# Anyone buy from Vistek?



## epp_b (Mar 11, 2009)

I'm looking at buying some stuff from Vistek.ca, but the reviews I've found online are ... varied.  Some people have reported great experiences, others say they've had a crap time.

Can any fellow canucks here report on there experiences with Vistek?


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## Big Mike (Mar 11, 2009)

I've bought a few things, directly from their store here in Edmonton.  No problems at all.  I've never ordered anything on-line from them though.


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## epp_b (Mar 11, 2009)

Thanks.  Anyone have online experience with them?  Sometimes it sucks living in "Small Hick Town in the Middle of Nowhere, Canada" ...


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## Big Mike (Mar 11, 2009)

I don't think you would have problems with Vistek, but you may also want to consider Home | TheCameraStore.com
McBain Camera | Foto Source | Shop Online for Digital Cameras, SLR, and Photography Equipment at Guaranteed Lowest Prices in Canada

When I order photo gear on-line, I usually order from B&H B&H Photo Video | Digital Cameras, Camcorders


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## Overread (Mar 11, 2009)

Vistek - vistek.ca - Reviews, Ratings and Prices at ResellerRatings

seems that its best to phone in and make the order -and comfirm everything first - rather than trust their website (which seems to have listing problems for older gear) They also seem to either be slow or have slow wearhouses since they can take a long time to get stock in


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## bigtwinky (Mar 11, 2009)

I've bought online a few times from Camera Canada - Canada's dot.com for Cameras and from Henry's - Canada's Digital Camera Centre - Photo Video Digital and had no issues at all.  Fast service, good packaging.


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## adamwilliamking (Mar 11, 2009)

Hi! 

Phone me! My names Adam and I work at the Mississauga Store. 

You can place an order from any of our stores and we will ship to you. 

Im sitting at my desk right now actually, haha

905-593-9480 ext. 2100


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## skieur (Mar 11, 2009)

Vistek prices tend to be high, so I only buy from there, if I cannot find the item anywhere else.

skieur


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## epp_b (Mar 11, 2009)

Thanks for all the tips, guys.  I've heard of most of those other places, but sometimes you can't find what you're looking for at different places.


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## Peanuts (Mar 11, 2009)

adamwilliamking said:


> Hi!
> 
> Phone me! My names Adam and I work at the Mississauga Store.



Sounds like you are having a blast Adam!  Slow day? 
I use to work the front desk at the smaller Calg. location


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## dEARlEADER (Mar 11, 2009)

I find vistek to  be the most reasonable of the legit cdn operations.... they always seem to be cheaper than Henrys

I've ordered lots of little stuff online with them..... no issues.. fast..

I don't order pricey lenses online... I usually drive to henrys and make them price match vistek... (i live closer to henrys)


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## Chiller (Mar 11, 2009)

Been there once, and probably wont go back again.  I found the prices higher, and the sales dude tried to upsell me to stuff I didnt want or need, and baffle me with talking way over my head.  I have never had a problem with Henrys. 
 As for an online store, I have used Camera Canada a few times, and had good experiences all 3 times.


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## Tolyk (Mar 11, 2009)

Peanuts said:


> Sounds like you are having a blast Adam! Slow day?
> I use to work the front desk at the smaller Calg. location


Yeah, that so sucked didn't it?  


I ordered my first SLR from Vistek.. shipping took quite some time, considering I only lived a few hours from their store. I'd probably never order from them again.... but that's also due to working at The Camera Store and I can get anything I need/want from there 

Order from us, we don't charge PST  (except to Nova Scotia) Thanks for the mention Mike


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## Peanuts (Mar 11, 2009)

Tolyk said:


> Yeah, that so sucked didn't it?



Baha.. biased!


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## epp_b (Mar 11, 2009)

> Order from us, we don't charge PST


Alberta doesn't charge PST for Alberta, you rich oil snob


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## Big Mike (Mar 12, 2009)

If you spend over $1000...McBain Camera has free shipping.

I think someone mentioned it, but most of the stores mentioned will price match each other...so be sure to look around for the best price, then ask your closest store to match that price.


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## JerryPH (Mar 12, 2009)

skieur said:


> Vistek prices tend to be high, so I only buy from there, if I cannot find the item anywhere else.


 
I could not aford to buy a single thing if I had to go through them.  They are well overpriced, IMHO.


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## adamwilliamking (Mar 12, 2009)

Peanuts said:


> Sounds like you are having a blast Adam! Slow day?
> I use to work the front desk at the smaller Calg. location


 
Oh a complete blast! ... ... .. :gah:

Thank god for this forum or I'd be staring off into space all day.


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## Do'Urden's Eyes (Mar 12, 2009)

I go to  your vistek when ever im home from school. Let me tell you, the employees on the 'amateur' side of the store don't know very much about the cameras their selling.


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## adamwilliamking (Mar 12, 2009)

Do'Udren's Eyes said:


> I go to your vistek when ever im home from school. Let me tell you, the employees on the 'amateur' side of the store don't know very much about the cameras their selling.


 
Weird because they all shoot part time and are very knowledgable.


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## skieur (Mar 12, 2009)

Chiller said:


> Been there once, and probably wont go back again. I found the prices higher, and the sales dude tried to upsell me to stuff I didnt want or need, and baffle me with talking way over my head. I have never had a problem with Henrys.
> As for an online store, I have used Camera Canada a few times, and had good experiences all 3 times.


 
Yes, I found Vistek prices higher than Henry's on cameras, lenses and photo software was overpriced as well but sometimes only available at Vistek or on the Internet.

skieur


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## Chiller (Mar 12, 2009)

skieur said:


> Yes, I found Vistek prices higher than Henry's on cameras, lenses and photo software was overpriced as well but sometimes only available at Vistek or on the Internet.
> 
> skieur


 Arent you out near the London area?  Forgive me if Im wrong.     Camera Canada is in London.  I am not sure what they are like to deal with in person, but online, they are pretty good.  
  I usually shop at the Henrys superstore in downtown Toronto.


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## Do'Urden's Eyes (Mar 13, 2009)

adamwilliamking said:


> Weird because they all shoot part time and our very knowledgable.



I once asked a guy way back about a Canon 430EX flash and asked him to show me how the high speed sync worked on the strobe and he asked me what that was... I had to show him. Maybe that guy doesn't work there any more.


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## Big Mike (Mar 13, 2009)

I've found that in most camera stores, there are some employees that know very little about photography beyond the sales jargon on the boxes of P&S cameras...but there are usually a few that do know their stuff and there might be one or two who are a wealth of knowledge and wisdom.  You just have to know who to talk to.


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## adamwilliamking (Mar 13, 2009)

Do'Udren's Eyes said:


> I once asked a guy way back about a Canon 430EX flash and asked him to show me how the high speed sync worked on the strobe and he asked me what that was... I had to show him. Maybe that guy doesn't work there any more.


 
Why would you ask a consumer photo sales person how to sync a flash to gear that is in our pro section?


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## The Photo Punk (Mar 13, 2009)

I was just in TO for a event shoot and rented a prime 20mm canon lens and found the experience to be great.


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## SpeedTrap (Mar 13, 2009)

I have purchased from them over the net and in person, 
I have never had a bad experence with them.


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## Solthar (Mar 15, 2009)

I purchased my Sigma lens from them online a couple months ago and had no problems, apart from the delivery being late - but that was actually purulators  fault .


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## JE Kay (Mar 16, 2009)

We dealt with Vistek for years, bought thousands of dollars worth of cameras, video equip, printers, computers etc. That was only tolerable because we knew exactly what we wanted and didn't have to deal with the constant useless sales people.

Then we started ordering our paper and inks etc from them online - That was the beginning of the end.  Worst ordering/shipping experiences ever. Wrong items shipped, late orders, partial orders held when specifically told not to. Items not shipped period. Bad customer service. It finally ended up costing us money with one of our customers. Never again. :thumbdown:

If Vistek was the only photography source on the planet, I'd give it up and go work at Burger King.


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## Do'Urden's Eyes (Mar 16, 2009)

adamwilliamking said:


> Why would you ask a consumer photo sales person how to sync a flash to gear that is in our pro section?



Well i thought it was a pretty basic question lol the 430EX is in the consumer section and i was just asking about a button on it. I think most entry level on camera strobes have a high speed sync button, or some variation of it.


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## skieur (Mar 23, 2009)

adamwilliamking said:


> Hi!
> 
> Phone me! My names Adam and I work at the Mississauga Store.
> 
> ...


 
Hey, Adam why has Nik Viveza been permanently out of stock at your store for the last year, when it has been available in other stores?  Phoning your store doesn't help either.

skieur


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## adamwilliamking (Mar 25, 2009)

skieur said:


> Hey, Adam why has Nik Viveza been permanently out of stock at your store for the last year, when it has been available in other stores? Phoning your store doesn't help either.
> 
> skieur


 

Hey

Not sure why we havent received shipment on that product. 
Our Toronto store has only one left in inventory so it could be a stock issue at the Manu. If you want one I could get it sent this way so let me know.


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## smyth (Mar 26, 2009)

The only dealings I have had with Vistek have been lens rentals. I've rented from them twice, and it was pretty good, very nice staff and what not, but Headshots had better prices (well for me anyways, because I'm a student) but unfortunately Headshots closed their Ottawa office, so to rent from them I have to arrange it way in advance from Toronto, so I have to rent from Vistek. 

But my dealings with Vistek have been good, and the staff was very friendly, helpful and knowledeable.


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## hoyinsiu (Mar 27, 2009)

vistek is good. i have never had problem with them.


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## JE Kay (Mar 27, 2009)

> vistek is good. i have never had problem with them.



Use their ordering/shipping services, especially for business critical items and stock. Then wait....:meh:


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## rubbertree (Mar 28, 2009)

I have had both good and bad experiences with them. There is one local to me and I have gone in person to by my current DSLR and kit lens, also my Sigma 70-200 f/2.8. I was looking for a telephoto and didn't want to pay the Nikon price for that lens when the sales guy turned me on to the Sigma. Special ordered it in, threw in a B&W UV filter for free and gave me a nice little discount on top of that. He was flirting, that was fine by me. 
I've also ordered online from them a few times. One transaction was so so. I had multiple items in that order and some were "special order" so they kept the whole order waiting for those things to come in stock. I got fed up and told them to cancel the order and I'd buy elsewhere. They then rearranged the order and shipped out the available stuff immediately and then sent the remaining stuff when it arrived at no extra cost.
I will always compare prices with McBains because they almost always have the same items for cheaper or will price match. They gave me a wicked deal on my Sigma 10-20 and on my SB -600, oh and the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 was cheaper there also.
I have just ordered the new Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM from Vistek as well, it was cheaper than McBains or any other place in Canada and it was shipped out that day! Pretty happy about that. If something says "special order" go elsewhere or you could be waiting weeks. Which is unacceptable really. Why should it take weeks to order something in??
So I would say that price wise, it's almost always better to shop elsewhere, but once in a while you can get a better deal at Vistek. If you can only find that item at Vistek, call McBains, they will order in anything you want.
And if you are not opposed to letting the salesman flirt with you, you can definately score some great deals. 

ETA: I think Visteks free shipping starts at $400.


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## rubbertree (Apr 1, 2009)

Just wanted to add an amendment to my above post.
That Sigma 24-70 mm I ordered from Vistek? It was at my door within on Monday. Ordered Friday, here Monday. I'm very pleased with that.


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## skieur (Apr 1, 2009)

Chiller said:


> Arent you out near the London area? Forgive me if Im wrong.  Camera Canada is in London. I am not sure what they are like to deal with in person, but online, they are pretty good.
> I usually shop at the Henrys superstore in downtown Toronto.


 
Thanks for the suggestion.  I will check out Camera Canada.

skieur


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## skieur (Apr 3, 2009)

skieur said:


> Hey, Adam why has Nik Viveza been permanently out of stock at your store for the last year, when it has been available in other stores? Phoning your store doesn't help either.
> 
> skieur


 
Apparently neither does emailing Adam, since despite according to the Vistek website, Viveza is in stock in Toronto and Calgary, it is apparently necessary to deposit $50 + dollars to order it from the Mississauga store.
Why can't they just get it in stock? A deposit should NOT be necessary.

skieur


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## skieur (Aug 6, 2009)

The answer seems to be to buy it in stock at Henrys rather than order it and pay a deposit at Vistek.

skieur


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## SpeedTrap (Aug 7, 2009)

skieur said:


> The answer seems to be to buy it in stock at Henrys rather than order it and pay a deposit at Vistek.
> 
> skieur


That was the answer 4 months ago, why bring it back now?


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## Disappointed (Jan 24, 2013)

This is the worst company I have ever dealt with in my life. Seriously. I tried to buy paper on their site with 3 different methods of payment, all of which were denied. Then I tried to call their phone number to order online and was told I couldn't order anything through them unless I was to pick it up in person, they then transferred me to their web dept team who then said they couldn't help me and wanted to transfer me back to the sales team. At this point I asked to speak to a manager and they tried to transfer me and hung up on me. I tried to call back to speak to the manager and got his voicemail. When I finally got through it doesn't even seem like they have the paper in stock, despite advertising it online. I work in ecommerce and can not believe how bad this company is. If you have any alternative source to buy your photo products from, do it and avoid this company like the plague.


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## KmH (Jan 24, 2013)

Welcome to the PhotoForum. It's always a treat to revisit threads that died 3+ years ago.


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## Michiyo-Fir (Jan 24, 2013)

I tried to buy a Tokina 10-17 from them.  It says I placed the order successfully and the item showed as having stock, a few days later, got an email saying my order was canceled because they're now out of stock.  I wasn't charged yet because the item hasn't shipped but I was about to go to NYC the next week and really needed that lens so that was a bit inconvenient.  I ended up finding one on craigslist because all the stores were sold out which worked out but it easily could've been a big hassle.


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