Camera House - Warringah Mall

Had a good experience with a trader? Please share that with us. While primarily we're interested in such things as on-line trading and off-shore purchases, anything good is more than welcome.

Moderator: Moderators

Forum rules
Please ensure that you have a meaningful location included in your profile. Please refer to the FAQ for details of what "meaningful" is.

Camera House - Warringah Mall

Postby Reschsmooth on Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:48 am

I was tempted to go to centre.net.au to pick up a Sandisk Ex III 4gb card, but saw that their cheapest shipping option (as listed on their checkout) was $13.37, which, when included with the inc GST price for the card of $107, brought the total price up to $120.

With this in mind, Camera House in Warringah Mall matched the price with immediate delivery (ie, over the counter :lol: ). So, bit of a plug for them. Although, can't say much about their film processing :(
Regards, Patrick

Two or three lights, any lens on a light-tight box are sufficient for the realisation of the most convincing image. Man Ray 1935.
Our mug is smug
User avatar
Reschsmooth
Senior Member
 
Posts: 4164
Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:16 pm
Location: Just next to S'nives.

Postby michael_ on Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:21 am

if you are close i guess its good, for me petrol and tolls would blow it out
User avatar
michael_
Senior Member
 
Posts: 605
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:40 pm
Location: alexandria, sydney, nsw, au

Postby mattyjacobs on Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:25 am

yeah, I like that camera house - they've always got some nice lenses and they're really happy to put them onto cameras and let me play. Plus, they really encourage you to clean your own sensor - they even have a few sensors removed from the cameras to show how tough the protective cover on them is. And the staff like chatting about photography, which is fun.
User avatar
mattyjacobs
Member
 
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:54 pm
Location: Epping, Sydney

Postby gstark on Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:31 am

If I'm not mistaken, they also sell some .... Hoffman (???) .... tripods, which have some unusual design features (centre post becomes a monopod), and they're rather good value for money.

I'm pretty sure that that's where Sandy Feet bought his.

Matty, what you're saying is very good to hear .... so often that sort of attitide is absent from camera sellers today.
g.
Gary Stark
Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff
The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
User avatar
gstark
Site Admin
 
Posts: 22896
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:41 pm
Location: Bondi, NSW

Postby Geoff on Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:12 am

I live very close to this shop and don't mind it. The manager/owner doesn't impress me one bit but his staff all seem pretty passionate and into their jobs which is refreshing. Their prices are pretty high on their lenses but we are spoilt by Mr Poon's ability to get our lenses for us at amazing prices. It's a good shop to look in but that's about it. Glad you got a good deal on your CF card though Patrick. Nice one.
Geoff
Special Moments Photography
Nikon D700, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.4, 70-200 2.8VR, SB800 & some simple studio stuff.
User avatar
Geoff
Moderator
 
Posts: 7791
Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2004 12:08 am
Location: Freshwater - Northern Beaches, Sydney.

Postby Underload on Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:34 pm

gstark wrote:If I'm not mistaken, they also sell some .... Hoffman (???) .... tripods, which have some unusual design features (centre post becomes a monopod), and they're rather good value for money.


They do - but for whatever reason, supply or knowledge about them in most of the SE Qld stores seems to be non existent. I think the popular model is the Hoffman GRM-670 - from what I was told - as it's very similar to Manfrotto's 055C legs and 222 ballhead - for about ~$230.
D200 + stuff
User avatar
Underload
Member
 
Posts: 197
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:32 am
Location: Brisbane Northside

Postby photograham on Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:19 pm

And don't forget to check HK Supplies on Ebay! I have 2 Ridata 150x 4gb cards on order and due soon.
User avatar
photograham
Member
 
Posts: 213
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 5:23 pm
Location: Pakenham, Vic

Postby jamesw on Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:08 pm

Geoff wrote:Their prices are pretty high on their lenses


A bit off topic (my experience was with purchasing a bodY), but it kind of sucks the way that Nikon distribute their products.

It used to be through MAxwell, who were a third party, and out to make a cut off of the gear. So Nikon sell to Maxwell, Maxwell mark up and then sell to camera store.

I think Nikon actually own the distribution now, but I am guessing that the part of Nikon that handles the distro needs to make a profit off of the gear and is probably a subsidery of the Nikon corporation.

And because of the way this works, we often get stuff from HK and the US cheaper than the camera stores actually get their gear.

Obviously some of this markup comes due to the availibility of warentee, but a lot of it is just so that the distro company makes a profit.

In a recent experience I was trying to twist a Diamond's salesmans arm around to bring the price down on a d200 i was getting from an insurance claim. I work for the insurance company, so i was twisting pretty hard, and got him down to cost without knowing it.

He quoted me a price, and i said how about $2xxx even, teds are doing it for about that much (yes, it was over 2k, and i was bluffing about the teds price).... he then replied that he had no idea how teds were doing it for that low as they pay similar prices to Teds.

I don't think camera shops make much money off selling bodies (or if they do its by selling large volumes), from my calcs they are only making a few hundred off a d200.

It's a similar type of kenundrum in a few other industries, where companies do not handle their distribution internally... they outsource within different countries.

The bicycle industry reminds me of what goes on in the camera industry, i ran a distribution for a few years and still have a close relationship with a number of shop owners. People are able to now easily obtain once expensive bike parts from the US for peanuts... well not peanuts... but i know that some stuff you can get for below wholesale.

... one word sums up this whole post... ARBITRAGE :D
body: nikon d200, d70s, f4s, f601.
lens:nikon 35-70mm f2.8, 70-300mm f4-5.6, 10.5mm f2.8, 20mm f2.8, 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8.
flash: nikon sb600, sunpak 383 (x1), sunpak 555 (x4), pocketwizard plus II (x4)
jamesdwade.com
dishonourclothing.com
User avatar
jamesw
Senior Member
 
Posts: 771
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:36 pm
Location: norwood, adelaide

Postby obzelite on Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:25 pm

with very little haggerling i got the same card for 110 at jbs george street.
had i pushed harder i'm sure the chick i spoke to would have gone lower.
Simon
www.colberne.com.au
I purchased a Teddy Bear this morning for the sum of $10. I named him Mohammed. This afternoon I sold him on E-Bay for $30. My question is, "Have I made a prophet?"
User avatar
obzelite
Senior Member
 
Posts: 638
Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 2:47 am
Location: Willagee, WA - D90

Postby mattyjacobs on Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:00 am

gstark wrote:Matty, what you're saying is very good to hear .... so often that sort of attitide is absent from camera sellers today.


The Warringah Mall store is a huge contrast to another camera house (are we allowed to name and shame here?) in another part of sydney - whenever I've gone in there, I've gotten the distinct impression that customers are the bane of their existence, unless you walk in with the credit card ready to swipe.
User avatar
mattyjacobs
Member
 
Posts: 282
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:54 pm
Location: Epping, Sydney

Postby gstark on Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:56 am

mattyjacobs wrote:
gstark wrote:Matty, what you're saying is very good to hear .... so often that sort of attitide is absent from camera sellers today.


The Warringah Mall store is a huge contrast to another camera house (are we allowed to name and shame here?)


If you're careful about what you say, yes. Poor service and attitudes needs to be openly discussed.
g.
Gary Stark
Nikon, Canon, Bronica .... stuff
The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it - US Pres. Bartlet
User avatar
gstark
Site Admin
 
Posts: 22896
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:41 pm
Location: Bondi, NSW

Postby jdear on Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:41 pm

Id better not tell you what the staff discount of this item is at Harvey Norman then :)
User avatar
jdear
Senior Member
 
Posts: 960
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:34 am
Location: Shellharbour, NSW

Postby adam on Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:59 pm

jdear wrote:Id better not tell you what the staff discount of this item is at Harvey Norman then :)


Please share!!

Any time I tried to get price matches, they'd say "we can't compete with internet prices" :)
Also I don't like buying from the rude people.
---
Equipment: camera body, wide lens, standard lens, telephoto lens, flash
Wish list: skill
User avatar
adam
Senior Member
 
Posts: 633
Joined: Sat Aug 19, 2006 5:27 pm
Location: New Caledonia

Postby seeto.centric on Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:29 pm

lol which one is it mattyjacobs?
i work at 2 of them..
put it this way - poon can ship his goodies over here cheaper than what the store can get them in for.

-j
User avatar
seeto.centric
Member
 
Posts: 488
Joined: Fri Jun 09, 2006 12:33 pm
Location: Baulkham Hills/2153. Sydney


Return to Trader Opinions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 25 guests