B&H delivers scratched camera!

I honestly don’t expect to get much for my body’s (Camera, that is ) I just strive to make them pay for themselves, whatever I get after that is beer money

My XTs won't be worth squat regardless of whether they're nicked up or not. They keep dropping in value so fast...and I don't really plan to sell unless I find a crapload of cash in my sofa to buy a 1 series. Trust me, I check my sofa every day. It doesn't look too promising!

cdi-ink.com wrote:
Trust me, I check my sofa every day. It doesn't look too promising!

Maby you should invite some realy rich people over and make them roll around on your sofa lol

back to the issue of being sold damaged goods, I work at a chain camera store/photolab, and its not uncommon for employees to play with "new" cameras for hours at a time. i always get freaked out when they take a 5D and throw on an L lens and go runnin around the store. Heck some of the employees will "borrow" equipment on the weekends so ive heard. I dont think this is really acceptable with merchandise you expect to sell as new. i mean i understand needing to know what you are selling, and playing behind the counter is one thing, but id hate to see one of customers open the box in the store only to find a scuffed up obviously used camera.

Come to think of it, this isn't the first time I've gotten the short end of the stick with B&H.

Back in 1999, when I was just getting into photography, I ordered two lenses from their website: a 17-35 f/2.8L and a 70-200 f/2.8L. I never knew how big the 70-200 really was until I received it.

Realizing that this lens was not suited for my experience level, I took the ferry to NYC and went directly to the B&H store to return it.

As I recall, the returns department was around the corner or on the side of the store or something like that. Two guys took about ten minutes (no joke) to examine the lens from top to bottom.

They found one miniscule blemish on the barrel (which you practically need a microscope to see). Funny thing was I never even took the lens out of the bubble wrap from within the box. That's how it was delivered to me. Of course they didn't believe me because there is no tape sealing the bubble wrap for evidence of opening. You could just see the look on my face.

To make a long story short, they gave me a refund, less $20 for the blemish. That's the only way they would take it back. I left there with a bad taste in my mouth. I haven't really thought about it since then but it all came back last night.

So I guess you could say that I have legitimate beef with them this time around.

I wonder now if that lens went right back into their inventory.

There was a story posted a little while back about their success in business and I do believe it mentioned the return dept. being just as used said. I've bought several non essentials items from them, probably over a $1000 worth but when it comes to camera and lens I'll blow the horn again for Norman and Canoga Camera.

Another story pertaining to their returns: I got shipped a Bogen Tripod Bag that was noticeably sewn irregular and promptly returned it for another with a phone call and note enclosed with instructions to send me another one. After 10 days of not hearing a thing from them I decided to call and found out they had credited me with the purchase amount but not back to my credit card. Needless to say they sent the bag again and covered the return shipping too so I was happy in the end but at least an email would have been nice knowing the status of the return.

That scratch in the attachment would have taken a lot to get there... well, I guess I can't say that since I can't really see the scratch... but the white line. Anyways, I use two bodies at a time shooting sports and they get bumped around, and sometimes get bounced on my belt buckle quite a bit. I'm amazed at how hard it is to scratch the LCDs on Canon gear. This is one thing that Nikon really stinks at. They have those goofy clip-on LCD protectors that scratch VERY easily, and also fall off. Meanwhile they look ridiculous on the back of the camera. Canon makes a very hard LCD cover that integrates into the body.... so you can easily replace it if it gets scratched, but not look dorky while using the camera. Sorry for the tangent there...

When I was shooting Nikon, I received a 70-200 2.8VR lens from .... I think it was Unique Photo, but I'm not positive. It had a pretty big nick in the finish that went all the way to metal. Otherwise, it had no signs of being handled... the packaging in the box and all looked untouched. I'm pretty sure it was a factory blemish. The only choice hey gave me was to return it for replacement, which they would have gladly done. I decided to just keep it. It was not going to effect its operation, and the lens was good and sharp... so I figured why push my luck. I sold it when I moved to Canon (on eBay), and it brought top dollar, with the nick disclosed. I felt a little slighted that they wouldn't give me a few bucks back because it had a defect, but that wasn't their policy. I got over it pretty quickly and enjoyed the lens.

In your case, I'd probably ask for a new one... don't know. Hard to know what you'd do unless it happened to you.

OH great! Another thing to worry about while I'm trying to decide between a 20D and the 30D. I had already made the decision to go with B&H after reading other peoples recommendations here.

I knicked the display on the back of my 20D and have no idea how it happened. It's like a little gouge and about the size of a pencil dot. And then I've got my D30 that I've had close to five years and not a scratch on it. Must just be one of those things, they're built tough but if you tap it just right...

B&H customer service

They really must have it out for me.

I called this morning to get an RMA# (which I got OK) and in the process of being transferred from customer service to the sales dept (to order a new 20D, which went OK) and then back to the customer service dept to get credited for the shipping on the new one, I got disconnected.

I called an hour later when I had free time again, waited 20 min for a customer service agent, who after explaining to me that the shipping will be credited to me, hung up on me before I had a chance to ask another question. Whatever happened to "is there anything else I can help you with, sir?"

All I have to say it that this is not the same B&H that I once knew.

Bakewell wrote:
A little off topic - for those concerned about their displays becoming scratched (as I am)....

http://www.shieldzone.​com/category/digital_c​amera/

I've used these "Shields" on everything including cameras, iPods, PDAs and even cell phones. A little pricey, however, they really work! (I know it sounds like I work for these folks but I reall don't!)

What do these things look like?

I always chuckle to myself when people complain about customer service and problems like these. 'No', you shouldn't expect to receive a damaged new camera and 'no' you shouldn't be treated as such over the telephone. That said, we are the same people scouring the Internet the for the lowest possible price on everything. And while I've only been in his hobby since June, I can tell photographers are among the cheapest. When a business is forced by the consumer to keep lowering prices, how do you suppose they compensate?

I doubt seriously that your stories regarding B&H are the standard fare. They must ship hundreds of items a day and frankly I don't see too many complaints regarding them. But when you are looking for a low price for your goods, please consider how these businesses must compete with everyone else.

Someone smarter than me once said that in business it is easy to do any TWO of the following things: (1) do it quick, (2) do it right, and (3) do it cheap. It is very, very rare to find a business that can do all three.

The best way to describe them would be as a thick sheet of saran wrap that's cut to exactly fit various displays. They can be removed if necessary but they truly are scratch resistant. I've never seen these things scratched and I have them on every display I own. Just a hint: If you buy one have them send it via the US Postal and their is NO shipping fee.

My fiance experienced that when she got her XT. It was labeled as "New In Box", but when we got it, the image counter was over 4000. Obviously a new camera in the box would be sitting at 0.

[All I have to say it that this is not the same B&H that I once knew.[/QUOTE]

gotta' chime in here with my experiences with B&H.

If I order online and never have to deal with a human being, everything is great, but the two times I called and spoke to a "person" it was a bit off-putting. Both times, I was calling to ask their advice, and ordered their recommended item.
The salesman spoke very quickly, with an accent that I had a hard time understanding.
The second time I called, some months later, I was asked if I were Jewish. I'm not, but I cannot understand what this had to do with anything.
Having said that, they are way better than Adorama, where I have sat on hold much more time than I'd like to think about.

Nancy