The one month gestation is over … baby’s home!

Corrie Ann and I have been, for well over a year now, wrestling with a desire to once again have an SLR camera. Having both grown up using Pentax K-1000s and reveling in doing our own B&W prints, we always felt a great void in the features that were available to us in the point-and-shoot cameras we’ve been using for the last several years. Going digital with an SLR seemed only right, but we needed a camera that met both our needs (Corrie Ann is getting into astral photography). After lots of research and much consultation of photographer friends (thanks, Reverend Jim!), we settled on the Cannon EOS Rebel XT. We then checked Amazon.Com and placed the order.

We ordered the camera with several other things. All the other things were shipped and arrived in due order, but the camera, despite having been listed as in-stock, was curiously delayed. When their estimated ship date, over a week after the order was placed, finally rolled around and it hadn’t shipped, I called. The nice man in Bangalore told me that it had not shipped because the price was changed; it had gone up $140. After I railed about bait and switch tactics and the fact that it was a great shame I was the one who had to contact them, he assured me the original price would be honored, after they charged the current price to my card and then credited me the difference. I just wanted my freakin’ camera and I agreed. A new delivery date, two days hence, was set.

On that date, they bumped it out another week, and on that third date it was postponed yet another week. Seriously, any sane person would have given up by now, canceled the order, and gone down to Best Buy, and I really wanted to do that, but it was a matter of principle now. Despite the fact that the camera’s ship date was now set for a full month after I had ordered it, I resolved to stick it out, get my camera, and force Amazon to honor their original price.

Yesterday my new baby arrived. I’m happy with it, but greatly disappointed in Amazon. I will likely continue to buy books and DVDs from them, as they seem to have no problem delivering these things on time, but I think this will be the last piece of major electronic equipment I buy from them.

Incidentally, I note today that Amazon has it listed as only available from external sellers. When I ordered it it was available, and listed as in-stock, from Amazon.

Boo, Amazon. I love you my little Rebel!