Adorama Used

[bmac]

Any opinions on buying from Adorama used?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I haven't purchased any used equipment there, but they are a reputable dealer with a return policy, and I've seen some good deals there. They can be a little brusque, but--Hey! dis is New Yawk!

I used their E-6 processing once and don't recommend it--dirty rollers.

 

[glbeas]

I've bought several items from Adorama used, never had a problem. They were very helpful on the phone finding what I needed the one time I called for something not listed in the catalog.

 

[bmac]

Thanks guys, I have bought used from B&H several times with excellent luck, but they don't have the item I am looking for in stock.

Brian

 

[chrisl]

I keep loosing ebay auctions for a 150mm Componon S. They have one of the best used enlarging sections I've seen; but still not what I'm looking for. But was considering buying one from them if one arises. And as well conc. B&H. Bought both used and new with great service. Hope Adorama's the same.

Chris

 

[fhovie]

I spend a lot of money every year with B&H - they have NEVER let me down. Adorama took 3 months to fill an order for me and didn't seem to care. B&H gets my vote. Frank

 

[Tom Duffy]

Brian,
Might depend on what you want to buy. For new they're OK, but they gets lots of returns and they reship these as new. I once looked a new B&W filter that had greasy palm prints on it, for crying out loud. B&H consistantly rates the condition of their used equipment MUCH higher than an objective observer would. this is particularly the case with large format equipment. Things I've seen them rate at 8 and 1/2, I wouldn't have given a "4". misrepresentation, in my book.

there are many good, smaller dealers in the NYC area with large stocks of used, professional equipment, with a 15 day return policy. It's nice to deal with the same person on the phone each time you call. I'll give you some names, if you want.

Jerry Pournelle, the Byte columnist and SF writer once coined "Pournelle's Law" --- "Never buy a computer from someone you can't get at with a baseball bat." I think this also applies to camera equipment.
Tom

 

[Robert]

Just when I was about to order some stuff from Adorama to. Hopefully I'll get lucky-))

 

[bmac]

Just five minutes after ordering something from Adorama! LOL! But seriously folks, you have to give Adorama a call just to hear their phone voice speak spanish in a thick brooklyn accent! It is a hoot!

 

[fingel]

My vote for used equipment goes to KEH in Atlanta, they are extreamly picky in there rating system. I can buy things in "excelent" condition which is the lowest rating before their bargen catagory, and I would swear that it was brand new right out of the box. I have been most impressed with their products and service.
As for Adorama, I have bought used from them before and I will not do that again. They sold me a used Contax RTS that was rated 8+ a while back. When it got to me it was missing the battery cover. So I went and bought a battery cover from a local repairman, and the camera worked fine, for about a month. Then the whole thing died.
They wouldn't take it back, and so I ended up giving the thing away because it wasn't worth it to have it repaired. I felt cheated and Adoroama lost a customer.

 

[Robert Kennedy]

I have to second KEH.

I tried to buy from Adorama ONCE.

ONCE.

Everything was on "backorder". Which is really weird for Extachrome 100 and TMax. I was never told that things were backordered. Just that they hadn't been shipped yet.

Ick.

KEH on the other hand tends to be very generous with their ratings system!

You can't go wrong with them it seems.

 

[Robert]

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Robert Kennedy @ May 11 2003, 05:02 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Everything was on &quot;backorder&quot;. Which is really weird for Extachrome 100 and TMax. I was never told that things were backordered. Just that they hadn't been shipped yet.
</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
Hope this doesn't happen to me. I've got a wish list setup on the B&H site. To save on shipping I've been hoping to have one big order. Problem is every time they get one thing in something else on my list is out of stock. Adorama claims all the stuff I want is in stock. Getting this stuff locally would kill me. The local guys want more then 2x the price from the US.

 

[Les McLean]

I once purchased several hundred dollars worth of 4 x 5 Fuji colour film from Adorama and carried it back to the UK together with the B&W film that I'd exposed in the US. When I used the first of the colour film there were some strange marks on it when I processed it. I took it to Fuji UK whose technical department couldn't figure out what caused the marks and luckily for me they replaced the whole batch of film although I didn't ask them too, I also told them whwre I had bought it. We finally decided that it was grey import. I've never been in Adorama since. When I'm in New York I use Lens and Repro and have had some great deals and wonderful service.

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[Chuck (CA)]

www.keh.com 404.892.5522

1. 100% all the way

2. 14 day return

3. $9.95 s/h

4. 60 day warranty

 

[mvjim]

I second Les on Lens and Repro in NYC. They are the most professional store in NYC and there is rarely a equipment or material question they cant answer. And they stand behind their sales 100%.

 

[DKT]

I bought a Rollei 35S from KEH back in 1990, that I had to return to them twice for repairs. The focus ring wasn't engaged with the lens, even though the camera was listed as being very good. It was spotless otherwise, just wouldn't focus. I sent it back asap, they said the fixed it, but when I got it back it looked like nothing had been done. So, back it went & they fixed it again and it's been fine ever since, but it took me about 2 weeks to get this straightened out. Could have been a fluke, I dunno, but I haven't dealt with them since. About the only mail order place I've used has been Calumet, which isn't always the cheapest place, but you can get great customer service through them & the folks on the other end of the line know what they're talking about too.

KT

 

[Jim Chinn]

Before purchasing mail order from any unfamiliar vendor, I would suggest checking out comments on the camera shop forum at photonet under community/reviews.
There are over 4500 comments about vendors, good, bad and downright ugly.

Some examples: KEH, MPEX- excellent; B&H, Calumet, Beach- good among many others, and downright ugly- Cambridge, AAA camera and video among many others.

You know you should stay away when 95% of the post titles are something like "Lying Thieving Snakepit", or Lies, Fraud and Deceit! (That one is mine pertaining to being burned by Cambridge a few years ago before I was aware of that forum.

It is a good resource and I would encourage people to contribute a comment either good or bad about transactions you have. The more poeple are warned about shops doing poor and sometimes fraudulent practices the better the chance they will eventually go out of business.

One little piece of advice is to be wary of new companies that spring up, especially in NY. Some companies will operate on the margins of the law and when the pressure from the BBB or state attorney general gets to great, they will shut down and reincorporate under a new name possibly filing papers in a new state.
In that forum there are links in some posts to bulletins put out by the BBB outlining this practice.

Anyway, hope this helps someone in the future save some money, time and headaches.

 

[Robert]

So about Adorama. Do they communicate at all? Or are they the quiet kind? I sent my order a while back. Got an email confirming it. But they haven't billed my CC yet. Now I'm not complaining about them not taking the money but if they have a problem I sort of figured they'd email me or something. I guess tomorrow I'll drop them an email.

 

[bmac]

Well, I went againt the advice of a few here and ordered something from then on Sunday. I did it via phone. It arrived better than described by the salesperson last evening. I'll probably buy from the magain.

Brian

 

[SLNestler]

I do a fair amount of mail order, and my experiences with Adorama have been positive, to date. Recently, I needed 2 sizes of paper to print for an exhibition, and I had tight deadlines. The salesman from Adorama called me back to let me know that they noticed damage on the outside packagaing of one of their shipments, meaning that one size may have damage. I was told this with enough time to purchase from another vendor, which I did.

Adorama was willing to give up a sale, and they created loyalty, as far as I'm concerned. They're the first place I call now.

Also, Adorama brand paper is Ilford repackaged at a great saving. I was skeptical at first, but now I enjoy the price.

Steven Nestler

 

[Robert]

I forgot to mention my order came. They are a quiet lot. Don't answer emails. but the order was complete and the total cost marginally less then B&H. The price difference wasn't enough to make me order from them but then they had what I wanted in stock while B&H didn't.

 

[molson]

If you plan to purchase used goods from Adorama, I would recommend doing it by telephone, and not through their web site. Their used equipment web listings are not kept current, and they seem to have some shady business practices when it comes to internet orders.

I tried purchasing a used Canon EOS 1D from Adorama, via their web site. I received an e-mail response the next day saying the camera had already been sold, but that they would hold my credit card authorization until they got another used 1D in. They never did get another used one, and it took weeks of e-mailing, phoning, and complaining to get them to release the authorization on my credit card.

For some reason, they seem to think that once you place an order, it can only be cancelled at their discretion, even if they don't have the item in stock. I guess this keeps customers from shopping elsewhere, unless they have really high limits on their credit card.

I know that Adorama is generally well regarded, or I would not have ordered from them in the first place. Mistakes happen, but I really don't understand why it had to require so much effort on my part to get them to rectify their mistakes on my order. From now on, I will only deal with reliable performers, like:

• B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com)
  KEH (www.keh.com)
  Badger Graphic Sales (www.badgergraphic.com)
  Harry's Pro Shop (www.harrysproshop.com) (Canada)
  Robert White (www.robertwhite.co.uk) (UK)

 

[Aggie]

..

 

[molson]

Not really. My credit card company (VISA) won't cancel authorization (even though I asked them to). In fact, they said they don't cancel any transactions until you receive your monthy statement and dispute the transaction, in writing.

Simpler and less hassle in this instance would have been just not dealing with Adorama.