Tag Archive | Cardinal Photo
July 12, 2017  

‘Cardinal Camera’ — THE Very Best Place To Buy Sony Cameras ONLINE. Period!

by Anura Guruge

Please click to ENLARGE and savor.

As some of you know, and as some may have deduced, I buy a fair number of mid-range cameras per year — and though I haven’t counted of late I think it was somewhere in the 14 – 17 range in the last three years. So, by trial and error, some luck and some setbacks I have worked out the best places from which to buy cameras ONLINE — given that there are NO camera stores within 75-miles of me that carry the types of cameras I fancy.

So over the last 3 years I have bought cameras from Canon (directly), Amazon (multiple times), Beach Camera/BuyDig (multiple times) and Cameta Camera (multiple times). But I got the BEST PRICES from Cardinal Camera and they are the only ones who have sent me a lollipop with a camera.

I encountered Cardinal Camera on Amazon when they had a peek-a-boo $699 deal on the Sony a6000 dual-lens kit. The offer (i.e., price) would come and go. I kept an eye on it for weeks and then when I saw it appear I ordered it — THROUGH Amazon — at $699. It arrived, brand new with the lollipop. That was ONE heck of a deal! I got the a6000 to get me prepared for the Sony a6500 and I traded it in, at Amazon, earlier this Summer.

Then I had to buy the Sony a6500 dual lens kit.

I, as ever, did a huge amount of research. I had bought my Sony a7 II from Cameta Camera because I couldn’t resist some of the ‘freebies’ in their bundle — in the main the battery. But, I didn’t want to get another ‘useless’ bundle from Cameta and IF the truth be known I would rather NOT deal with them. Something about them that jars me.

Then I had an idea.

I called up Cardinal Camera directly and spoke with a salesman — Scott. Very nice guy. Explained my situation, what I wanted and that I had bought an a6000 kit from them earlier. He understood. He went and spoke with his manager — a couple of times. I got one heck of a deal! Straight price reduction and free 2-day shipping. No bundles … Yes, one heck of a discount. That is the way to go.

This MAY come as a shock BUT I currently have no plans to buy another camera! I am quite happy and content with my Sony a7 II and Sony a6500 (and Nikon P900) and some may, quite rightly point out, that I sure should be. But, IF I am looking for another camera next year I will definitely start with Cardinal Camera.

Related Posts:
++++ Check Categories ‘Sony’, ‘Nikon’ & ‘Camera News’ for other related posts >>>>

by Anura Guruge

May 5, 2017  

I Am Trading In My 5.5 Month Old Sony a6000 At Amazon.

by Anura Guruge

Click pictures to ENLARGE.

Click to ENLARGE.

All packed, ready to be dropped off at UPS Store in Concord, NH, on Thursday, May 4, 2017.

Arrival of the Sony a6000 kit, from ‘Cardinal Photo’, on November 16, 2016.

I got the kit, on a pre-‘Black Friday’ steal, for $699.

See this post.

The Sony a6000, was ALWAYS, going to be temporary.

The plan, as of October 2016, was to get Sony a6500 — when it became available in mid-December 2016. I can demonstrate that! {SMILE}

I didn’t end up getting a6500 because I was in the throes of writing my ‘Central Pain Syndrome‘ book. I wanted to finish that book before I got another new camera.

So now is the time, though I have already started working on my NEXT book.

Yes, I am still going to get a Sony a6500 BUT not for another couple of weeks.

I am first going to get a Sony a7II. Yes, I am going Full-Frame. A bucket-list wish.

Then I am getting a6500 to be my compact for shows, concerts, circuses etc. 

Amazon is promising me $476 for the trade-in as you can see from the first image.

But, they invariably reduce that offer once they have the camera. I am expecting around $420.

So, I paid $699 and will get back $420.

So having the Sony a6000 for 5 and a half-months would have cost me $279.

That comes to $1.65 a day!

And nobody, but nobody could say I did NOT use that camera.

I took 11,684 pictures with the a6000 during those 169 days — in addition to using my Nikon P900 on some days.

That says I paid $0.02 per picture.

So, I am happy.

Hoping to have the Sony a7II next week and the Sony a6500 at the end of the month. There is a show we are going to in early June.

Related Posts:
++++ Check Categories ‘Sony’ & ‘Camera News’ for other related posts >>>>

by Anura Guruge

April 11, 2017  

Another Disturbing Post Of ‘B&H’ Supposedly Selling A Used Sony As New.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE and read this April 9, 2017
thread on “DPReview” Forums.

Such posts, which appear on a regular basis, always distress me.

Appears it is a widespread practice in the U.S. — and this is why the likes of Sony don’t put seals on new cameras!

I am sure that over the last 3 years I have ended up getting a used cameras as new.

This is my continuing nightmare.

Which is why of late I try to buy only from Amazon who claim to eschew this practice though there are those that claim Amazon is as guilty as others.

Just a heads up.

This appears to be a widespread problem. So be aware, very aware.

Related posts:
++++ Search ‘images’, ‘Sony’, ‘Nikon’, ‘Fuji’ & ‘Samsung’ for other posts >>>>

++++ Check Category ‘Camera Notes’ >>>>

by Anura Guruge

December 20, 2016  

Camera Manufacturers, Like Sony, Helping Retailers Sell Used Cameras As New.

by Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE and read this December 18, 2016
thread on “DPReview” Forums.

bhused

Click to ENLARGE and read this post here. Use link above to go to Forum thread, with two posts by I, under my name, AnuraGuruge.

This thorny but waxing issue continues to linger and persists.

Yes, it is a problem for all sides. People, including I, return cameras. Retailers and manufacturers do NOT want to lose too much money on returned cameras.

But, there has to be a better, more equitable solution.

Fuji cameras, at least when I bought my Fuji X-E2s, in May 2016, came inside a sealed bag.

But, as can be seen from the Forum posts folks still have concerns.

Sony, for a fact, do not provide ANY seals on their cameras or lenses.

This, of course, is to HELP the resellers.

At a minimum all cameras, above say $450, should come sealed, in a sealed bag inside a sealed box.

There should also be a (hard to reset) shutter actuation count that can be displayed.

Otherwise we will continue to have this problem.

The supposedly new Sony a6000, I got from Amazon, albeit from ‘Cardinal Photo‘, had a shutter actuation of 19. And I will admit that that is a strange, hard to reconcile number.

I am dreading getting the Sony a6500. What will I see in terms of shutter actuations.

Related posts:
++++ Search ‘images’, ‘Sony’, ‘Nikon’, ‘Fuji’ & ‘Samsung’ for other posts >>>>

++++ Check Category ‘Camera Notes’ >>>>

by Anura Guruge

November 16, 2016  

My Temporary Sony a6000 Arrives From ‘Cardinal Camera’ With A Lollipop Inside!

by Anura Guruge

Click these images to ENLARGE.

This was so cute.
Also had a camera bag thrown in.

Appears to be brand new.
Looked immaculate and I had to set date/time.

Plus, first picture was DSC00001.

So I am happy.

I can’t stop smiling.

This was a STEAL!



This is what it is being sold on Amazon right now.

a6000new
I got it for $699!

Refer to this post.

Already customized to my liking and needs.

I don’t like neck straps. I am into wrist straps ($7.99).

Also got a leather half-body for protection and added grip ($15.99).

Clip on ‘other side’ allows me to clip on a lanyard-type strap if I need to carry it around my neck.

See below.


Click images to access Amazon listings.

a6000strap
a6000case

arrangedmarriage

But this a6000 is but the precursor to a Sony a6500 — which will be my main camera.

sonya6500Related Posts:
++++ Check Categories ‘Camera News’ for other related posts >>>>
>>>> Search on ‘Sony’ for other posts too >>>>

by Anura Guruge

November 13, 2016  

Bad Enough Getting A Sony a6500, But I Am Getting A Sony a6000 Into The BARGAIN!

by Anura Guruge

Click these images to ENLARGE.

a6000iiiia

a6000new

a6000refurbished

arrangedmarriageNo, no, no {SMILE} the pressure of being forced into an arranged marriage with a Sony a6500 has not made me FLIP!

This was all rather calculated and opportunistic.

Two major factors at play:

  1. I have no lenses at all, never mind any Sony e-mount lenses. So I need some lenses.
    ….
  2. I was going to rent a Sony a6300, before buying the a6500, to get familiar with how these cameras work,

Then I had seen the “Black Friday” special that said you could get a Sony a6000, with two lenses (the ones that I wanted), i.e., the 16-50mm and 55-210mm, for $699.

I did some sums. If I factor in the cost of the rental (never mind the hassle of going to a FedEx office to return it), I could get a Sony a6000 body for $145!

The Sony a6000 body RETAILS for $478!

Kind of like a no brainer!

When I am researching a camera I am diligent. I check all my sources regularly.

Friday night noticed that ‘Cardinal Photo’, on Amazon, was offering the a6000/16-50mm/55-210mm KIT, supposedly new, at $699. That is cheaper than what Amazon had fro REFURBISHED.

Then the listing went away.

Later on Saturday I found it again.

Called Amazon. Spoke with ‘Andre’. Got an e-mail from him ASSURING me that the Cardinal Kit would be BRAND NEW and that I could return it, if it was not …

I even called up Cardinal Photo …

I placed the order. Remember I had returned my Samsung NX500. So I had money ‘in the bank’.

So … stay tuned.

sonya6500Related Posts:
++++ Check Categories ‘Camera News’ for other related posts >>>>
>>>> Search on ‘Sony’ for other posts too >>>>

by Anura Guruge

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