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B&H recommends DPreview

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Redrock

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I was in B&H the other day fishing for a good Tamron 28-75 lens, trying one out on my 20d when I overheard a customer and sales rep at the counter next to me.

The customer was all over the place not knowing what he wanted, and the sales guy was very patiently giving him options for either a 20d kit with one lens or another, or a Hasselbad med. format kit for just over a thousand. Finally when the not-very-prepared customer asked another question that I couldn't hear, the B&H guy said, "For information like that, you should go to one of the internet sites like DPReview.com." For some reason I found it amusing.

BTW, I did buy the Tamron. (This is my second one. The first I sent back to Amazon cause it very clearly front-focussed.) I had to pay a premium to buy it at B&H (higher price and NYC sales tax) but at least I got to try the lens first. It seems like a keeper. Sample below.



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  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
While you did pay retail (or whatever B&H considers discounted price), I see it as paying for the service and expertise as well. With Amazon or any online site to buy equipment, they just advertise what's written on the box or the specs.

I've always relied on asking the service folk at B&H about their opinion on an item, and they've all been helpful, knowledgeable, and honest. For that I don't mind paying a bit more. I'd rather support their business than a place that is just there to sell a camera, say BestBuy, where the salespeople don't know all the technology or even are prosumer photographers.

It obviously also helps that its instant gratification that I get the equipment right there rather than waiting a week. My wallet always feels lighter when I walk out of B&H, maybe its a blessing they don't open on Saturdays.
 
I can't really begrudge B&H there sometimes higher price. I've had some great sales people there who often have a passion for photography and/or gear. They also seem to have plenty of patience.

What's most annoying is paying the NYC sales tax as I live in Jersey, and the shipping is usually much less than the tax. Still, there is something to walking out with the new acquisition.
calvinboy24 said:
While you did pay retail (or whatever B&H considers discounted
price), I see it as paying for the service and expertise as well.
With Amazon or any online site to buy equipment, they just
advertise what's written on the box or the specs.

I've always relied on asking the service folk at B&H about their
opinion on an item, and they've all been helpful, knowledgeable,
and honest. For that I don't mind paying a bit more. I'd rather
support their business than a place that is just there to sell a
camera, say BestBuy, where the salespeople don't know all the
technology or even are prosumer photographers.

It obviously also helps that its instant gratification that I get
the equipment right there rather than waiting a week. My wallet
always feels lighter when I walk out of B&H, maybe its a blessing
they don't open on Saturdays.
Click to expand...
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  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
I'm not sure if I would get the EXACT item I was inspecting in the store. I had sent back to Amazon a Tamron 28-75 that was clearly front focusing. So I brought my camera to B&H and took some shots with a new lens they opened up to let me try in the store. It seemed okay and I wasn't certain that I would get the exact copy I was testing if I asked them to ship it. (I'm ot even certain if they take mail-orders from the counter.) Maybe I could have saved the tax. I'll ask next time I'm there.

Of course, for what it's worth the Tamron seems awfully soft at 2.8, but it's not front focusing. When it's on, it's certainly better than the 28-135IS that it's replacing. I don't know how picky I'm supposed to be. I could spend a lot of time leaving work early to stop by B&H .

Deepak,

BTW, nice site you got there. Some nice photos and it navigates very quickly. (Pbase always seems a little slow.) I looked at Coppermine, but I suppose I have to get a hosting service and the whole ball of wax. I didn't however see how to view some of your photos in a smaller size.
deepak rao said:
Why dont you select what you want and get it shipped to Jersey?
--
Regards,

Deepak

http://www.rnhinfo.com/Photographs
Click to expand...
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  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
I bought my 28-75mm at 17th street photo about 1 year ago. I was allowed to test two samples. I picked the better one. It is sharp at f2.8. I also paid tax. I am willing to pay more if I can get a good copy. I prefer 17th photo, it is much smaller and not too crowded. I was taking my time testing in the store.

Jun
 
I had heard that 17th St was reliable. (Unlike many other disreputable NYC stores.) Maybe I'll give them a try. Still, unless I have a laptop with me, it's hard to really judge a lens by looking at the camera's LCD, unless it's egregiously bad.

As far as my Tamron lens, I might post some samples on the Canon Lens Forum here to get opinions. I'd love to see some 2.8 samples to see if I'm expecting to much from my copy.

thanks for the tip,
Jun2 said:
I bought my 28-75mm at 17th street photo about 1 year ago. I was
allowed to test two samples. I picked the better one. It is sharp
at f2.8. I also paid tax. I am willing to pay more if I can get
a good copy. I prefer 17th photo, it is much smaller and not too
crowded. I was taking my time testing in the store.

Jun
Click to expand...
--
  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
Redrock said:
As far as my Tamron lens, I might post some samples on the Canon
Lens Forum here to get opinions. I'd love to see some 2.8 samples
to see if I'm expecting to much from my copy.
Click to expand...
There are already tons of "is my lens sharp" postings for this and every other lens in the lens forum. A quick search should get you a lot of sample pictures.
 
Where mail order across state limits becomes cheaper than buying directly at the store due to taxes:-)

Regards

--jalle
 
I was in BestBuy (or was it Circuit City) and the sales rep there actually told someone to go to DPReview.com (she said D-Preview). I got a laugh out of that.

Bo
 
More and more with the abundance of choices, consumers are reluctant to just rely on the salesperson. I know that within a year I might want a flat screen TV. I'm overwhelmed by the research I might have to do deciding between LCD, plasma, DLP, HD, HDready, and all sorts of other things I don't understand yet. Not to mention the rapidly changing standards and technology.

For cameras I guess DPReview is getting the name for the place to go for info.
Bo said:
I was in BestBuy (or was it Circuit City) and the sales rep there
actually told someone to go to DPReview.com (she said D-Preview).
I got a laugh out of that.

Bo
Click to expand...
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  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
So I did search around and found enough samples of the Tamron lens at 2.8 to convince me that mine is way too mushy at 2.8.

The world has been saved from another "Is-my-lens-sharp" thread!
jerryk said:
Redrock said:
As far as my Tamron lens, I might post some samples on the Canon
Lens Forum here to get opinions. I'd love to see some 2.8 samples
to see if I'm expecting to much from my copy.
Click to expand...
There are already tons of "is my lens sharp" postings for this and
every other lens in the lens forum. A quick search should get you
a lot of sample pictures.
Click to expand...
--
  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
Something to do with states rights I suppose. In actuality, it might be technically required to pay a "use" tax on items you get shipped from out of state. In practice it is rarely, if ever done, and hardly ever enforced, though maybe it is for big (> 10K) items.
BlackSMP said:
Where mail order across state limits becomes cheaper than buying
directly at the store due to taxes:-)

Regards

--jalle
Click to expand...
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  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
I was checking with the camera screen. I can see the difference. Of cource, Laptop screen will be better. May be I am luchy, my copy turned out to be good even on computer screen. The only thing bad thing about Tamron 28-75 is not focusing very well in low light compare to several canon lenses I have on the same camera body.

Jun
Redrock said:
As far as my Tamron lens, I might post some samples on the Canon
Lens Forum here to get opinions. I'd love to see some 2.8 samples
to see if I'm expecting to much from my copy.

thanks for the tip,
Jun2 said:
I bought my 28-75mm at 17th street photo about 1 year ago. I was
allowed to test two samples. I picked the better one. It is sharp
at f2.8. I also paid tax. I am willing to pay more if I can get
a good copy. I prefer 17th photo, it is much smaller and not too
crowded. I was taking my time testing in the store.

Jun
Click to expand...
--
  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
Click to expand...
 
I plan on heading into B&H later this week...maybe thurs...do you think that it will more of a madhouse than it usually is? It would be a shame to be in the city and pass up a trip there, but I also don't wanna wait outside in a line just to get in or something...
 
It will be crowded, but I've never seen people wait to get in. There will be a line to see an SLR sales person.
madmedic said:
I plan on heading into B&H later this week...maybe thurs...do you
think that it will more of a madhouse than it usually is? It would
be a shame to be in the city and pass up a trip there, but I also
don't wanna wait outside in a line just to get in or something...
Click to expand...
--
  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
 
Since you are located in the USA I’d recommend waiting and getting a HDTV that is 1080p. The resolution of it should be 1920x1080. Many sales people will tell you that their HDTV’s are 1080 compatible, but the vertical resolution of the TV is only 768 or something like that. It might be next year before you can get it but that’s as good as the resolution is going to get so I’m going to get one of those then.

Bo
 
Redrock said:
As far as my Tamron lens, I might post some samples on the Canon
Lens Forum here to get opinions. I'd love to see some 2.8 samples
to see if I'm expecting to much from my copy.

thanks for the tip,
Jun2 said:
I bought my 28-75mm at 17th street photo about 1 year ago. I was
allowed to test two samples. I picked the better one. It is sharp
at f2.8. I also paid tax. I am willing to pay more if I can get
a good copy. I prefer 17th photo, it is much smaller and not too
crowded. I was taking my time testing in the store.

Jun
Click to expand...
--
  • Bob Redrock
http://www.pbase.com/plasma
Click to expand...
--

I don't put a lot of stock on the quality of most laptop screens either. A super good LCD or a good CRT is what is needed to really judge. I sometimes see images on my laptop (Dell) that seem soft and when viewed on the LCD or CRT are actually pretty sharp.
KOENIG
 
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