Finally bit the bullet and got a CPL

[BrianA61]

After much research and procrastination, I finally decided it is time to increase the quality of my shooting. I just purchased a Hoya Pro 1 CPL filter. I don't quite understand why B&H sells this filter for $186 and I bought the exact same thing for <$70. It is an OEM Hoya filter with the same p/n as the B&H version. I like B&H, but, their prices seem to be somewhat high on some of their items. Can't wait to start using it for my landscape shots.

[Manfred M]

Brian - A $186 filter is unlikely to be sold for $<70. Something does not sound quite right. There are tons of fake filters out there and they are often made to look like the OEM product.

[BrianA61]

Brian - A $186 filter is unlikely to be sold for $<70. Something does not sound quite right. There are tons of fake filters out there and they are often made to look like the OEM product.

True, but, I wouldn't think Adorama would be selling counterfeit filters. I think B&H just sells some of their stuff for way too much.

[Manfred M]

No - I would agree. Adorama is another excellent sources, although I've usually found their prices pretty close to B&H, but occasionally there are surprises. I know that my Samyang Fisheye was a lot less at Adorama than B&H, so I bought it there.

[Donald]

Find myself agreeing with Manfred - Somebody has got something wrong somewhere. There's no way that price differential is explained by just one pricing the same thing differently than the other. They'll each have bought it in at pretty much the same price. Somebody's made a mistake.

[BrianA61]

Well, here is the proof in discrepancies. I agree. Something is fishy.

Adorama

B&H

[DanK]

I don't quite understand why B&H sells this filter for $186 and I bought the exact same thing for <$70.

Looks to me like a typo on the B&H website, as they list the 82mm for only $72.90.

[jcuknz]

As the diameter of the mount increases the price escalates 55mm $25 v. 72mm $146 both B&H for a two dioptre CU lens [ from memory] Fortunately I use the 55mm mounting

[Manfred M]

This is a typo on the B&H website. You can get a high end B+W MRC Käsemannfilter for less.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...rch=yes&sts=pi

You are getting into top of the line Heliopan filters at that price range.

[Mike Buckley]

This reminds me of the time I walked into a wine store that had been open just one week. They were selling a wine that is readily available by their competitors for three times the price of their competitors. I told them that there must be a mistake. They suspected that someone had accidentally entered the wrong price in their database. A few weeks later I returned to the store and the price had been corrected.

[BrianA61]

I sent B&H an email requesting they look into their possible (probable) typo. I told them they would be losing business on this one if they priced it as listed. They lost my business since I didn't bother to look at the other sizes and see the huge price difference. Never really seen that before but there is the human factor involved, so.....

[xpatUSA]

Adorama isn't perfect, either; they've got a Sigma SD1M DSLR body-only on eBay as we speak for US $2,200+ when the going price is about $950.

[DanK]

I sent B&H an email requesting they look into their possible (probable) typo. I told them they would be losing business on this one if they priced it as listed. They lost my business since I didn't bother to look at the other sizes and see the huge price difference. Never really seen that before but there is the human factor involved, so.....

good of you to alert them. I thought about that yesterday but forgot.

In my experience, the staff at both B&H and Adorama have been straightforward and courteous when I have called them. In a case like this, I would just call. I did that recently when an advertised price was much better than the competition's. It wasn't a typo, and ended up just buying the item over the phone.

[Donald]

Oops - I have just sent B & H a message as well before I read the latest posts above, suggesting they might want to read this thread.

[rpcrowe]

I have never noticed great differences in the prices of B&H and Adorama. However, there is often a few dollars difference in the pricing. Often the bottom line difference will be due to one or the other charging shipping while the second company offers free shipping on the item.

I don't have any expressed loyalty to either B&H or Adorama. I simply buy from which ever company has the lowest bottom line price.

IMO, both these companies are excellent and I have had nothing but good experiences with either.

Normally, if I see an item advertised online at a price significantly lower than either of the two companies, there is something fishy with that price - often it is a scam...

There can always be typo errors. I purchased three top-line Lexar CF cards many years ago; taking advantage of a rebate which bottom lined the filters at a rediculously low price. I mentioned this rebate on CiC the next day and many members replied that I was wrong and that there was no such rebate available.

What had happened was a Lexar typo which ended up with the price I paid after the rebate being the amount of the rebate that they had intended to offer. I purchased the filters from a brick and mortar store on the first day of the rebate and Lexar removed that rebate offer over night but, honored the rebate for the lucky few who purchased on the first day!

[Donald]

Just had a reply from B&H

Hello , my name is Matt E:

Thank you for contacting the Sales Department at B&H Photo Video and Pro Audio.

Thank you for bringing that to our attention, that price was definitely wrong and I've had our web department change the price. I apologize for the error. You can find the filter with the correct price on our website now:

[rpcrowe]

I have found that both B&H and Adorama are extremely receptive to customer problems. They are enjoyable companies with which to work.

I do like the Flashpoint house brand equipment that Adorama sells. I don't think (but haven't researched to any degree) that B&H has a house brand.

I am waiting on a flash unit that I ordered from B&H and which should arrive here shortly.

I have also found that sometimes it is easier to locate specific equipment on one of the two company websites. However, sometimes Adorama comes up on top and at other times it is B&H that has the equipment easier to find. I think that these two companies are just about equal and it is possibly the competition between the two that keeps the prices low!

[Black Pearl]

Just had a reply from B&H

Hello , my name is Matt E:

Thank you for contacting the Sales Department at B&H Photo Video and Pro Audio.

Thank you for bringing that to our attention, that price was definitely wrong and I've had our web department change the price. I apologize for the error. You can find the filter with the correct price on our website now:

Hahahahahahah - its now cheaper than Adorama

[Donald]

Hahahahahahah - its now cheaper than Adorama

Maybe CiC has started a price war!

[Mike Buckley]

Speaking of a pricing error by B&H, this one is much, much larger.