Hi Chris,
The difference in prices was $599 + tax locally (which seems to the the street retail) versus $439 online, no tax. I didn't give the local store a chance, it wasn't a camera shop, but a department store.
Tom C.
From: Chris Brogden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Pentax 750Z Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:42:25 -0600
On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 10:56:19 -0700, Tom C <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Hi gang,
>
> I purchased the 750Z for my wife last week. In addition to being 7MP and
> looking like a classy rangefinder with the black rubber leather grained
> front, it's quite a nice camera. I had done a little research on it, but
> was still surprised at how versatile it is with focusing modes, exposure
> modes, custom user mode, auto bracket, intervalometer...
As well as being quite compact for a 7MP camera with a 5x optical zoom. Not to mention the flip-out LCD, metal body, M/A/S modes, etc.
> I wish it didn't take a proprietary battery and would just use AA's. The
> plus I guess, is that batteries will not have to be purchased.
I don't think you'll have to recharge that proprietary battery too often. Phil at dpreview tested the older Optio 550 that used the same battery and found that it lasted longer than those huge Canon BP-511s in Canon's G-series digitals. He was able to get around 430 shots using the flash half the time, IIRC. It's a small battery, but with a huge mAh rating for Li-ions (1800, I think, where most are under 1100 mAh). I think the battery is one of the strong points of the 750.
> Talking about 3-D, the camera has a 3-D mode, where two pictures can be
> taken and combined in the same frame. When printed, they can then be viewed
> through an optional steroscopic viewer. I find it quite strange that Pentax
> would waste any R&D on this kind of gimmick. Is this a Japanese penchant?
Couldn't say. It's cute, and I get a lot of older customers commenting on how it reminds them of the stereoscopic photography they used to do, but I doubt that most people use it. The stitch-assist mode, OTOH, seems to be pretty popular.
> If anyone is interested, the price online can far beat out any local
> retailers. The difference was enough that I could purchase a 1G SD card and
> next day shipping and still be under the before-tax price of the in town
> store.
>
> Tom C.
Did you give the local store a chance to come close to matching the price? I love buying stuff online, and I'm willing to do that if the savings are significant, but at the same time there's a lot to be said for supporting a good local store if you have one.
Chris
