KRIS GARREN wrote:
>John,
>I get allot of mail order catalogs and study them constantly
>but have been a little afraid of placing an order, especially for
>used stuff. What experience have you had buying used equipment
>by mail-order?
>
>How do Zuiko lenses compare to the other brands like Tokina?
Kris,
I've had very good luck purchasing over the Internet. A majority of my
equipment was bought that way. The major photo retailers do provide catalogs,
as you mentioned, but are not always the cheapest place to buy used Oly gear.
Somebody of course has to pay for all those free catalogs.
We have two very reputable gentlemen right here on the Olympus list who run
retail mail order stores selling Oly equipment. In no particular order of
preference there is Paul Van Tuyl at www.olympusguy.com and John Hermanson at
www.zuiko.com . Another list member has a web page at
http://www.twodimes.org/home/oly-1.html listing many retail and mail order
places to puchase Oly goodies.
Almost without exception, mail order sources offer a monrey back guarantee,
less shiiping charges, and most provide from a 30 day to a 6 month warranty.
Condition of equipment can be a bit tricky. Most companies sell only
mechanically sound gear, but cosmetics can be another matter. Everybody has a
different opinion of what constitutes a 9 or a 10 or an Excellent or Excellent+
or a Mint-. I find that the majority of companies are true to their own grading
system but if you are not familiar with a particular company, I've found a
heart to heart talk with the sales person or preferably the manager can prevent
problems before they happen. If all else fails, there's always that money back
guarantee.
Another source for used equipment is purchasing from individuals. www.photo.net
and www.ebay.com are both venues for private indivuals to sell items. eBay is
an online auction and is a different experience. Try it and you'll see what I
mean. You'll either love it or hate it. With individuals, there is usually no
warrantee, but most people will offer a money back guarantee if the item is not
as represented.
I've been more than satisfied with all the equipment I've purchased over the
Internet. In only a couple of cases have I had to request a replacement item
from a company, which was quickly forthcoming, and once received a cheerful
refund from an individual for an item not as represented. The only caution I
could give concerning individuals is that your milage may vary. Buyer Beware!
If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. There's some great
bargains out there but nothing is free. Happy hunting.
P.S. In my humble opinion (IMHO), nothing compares with Zuikos. They're one of
the best things about the OM system. If your patient with your shopping you
will probably be able to find Zuiko lenses for not much more than top of the
line 3rd party glass. This rule doesn't apply if you're talking about rare
telephoto lenses such as 400mm to 1000mm or ultra wide angles under 20mm, but
definately applies for the more "normal" stuff, such as 24mm to 300mm.
Regards,
John Austin
Oakland, CA
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