I was wondering if people have any feelings (positive or negative) about buying optical equipment from an online store. I know of Eagle Optics, binoculars.com and Optics Planet in the US and Pelee Wings in Canada. Do people have any feelings as to whether any of these are better than the others? Are there other stores I haven't considered? I'd be grateful for any information.
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Shopping for scopes online (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter mattpau
- Start date
Tero
Retired
I have looked at scopes in www.cabelas.com
I have bought clothing in their stores but no optics on line. You can compare prices.
I have bought clothing in their stores but no optics on line. You can compare prices.
salty
geordie birder
the only downside of buying online is the fact you cant try-before you buy. its still worth a visit to an optics store to try the different makes and models first. you could end up with a scope you dont really like. try a few models first before checking for bargains on the web - so you know what your buying.
Eagle Optics will have the best price and service 99% of the time. I know some people that use binoculars.com saying they are cheaper, but I have NEVER seen them with a better price than EO. They might on clearance items, but no store ever has items on clearance that I'm interested in.
EO is just west of Madison, probably 7 hrs from St. Louis. They don't carry everything, but probably as much as any other store. Its a good idea to call them before you go to see if they have what you want to look at in stock.
Kevin Mac
Just sleeping
Another good one, prices as good as any is the American Birding Association at www.americanbirding.org/abasales .They also have an incredible number of books, references, cd's, tapes etc. for north america and the rest of the world.
snowyowl
Well-known member
I bought both my scope and my binos by mail from Pelee Wings. They gave exceptional service and I believe that their prices were as good or better than any in Canada for the quality of products. My scope is a Leica Televid 77 and my binos are B&L Elites. Until recently, mail order was the only practical way that I could buy optics. Some years I get to Ontario and some years I don't and I usually don't know very far ahead and choices in the Maritimes are limited.
This summer I was in Ontario and my tripod failed on me. I didn't have time to get to Pelee so I bought a Swavorski tripod at the Wild Bird Company Store in Guelph. The scope is ok but my choices were very limited and it seemed to be expensive. I'm still wishing that I'd found a way to get to Pelee Wings is only for the increased number of choices. Wild Bird Company store is, I believe, an Eagle Optics dealer. I had shopped there once before and bought a B&L Elite scope. It was a 60 mm and just didn't cut it compared to the bigger scopes. I replaced it a year later. I bought it because I was able to compare it to several other scopes and it was the best of what was available. Again limited choices.
Anyway, those are my experiences buying optics. I hope they're of some help to you.
This summer I was in Ontario and my tripod failed on me. I didn't have time to get to Pelee so I bought a Swavorski tripod at the Wild Bird Company Store in Guelph. The scope is ok but my choices were very limited and it seemed to be expensive. I'm still wishing that I'd found a way to get to Pelee Wings is only for the increased number of choices. Wild Bird Company store is, I believe, an Eagle Optics dealer. I had shopped there once before and bought a B&L Elite scope. It was a 60 mm and just didn't cut it compared to the bigger scopes. I replaced it a year later. I bought it because I was able to compare it to several other scopes and it was the best of what was available. Again limited choices.
Anyway, those are my experiences buying optics. I hope they're of some help to you.
blackburnian
Owl Nut
On line shopping
Hi, I'm also from Ottawa.
I recently ordered a Kowa TSN824 and the Nikon 8x42HG through Pelee Wings and got my gear in mint condition 2-3 days after the order. Their prices are pretty competitive.
What you may want to do is go to Focus Scientific (in Ottawa) and try out some of their gear for comparison (although their stock is pretty low in mostly everything) and they might even match a price (but the only problem there is that they probably have to order it ect ect ect ...)
Having said that, Pelee is well stocked in just about every brand os scope and bins.
Where do you bird in Ottawa? Are you with the OFNC?
Marc
Hi, I'm also from Ottawa.
I recently ordered a Kowa TSN824 and the Nikon 8x42HG through Pelee Wings and got my gear in mint condition 2-3 days after the order. Their prices are pretty competitive.
What you may want to do is go to Focus Scientific (in Ottawa) and try out some of their gear for comparison (although their stock is pretty low in mostly everything) and they might even match a price (but the only problem there is that they probably have to order it ect ect ect ...)
Having said that, Pelee is well stocked in just about every brand os scope and bins.
Where do you bird in Ottawa? Are you with the OFNC?
Marc
blackburnian
Owl Nut
Hi Paul
Salut Paul,
La je te reconnais, on cherchaient pour le Red Throated Loon avec Normand la semaine derniere a Shirlays Bay.
Good Luck with your purchases, always nice to have new toys.
See ya in the field, and let us know of your new optics.
Marc
Salut Paul,
La je te reconnais, on cherchaient pour le Red Throated Loon avec Normand la semaine derniere a Shirlays Bay.
Good Luck with your purchases, always nice to have new toys.
See ya in the field, and let us know of your new optics.
Marc
Thanks to all who responded.
Eagle Optics certainly seems to have the best, user-friendly website. I don't think I'm saying that because I've visited it a lot and am now used to it. I think I've visited it a lot because it's the best. The only thing I object to is when they say they're doing a "product review" of one of their own products. Surprise! they think their products are great.
Kevin - thanks for the ABA tip. I feel a bit dumb - I've ordered bird recordings from them a few times but never thought of them for optics. No prizes for the organization of the store on their website, though.
Dan - thanks for the feedback on Pelee Wings. I'm not sure, though, that if I buy from them I'll be taking advantage of our strong Canadian currency (versus the US dollar). Their quoted prices on Zeiss scopes (e.g. Can $1500) didn't compare at all favourably with a couple of the US sites, including Eagle Optics (same scope US$850-900). BTW the situation in Ottawa may not be much better for optics than in the Maritimes. Some birding and camera stores carry a few scopes and one optics specialty store carries a few more, but on the whole it's fairly slim pickings. And finally I'm jealous of your scope - those Leicas are something else. But I promised myself I'd get a small scope and not TOO expensive.
Marc - oui c'est bien moi et merci pour tes voeux et de m'avoir permis d'utiliser ton téléscope. I finally caught up with the Red-throated Loon last Sunday - it was right inside the bay near the shore and Shirley's Bay dyke.
Eagle Optics certainly seems to have the best, user-friendly website. I don't think I'm saying that because I've visited it a lot and am now used to it. I think I've visited it a lot because it's the best. The only thing I object to is when they say they're doing a "product review" of one of their own products. Surprise! they think their products are great.
Kevin - thanks for the ABA tip. I feel a bit dumb - I've ordered bird recordings from them a few times but never thought of them for optics. No prizes for the organization of the store on their website, though.
Dan - thanks for the feedback on Pelee Wings. I'm not sure, though, that if I buy from them I'll be taking advantage of our strong Canadian currency (versus the US dollar). Their quoted prices on Zeiss scopes (e.g. Can $1500) didn't compare at all favourably with a couple of the US sites, including Eagle Optics (same scope US$850-900). BTW the situation in Ottawa may not be much better for optics than in the Maritimes. Some birding and camera stores carry a few scopes and one optics specialty store carries a few more, but on the whole it's fairly slim pickings. And finally I'm jealous of your scope - those Leicas are something else. But I promised myself I'd get a small scope and not TOO expensive.
Marc - oui c'est bien moi et merci pour tes voeux et de m'avoir permis d'utiliser ton téléscope. I finally caught up with the Red-throated Loon last Sunday - it was right inside the bay near the shore and Shirley's Bay dyke.
RCarter
Active member
I'd like to put in a "vote" for Adorama Camera in New York City. I live in China, and just received a Zeiss 85 Diascope from them -- carefully and promptly shipped, and at a price that was $100 less than Eagle Optics. I got nice discounts on the 20-60X zoom eyepiece and quick camera adapter, too, so that my total savings paid the cost of freight halfway around the world!
Dick
Dick
snowyowl
Well-known member
Mattpau, just be aware of the cost of importing things from the US. I very recently got hit for around $80 in charges, incluidng GST, on a $400 camera that I ordered from NY. That plus the 15% difference that still exists between the US and Cdn dollar might more than wipe out any savings. It might be worth checking before ordering.
Surely there must be a high-end optics place in Montreal?
Surely there must be a high-end optics place in Montreal?
Kevin Mac
Just sleeping
Wow Dan, do you have a store in Canada that can match (or come close) to those in the U.S., like ABA or B&H ? The prices I'm quoted in Vancouver are absurd. Examples: Lens and Shutter had a Swarovski ST80HD scope for $2800 with the 20-60x zoom for $500. Before 15% tax. Another store in town had Leica Trinovid 10x25 bins for $699, again before tax. When you order online you pay the exchange rate (not bad today), shipping (about $25), and GST. That's it! If the local shops could even come close to that I would much rather support them. I don't mind paying a little extra, but hundreds?snowyowl said:
Dick - Thanks for the positive feedback on Adorama. A fellow Canadian PMed me with similarly enthusiastic comments about this store - will definitely consider them. Glad your scope got to you safe and sound. I once tried to mail back a scope from Malawi, Africa, after finishing a posting there (I know, a true birder would always want to have his scope with him/her - what was I thinking?). It never arrived home.
Dan - there's a fellow Ottawan that posts to Bird Forum and she claimed that the closest store to this city with a decent selection of spotting scopes was Pelee Wings, which of course implies that neither Montreal or even Toronto have such a store. It is admittedly somewhat astounding. As for US versus Canadian prices, I confess I didn't read all the fine print but a document on tariffs from the Canada Customs (now Canada Border Services Agency) website suggests there is no duty payable on bins or scopes. This leaves the taxes which would be payable in Canada too and the shipping which would also be payable when ordering from a Canadian store like Pelee Wings, although it might be slightly more expensive. Shopping at a US store still adds up to huge savings with the Canadian dollar as strong as it is at the moment.
Dan - there's a fellow Ottawan that posts to Bird Forum and she claimed that the closest store to this city with a decent selection of spotting scopes was Pelee Wings, which of course implies that neither Montreal or even Toronto have such a store. It is admittedly somewhat astounding. As for US versus Canadian prices, I confess I didn't read all the fine print but a document on tariffs from the Canada Customs (now Canada Border Services Agency) website suggests there is no duty payable on bins or scopes. This leaves the taxes which would be payable in Canada too and the shipping which would also be payable when ordering from a Canadian store like Pelee Wings, although it might be slightly more expensive. Shopping at a US store still adds up to huge savings with the Canadian dollar as strong as it is at the moment.
rka
ttbirds
I also strongly endorse Adorama. For the purchases I made, I found that deliveries came when expected and prices were either average or slightly below average.
Eagle Optics customer service is excellent but I found their pricing a bit above average when compared with Adorama, BH Photo Video, and a few other on-line merchants.
If you don't mind paying a little more, Eagle Optics is hard to beat.
Otherwise, Adorama is a pretty safe bet.
rka
Eagle Optics customer service is excellent but I found their pricing a bit above average when compared with Adorama, BH Photo Video, and a few other on-line merchants.
If you don't mind paying a little more, Eagle Optics is hard to beat.
Otherwise, Adorama is a pretty safe bet.
rka
snowyowl
Well-known member
You are supposed to pay the Provincial Tax locally after you receive the item. Something I'm sure we all rush to do!
The only place that I've found with a selection and half reasonable prices is Pelee Wings and since I buy in Canada as much as possible and have to go mail order anyway, that's where I order most things. If I can't order in Canada and getat least a close price then i will order from where ever is necessary.
I don't know about scopes from out of the country but as I said before I very recently bought a Nikon Coollpix 4500 from a company in NY. I couldn't find the camera in Canada. The camera, some extra memory and shipping cost $434 US but there were an additional $95Cdn charged att he border. It only specified GST and other charges. My adapter I bought from the UK and it came through without additional charges but our post mistress told me that I got lucky. When I had to retrun the adapter, Eagle eye Optics warned me to be sure to mark it as defective goods being returned or they would get nicked for duty. They did something similar when they shipped the adapter back.
Scopes may be completely different but my point is that you have to consider all the cost factors and perhaps in the last instance get lucky.
The only place that I've found with a selection and half reasonable prices is Pelee Wings and since I buy in Canada as much as possible and have to go mail order anyway, that's where I order most things. If I can't order in Canada and getat least a close price then i will order from where ever is necessary.
I don't know about scopes from out of the country but as I said before I very recently bought a Nikon Coollpix 4500 from a company in NY. I couldn't find the camera in Canada. The camera, some extra memory and shipping cost $434 US but there were an additional $95Cdn charged att he border. It only specified GST and other charges. My adapter I bought from the UK and it came through without additional charges but our post mistress told me that I got lucky. When I had to retrun the adapter, Eagle eye Optics warned me to be sure to mark it as defective goods being returned or they would get nicked for duty. They did something similar when they shipped the adapter back.
Scopes may be completely different but my point is that you have to consider all the cost factors and perhaps in the last instance get lucky.
rka - thanks for your useful comments re Adorama & Eagle Optics
Dan - Tried to find out why you were charged so much by Canadian authorities for your imported camera. Unfortunately the CBSA web site is hard to navigate. You'd think finding the duty/tariff rate document would be easy but I seem to flounder around each time looking for it in this confusing site. Once found, the document itself is not easy to read/interpret for the layman. In fact I could find essentially no reference at all for rates for digital cameras & accessories. Bins and scopes appear to be duty-free but given the abstruseness of the document your point is well taken - best to check. Even doing so I imagine one is not guaranteed to get someone on the other end of the line who's competent and will get it right. Luck may indeed play a role!
You and Kevin have raised the issue of supporting local businesses. I agree with you - we should try to buy locally (our town, or at least our country). But, as Kevin mentioned, are we prepared to sacrifice hundreds of dollars of what may not be particularly plentiful money to this cause? I'm afraid I'm not. There's also the issue of "bricks and mortar" versus online stores. I'm sure we'll also agree that trying out the equipment at a normal store and then buying it cheaper online is very unfair to the normal store!
Dan - Tried to find out why you were charged so much by Canadian authorities for your imported camera. Unfortunately the CBSA web site is hard to navigate. You'd think finding the duty/tariff rate document would be easy but I seem to flounder around each time looking for it in this confusing site. Once found, the document itself is not easy to read/interpret for the layman. In fact I could find essentially no reference at all for rates for digital cameras & accessories. Bins and scopes appear to be duty-free but given the abstruseness of the document your point is well taken - best to check. Even doing so I imagine one is not guaranteed to get someone on the other end of the line who's competent and will get it right. Luck may indeed play a role!
You and Kevin have raised the issue of supporting local businesses. I agree with you - we should try to buy locally (our town, or at least our country). But, as Kevin mentioned, are we prepared to sacrifice hundreds of dollars of what may not be particularly plentiful money to this cause? I'm afraid I'm not. There's also the issue of "bricks and mortar" versus online stores. I'm sure we'll also agree that trying out the equipment at a normal store and then buying it cheaper online is very unfair to the normal store!
Kevin Mac
Just sleeping
Paul, you are so right about the CBSA being hard to navigate. I couldn't find out duty rates at all. I ended up phoning them and got a very helpful person who gave me the information quickly. And no, there is no Provincial tax on US orders. I think they nail you good enough come income tax time.