File :-(, x, )
annoyingmoose
so, what does /p/ think of Cameta Camera?

- I am thinking about a Nikon D200
- My budget is limited so I am trying to buy cheap
- Normally I would prefered to buy in a respected shop recommended by other users - I heard a lot about KEH/Ritz/andora etc.
- However, the difference in price between Cameta and a good known shop is so big that it would for example cover the price of a new kit lens, a good flash (SB-600) a CF card, quality bag and the 50mm/f1.8 that I need to buy anyway.

so.. throw all of those extra goodies for the relative peace of mind of shopping somewhere safe? how crappy is Cameta? if its just about them trying to sell me extra batteries or something then I don't care, I just say no. and I don't need the original strap or whatever if they dont include it or something like that.

oh and last thing, they have cheap "factory demo" bodies, but I figured that a camera like the D200 with wether seals and all, is expected to survive a demo period without showing any wear and tear.
EXIF data available. Clickhereto show/hide.
Camera-Specific Properties:Image-Specific Properties:
>> ac !!VPzQAxYPAMA
ResellerRatings gives them an 8.92 out of 10, which is crazy good (especially since most people who bother to rate something on ResellerRatings do it because they got really bad service rather than because everything went swimmingly). I say go for it.
>> Anonymous
I just bought a K10D on Saturday and am expecting to receive it tomorrow. The main problems I've seen have been that UPS tracking numbers are recycled, but that's a problem on UPS's side. Are you planning to buy over the phone or through Amazon or eBay? I bought through Amazon, but called the company first to ask a few questions and the person I spoke to (after being on hold for a few minutes... at least I have free nights & weekends!) was nice and fairly knowledgeable. I'll post here to see how it turned out. The only problem I've had so far is that they took until Tuesday night to ship something I ordered on Saturday morning.

I ended up getting quite a bit for "free" compared to what I'd pay elsewhere (and no sales tax was NICE considering my state charges 7%!)

What sold me on Cameta is that they're an authorized Pentax dealer, so I was able to get mail-in rebates and had the comfort of knowing that these were not "grey market" products.
>> Anonymous
read Amazon and eBay feedback and pay close attention to negative feedback (and pay through your credit card, NOT a debit card, so that you have the ability to "chargeback" if something goes awry... and you may get an extended warranty as a credit card benefit)
http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=cametaauctions
http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/at-a-glance.html/104-2742587-3636725?ie=UTF8&seller=A36DL6W
LK2RE7O
>> annoyingmoose
thanks for the input guys.
I normally don't trust user ratings, because I'll be damned if they don't pump it up themselves. But they seem to be big, and they have been around for a while and so probably not a scam. The fact that they do most of their buisness on ebay does bother me a little though since I hate ebay. Oh well, still waiting to hear from the anon that ordered a K10D I will somehow feel better hearing that he actually got the camera that he ordered.
>> Anonymous
>>66556
she, actually...
the camera arrived today and I'll be calling customer service tomorrow... turns out my grip was on back order, but the site and confirmation both said in-stock... I guess they were out of stock on the memory, too, but they gave me a comparable card (4GB 150X SD card... just a different brand). (I also got a non-Pentax spare battery, but they didn't claim that it was OEM.)

I'm a bit concerned that they didn't require a signature on the package (it was shipped via UPS), but I was home and they didn't deliver until 5:43 PM. I ordered with my credit card, so I have buyer's protection in case something doesn't show up.

I'll let you know how the CS phone call goes...
>> Anonymous
I bought from Cameta back in March, had zero problems with them.
>> Anonymous
I bought my D80 from Cameta about two months ago (risky, I know) and I had no problems at all. The camera is great.
>> Anonymous
>>66706
I called the CS rep and she was very friendly and knowledgeable (much like the male CS rep I spoke with on Saturday) and told me that the grips will be in next week and they'll immediately ship them out. She said that they were getting a lot of returns on the SD cards (bugs or some other compatibility issue) and so they switched manufacturers. She also said that the battery is the same specification and that if I had any problems, I could return it.

I'm impressed and would definitely purchase from them again. (If they're the best deal, that is!)