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View Full Version : Is Fred Newman the latest to be in the list?



Michael J. Kravit
16-Feb-2004, 20:29
Subject: Is Fred Newman latest to be on the list?

Jeez, just when I thought is was safe to go back into the water, another retailer takes my money and does not produce a product!

This list has often discussed dead beat retailers, I have read them and empathized with the victims. Who would figure that I would be a casualty of this pandemic.

Well last year I paid for a subscription to the "Beyond the Zone System" newsletter distributed by Fred Newman and the View Camera Store. Fred took my money and send me a couple of 2 year old back issues as a promotion. To this date I have never seen a single copy of the newsletter.

I emailed Fred and inquired about the status of my subscription. Not a peep in response.

Perhaps Fred will read this and correct a wrong. Otherwise, I suppose that I am in good company.

Mike

Capocheny
16-Feb-2004, 21:02
Hi Michael,

Sorry to hear about your problem with this particular retailer. I was thinking of ordering some gear from him but will have to think twice about it now.

Good luck on your quest to recoup your money or product... keep us all informed as to the end result, ok?

Cheers

Jon_2416
16-Feb-2004, 22:14
>I emailed Fred and inquired about the status of my subscription. Not a peep in response.

Have you tried the telephone? So your subscription was lost and your email ended up in a spam filter. Call him.

Walter Glover
16-Feb-2004, 23:02
Well, I have had a number of prompt, efficient successful transactions with the man you mention and have nothing but praise for the attentiuve service that has been afforded me.

Call me paranoid, but ordering from Australia I do either pre-empt or back-up my email order with a phone call. Both Fred and Dennis have always been helpful, courteous and informative. I am surprised to see a character assasination triggered without further and better particulars of the incident offered.

Richard Fenner
17-Feb-2004, 02:41
I think this thread should be deleted ASAP. Until someone has made a bit of effort to see what has gone wrong, a person with good character should not be harassed like this. Henry C's reply shows what can happen to otherwise respectable retailers because of one comment, and this isn't a big world of LF suppliers. It would have taken just as long to 'phone (at the right time of day) as it did to start this thread.

FWIW (always wanted to use that abbreviation!), I ordered a couple of focus hoods from them a few weeks ago, and they arrived in the UK less than a week later.

Rick Abraham
17-Feb-2004, 03:37
I agree with the above sentiments. Have had absolutely no problems ordering from Australia and always had courtesy and honesty from Dennis/Fred.

Jim Rhoades
17-Feb-2004, 04:40
Well, I felt I had to write too. I've ordered a number of items from the View Camera store and always had them delivered in a well packaged and timely manner. Last year, after a BTZS course I loaded the BTZS plotter for windows in my computer. My computer illiteracy came crashing home. I knew less than nothing. I phoned the store and Dennis(?) spent at least half an hour with me walking me through loading and using the plotter. Believe me I was doing some stupid things while on the phone.

Time is money, and they spent a lot of time with me. There are only about half a dozen large format speciality shops that I will do business with. Fred is one of them.

Larry Gebhardt
17-Feb-2004, 05:53
I also have ordered from them and have never had a problem. Maybe your name didn't get entered into their subscription database - even honest people make errors. Until I see a pattern of deceit I will still order from the View Camera Store.

Michael Jones
17-Feb-2004, 07:34
Mike:

Try calling Fred or Dennis. In over 13 years of buying from Fred, I have never had a problem or an issue and I've spent more money there than I'm willing to admit. Fred even lets me use his darkroom to load holders when I'm there. Lighten up; this is like posting something about Art because it was shipped late to him by the distributor or about an architect not delivering plans on time.

Mike

Jorge Gasteazoro
17-Feb-2004, 09:56
Same here, Dennis has been nothing less than excellent with customer service. I am sure if you call them they will fix the problem, people make mistakes and I dont mind this, it is when they refuse to fix their mistakes that I would make this a public issue. So far, I think you are jumping the gun.

Geoffrey Swenson
17-Feb-2004, 11:19
For God’s sake! What is the telephone is for? Just call him to find out that you were wrong!

Then don’t forget to apologize here.

Michael J. Kravit
17-Feb-2004, 13:26
For the record, I finally received a response from Dennis. Dennis has no reason for why I did not receive the subscription. He has offered to send me back issues.

Let's not forget that I paid money and did not receive a product. Perhaps this is the first time this has happened with the View Camera Store, I hope so.

Anyway, it looks like Dennis will make good.

Mike

Michael J. Kravit
17-Feb-2004, 13:43
Geoffrey,

No need to apologize, I was the consumer who was not sent the product I ordred. I am sure that the retailer will make good on my purchase.

For others who found it necessary to pass judgement, re-read my post, Not a character assasination as suggested. I only stated a fact.

Michael Jones
17-Feb-2004, 15:04
Mike:

Not a charactrer assasination? Pass judgment? Whose post started with: "dead beat retailers" and "casualty of this pandemic."

How about something gentler such as "has anyone else had a problem..." or picking up the phone and calling before you post something like this that is broadcast all over the world? It's not like there are thousand of large format retailers left before picking on the honest ones.

Mike

Jason Greenberg Motamedi
17-Feb-2004, 15:20
I recently bought a used lens from Fred, and was very happy with the service and their discription of the lens. Considering how very few stores there are out there that deal specifically with LF, I think we are pretty luck to have as many honest ones as we do. Sure, now and then even the best make a mistake. Even SK Grimes, who is now (rightfully) cannonized in these "halls", screwed up one of my lenses. The difference is that Mr. Grimes did everything he could to make it right, as I am sure Fred will. There is a world of difference between these folks who make an occasional mistake or oversight, and those who are just out to make a quick buck. It is in our best interest to recognize this...

Michael J. Kravit
17-Feb-2004, 16:36
Fair enough Michael, Perhaps a more gentle approach would have been sufficient. I did plant the seed of question and got the answer. Dennis and Fred responded and made the situation right.

Dennis contacted me several times today, he has shown a siginificant sense of concern and has sent me the issues that I had subscribed for. I feel that I have been made whole and no longer harbor any ill feelings.

My faith in the View Camera Store has been reaffirmed.

Should Q. wish to remove this discussion, I have no objections.

Mike

Bob._3483
17-Feb-2004, 16:55
As a disinterested viewer (I've never used them) I would say The View Camera Store comes out of this with it's reputation enhanced, if anything, by the large number of recommendations.

Should I feel an overpowering need for BTZS tubes etc in the future, thanks to the postings here I would have no hesitation in dealing with them....

Cheers,

John Hoenstine
17-Feb-2004, 18:27
<body>
Fred is honest and easy to deal with. Nothing else needs to be said.


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Daniel Blakeslee
17-Feb-2004, 19:20
I have had so many dealings with Fred Newman and Dennis Kibbe that they seem like old friends even though I have never met them in person. If I have a question, even though I am not buying anything, they always have the time to talk to me. I have ordered cameras, film, tripods, lenses and any number of other things from them and have never even had a hint of a problem. And the newsletter has come just like clockwork. They have earned 100% of my trust.

Paul Levin
19-Feb-2004, 20:05
Hate to be redundant but the wife and I bought a pocket expedition from Fred along with assorted sundry items. Great service before and after the sale. Also had the pleasure of meeting Fred a few years back in NYC at the PhotoExpo. Great guy, knows his stuff, generous with his time, fun to talk to, instantly took a liking to him. One of a kind, finest kind.

Ross Borgida
26-Aug-2004, 15:12
I am stunned that anyone can write something so negative about two of the most positive influences on my photography: Fred Newman and Dennis Kibbe.

Fred and Dennis have been mentors for me during my last 2 years since entering the large format world. I have attended Fred's BTZS workshop and have purchased multiple times from Fred and will continue to do so in the future.

We are lucky to have Fred and Dennis as our friends in photography and I am happy to to business with them and, more importantly, to be friends with them.

Kevin Crisp
26-Aug-2004, 15:23
The spam filter issue is a real one for many retailers. They start getting buried with emails and culling out the important ones is time consuming. The automated helpers with that process make many mistakes. Fortunately, there is this new gizmo called the telephone, and any time an email doesn't get answered I'd try the telephone before casting aspersions.