blazej_pindor

<p>Anders, what are you talking about? If you see a photo-contest focused on open-pit mines would you expect the miners to get a share of the prizes?</p> <p>What about contest focused on photography of ruins? Who would you credit for the photographs beside the photographer? </p>

<p>I think time is up for reporting on how my issue got resolved eventually.</p> <p>So, after initial misunderstanding, the Used Dept. staff took the situation very seriously and agreed to either cover the repair cost or accept the return. Since I have paid customs and tax of over 25% of the price I didn't want to go through reclaiming procedure since it usually lasts some time and also I needed the camera so I decided to choose the way of cure.</p> <p>I checked with the serviceman what could be done (the only serviceman in Poland who has expertise in servicing large format gear lives near my city, so it was very convinient). He was able to disassemble format bearers and fix the out-of-order axes but wasn't able to fix the bent front standard. Since Arca spare parts aren't plentiful on used market to say the least we had to refer to Arca-shop to get a new one at the cost of over 700 Euro. </p> <p>All of this was swiftly refunded by B&H and I have my now-back-in-shape Arca Swiss F-line-C-field camera.</p> <p>Thanks again.</p>

<p>Exactly, this is the point.</p> <p>View cameras should be <strong>disassembled for postage</strong>. Why do you think they are not in assembled form in original packages? They are precision instruments and their working configuration is not suited to withstand any stress beyond that of their own weight.</p>

<p>Thank you, Henry, for your help. Yes we had a chat and we are on the way to sort out the situation.</p>

<p>Sure I paid by credit card. But the card itself doesn't protect from wrong packaging and 30-days returns.</p>

<p>I am wondering if anybody had similar experience with B&H Photo. Or any other international sales/shipping.</p> <p>Usually PNetters can't stop praising their service when the topic comes up -- as BHPhoto are seemingly very careful about customers satisfaction. They are much less so when it comes to international customers -- at least from my experience.</p> <p>I bought a 1999$ Arca Swiss from their Used Dept in August. As I live in Poland, the package had obviously to go through Customs, so it was 27 days after purchase date (and after 500$ in customs fees) that I was only able to pick it up.</p> <p>The big box is filled with bubble foil and these air-filled bags but somehow the camera itself is just lying on the bottom without any protection save for single layer of bubblefoil (the box is unopened). And you guessed it. The camera is messed up. The precision mechanism of micrometric focusing is bent on both bearers plus the front standard rise is so sluggish it surely is bent as well.</p> <p>So I am writing to the B&H describing the problem (it is already 29 days past purchase) and this is where fun part begins. They say <strong>We can offer 100$ as a compensation</strong>! Ha ha ha. "Compensation" for what? The shipping itself cost 73$.</p> <p>No, wait! It isn't funny, you're over 2500$ shorter and all you have is a seriously broken camera! -- I said to myself. I can't though advise myself anything better than just laugh at the B&H incompetence -- which isn't that profound, after all they got the money and don't need to bother with somebody far there -- everything is fine, they only offer 30-day returns!</p> <p>To sum up this frustration: I bought a good camera and they destroyed it in such a stupid way. What is even worse is I chose to buy from them based on their reputation. As they say: learning is costly.</p>