Badger Graphic / Midwest Photo

[Michael Graves]

Add my vote for both. I've only ordered a couple of times from Badger, but both orders were fast, cleanly packed and factory fresh merchandies. I haven't bought new from MPX, only used. But they routinely underrate their equipment. I have a very difficult time imagining that if they won't cheat you with used gear, where it's so easy to do and so hard for the customer to complain....why would they even think about it with new gear.

I used to sell photo gear many moons ago and the people that trash places like Badger and MW are either 1) competitors or their employees, 2) authorized distributors or their employees or 3) people who had one bad experience and assumes that's the way it always is. Oddly enough, while you'd think the last one would be the most common, it isn't really the case.

[DrPablo]

Interestingly, that Nikkor 120 AM ED Macro that we all just gobbled up new for $299 at B&H is going for $575 used at MPEX.

By the way, does Badger have a used inventory? Their website typically only lists 3 or 4 items.

[Oren Grad]

By the way, does Badger have a used inventory? Their website typically only lists 3 or 4 items.

Very limited. They're not primarily a used equipment dealer, but will sell items on consignment for their customers.

If you have a specific requirement, though, do call and ask - they may have something on hand that hasn't been posted yet. Not long ago they sold a couple of items for me. Those items never made it to the web because someone happened to call at just the right time, looking for what I had offered for sale.

[Brian K]

I've dealt extensively with B&H, Calumet and Badger. They are all different animals but all have been honest and professional. B&H is a huge business, you will not get much in the way of personal service or hand holding from them, however they are honest and have integrity and tend to stock almost everything. Badger is a small company, more limited stock, although for LF users they are very well stocked, provide very personal service, Jeff takes good care of me, and are also honest with high levels of integrity. Calumet is somewhere in between, while they are a large company, you can have a more personal relationship, and service, with them if you tend to deal with the same sales people everytime. They too show high integrity however their focus is moving much more towards digital and LF gear is going out of stock with them rapidly.

My best advice is to have relationships with a few dealers and use each one when they best suit a particular purchase.

[Rakesh Malik]

Just to follow up:

I ended up ordering a 210mm APO-Symmar L, which recently arrived from Badger Graphic. Jeff came across as being quite pleasant during the ordering phase. Good "vibe." The lens is fresh. Really fresh. Its QC card is dated from mid December, 2006! Huzzah! All looks great so far... Time to test with some film... If there are no issues, there will be an 80mm SSXL in my near future.

I got a brand-new 80mm Super Symmar-XL (because I couldn't find any used ones) from Badger last year, and although it's not my most used lens because it's so wide, when I DO use it, I am quite pleased with the results.

There are a couple of images up in my Picasaweb gallery (link in .sig) that I've used it for.