Gear Availability Issues

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
I had to go to a neighboring city today for some recall work on one of my cars.

While I was there, they gave me a loaner car and I drove over to the local camera shop, where I was surprised by the lack of new product on the shelves. They had one new Nikon camera (D780) in the store and just a few new Nikon lenses. They were shutdown some during the last several months, but began to offer curbside pickup about six to eight weeks ago. They sell used equipment online, but not new due to their contract with Nikon USA. Overall, their sales have been down quite a bit, but apparently not as much as their deliveries.

As it would happen, I went there to look at a particular item today, only to find out it sold last night. Mind you, they've had it in stock since late February or early March! (I guess I won't purchase any lottery tickets this week! :p)

Once I got home, I decided to look online for cameras. Specifically, I looked online for D500s and D850s at B&H, Adorama and Best Buy. Of the three, only Adorama advertised that they had both in stock; Best Buy indicates they are sold out of the D500 and the D850 is in stock for home delivery or for store pickup at a later date. The B&H site indicates they have neither body in stock as a body only; I didn't check availability of the body/lens combination "kits."

What inventory or shortages thereof are you seeing at your local camera shops or preferred online retailers?

WM
 

hark

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Looking on B&H just a moment ago, they list the D500 as being in stock but not the D850. Allen's Camera has the D850 in stock but not the D500. Usually I order from one of these two retailers.

https://allenscamera.com/
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
My local camera store that has been here since 1908 stopped selling cameras a few months ago. If ya need a blender tho...:rolleyes:
That stinks!

Looking on B&H just a moment ago, they list the D500 as being in stock but not the D850. Allen's Camera has the D850 in stock but not the D500. Usually I order from one of these two retailers.

https://allenscamera.com/
Interesting that your results were about one-half hour separated from mine and we got different results. My new search of their site shows the D500 in stock. I wonder if the stock numbers are low...

WM
 

Hobbit

Senior Member
my local stores have only just started to show stock ,anything with a kit lens is special order, but htey have bodies
 

hark

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That stinks!

Interesting that your results were about one-half hour separated from mine and we got different results. My new search of their site shows the D500 in stock. I wonder if the stock numbers are low...

WM

In June they were advertising the $100 off as ending that month. Subsequently, they wound up being out of stock for a day or two. I believe the promo continued into July and that it would end by July 31st. So it's possible people ordered at the end of July. Now it simply lists the $100 off as an instant rebate with no ending date.
 

hark

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@Whiskeyman keep watch of how the $100 savings is offered or stated. I was on the fence for a while. Then when the $100 instant rebate was supposed to end by June 30th, I asked Jake if it was a good price. He said yes so after a couple more days sitting on the fence, I decided to get off. Unfortunately they were out of stock by then because I guess many others also got off the fence due to the supposed end of the sale and bought them up. :beguiled:

So I got back on the fence for several more days until the stock got replenished. I placed my order before the end of June. At the beginning of July, I kept watch to see how the $100 savings was advertised. They started posting it as $100 instant savings again with no end date. It might have been changed to supposedly end July 31st. At least that's my guess why they were out of stock when you checked.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
Telescopes are in short supply too. They are backordered. So, if you want a decent refractor for imaging, you have to be a bit patient. I was considering a small astrophotography set-up, but I also need a tripod and new head. $$$$$$$
 

Hobbit

Senior Member
Telescopes are in short supply too. They are backordered. So, if you want a decent refractor for imaging, you have to be a bit patient. I was considering a small astrophotography set-up, but I also need a tripod and new head. $$$$$$$

ebay is your friend - way to many people buy a scope expecting to see glourious images as portraied on TV and other science programs only to be disappointed , either cant find the stuff, struggle with avertied vision or really really disapointed that Orion Nebula is little more than a grey colourless smudge at best as is andromeda, i got all my gear for less than £500, thats 2x motorised mounts - one an RA and the other a goto, also a f9 102mm refractor and a f5 80mm , along with all the required attachments and t rings the only stuff i bought new :)
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
@Hobbit You did good to get all of that. I check Ebay now and then and see what they have. I have been looking at CloudyNights classifieds too, but that stuff gets snapped up quickly.

Yeah, people don't understand they don't have Hubble in their backyard.
I have a friend who purchased a 10 inch dobsonian, and I don't think she used it more than 1 time. I am not sure why she got it when she told me, "I can look up and see stars." She saw what my 8 inch could do, so that left me with a big question mark in my brain. She had no interest in setting up and staying outside to look for objects.
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
Telescopes are in short supply too. They are backordered. So, if you want a decent refractor for imaging, you have to be a bit patient. I was considering a small astrophotography set-up, but I also need a tripod and new head. $$$$$$$

ebay is your friend - way to many people buy a scope expecting to see glourious images as portraied on TV and other science programs only to be disappointed , either cant find the stuff, struggle with avertied vision or really really disapointed that Orion Nebula is little more than a grey colourless smudge at best as is andromeda, i got all my gear for less than £500, thats 2x motorised mounts - one an RA and the other a goto, also a f9 102mm refractor and a f5 80mm , along with all the required attachments and t rings the only stuff i bought new :)

@Hobbit You did good to get all of that. I check Ebay now and then and see what they have. I have been looking at CloudyNights classifieds too, but that stuff gets snapped up quickly.

Yeah, people don't understand they don't have Hubble in their backyard.
I have a friend who purchased a 10 inch dobsonian, and I don't think she used it more than 1 time. I am not sure why she got it when she told me, "I can look up and see stars." She saw what my 8 inch could do, so that left me with a big question mark in my brain. She had no interest in setting up and staying outside to look for objects.


I've got a small refractor that belonged to my F-I-L and was passed on to me after he died. I can see a bit with it, but not much. It is really too much for lunar observation and too little for deep-space observation.

My son and I do belong to a local astronomy club and that, IMHO, is the way to do astronomy. The club has a lot of old guys with plenty of money to spend on hobbies and they do have some great gear. And they like to share what their scopes can reach with others!

What they/we don't have a lot of is clear skies. When my son was in the Boy Scouts, we had access to one of the darkest spots around, and would try to meet up the evening right after a cold front came trough in the winter. That's when the skies were the best for observing the heavens. I've heard that it's been pretty good world-wide due to the reduction in air pollution primarily brought on by lessened vehicular traffic. However, we've been bothered by cloudy skies and heat for a lot of the spring and summer, so no luck so far this year.

WM
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
@Whiskeyman. Agreed. Sometimes the local astronomy club has a dark site and scopes available to use as well. It is nice to be able to view objects through different scopes at gatherings. I can see a lot with my current scope, but it is falling apart by now and not worth upgrading. I can get a new 8 inch dobsonian that is better built for as much as it would cost to upgrade the one I have.
Light pollution is my big enemy here plus the marine layer that creeps over the mountains. I am driving distance from several dark areas, though. Joshua Tree, Mt. Pinos and several others.
 

Whiskeyman

Senior Member
@Whiskeyman. Agreed. Sometimes the local astronomy club has a dark site and scopes available to use as well. It is nice to be able to view objects through different scopes at gatherings. I can see a lot with my current scope, but it is falling apart by now and not worth upgrading. I can get a new 8 inch dobsonian that is better built for as much as it would cost to upgrade the one I have.
Light pollution is my big enemy here plus the marine layer that creeps over the mountains. I am driving distance from several dark areas, though. Joshua Tree, Mt. Pinos and several others.

DP, one of these days, I want to visit Great Basin National Park just to camp under some of the darkest skies in the CONUS. Joshua Tree and Mt Pinos would also be good spots to visit on that trip!

WM
 

SteveH

Senior Member
The gear shortage is in the UK too - I looked high and low for a 85mm f1.8s, all physical and online retailers showed it as on back-order with up to 30 day delivery times. The only alternative was Amazon, who were ~£100 more expensive.

After two weeks of searching I found a store that had one in stock so took the 3 hour round trip to pick it up - Worth it though, what a lens!
 
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