So where do you buy your gear?

Crotal Bell

Crotal Bell

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Ok folks, where do you spend your cash on equipment?

Who do you trust?

Who gives a good price?

What stores or online retailers are the "go-to" people for you and why?
 
I've bought online from WEX, LCE, Amazon, John Lewis, Camera World and Park with no problems.
Bought and sold on the classifieds here quite a bit too with the odd small item from Ebay.

John Lewis was the only shop near me that had demo cameras to try and the two year warranty is good too.
Jessops had a physical presence, but never anything to try, closed down now not surprisingly.

There is also an independent shop, but never liked it in there, very pushy and sometimes over rrp.
 
Facebook Marketplace (local), Ebay, MPB, Gumtree (again only local), years since I've been in a physical camera store because of distance to nearest one.
 
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I've bought new from e-infinity, Wex and Carmarthen Cameras, and used from Wex, MPB and our own classifieds, all without any issues and been very pleased. Oh and a few bits and lenses from my local camera shop Skears in Northampton. The majority of my old film gear has been from the evil bay, with rather more mixed outcomes.
 
My local camera shop - Cliftons - is really good, and the few things I've bought new, I've bought there. Most of my stuff is used, though, and has come from eBay, MPB, and Park. Good experiences all round, although you do have to read between the lines a bit with used gear advertisements.
 
Panamoz or E-infin mostly get the odd thing from Amazon as well but usually accessories.
 
Use my local camera shop - Wilkinsons Cameras, Burnley - very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.
 
Wex, Grays of Westminster (Nikon only) or Panamoz.
 
Used to use our local Jessops but they went a long time ago we don’t now have a single camera shop in town
Nowadays HDEW and Panamoz both are excellent
I wouldn’t feel safe buying anything expensive from EBay unless I knew the seller was safe
 
LCPete said:
I wouldn’t feel safe buying anything expensive from EBay unless I knew the seller was safe
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Thier buyer's protection is excellent (which kinda makes selling a pain in case someone misuses thier bias towards buyers).

In fact I have never lost money buying on eBay. Have actually lost out few times while buying on this forum.
 
Recently I've used Park Cameras for new purchases as they are local(ish) to me, and always helpful. Also HDEW in the past (also excellent).
For Used, Wex have been superb, and I've also happily used Park, Mpb and even eBay has been okay.
 
I have bought from pretty much all of the U.K camera retailers at one point or another.

We only have the one local camera shop here which is W.E.X and I have bought a lot from them.

When there is a huge difference in cost or because of product availability I have also bought from Panamoz and e-infin, would only buy small ticket items from e-infin though as their customer services is pretty awful and have found them to tell outright lies on a few occasions, they also don't always stand over their own warranty.

In the U.K there is usually very little difference in prices between any of the big name suppliers. WEX generally have reasonable customer services so would probably be my preferred choice. My local shop is very good, buying from them online hasn't proved to be as good an experience.
 
Over the last ten years I've bought smaller items from Amazon if possible - simply for their brilliant returns policy and outstanding customer service. I would rather not for many other reasons, but no other retailer even comes close on these points.

For cameras and lenses I buy from Panamoz. Their cheaper prices and three year warranty make it a no-brainer - why pay more for less?

For the forty years before that I'd go to a local camera shop because the staff invariably knew what they were talking about. Nowadays, you just get a clueless oik who knows nothing. :rolleyes:

For second-hand gear, I try and buy on here if possible and the Evil Bay if not.
 
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I'd love to buy from a local shop but as the three we had closed years ago and all we have left now is Currys going to a camera shop is now a day out to a city so instead I buy on line.

In the UK I've bought new from Wex, Bristol cameras and possibly one or two others and when kit has been difficult to get in the UK I've used grey importers camerainthepost. A lot of my stuff has been bought used from Ffordes, MBP and a dozen other places, evil bay and of course from here.
 
Carmarthen Cameras, MPB, ebay.
On ebay gbr.13 is the best seller I have dealt with.

Ebay is fine, you are well protected, but you need to know what questions to ask, honest sellers are willing to give answers fully and quickly
And don't get caught by delaying tactics, if something is not right, fill in a return immediately and include photos with the return application.
If a seller accepts the return immediately or automatically, they are not penalised unless you decide to leave non-positive feedback.
If an item is listed as "used" that means it works, no matter what the seller may put in the description.

Shpock is a big no, full of rip-off dreamers; gumtree and FB only if you can collect

One way for ebay if you want to buy anything, post the users name here and see if any one has had problems with them.
 
woof woof said:
'd love to buy from a local shop but as the three we had closed years ago and all we have left now is Currys going to a camera shop is now a day out to a city so instead I buy on line.
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There was a Jessops branch in Aberystwyth at one time and the manager was very good at offering "deals" to local professional photographers. I had some very good deals from him. But Jessops went tits up a few years later and its online for me now as well.
 
jerry12953 said:
There was a Jessops branch in Aberystwyth at one time and the manager was very good at offering "deals" to local professional photographers. I had some very good deals from him. But Jessops went tits up a few years later and its online for me now as well.
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We had a Jessops but obviously, it went. As there's a Currys within walking distance I do check their website if I'm looking for anything but to date I've not bought anything photography related from them and if I did doubtless it'd be an internet purchase or collected from store rather than it being an in stock at the store purchase.
 
Either shops I know or e.bay … but don’t do as I did yesterday bought a bargain lens and it wouldn’t focus , so put in a return request only to find a hour later it was my fault for playing around with my menu system .. cancelled the return lens perfect
OOPS
 
LCE are now my go to, currently have an R7 pre ordered with them.

I've bought the odd thing from HDEW.

I recently dealt with MPB and it was an easy enough experience.
 
the black fox said:
Either shops I know or e.bay … but don’t do as I did yesterday bought a bargain lens and it wouldn’t focus , so put in a return request only to find a hour later it was my fault for playing around with my menu system .. cancelled the return lens perfect
OOPS
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A seller can't just cancel the return.
Ebay can, if the seller "proves" you did something wrong, but then you can appeal.
The seller can decline to accept the return, then you have to wait a few days to ask ebay to step in
 
I have bought My last three cameras from Fuji Refurbished. They give an as new Guarantee on all faults.
I had an Inherent fault on the cover of the sensor. ( bubble in the glass that had Popped) They replaced the sensor. In doing so they caused a fault with the flash, this entailed replacement of the processor and the entire top plate that contains the flash
The first repair of the sensor took four days door to door.
I sent it back to have the flash fixed the next day, and had it back in five days. All of which is amazing service to my mind.
All repairs come with a new full years guarantee.

To me that is far better than one can expect from an third party reseller. especially as their referbished prices are at a similar level as you can get second hand elsewhere.
 
For lenses and cameras I have mainly used this forum members section and my local camera shop. Sad thing is, I stopped using my local shop after very poor service I received from multiple staff over week period !
 
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I've used a couple of local stores to me, T4 Cameras and Clifton Cameras, I try to buy local and value personal service received. Although I have used WEX for a couple of lenses. My next purchase; is pretty dependent on who has it in stock, so who knows?
 
I have bought all my Fuji kit from my local(ish) camera shop - LCE in Leamington Spa. However, I also use WEX for other bits and would use the Fuji Refurb store if they had what I’m after.

I’m currently after an X100v, but given the stock situation, I’ll be getting it from wherever I can.
 
I buy my gear from a guy named Big John in a backstreet pub in Birmin ....... oh hang on you mean photography equipment, mostly from MPB ......... :cool::cool:
 
Depends what it is. If it's a NEED and LCE have it in stock, I'll cough up the extra and get it from them but if it's purely a WANT and I know exactly what I'm after, I'll shop around and see who has it at the best VFM and wait for it.

Looking in my camera bag, 75% or more came from a shop that's been closed for close to 10 years!
 
Sangoma said:
A seller can't just cancel the return.
Ebay can, if the seller "proves" you did something wrong, but then you can appeal.
The seller can decline to accept the return, then you have to wait a few days to ask ebay to step in
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Your reading it wrong I was the buyer and requested a return .which I then cancelled once I spotted the error ..and I’m fully aware of e.bays rules 100% feedback of over 1700 deals
 
Camera and tripod from ebay, lenses from MPB and FB marketplace. That’s it no GAS currently
 
the black fox said:
Your reading it wrong I was the buyer and requested a return .which I then cancelled once I spotted the error ..and I’m fully aware of e.bays rules 100% feedback of over 1700 deals
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Yes, I did read it wrong :)

I was only commenting on what I thought it read based on my over 6000 positive feedbacks :D
 
In no particular order WEX, LCE, HDEW, Panamoz, Carmarthen Camera, Here, CEX (lenses, love the 2 year guarantee/warranty), Charity Shops (lens, it was rude not to - I didn't know I even wanted the lens but it was such a bargain :cool:), eBay (eyecups), AliExpress (eyecups)
 
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