Canon pricing question
 

I've been reading through all the camera threads and think I am ready to buy. I found what I think is a great price on the following:
Canon EOS Xti 10.1 MP with EF-S 18-55mmII lens, and the Canon 75-300mm f/405.6 III EF lens for $680.

I am not sure if I'm missing something (I think the 18-55 lens is available as an IS lens but not in the kits) and I think the other lens is versatile enough for Mala Mala.

Thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

This price is pretty low, this may be a good deal or it may be one of those camera store rip-offs ... I just checked at B&H Photo, where many photo buffs buy their gear, and the body with the 18-55 lens is $630. The 75-300 lens is $160 - 200 (depending ...) so at B&H you could get this for around $780.

I would rather have the 75-300 with IS, which is another $200 plus, but the 75-300 you are looking at is OK.

The pricing is a bit complicated because the XTi has just been replaced with a new body, so you may find it at clear-out prices somewhere.

The rip-off companies will advertise very low prices, then when you want to order they will insist you buy 'accessories' that you may not want or need (at highly inflated prices) and often they have exceptionally high insurance and shipping costs. In other words, you may find yourself paying more than you would have paid at a reputable store once you add in the 'extras'. Also, ask if they have a USA warranty or not, this adds to the price. Most of the discount stores gloss over this, but if you need warranty work you won't be able to get it in the USA (worst case your User Manual may be written in Chinese or Japanese, not English).

What is the name of the company offering this "great price"? I suggest you go to the site www.resellerratings.com and enter the name of that company and see how their users have rated them. There are many tales of woe (and near-zero ratings) for a lot of mail order camera companies.

If the one with the great price has a lot of legit user feedback and a high rating (and low shipping costs) then you got a great deal. If they have low ratings and a litany of customer complaints then avoid them and spend the extra $$ to buy from one of the well-regarded companies like Adorama or B&H.

Good luck!

Bill

thanks Bill. It was from Ritz Camera, which I thought was reputable but doesn't have the greatest feedback. I'll keep checking out the deals.

Looks like Ritz has a 4.66 out of 10 customer rating, so they are not a total rip-off (a lot of companies rate lower than 2.0) but there are a lot of people with complaints, if you check the feedback.

For comparison, Adorama has a 9.1 rating, B&H a 9.69/10 rating. I would just pay the extra bucks. On this same resellerating site you can enter the name of the item and see the prices from many vendors, the Xti w/ 18-55 lens for example runs from $610 - $740, with Adorama at $619. The $610 company has no feedback, so I'd pay the extra for a reliable company.

Bill

thanks. I thought the 75-300 was what I wanted but when I went back through my notes (and my budget) I was planning on getting the IS lens. So I think I will get the body and the kit lens now, practice in the next 2 months on my trip to greece and then once I'm used to the camera, I'll get the telephoto and havea couple more months to practice.

Kak - We bought most of our Cannon cameras, lens and equipment ar Ritz. We shopped around on the internet as well as all the camera stores here in San Diego. Even Costco! We also were in St Thomas last year before we bought the camera and found a few better prices. Ritz seemed to have the best deals and sales. We are very pleased with the service they offer as well. They set us up with free photo classes.

It really boils down to how important it is to you to have a local retailer for service after the purchase.

Good luck
SD

I have bought from Ritz and they are a reputable dealer. I have also bought from Adorama and I was very pleased with them as well. As Bill said, just don't fall for the rip-off companies. You can rent telephoto lenses if you don't want to purchase one. Just be sure to practice with your new gear before you leave for vacation.

kak113,
I just came across your post and thought I should mention that according to most of the photography forums, CAnon is due to begin its Spring/Summer rebate program within the next few weeks. Perhaps a good opportunity to pick up your gear at a savings? As usual the previous posters have provided lots of good info.. Ritz, B&H and Adorama all provide quality customer servicesbut B&H is my favorite.
Cheers-Chuck

Heard the Canon Rebates start on the 18th of May.

I love this site, but when it comes to cameras, it's hard to beat http://dpreview.com/

You may want to consider buying the camera body alone and then getting the 18-55 IS lens instead of the non-IS version. From the reviews I have read, the IS version is a lot sharper in addition to having the IS, and I don't think it's very expensive. The 18-55 IS is the kit lens for the new Rebel XSi, but you can buy the lens separately too.

I buy all my stuff from B&H. They enjoy a sterling reputation among serious photographers because of their fair prices and extremely responsive customer service.

Chris