigh, it's not an excuse I'm offering up.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>G K,</p>

<p>I believe you said "...there is a VERY good excuse for that..."</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[richardsperry]

<p>I'm in the US.</p>

<p>And just bought a MF lens from ffordes http://www.ffordes.com/ . Good price, nice lens. They are in the UK, obviously.</p>

<p>Not knocking KEH or B&H, love them both. They just did not have the lens I was looking for.</p>

<p>They have really really good prices on Rollei SLR equipment, I wish I bought my camera from them first. I would have saved a lot of money, even with VAT and shipping.</p>

[richardsperry]

<p>GK,</p>

<p>I don't think they have any rules against hiring goyim to take calls or process orders. No need to get defensive. Leigh's objection is an honest and fair objection(the systems are down merely for order taking).</p>

<p>Personally, I am never in a hurry for anything that I buy from either, that I could care a lot about. And certainly no more inconvenient than the myriad Christian holidays that we must all endure.</p>

<p>I am glad that both are in business, and provide the service and products I require. And hope both stay in business for a very long time, which I think they will.</p>

[helen_oster]

<p>Marc<br>

I appreciate your feedback but regret that the service you have indicated that you received from Adorama in the past has not been of an acceptable level. I hope very much that this was the result of uncharacteristic behaviour by a member of the CS team and would welcome the opportunity to address it with him or her.<br>

However, I can't ID you or your transactions which have given you this impression about Adorama.<br>

If you would like to email me directly: Helen@adorama.com with details of the issues which have caused you concern, I will of course give this my immediate attention.<br>

BTW as the Adorama feedback is 9.62 / 10: http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Adorama I can only think that it was an isolated incident.</p>

<p>Helen Oster<br>

Adorama Camnera Customer Service Ambassador</p>

[leighb]

<p>In Adorama's defense...<br>

I've purchased a bunch of stuff, both used lenses and regular supplies, and have been quite pleased with the transactions.</p>

<p>My only gripe is the third-party shipping service they use. The tracking information is useless.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[helen_oster]

<p>Leigh</p>

<p>We have, just in the past couple of weeks changed the shipper we were using for free and low-cost shipping. Customer feedback in relation to tracking info and delivery times so far has been good!</p>

<p>We still offer UPS shipping (as per the checkout page) however, you would be paying the actual (full) price for this.</p>

<p>I hope this helps but please don't hesitate to email me directly if you ever need help with anything else, now or in the future: Helen@adorama.com</p>

<p>Helen Oster<br>

Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Why would ordering online on a Saturday be a big concern? The order wouldn't go out until Monday anyway.</p>

[leighb]

<p>I order things according to my own schedule, and that's frequently Friday evening or Saturday.</p>

<p>They have nothing to offer that I can't get elsewhere, and I usually do.</p>

<p>I do not feel obliged to conform to other folks' religious practices, and I take offense when they try to stuff them down my throat.</p>

<p>You don't find other vendors closing up shop on Sunday.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

[helen_oster]

<p>Leigh<br>

Chick-fil-A for sure closes on Sunday: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chick-fil-A<br>

At Adorama we do appreciate that our closing times can be inconvenient to some of our potential customers. Our website can accept orders, because we don't actually make a charge until an order is shipped - this of course causes its own problems of inventory updates....<br>

Adorama's owner is an observant orthodox Jewish gentleman, whose beliefs prohibit him - his family and his business - from operating on the Sabbath and on many of the religious holidays (which all begin an hour prior to sunset the evening before the day of the holiday, which is why we close early on Fridays).<br>

We can't employ non-Jews here during those days, because to do so would involve the company conducting business - which is forbidden in Jewish Law.</p>

<p>In this era of 24-hour commerce, I guess it's unusual to find that there really are still people who consider their spiritual duty to be more important than squeezing money out of our customers at every opportunity. I receive frequent emails from customers who state that in this day and age it is comforting to know there are people around who do not place money before all else.</p>

<p>Many businesses in the US and elsewhere in the world force employees to work on holidays when the time is better spent with their friends and families - or just relaxing by themselves.</p>

<p>We are grateful for the understanding of our customers that this is an important element of our owner's value system. Perhaps the following links to articles in the Washington Post & the New York Times will help to make some sense of our closure policies:</p>

<p>http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB109269113906892796-IVjg4NnlaJ3o5yubXSHaK6Jm4.html</p>

<p>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/09/technology/09ecom.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</p>

<p>I hope this helps</p>

<p>Sincerely</p>

<p><strong>Helen Oster<br /> Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador</strong><br>

<strong> </strong></p>

<p> </p>

[sebastianmoran]

<p>For what it's worth... I am VERY glad that Adorama and B&H are in the business with wide product coverage and excellent prices. Sure, I'd prefer to be able to order of Saturday, but net-net, I am very happy to have them in this business. And, thank you Helen and Henry for being present here online. </p>

<p>For the OP, I have been very satisfied with all three of the US Used-MF dealers mentioned here. </p>