Finding the Nikon 18-200mm AF-S VR DX lense?!

[Chip NoVaMac]

If you bring US dollars, living here is cheap!
the universal measure: a MC Donalds combo (medium fries, medium coke)is about $10... that's roughly U$$ 3.33
I went on holidays to the south.. to Mendoza, which is like the center of everything wine related here and took some nice pictures, I can post them if you like

so yeah, feel free to ask me anything about the country, it's really beatiful (and cheap )

In my only trip overseas so far, I use the McDonald's hamburger or 12-16oz drink "means". In the UK a McDonald's hamburger was 1 pound, or $1.75US. In Iceland the lowest price I generally saw was 200KIS, about $3.17US! That was even for a 12-16oz cup of Pepsi!

Be prepared to answer many questions in my future Community Forum post about Argentina. You are sounding like an ambassador for Argentina.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

If you bring US dollars, living here is cheap!
the universal measure: a MC Donalds combo (medium fries, medium coke)is about $10... that's roughly U$$ 3.33
I went on holidays to the south.. to Mendoza, which is like the center of everything wine related here and took some nice pictures, I can post them if you like

so yeah, feel free to ask me anything about the country, it's really beatiful (and cheap )

Sorry for the brain fart, would love seeing pictures from Argentina.

You got me going here. I just posted this thread not long ago to discuss travel options and such to Argentina: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=2551742&posted=1#post2551742

Hope to see you there.

 

[SilentPanda]

Well I was at Best Buy today and asked if they had them and lo and behold they had one in stock! It's wonderful I tell you... wonderful!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Well I was at Best Buy today and asked if they had them and lo and behold they had one in stock! It's wonderful I tell you... wonderful!

Congrats! Hope you end up loving the lens as much as I do.

 

[SilentPanda]

Congrats! Hope you end up loving the lens as much as I do.

I'm gonna take it for its first outdoor run on the 4th... Still need to find a 72mm filter though... Best Buy had none and I didn't have time to run around today.

 

[Music_Producer]

I'm going out of my mind as well! I can't find this darn lens anywhere. I'm thinking of getting that 70-200mm f2.8 VR, but its a little big to carry on my trips. I swear I'm thinking of switching to Canon just because Nikon makes it so damn tough to find a lens!

 

[SilentPanda]

I stopped by Best Buy again today (I really should own part of the company as often as I'm there) and they had one sitting in the glass case just waiting to be bought... If anybody wants to drive all the way out to the Bamboo Forest to buy it!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I stopped by Best Buy again today (I really should own part of the company as often as I'm there) and they had one sitting in the glass case just waiting to be bought... If anybody wants to drive all the way out to the Bamboo Forest to buy it!

You speak of the realities of marketing today. There will be both sides of the speciality dealer and and the big box store mentality. At my shop, we have many prepaid orders looking for a buyer (we fit the specialty dealer model). Not sure that big box stores accept fully paid orders, in order to on the "top" of the list.

We then can get in to the argument of which type of dealer should get the allotments. Should it be the speciality dealer (that IMO has built up the "name" of the brand) or should it be the big box stores that have the critical mass, that may build brand loyalty?

Each has their own rules that they operate under for product that is in short supply. What I say here is only my opinion, not representing how the owners look at the situation. But we do have a priority to those that pay in full for a product.

Others like B&H -IIC - take it, first come, first serve. Not sure if the likes of Best Buy take pre-orders. Rest assured, based on what I have seen - "smaller" dealers are doing what they can to meet the demand.

Again as a personal opinion, if you are not happy with the availability of this lens - don't "beat-up" your dealer of choice. Whether local or big box - we have little control over Nikon shipments.

 

[Music_Producer]

Chip, aren't you peeved with Nikon though? I know if I were a camera dealer, and the manufacturer took their own sweet time to deliver the hottest selling item in the market to me.. I'd be pretty furious.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Chip, aren't you peeved with Nikon though? I know if I were a camera dealer, and the manufacturer took their own sweet time to deliver the hottest selling item in the market to me.. I'd be pretty furious.

I think that I answered that the best I could given the restrictions on my "photographic" communications.

I hope you all realize that I tread a fine line here on MR when talking about "photographic" issues. Not as bad as working for the Apple Store. But sometimes close to it.

I hope that I can say that I am tired of being "beaten up" by customers for Nikon's failure to deliver the goods.But of late they are not alone.

I think I addressed the issue of the "independent dealer" vs. the "big box store" earlier. I recognize that there is a certain law of supply and demand. My shop decided on the model of those that paid full price up front. deserved first delivery. And at my shop, we did not try to get more that $1699 for the D200 or even $699 for the 18-200VR. Even though others might have gotten more than that.

There have been other dealers that have chosen to deal solely on price - but most part on the first come, first serve concept. There are dealer like the one I work for that feel that there is a benefit to paying ahead for what you want.

There may be inequities between the two. I am not on commission, so there is only a loss of "pride" in not being able to meet the needs of the customer.

The "final" experience between my shop and a "big box store" is the telling point.I would like to think that years down the road, I (and my co-workers) are there t help you.

I won't go into here what I mentioned in other threads of added benefits of buying from us; as select group of "added value" and independent dealers.