Availability of 27mm f/2.8 WR?

Truman Prevatt wrote:

jhorse wrote:

Truman Prevatt wrote:

After that point I started checking Amazon.com for lens orders. My last three lenses were out at B&H but I found them at Amazon. I would rather buy camera equipment at B&H but I think Amazon swings a bigger hammer when it comes to getting stock.

While I cannot be certain, I suspect this is true. Sad, because unless photographic equipment makers support bricks and mortar retail outlets, their demise will only be hastened (along with other high street retail outlets in the UK) to the disadvantage of us as hobbyists.

I too buy almost all my kit from a UK retailer (London Camera Exchange, where I have traded and bought my current Fuji gear), with minor exceptions like SD cards (far cheaper on Amazon) and items they do not stock (such as neoprene camera cases).

Back in the 1970's there was a large number of small, medium and large camera stores large camera stores in most communities in the US. You could go look at and in many cases try out equipment and most of the time people helping you knew the equipment and could really help. Today the closest one to my house is about 60 miles. But during that earlier era a new way to by cameras arose - the NY City large mail order camera stores. The smaller stores could not compete on price with these guys. Of course at first the industry was a bit shady - as one had to be very careful they didn't receive gray market equipment and most likely they would not know it until they needed service. That happened to a friend of mine. So with the bigger fish - we started to see smaller camera stores close. We started to see a consolidation. Small camera stores were bought up by chains like Wolf and/or Ritz.

So it looks like Amazon has moved in with its size and getting priority on supply during this time of supply shortages. I suspect the retailers that sell the most - get the most supply as that means more revenue for the manufacturer. The sad thing none of this will bring back the small brick and mortar stores that once dotted the US.

Yup. think we are of one mind on this...