Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcc6.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!whuxl!whuxlm!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcc3!sdcc6!ix415 From: ix415@sdcc6.UUCP (Rick Frey{|ix) Newsgroups: net.rec.photo Subject: Buying from mail order catalogs Message-ID: <1935@sdcc6.UUCP> Date: Wed, 27-Feb-85 17:35:28 EST Article-I.D.: sdcc6.1935 Posted: Wed Feb 27 17:35:28 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 2-Mar-85 03:00:06 EST Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center Lines: 21 I'm just getting into photography, but one thing that has already disillusioned me is the inordinately high prices of camera equipment, especially lenses. I own a Pentax ME Super annd have been very pleased but now I would like to move up in the world of lenses, namely a zoom- telephoto roughly around the 80-200 range. The prices for what camera store attendants told me were good brands (Tamron, Kiron, etc.) were far beyond what I culd afford, so having used mail order to buy various things in the past, I bought an issue of Popular Photography for the mail order price lists throughout the back sections of the magazine. The difference in prices is amazing. Many of the mail order prices were less then half of the respective store prices and I've got a few good locations for discount shopping. But the big question is, how safe is buying something through the mail, especially something like a lens? And what about all of the horror stories of stores billing the Visa number, but never sending the merchandise and telling you 8-10 weeks later that they aree out of stock and you can have a refund? I would love to save the money, but I would hatee to get ripped off. If any of you have had successful dealings with any of the mail order houses I would appreciate hearing about it. Rick (ix415@sdcc6, U.C.San Diego)