What is the deal with Amvona???

Just curious about this site. People on craiglist are always selling packages from them. i goto their website (which loads really slow btw) and they have loads of euipment to buy "at wholeslae prices"..

Is amvona a site where people get sucked into those "pyramid schemes" and sell photo/video gear? Or are they just a normal reseller.

On ALL the products they have very little information on each product and tiny photos.

Let me in on what this site is all about.

I've actually bought some of their stuff on ebay and it's really good quality at dirt-cheap prices... There's nothing screwy with them...

Their website, IMHO, is just a way to display overinflated prices so that their eBay listings get higher bids. Their products are mostly knockoffs of other brands, made to a lesser quality but still very good if you don't get caught up in a frenzy and overbid.

I have a Bogen clone tripod as well as a Photoflex Stripdome clone softbox. Both are nice, but not worth their website quoted prices. I paid about 1/5th of those prices via eBay bidding, and they were worth every penny.

cdifoto wrote in post #3091437
T...but not worth their website quoted prices.

I agree, I did the same by buying them on the ebay bidding. Two tripod heads for less than $25 each...

almost all my lighting modifiers are from them.

I have a tripod, reflector holder, and boom stand all by them... pretty fantastic stuff for the price. Considering what I paid for the tripod, $72.00 with shipping, and for the same money you can get a plastic head Sunpak pod from Best Buy... I'd have to say they aren't worth the website price as well... but they're certainly worth more than what I paid.

I have a Carbon Fiber Monopod that I got from them for $48 shipped and it's really nice. Nice enough that I bought a carbon fiber tripod from them, paid $62 shipped. Also got a HUGE backpack gear bag for $36 shipped and a Memory card wallet for $3.00 shipped. I got all of this for less than I could have gotten a similar Tripod from Manfrotto. Only had one complaint, it takes about 2weeks to get your stuff. Oh and I reccomend using graphite lube on the inside of the leg locks (one of them was a little stiff, works great now.) I'd reccomend them to anyone of any level just get it off of ebay and not their store (website).

I've ordered a few things from them and usually have them in 3 or 4 days. For the money they are what they are. I'm a hobbiest on a budget so for me the price is right, if money was less of an concern Id probably buy something else.

I have received some backdrops from them. I got them from ebay and NOT their website. Not quite as thick as I would have liked and the one that they called "warm cream" I would have called peach in color. Just don't get caught up in a bidding frenzy. Figure out what you are willing to pay and when it goes over that go to the next one for sale. Sooner or later you will get one for the price you are willing to pay. Depending on the size they seem to go for around 30-50 each. Good luck.

This is very good advice for all things Ebay.

Kurt

My backdrop support is from them among 3 of my softboxes. I got them from ebay as well. Good prices for decent products

cdifoto wrote in post #3091437
but still very good if you don't get caught up in a frenzy and overbid.

^^^^^ I third that!!

People go crazy and bid just the same amount as the website, which is a big no no!

Im sure the OP is either convinced or half way there with the responses.

But here's my contribution: Amvona = broke photog alternative :P

Works for me. Shipping is rather slow, and communication.

What they are good at , is messing up orders from time to time.

Yeah, the bidding frenzies are a little nuts sometimes. I've seen ebay items go for more than their website price a couple times. Theres a post somewhere on FM from a guy who does some great work and most of his modifiers were amvona.

I have 2 tripods, 2 heads, lighting and bags all from them. I wont even bid if there is a bid on it, i'll go to the next one and bid my max. watch it til the end, then go to the next unbid item and repeat....unless I need it for something time frame wise.....then i might bid on a already bidded on item....but not very often since they have so many items.

My dad bought a muslin background from them. It's good quality and it was like 35 bucks.