(no subject)
I wonder why I bother sometimes.
My father wanted to buy a new camera, and he was looking at the Nikon D40--and that is a respectable and solid entry-level DSLR. I don't really have many problems with it, barring that the stock lens in the kit is laughably bad, and you'll have to buy an external flash for any real shooting. I would have told him to go Canon, only because I have a large base of Canon gear he would have access to, but...
I ran a few price comparisons and I was able to find him three vendors to buy it from along with a modest lens that would have set him back a total of $580. He bitched and whined at me that it was too expensive and got some garbage kit from fotoconnections.com. So he's saving all of $70 and supporting a shady company that routinely fucks people over.
http://www.capsandstems.com/shared/photography_fraud.htm
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/fotoconnectioncom-c37070.html
http://photo.net/neighbor/view-one?neighbor_to_neighbor_id=163985
I could spend hours digging up dirt on these asshats, but I don't want to. I am sad, and disappointed in my father. Why would you ask my advice, if you're going to ignore it? Dad, you have a son who worked in the industry, and who used to shoot professionally and has won awards for his work. I'm not trying to lie to you, or con you, or scam you. I'm only trying to get you the best deal for your money and I'm trying to save myself from avoiding the drama when the asshats send you a broken camera with a defective lens.
I know how this story ends though. In about two weeks there's going to be an email from him asking if I could 'help him with his camera,' which is basically code for 'can you call them and get a refund?'
My father wanted to buy a new camera, and he was looking at the Nikon D40--and that is a respectable and solid entry-level DSLR. I don't really have many problems with it, barring that the stock lens in the kit is laughably bad, and you'll have to buy an external flash for any real shooting. I would have told him to go Canon, only because I have a large base of Canon gear he would have access to, but...
I ran a few price comparisons and I was able to find him three vendors to buy it from along with a modest lens that would have set him back a total of $580. He bitched and whined at me that it was too expensive and got some garbage kit from fotoconnections.com. So he's saving all of $70 and supporting a shady company that routinely fucks people over.
http://www.capsandstems.com/shared/photography_fraud.htm
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/fotoconnectioncom-c37070.html
http://photo.net/neighbor/view-one?neighbor_to_neighbor_id=163985
I could spend hours digging up dirt on these asshats, but I don't want to. I am sad, and disappointed in my father. Why would you ask my advice, if you're going to ignore it? Dad, you have a son who worked in the industry, and who used to shoot professionally and has won awards for his work. I'm not trying to lie to you, or con you, or scam you. I'm only trying to get you the best deal for your money and I'm trying to save myself from avoiding the drama when the asshats send you a broken camera with a defective lens.
I know how this story ends though. In about two weeks there's going to be an email from him asking if I could 'help him with his camera,' which is basically code for 'can you call them and get a refund?'