Z6II and Z7II Announcement Coming 10/14

[tcdeveau]

B&H, IMO has really lost it with shipping. I would for sure call them and send back and ask for another. They just drop the boxes in a larger box, and then put a few strips of the large air bladder packing now. Problems is most times during shipping the boxes will pop these few pieces of plastic and allow movement.

In the past year I have had problems with several shipments. My Z7 was very poorly packed and returned, my latest G raid was just dropped in a box loose with one strip of packing, returned and the new one was shipped about the same.

Sad to see this from B&H. But it seems to be a trend with them.

Paul C

Yep I called and sent it back. They are going to exchange it and send me a new one. Unfortunately, it now says estimated availability 2-4 weeks on their site....so who knows when I'll receive it. You're right on the shipping aspect. Even the interior cardboard packaging inside the 85mm 1.8 box from the factory was damaged, so the lens was just rolling around loose inside the box. Must've taken quite a hit for that to happen.

Generally my experiences with BH have been positive and this is the first time I've had an issue with them. I'm annoyed with this though because between the 10 day religious holiday that happened after I received the lens, and the availability of the lens, I'm out of a lens for probably at least a month or so from my initial order.

Yes, first world problems, I know....but I really wanted it for my son's birthday and wasn't able to use it for that, so that's disappointing. I probably should've just gone ahead and ordered from somewhere else two weeks ago and just did a straight return but had too much other stuff going on.

I may just look into cancelling and ordering from another retailer if that's the case. There are rebates on the lens now, and I should at least check and see if BH would honor the rebate before I cancel.

EDIT: Following up on this the new 85mm 1.8 shipped out today and I should receive it tomorrow [insert picture of me with foot in my mouth here]

 

[tcdeveau]

I am hoping that the Z 7II will have AF-C focus confirmation and an AF-performance equal to D850. Illuminated buttons would be nice as well.
I will buy Z 7II, though I am annoyed that we have another type of batteries (EN-EL15C). I am not missing a better body as much as more lenses.

AF-C focus confirmation would be nice indeed!

 

[tcdeveau]

Received and tested the replacement 85mm 1.8s I received. It was packed much better than the first one, but it seems there's an issue with it as well because again there's a good bit of noise and vibration produced when focusing (both AF-S and AF-C mode). The vibrations reverberate through the whole camera and it's enough to be pretty distracting. Again the only other lens I have for comparison is the 24-70 2.8s which doesn't exhibit this behavior. Looks like this one is going back as well as Jack previously mentioned this behavior is not normal.

 

[Jack]

Jack previously mentioned this behavior is not normal.

Well at least none of my Z lenses do that, and what you describe as "reverberating through the whole camera" definitely sounds wrong. Maybe they just re-packed and re-shipped the lens you returned? I think it's time to return and buy elsewhere? My Z glass all pretty much behave like you describe your 24-70/2.8, even my "bargain" 70-300AF-P on the FTZ is relatively quiet and smooth.

 

[tcdeveau]

Well at least none of my Z lenses do that, and what you describe as "reverberating through the whole camera" definitely sounds wrong. Maybe they just re-packed and re-shipped the lens you returned? I think it's time to return and buy elsewhere? My Z glass all pretty much behave like you describe your 24-70/2.8, even my "bargain" 70-300AF-P on the FTZ is relatively quiet and smooth.

Yeah I was wondering about repack, I should've written down the serial of the lens I sent in. Maybe they were from the same production batch or something too. Maybe I'm overreacting (I've never been one to send stuff back looking for a "perfect copy"), but there's enough vibration when I hit the shutter to focus (or AF-On) that I can feel it in my hand and distracts me from shooting. It also sometimes won't make up its mind on what it wants to focus on, and the focus motor is constantly running when AF is engaged going back and forth between one plane of focus and others even millimeters away. It just doesn't feel normal.

Will try and return and find another retailer.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

When I read about people's problems with stuff they buy online, Jorgen's Rule No. 1 for a Happy Trouble Free Life comes to my mind:
Never live more than an hours drive from a camera shop with friendly, competent staff and good coffee!

Yeah, I know. There are hardly any good camera shops around anymore. Guess why that happened...

 

[jlancasterd]

There are still a few good camera shops in UK that aren't in the big cities and which are a delight to visit, with extensive new and used stocks, knowledgeable staff, an efficient system for obtaining items that they don't have in stock, and which charge competitive prices – Cambrian Photography in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, is one such, as is Ffordes Photographic at Beauly up in Scotland.

 

[tcdeveau]

When I read about people's problems with stuff they buy online, Jorgen's Rule No. 1 for a Happy Trouble Free Life comes to my mind:
Never live more than an hours drive from a camera shop with friendly, competent staff and good coffee!

Yeah, I know. There are hardly any good camera shops around anymore. Guess why that happened...

I hear you. I’d buy local if I could. The last true brick and mortar camera store that was a Nikon/canon/Sony dealer in my area closed years ago. Their prices were not competitive at all (2-3x what things cost online, at least for accessories) and they were as****** to their customers. I think the only remaining Nikon dealer in my city is a big box electronic store, or another store that is primary a rental house/print shop that doesn’t carry stock. The metro population of Atlanta, the hub of the SE US, is 6 million so it’s not like I’m in the middle of nowhere either. It is what it is. This is the first time I’ve had any issues with a product from BH, and the return process was easy.

I am thankful I’m a 20 minute drive from my local P1/HB/Alpa/Leica/Fuji dealer, and purchase from them often, but they don’t carry Nikon. They were a canon dealer but o think canon just axed a lot of brick and mortar stores as dealers.