p.1 #1The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
I always like looking at the iterations of the websites I frequent. I decided to check out KEH and was surprised to see that it had been archived as far back as 1996!
I'm a sucker for Y2K/90s era web design and the KEH site of this time period is definitely that. I would also definitely recommend checking out the links page; it has a lot of still very helpful articles for film.
p.1 #3The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
One thing I disliked with the KEH website since beginning which was never changed to date: they never show photos of the gear offered to purchase and use generic images instead. All you can rely on is their rating of the gear. And this has become worse for the customer throughout the years. I remember that I purchased several lenses from KEH rated BGN around 2006 which came in as EX lenses. Now I wouldn't touch even EX lenses from them anymore....
p.1 #4The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
retrofocus wrote:
One thing I disliked with the KEH website since beginning which was never changed to date: they never show photos of the gear offered to purchase and use generic images instead. All you can rely on is their rating of the gear. And this has become worse for the customer throughout the years. I remember that I purchased several lenses from KEH rated BGN around 2006 which came in as EX lenses. Now I wouldn't touch even EX lenses from them anymore....
That is something I love about MPB. You see what you're buying. I've used the photos in the past to very I'm getting a certain version of lens that I want that isn't discerned in the description.
p.1 #5The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
kpraslowicz wrote: retrofocus wroteOne thing I disliked with the KEH website since beginning which was never changed to date: they never show photos of the gear offered to purchase and use generic images instead. All you can rely on is their rating of the gear. And this has become worse for the customer throughout the years. I remember that I purchased several lenses from KEH rated BGN around 2006 which came in as EX lenses. Now I wouldn't touch even EX lenses from them anymore....That is something I love about MPB. You see what you're buying. I've used the photos in the past to very I'm getting a certain version of lens that I want that isn't discerned in the description.
What you see is what you get at its best - fully agree. There are other online retailers which do the same and which I have been using instead of KEH.
p.1 #7The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
Talking about website updates
DPreview just updated their website, and I can’t get along with it at all.
A site that I would regularly visit - if just for the list of all cameras/lenses by manufacturer
Won’t be going there anymore
p.1 #8The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
Happydan wrote:
Talking about website updates
DPreview just updated their website, and I can’t get along with it at all.
A site that I would regularly visit - if just for the list of all cameras/lenses by manufacturer
Won’t be going there anymore
Usability and easy navigation really is key!
The "old" Dpreview is long gone after Amazon bought this site in 2007 to help Amazon's camera sales. The site kind of plugged along until it was sold again in 2023 by a lesser known media company just when Amazon intended to shut the whole site down. People who kept the original Dpreview site going have left since - I admit that I haven't used if for years. I have limited hope that this site continues to exist in the long run.
p.1 #9The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
I bought most of my gear from KEH and their return policy was what kept me as a customer even though no actual photos of the product are displayed. At worst it’s a waste of time and return shipping just to inspect and reject something. A Leica M7 for example went through several updates in its run so you don’t know which generation you will get. While other online retailers may have actual photos you can’t inspect the optical conditions of lenses with these photos anyway.
p.1 #10The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
hkrazerx wrote:
I bought most of my gear from KEH and their return policy was what kept me as a customer even though no actual photos of the product are displayed. At worst it’s a waste of time and return shipping just to inspect and reject something. A Leica M7 for example went through several updates in its run so you don’t know which generation you will get. While other online retailers may have actual photos you can’t inspect the optical conditions of lenses with these photos anyway.
Sorry to say, but I would never ever buy any used Leica M camera without seeing actual photos and serial#. The risk is high to get a lemon otherwise - yes, you can ship back, but the money is gone until it is added back onto your credit card which might take a while. At this point you won't have a camera you like and are stuck to purchase from anywhere else assuming you don't have enough cash to make a second $$$$ purchase in parallel.
Often you get a pretty good idea with photos of used lenses and the quality you will be getting. The only risk is that there is a mechanical lens issue like misfit aperture ring after lens cleaning, or inverted lens element inside the lens to name two.
p.1 #11The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
retrofocus wrote: hkrazerx wroteI bought most of my gear from KEH and their return policy was what kept me as a customer even though no actual photos of the product are displayed. At worst it’s a waste of time and return shipping just to inspect and reject something. A Leica M7 for example went through several updates in its run so you don’t know which generation you will get. While other online retailers may have actual photos you can’t inspect the optical conditions of lenses with these photos anyway.Sorry to say, but I would never ever buy any used Leica M camera without seeing actual photos and serial#. The risk is high to get a lemon otherwise - yes, you can ship back, but the money is gone until it is added back onto your credit card which might take a while. At this point you won't have a camera you like and are stuck to purchase from anywhere else assuming you don't have enough cash to make a second $$$$ purchase in parallel.
Often you get a pretty good idea with photos of used lenses and the quality you will be getting. The only risk is that there is a mechanical lens issue like misfit aperture ring after lens cleaning, or inverted lens element inside the lens to name two. ...Show more →
Trust is a key element when buying blind. After 25 years as a KEH customer I don’t trust their ratings anymore. The last three R bodies I received described as EX were worn users and one wasn’t even the model advertised.
p.1 #12The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
retrofocus wrote: hkrazerx wroteI bought most of my gear from KEH and their return policy was what kept me as a customer even though no actual photos of the product are displayed. At worst it’s a waste of time and return shipping just to inspect and reject something. A Leica M7 for example went through several updates in its run so you don’t know which generation you will get. While other online retailers may have actual photos you can’t inspect the optical conditions of lenses with these photos anyway.Sorry to say, but I would never ever buy any used Leica M camera without seeing actual photos and serial#. The risk is high to get a lemon otherwise - yes, you can ship back, but the money is gone until it is added back onto your credit card which might take a while. At this point you won't have a camera you like and are stuck to purchase from anywhere else assuming you don't have enough cash to make a second $$$$ purchase in parallel.
Often you get a pretty good idea with photos of used lenses and the quality you will be getting. The only risk is that there is a mechanical lens issue like misfit aperture ring after lens cleaning, or inverted lens element inside the lens to name two. ...Show more →
Trust is a key element when buying blind. After 25 years as a customer I don’t trust them with their ratings anymore. The last three Leica R4 bodies I received described as EX were worn users and one wasn’t even the model advertised.
p.1 #13The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
hkrazerx wrote: retrofocus wrotehkrazerx wroteI bought most of my gear from KEH and their return policy was what kept me as a customer even though no actual photos of the product are displayed. At worst it’s a waste of time and return shipping just to inspect and reject something. A Leica M7 for example went through several updates in its run so you don’t know which generation you will get. While other online retailers may have actual photos you can’t inspect the optical conditions of lenses with these photos anyway.Sorry to say, but I would never ever buy any used Leica M camera without seeing actual photos and serial#. The risk is high to get a lemon otherwise - yes, you can ship back, but the money is gone until it is added back onto your credit card which might take a while. At this point you won't have a camera you like and are stuck to purchase from anywhere else assuming you don't have enough cash to make a second $$$$ purchase in parallel.
Often you get a pretty good idea with photos of used lenses and the quality you will be getting. The only risk is that there is a mechanical lens issue like misfit aperture ring after lens cleaning, or inverted lens element inside the lens to name two.Trust is a key element when buying blind. After 25 years as a KEH I don’t trust them with their ratings anymore. The last three Leica R4 bodies I received described as EX were worn users and one wasn’t even the model advertised.
Their ratings were only reliable until 2010 time frame. Since then it went downhill after they moved/expanded.
p.1 #14The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
King Grant and his family owned and operated KEH from it's founding on 1979 until about 2011 when it was sold to the current owners. The Grant family built a good business model and I was a loyal customer for years. Not any more.
p.1 #16The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
madNbad wrote:
King Grant and his family owned and operated KEH from it's founding on 1979 until about 2011 when it was sold to the current owners. The Grant family built a good business model and I was a loyal customer for years. Not any more.
+1. This explains my observation I mentioned earlier - I didn't know that ownership changed which explains it. I am also not using KEH anymore since many years.
p.1 #18The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
It's hard for me to opt for KEH when MPB shows images of the actual item you're buying. I can judge condition with my own eyes rather than trusting whatever they are rating it as.
p.1 #19The KEH Camera website, 30 years ago this year
I've never had much of a problem with their sales. Rolf picked up part of my birthday present (Canon FD lens) there advertised as EX and it's looks and feels fantastic with just a couple of tiny nicks in the body paint. They haven't always been spot on, but, the couple times I had to return something, they honored their return policy without question.