where's the good(camera) deals in San Fran?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I'm in town (SF) for the week, and thought I'd take advantage of the
700$ worth of "stuff" I can bring back across the line (Canada)
duty-free and pick up a decent digital P&S if I can find a good buy(my
*ist DS is just to bulky to pack around all the time)

Yesterday I did the touristy thing and rode the CC down to fishermans
wharf and was soon bombarded by "camera" stores offering 50% off etc..
Despite my inner warning bells going off I wandered in to one and a guy
was going to sell me a nice little Optio 4MP for about 99$. Is this for
real or are these hot or somehting? I did some online checking of prices
at some local "mainstream" shops like gassers, but could not find a
price that came close, in fact the prices are similar to what they are
in Canada and with the exchange rate there is no advantage really.

Are there actually bargains at these tacky tourist traps? (the fountain
with the 2 naked ladies was cool to but its to big to take on the plane)

On the outside it looks like it, but I know there is probably more to
the story (the guy came down 50$ when I was hesitant) and was hoping
someone on this group could give me a heads up.


TIA

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 01:28:43 GMT, GS <GS@spam.com> wrote:

>I'm in town (SF) for the week, and thought I'd take advantage of the
>700$ worth of "stuff" I can bring back across the line (Canada)
>duty-free and pick up a decent digital P&S if I can find a good buy(my
>*ist DS is just to bulky to pack around all the time)
>
>Yesterday I did the touristy thing and rode the CC down to fishermans
>wharf and was soon bombarded by "camera" stores offering 50% off etc..
>Despite my inner warning bells going off I wandered in to one and a guy
>was going to sell me a nice little Optio 4MP for about 99$. Is this for
>real or are these hot or somehting? I did some online checking of prices
>at some local "mainstream" shops like gassers, but could not find a
>price that came close, in fact the prices are similar to what they are
>in Canada and with the exchange rate there is no advantage really.
>
>Are there actually bargains at these tacky tourist traps? (the fountain
>with the 2 naked ladies was cool to but its to big to take on the plane)
>
>On the outside it looks like it, but I know there is probably more to
>the story (the guy came down 50$ when I was hesitant) and was hoping
>someone on this group could give me a heads up.

Don't buy anything in the Fisherman's wharf area. They are worse than
tourist traps...

Go see what you can find at a Costco or such.


******************************************************

"I have been a witness, and these pictures are
my testimony. The events I have recorded should
not be forgotten and must not be repeated."

-James Nachtwey-
http/www.jamesnachtwey.com/

 

[roy]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

"GS" <GS@spam.com> wrote in message news:fBJXe.248239$HI.42204@edtnps84...
> I'm in town (SF) for the week, and thought I'd take advantage of the 700$
> worth of "stuff" I can bring back across the line (Canada) duty-free and
> pick up a decent digital P&S if I can find a good buy(my *ist DS is just
> to bulky to pack around all the time)
>
> Yesterday I did the touristy thing and rode the CC down to fishermans
> wharf and was soon bombarded by "camera" stores offering 50% off etc..
> Despite my inner warning bells going off I wandered in to one and a guy
> was going to sell me a nice little Optio 4MP for about 99$. Is this for
> real or are these hot or somehting? I did some online checking of prices
> at some local "mainstream" shops like gassers, but could not find a price
> that came close, in fact the prices are similar to what they are in Canada
> and with the exchange rate there is no advantage really.
>
> Are there actually bargains at these tacky tourist traps? (the fountain
> with the 2 naked ladies was cool to but its to big to take on the plane)
>
> On the outside it looks like it, but I know there is probably more to the
> story (the guy came down 50$ when I was hesitant) and was hoping someone
> on this group could give me a heads up.
>
>
> TIA

Hi.

I live in the Uk, & have never been there, but my impression is no good
ones, at all.

My daughter was going to be in S.F. for a week, and 2 weeks before she would
arrive there, I phoned Gassers, to ask the price and availability of a Nikon
80-400 Zoom. The price was a bit steep at $1600, and it would take them 3
weeks to get one. I initially thought he said 3 days, but no, it was 3
weeks.

If a dealer in "sleepy old world" UK said it would take them 3 weeks to get
anything, especially at a premium price, they would never get any business
from me, unless there was a known world shortage of that item.

If I lived there, I would buy all my camera gear by mail-order.

Roy G

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

>> Yesterday I did the touristy thing and rode the CC down to fishermans
>> wharf and was soon bombarded by "camera" stores offering 50% off etc..
>> Despite my inner warning bells going off I wandered in to one and a guy
>> was going to sell me a nice little Optio 4MP for about 99$. Is this for

My other half paid ukp99 for an Optio last year, so I can well believe
$99 given US prices and another year or so of it being 'last year's
model". Nice little camera, bit limited as far as zoom's concerned but
takes good pictures for a small P&S.

pete
--
pete@fenelon.com "Obviously crime pays, or there'd be no crime"-G Gordon Liddy