Magic Bullet, New Camera Etc...

Ken Tanaka · November 24th, 2003, 04:28 PM

By way of explanation...

People certainly have the right to buy goods wherever they choose. Just as certainly, eBay needs no publicity from us or any other message board. Everybody knows they're out there as a potential venue.

But over the years we have had a striking number of complaints about eBay purchases come our way. (I, too, have a bad eBay story in my past.) In fact, we have a running advisory thread on the subject of how to avoid trouble on eBay.

Chris rightly recommends buying new equipment from a reputable dealer if at all possible. He further recommends using one of our sponsors. But this is not strictly a matter of supporting companies that support this site. We are a bit different from other sites in that we do not accept sponsorship from anyone who throws money at us. If we did, we would have many pages of sponsors. To become a sponsor at DVInfo.net a company must have a long, pristine reputation at delivering quality merchandise and service at competitive prices. The sponsors you see on the page (linked above) have demonstrated this quality commitment to our members over and over again. They are also authorized dealers for the products they sell, an important distinction from the "box shops" you'll find elsewhere.

But even if you choose a dealer other than one of our sponsors, be sure to check with Reseller Ratings before you click that "Buy" button.

Bottom line: we want our members to get the best DV experience possible from their equipment for their budget parameters.

Bryan Beasleigh · November 24th, 2003, 04:58 PM

This policy of Chris's is basically a desire to protect his people. Thankfully the rest of the moderators are of a similar mindset.

Many times, the board regulars here and at other sites will try and steer people away from questionable deals and known shady mail order outlets. Often the lure of something much cheaper is too strong and when the buyer gets stung they either wind up paying far too much, getting hit with hidden extras or substandard accessories, they may actually wind up with absolutely nothing.

If it seems to good to be true, it likely is just that.

Some just slip away and conceil their grief while others react with utter amazement. Some are just lucky and get something in return for their money.

We are a very far reaching community. It is highly unlikely that any sponsor would take the chance of stiffing any one of us. They'd certainly pay a hefty price in lost sales.

Riley Harmon · November 24th, 2003, 05:25 PM

the optura xi at B&H is only 1149, not bad, you say it replicates 3 ccds? hmmm....anyone have experience with this camera or know of good reviews

Chris Hurd · November 24th, 2003, 05:41 PM

Riley,

Currently there are at least a couple of our members that have the Optura Xi ( Allan Rejoso and Tommy Haupfear) and there is a fairly lengthy discussion here at http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=14978. The Optura 300 can be had for even less and shares many features with the Xi.

The primary limitations of the Xi are that it is a bottom-loader, does not have a LANC jack for wired remote control, and does not have a progressive frame mode. Other than that, it's a superb 1-chip.

As usual, Ken offers excellent advice regarding our Private Classifieds forum -- there are some great deals to be had there.

Thanks for the boost, Beaser! You're the man,

Glenn Chan · November 24th, 2003, 05:58 PM

mandy.com has some classifieds for used equipment. Other sites like dv.com should have classified boards (check their forums).

If you get to check out the camera before you buy and pay COD then it should be ok to buy used. The problem is finding someone locally.

November 24th, 2003, 04:28 PM	#16
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	By way of explanation... People certainly have the right to buy goods wherever they choose. Just as certainly, eBay needs no publicity from us or any other message board. Everybody knows they're out there as a potential venue. But over the years we have had a striking number of complaints about eBay purchases come our way. (I, too, have a bad eBay story in my past.) In fact, we have a running advisory thread on the subject of how to avoid trouble on eBay. Chris rightly recommends buying new equipment from a reputable dealer if at all possible. He further recommends using one of our sponsors. But this is not strictly a matter of supporting companies that support this site. We are a bit different from other sites in that we do not accept sponsorship from anyone who throws money at us. If we did, we would have many pages of sponsors. To become a sponsor at DVInfo.net a company must have a long, pristine reputation at delivering quality merchandise and service at competitive prices. The sponsors you see on the page (linked above) have demonstrated this quality commitment to our members over and over again. They are also authorized dealers for the products they sell, an important distinction from the "box shops" you'll find elsewhere. But even if you choose a dealer other than one of our sponsors, be sure to check with Reseller Ratings before you click that "Buy" button. Bottom line: we want our members to get the best DV experience possible from their equipment for their budget parameters. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

November 24th, 2003, 05:41 PM	#19
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Riley, Currently there are at least a couple of our members that have the Optura Xi ( Allan Rejoso and Tommy Haupfear) and there is a fairly lengthy discussion here at http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=14978. The Optura 300 can be had for even less and shares many features with the Xi. The primary limitations of the Xi are that it is a bottom-loader, does not have a LANC jack for wired remote control, and does not have a progressive frame mode. Other than that, it's a superb 1-chip. As usual, Ken offers excellent advice regarding our Private Classifieds forum -- there are some great deals to be had there. Thanks for the boost, Beaser! You're the man, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

November 24th, 2003, 04:58 PM	#17
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	This policy of Chris's is basically a desire to protect his people. Thankfully the rest of the moderators are of a similar mindset. Many times, the board regulars here and at other sites will try and steer people away from questionable deals and known shady mail order outlets. Often the lure of something much cheaper is too strong and when the buyer gets stung they either wind up paying far too much, getting hit with hidden extras or substandard accessories, they may actually wind up with absolutely nothing. If it seems to good to be true, it likely is just that. Some just slip away and conceil their grief while others react with utter amazement. Some are just lucky and get something in return for their money. We are a very far reaching community. It is highly unlikely that any sponsor would take the chance of stiffing any one of us. They'd certainly pay a hefty price in lost sales.

November 24th, 2003, 05:25 PM	#18
Riley Harmon Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 424	the optura xi at B&H is only 1149, not bad, you say it replicates 3 ccds? hmmm....anyone have experience with this camera or know of good reviews

November 24th, 2003, 05:58 PM	#20
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	mandy.com has some classifieds for used equipment. Other sites like dv.com should have classified boards (check their forums). If you get to check out the camera before you buy and pay COD then it should be ok to buy used. The problem is finding someone locally.