Price for new 67 300mm ED lens

[charles_shoffner]

Has anyone heard of or had dealings with H1Photo in Philadelphia (I

think they are an online re-seller of grey market equipment). They

list the new 300mm EDIF for P67 at $1545 and claim it is in stock; is

it too good to be true?

 

Thanks,

Charles

[WJT]

I would be interested in this as well.

[tom_musselman]

This price is 30% below the B&H price, which seems to be in line with grey market US prices for Pentax lenses. I have bought a few lenses from <a href="http://www.deltainternational.com/">Delta International</a>. They get very good reviews and I highly recommend them. Anyway, their prices are around 20-30% lower than B&H. They do not list the 300 ED as in stock, and they don't list a price, but they usually respond quickly to an email inquiring about price and lead time.

[george_rhodes]

I recently purchased a mint minus 300mm Ed from KEH in Atlanta. I had previously contacted every place that listed the lens new for less than B&H, but every single time, the ads turned out to be a bogus lead-on. Hot Buys Electronics had the best price. They told me the lens was out of stock, but they could sell me a demo in mint condition, that had to come with a U.S.A. warranty for the same price B&H is selling it for new. I got the same kind of thing from every other place I called, so I bought the one from KEH for three hundred less than a new one at B&H. I know nothing about H1 Photo in Philadelphia. If they really do have this lens new for $1,545., it's the best deal I've heard of to date. I'd also like to know if anyone has had any dealings with them, because it's a place I plan to check out for future purchases. If you buy the lens from them, please let us know how it all works out for you.

[george_rhodes]

Charles, what is the web site address for H1 Photo?

 

Thanks, George

[WJT]

To those who are interested, the URL for H1 is as follows:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/h1photo2000/

[WJT]

I just purchased a new camera from them (via internet sale). I will report back on the progress of this purchase.

[WJT]

Today I spoke with the H1PHOTO representative and he said they have shipped my camera (a Pentax 67 II body with AE finder) and gave me the UPS tracking number. It is scheduled to arrive in 3 days. He also informed me that it is a "discontinued item" and that the camera was their "last one" and that it was from their "display shelf". He said that they didn't have the box for it but that they are including an expensive camera case. Well, to set the matter straight, their WEB page advertises this camera as being IN STOCK, BRAND NEW and FACTORY FRESH, but an import (grey market) item. Today I was told that the camera is indeed brand new (but off the display shelf) and that it is not an import but a USA version. All of this was told to me only after the unit was shipped.

 

It would seem that I have purchased a USA demo unit whereas I was originally lead to believe that it was a new, factory fresh, in-the-box import.

 

For me, if the camera looks and functions like a new unit, I wll be satisfied. The price I paid was lower than what I could have bought this for in used, like-new condition from KEH. When I ordered it from H1PHOTO I had reservations and suspected that the price was too good. On the upside of this, I will be getting a new USA Pentax warranty on the camera. Or so I am told. In a few days I'll report back on this adventure.

[WJT]

The camera arrived on Friday in a timely manner. It is most definetly a USED camera. There are streaks on the pressure plate from having film inside the camera. There is dust all over the inside, including under the prism finder. There are marks from the plastic film spools rubbing against the interior when the film advances. There are smudges all over the eyepiece lens. There was no factory box, no carrying strap, no warranty card. All of this inspite of the fact that I ORDERED a NEW camera and was assured by H1PHOTO that that was what I was going to receive.

 

They did include a very nice, new LowePro Nova 5AW carrying case. It is worth about 65 bucks.

 

The camera cleaned up quite well, except for the marks on the pressure plate. There does not seem to be any scrathes anywhere on the camera; just dirt. All the functions appear to work as they should. I am going to load some film in it today and make a side by side test with my old 6x7.

 

I should mention that H1Photo is affiliated with Cardinal Camera. I should also mention that www.H1PHOTO.com still advertises this camera as being "in stock, brand new, and factory fresh". What a joke!

[WJT]

I have been communicating with the owner of Cardinal. He seems to be willing to correct the situation as far as he is able. He offered me an extended warranty on the camera, or a refund. I appreciate that, but this situation should never have happened.