Mail-From: CMUFTP host CMU-CS-PT received by CMU-CS-A at 19-Jan-83 16:33:10-EST
Received: from CMU-CS-C by CMU-CS-PT; 19 Jan 83 16:25:17 EST
Date: 19 Jan 83 16:29:47 EST
From: Chuck Weinstock <Weinstock@CMU-CS-C>
To:   Joe.Mohan@CMU-CS-A, Bovik@CMU-CS-A
Subject: Camera
In-reply-to: The message of 19 Jan 1983 1443-EST () from Joe.Mohan at CMU-CS-A

I forwarded all replys to Bovik@A.  However, in brief, various people claim
that you can safely deal with:

Garden
47th St.
Adorama
Cambridge
Hirsch
Focus

On the otherhand, I was told to avoid:

Focus
Tri-State
and a few others.

I called some of the above after looking at their ads in Popular Photography.
I ran into two problems:

1. Several wouldn't talk to me over their 800 number.
2. It was almost impossible to get through to many of them over there 800
number, or their 212 number.  If my phone didn't have redial, I would probably
still be dialing.
3. The few I did get through to, scared me off.  Basically I was looking for a
camera that they all advertised for around 450.  When I said "how much for this
camera with everything it comes with from the manufacture (view finder,
focusing screen, whatever) all of a sudden the price jumped to 550.  (Weird
things like the ad saying $15 extra for black body, and the camera only comes
with black body, and, if you want a focusing screen it is $40 more.)

Anyway, I found the whole experience extremely bogus.  I intend to purchase the
camera from a firm in Chicago (Helix) who doesn't pull this garbage.  I have
dealt with them before, and they are slightly more expensive than New York (but
safer) and less expensive than Pittsburgh (about 10%).

Chuck