Where should I buy a DSLR near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Either Canon T3 or Nikon D3100. Thanks,
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Where to buy a DSLR..
- Thread starter mrcowdude20
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B&H is a great store. I would even advise that after you do your research take a drive to their New York city store once you're ready to buy.
I'm sorry but I have to disagree. When it comes to buying a DSLR I would buy it from a good photo store that specializes in cameras. There's a benefit to having someplace to go if problems arise or if you need advice on buying the right equipment for your needs.
Photography is a huge field, everything from portraiture to landscapes and everything in between. If you're serious about your photography find somewhere you can go with any questions related to photography and/or hardware.
I would rather pay a bit more but develop a relationship at a local shop.
True, I was just saying for a casual buyer looking to save some money they might want to order off amazon. If you are really looking into photography then definitely find somewhere that can help you out with issues.
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That's not very nice.
Go to a local store, pick their brains, use their time, play with their inventory and once you make your decision buy it from someone else who did absolutely nothing to help you make your decision.
The better way:
If a local dealer is nice enough to answer all your questions, allow you to try out all their inventory, then have the decency to reward them for their great performance by giving them your business.
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Do some research in your town. Find a local camera dealer that caters to the professionals in your area. You could check with a local college that offers a photography course and ask where they recommend students get supplies.
Of course if you buy from a local dealer, you may pay a little more HOWEVER the support you receive from them will be well worth it.
B&H is a fantastic mail order and brick and mortar store, I have been there in person and bought from them.
When you mail order a camera, upon receipt you check it out and if there is a problem you have to pack it up and ship it back.
With the local dealer you can check out YOUR camera body before you buy it. If a problem develops, you return it to them in person and most likely the problem gets resolved that day.
If all we ever do is mail order, there won't be any local dealers to support us in the future. I do a lot of traveling and one of the first things I do in each new city is check into local dealers.
Build up a good relationship with a local dealership over time and they will do things for you a mail-order house cannot do.
.
That's not very nice.
Go to a local store, pick their brains, use their time, play with their inventory and once you make your decision buy it from someone else who did absolutely nothing to help you make your decision.
The better way:
If a local dealer is nice enough to answer all your questions, allow you to try out all their inventory, then have the decency to reward them for their great performance by giving them your business.
----------------------------------------
Do some research in your town. Find a local camera dealer that caters to the professionals in your area. You could check with a local college that offers a photography course and ask where they recommend students get supplies.
Of course if you buy from a local dealer, you may pay a little more HOWEVER the support you receive from them will be well worth it.
B&H is a fantastic mail order and brick and mortar store, I have been there in person and bought from them.
When you mail order a camera, upon receipt you check it out and if there is a problem you have to pack it up and ship it back.
With the local dealer you can check out YOUR camera body before you buy it. If a problem develops, you return it to them in person and most likely the problem gets resolved that day.
If all we ever do is mail order, there won't be any local dealers to support us in the future. I do a lot of traveling and one of the first things I do in each new city is check into local dealers.
Build up a good relationship with a local dealership over time and they will do things for you a mail-order house cannot do.
.
Partly I agree with you... partly no.
If this is your first DSLR then ok, fair enough. The problem I am having with brick and mortar stores is that their prices usually are MUCH higher than somewhere else online.
If the online retailer is reputable like B & H and Adorama I don't see the point of going to the store itself. Then again I might not fall into the whole "pick their brains category". Also bear in mind that while a lot of professionals use brick and mortar stores and pay more, they also can deduct those purchases via taxes while us normal users cannot.
about your comment of "not being nice if you pick their brain and then buy somewhere else..." well , that is the nature of business. if someone sells an entry level DSLR package online for say 600 USD and in the store its 750-800, which is totally within the realm of possibilities, then you are asking me to pay up to a third more just so i can as the store clerk a few questions. More of then than not, those clerks might or might NOT know what they are doing (ran across both types already).
Also the local stores have the demo models specifically to TRY.. why not use that?
I agree that if the price is only a few dollars difference, then yes, go to the store, ask all the questions and then buy it there .. but if the price difference is significant... ask local, buy online.
just my 2 c.
Like flosseR has stated above, I found that my "local" camera store (which happens to be an hours drive from where I live) "experts" offered very little to my knowledge base after I had researched my camera. All they could really tell me was basic info I already knew, MP size, basic features, etc. I basically asked them if I could handle their floor demo model. My previous canon rebel was "handled" at a Target store. Once I got the feel of the camera in my hands I knew that it was for me so off to Adorama I went. I have returned to that local store for accessories (my first travel tripod, camera bag, etc), so they did gain something from me "using them." BTW, the price difference on major items is a minimum of $100 more than what I could find on line.
I both agree and disagree. Check out your local camera stores, absolutely. The best way to buy an expensive camera is in person, unless you already know exactly what you want from experience. However, this is also a chance for the store to earn your business. They need to be able to offer value for the slightly higher prices they maybe charging. If you visit the store, and youdon't like them or feel they know they are doing - then of course take your business elsewhere, preferably another bricks & mortar store. There is a lot tone gained by developing a relationship with a real store.
Just recently my camera needed to go back for repairs, covered by warranty. However the store picked up the cost of shipping it, not normally covered if you buy on-line .... Plus they gave me a loaner (for free), which would have cost me way way more than savings I could have found by buying the camera online.
Luck
Shop local. Pay the sales tax in exchange for getting the right camera.
What Google has to say about buying a camera in Phili.
Check out the family owned one first. There is one real camera shop left in my area (Tacoma Washington). They get my business unless they don't stock what I want.
Dale
What Google has to say about buying a camera in Phili.
Check out the family owned one first. There is one real camera shop left in my area (Tacoma Washington). They get my business unless they don't stock what I want.
Dale
I see both sides of this as well.
I'm REALLY fortunate that I have a great shop less than a mile from my house (Kenmore Camera) that also has comparable prices to the large online retailers. They get my business every time.
However, seeing the area that fcortese lives in I can understand why he would shop online. There isn't much out there and it would be VERY difficult for a local shop to survive.
If you have a local shop that is good, support them and they will stick around and should continue to be good. However, if ya got nothing, then you don't have much choice.