?Where can I buy in Silicon Valley a Pentax K100d?

Hi,

Does anyone know where I can buy a Pentax K100d in Silicon Valley CA (city of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara County, or anywhere within 50 miles) such that I can return it if I don't want to keep it after I buy it? I am new into the digital field, and need to be able to return it as an option if I decide to just stick with film. I wan't to try the one with the 18-55 lens that runs about $700.

I've tried:

Fry's (says can return used on the phone, but once you get to the store it's posted that can only return UN-USED)
Target (doesn't carry it)
Costco (doesn't carry it)
Circuit City (doesn't carry it)
Keeble & Schucat (only has $950 kit with 2 lenses; I want the 1-lens kit)
San Jose Camera (out of stock, staff is extremely rude anyways)

Internet (so far can't find any place that has a return policy that allows you to try the camera; they only allow you to return in factory packaging OR has too short of a return policy, such as 5 days from the ship date which means by the time you receive the box, you are already past the date).

Hopeful,
Liz

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Elizabeth

I was going to suggest Keeble & Schuchat in Palo Alto, but looks like you already tried them.

You might also want to call Calumet in S.F.:

http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?ac.ui.pn=compinfo.CompStoreLocDetail&ac.comp.locID=SF

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--- http://www.reneeanddolan.net ---

I think Ritz has a return policy that might suit you. Try one of the big malls and not the small stores ....

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istDL: FA 50/1.4, M50/1.7, DA18-55
Oly C2100UZ

I just did it.

I bought the K100D two weeks ago (before THE announcement) and auditioned it for a couple of weeks. I returned it before the 14-day policy was up and there were no problems at all. If you go to the Fry's in Sunnyvale (Arquez Ave.) you might even get my "returned" unit. I would if I were you -- it has a price of $614 instead of $699! (I talked them into price matching an internet retailer plus overnight shipping. When I returned it, they put a sticker on it discounting it from its "retail" but already-discounted price.)

-- Joe B.

P.S. I returned it because the K10D is more what I want for my next camera. I already have a DS so I'm not in a hurry.

Joe, so what did you think about the Shake Reduction? Fantastic feature to have? Okay? A nice little extra? Did you find it useful? Thanks.

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Steven
GMT -8

I just got my K100D last night. I put on my 28-105 Pentax lens which is the slowest focusing of all my lenses on my DS. I was amazed at how fast it found a focus. One of the first photos I took was of a pin cushion next to my easy chair. It was at 85mm and 1/10 of a sec. It was so sharp you could see the individual threads of the fabric. I have not had much time to play it, but so far I am very happy with the K100D and can't wait until I can really use it this weekend. I could not wait for the K10D.

Karen
Houston, TX

What I liked about the K100D vs. my DS:

-- better quality JPEGs out of the camera

-- a little faster focus (I didn't see a huge difference, but an improvement)

-- shake reduction works well, but I have a pretty steady hand so it was not as large a benefit as it is for some people.

-- overall faster "snappier" feel.

Things I didn't like vs. my DS:

-- No TTL flash (I have AF-500FTZ but I bought a AF-360FGZ for this camera)

-- Smaller buffer for multiple RAW files

-- No support for RAW in ACR (now fixed, two weeek later!)

I think it is a worthwhile improvement, and I considered keeping it around as my "primary" backup (after I get my K10D, of course). But it was not a good month financially anyway, and I'm pretty sure prices for these aren't going up anytime soon. So I shed a tear, packed it up, and took it back to Fry's.

Hi!

Thanks so much for all the tips! I just purchased it at Ritz/Wolfe down the street. If I like it, I keep it and they get my $700. I have 10 days to decide... I like that!

I got so spoiled because usually I shop at Costco (didn't have the K100) and they gave me a 90 day return policy for the Canon EOS... can you believe that?!!! I did return it because it turns out you can't do spot focus and auto-flash at the same time, critical for my purposes (I didn't know cameras existed that didn't allow that so didn't bother to research ahead of time). Not so bad for them; they get enough of my money anyways! And I did re-package it ever so nicely.
Sincerely,
Liz

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Elizabeth

Costco has the most liberal return policy on earth. You can even purchase something at their website and return it to any store. I've returned a camera, not Pentax, after a long period of time.

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Ed Jay said:

Costco has the most liberal return policy on earth. You can even
purchase something at their website and return it to any store.
I've returned a camera, not Pentax, after a long period of time.

Click to expand...

I heard that if you keep returning items that they blacklist your membership so that you won't be able to renew your membership.

Which of course is now very much second hand? Do they repackage it and pass it off as new to some unsuspecting customer? (Which would make ME forever suspicious about anything I purchased from them).

Or do they sell it at a reduced price as "shop soiled" or "open package" (both of which are untrue). Or perhaps they list the now used camera on eBay? And how many returned items of this sort can one store stand in a financial sense?

I have read similar posts from various forum members in the US and it invariably makes me shake my head in wonder. Oh and BTW - the above questions are not meant to be rhetorical - can anyone tell me what happens to a returned digital camera that has possibly taken several thousand images?
Mike M. (emem)
http://photobucket.com/albums/d179/emem48/

Thanks for the response, Joe. I have two Ds bodies, one in frequent use, the other for a backup and those occasions where I have need of two lenses at a function. Paid for a K10D and am awaiting delivery in about another four or five weeks.

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Steven
GMT -8

Not sure what happens to them but they do not re-sell them in the local warehouses. Maybe there is a Costco outlet store somewhere. If so, I'd like to know where.

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Steven
GMT -8