Ordered a camera lens from them via Google Checkout and never received any confirmation or other communication from the store. Two days later I emailed them asking if they even received my order, and the sum total of their response was, "Sorry. Waiting for shipment." No time frame, no information at all. Basically, this store likes to sell things they not only do not have, but have no idea if and when they will ever have it in stock. Cancelled my order and will be going with a more reputable retailer. Sometimes prices ARE too good to be true.

I ordered a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens on 9 May. On 11 May I received an e-mail asking me to call "Steve." No explanation, just a request to call. I called and was patched through to someone who never identified themselves. I was asked what model camera I use, upon providing that information I was told:  
 
"I do not have any demo Canon 50mm lenses for that model in stock. I can sell you a new one for $20 more."  
 
There are multiple things wrong with this.  
One, a Canon 50mm lens will fit on any Canon camera made after 1987 so computability would not be a problem.  
Two, nowhere on the site does it say that the lens was supposed to be a demo lens. Here is the entire text of the page:  
 
"This is the lightest EF lens of all at a mere 130g. Compact and high-performance, standard lens. Its Gaussian optics provide sharp delineation from near to far focusing distances. The color balance is excellent for a standard lens."  
 
The customer service individual, who may or may not have been "Steve" then told me that the lens I had selected was the Mark I and not the current Mark II. Another lie. The Mark I weighs 190g (due to a metal lens mount) while the Mark II weighs 130g (plastic lens mount). Notice that the description for the item says 130g.  
I explained to "Steve" that the lens must be a Mark II since the description said it 130g however he persisted that it was not the case and the only way I could get what I had really ordered was to pay an additional $20.  
I told him to cancel my order.  
 
In short, avoid this company. This incident reeks of dishonest business practices.

Ordered a Tamron 70-300mm Di LD lens for the Canon Rebel XTi from Cambridge. I was given an estimated delivery date of July 7th, 2007. Date came and passed, and Amazon emailed me saying that cambridge didn't give a notice of shipment. I sent an email to the merchant asking for the reason for non-shipment and recieved no reply and after 4 business days I requested that Amazon cancel my order on condition of seller deliquency. Cambridge never replied to the email. Pay the 5 extra dollars to get it from a better retailer on Amazon.

Received item on date specified via order thru Amazon,but item was not what i expected. followed directions for return. I am glad i saved my UPS delivery date to them on 03/26/07 and all email correspondence from this company.They have not refunded my money and have the tripod head.Sent all info required and now it's back to square one.DO NOT BUY from this company, in process to contact better buisness of New York where they are located.

Given some of what has been written here in the past, I was somewhat skeptical. However, I bid on and won a Nikon CL64 Case for a 50-300mm lens.  
 
It was exactly as described in the ebay product description and was in the original case. The auction closed near midnight on Sunday and the item was delivered today (40 hours later) in good order.  
 
I received an email with the UPS tracking information so I could arrange for delivery.  
 
Communications were very good; the item was as described; shipping was rapid.  
 
I could not ask for more. I would buy from this firm again in the future if it had that for which I was looking.

This review was modified by its author, rjkjunkmail, on 8/19/05 6:15 PM.

They are thieves, pure and simple. I ordered a Fuji DL mini zoom which they assured was in stock. They sent me a cheaper camera (Fuji 115) and charged me for the DL. I returned it, and no credit was issued despite several calls. I'll now go the the NY attorney generals's office as others have done.

Ordered a "nice, clean demo" Minox for $249. It arrived dirty & w/ broken shutter. Salesman said return it. 1 mth. after returning, still no credit. BEWARE!

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I was a recent customer who ordered two camera bags via the CambridgeWorld.com online store (October 2002). 6 weeks after my order, i received the first bag, even when I inquired from the very beginning if I could receive my bags promptly for an assisgnment abroad. I eventually had to cancel the second bag order because I was leaving on assignment and it had been 2 MONTHS. They had intially told me it was in stock yet it had not yet arrived in their store. I sent an email and letter stating cancellation request, order number, etc because I had to order the same bad from somwhere else to ensure I had it before I left on assigment.  
 
When I returned a month later, there was still no refund. Mind you this is almost 10 weeks after my order (December 2002). I called them and they claimed the sent the second bag on December 10th, gave me a false tracking number, and then changed their story to say that they sent 3rd class USPS service (they still charged me for UPS shipping rates), which means I can't track my package that coincidentally never arrived.  
 
I would like to say that as an accomplished photographer who has purchased camera equipment from all over the world, this store ranks at the VERY BOTTOM. I waited over 6 WEEKS for only half of my order to arrive and never received my second order, which they charged me over $220. I am still battling them for the money and will be taking them to court.  
 
I'm sure I'm not the first customer you've lost because of this and I'm sure I won't be the last.  
 
More importantly, their Customer Service is PATHETIC. They were rude, condescending, and otherwise bothered to have to help me. Not even a "sorry for the inconvenience"!!! It's no wonder why so many of my colleagues continue to use B&H, as I will return to doing. They are far more service oriented, on-time, organized and deliver their business professionally. Considering the stress I had to endure to dealing with this store before I left for a VERY important assignment (i.e. the reason i ordered the bag), I will be sure to tell all of my colleagues in the photographic industry (particularly in the New York area) to AVOID CambridgeWorld.com at all costs.  
Their big claim on their website is "Satisfying the Photographic Community since 1963" - what a joke!!!!!!  
 
 
very disgruntled consumer  

Pay attention to these comments. There are valid reasons they are so negative. My experience echo’s what else has been posted. My camera body wasn’t shipped when they told me. I received a gray market product even though I explicitly asked for and paid for an item with the USA warranty. I’m still waiting for a warranty card. My credit card was charged more than what my phone order price was. Thanks to Visa for helping me with that problem. I also got the computer system down excuse, repeatedly. My calls to Mr. Thomas & Mr. Scott inquiring about my order often ended with me getting hung up on. My credit card was charged before my item shipped even though I was assured the never do that. Cambridge Camera Exchange (cambridgecamera.com), Camera Exchange (aaacamera.com) & Seymours Camera Store all have the same 119 West 17th Street address in New York. If you believe nothing else, buy somewhere else. Pay a few dollars more, you’ll be better off in the long run.

WORST BUYING EXPERIENCE EVER! Here's my horror story: I ordered a flash attachment from these morons in January, 2002. Of course the web site claimed the item was in stock. A couple of weeks went by, so I called their "customer service". I was told the item was on backorder and would arrive in a couple of weeks. 3 weeks went by, so I called and was told again that it would be in in a couple of weeks. Sensing this was going to be a disaster, I told them to cancel the order. The foreign gentleman on the line said "ya,ya- we take care of it". Weeks pass, and it turns out that they had billed my credit card as soon as the order was placed. Now I'm stuck with no product and a charge on my CC. I call again, give them my order number, and tell them to refund my purchase price. "Ya-ya- we take care of it" was the now predicable response. Again, weeks pass, and no credit was made to my CC. I call one last time and get "ya, ya- we take care of it". Next, I wrote them a formal letter demanding a refund. In the letter I included my credit card number so that it could be properly credited. A few more days pass, and I get a call from someone in New Hampshire (I'm in Minnesota) asking me to approve a very large charge for some metal detecting equipment that was being charged to my CC. One of the buffoons at Cambridge lifted my CC number and was attempting to commit credit card fraud with my card! That was the last straw. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. It took 9 months, but with their help, I got a full refund check in October 2002. The bottom line: these people are outright crooks and cannot be trusted in any manner whatsoever. I only wish I had visited this site before I put myself through this wringer. AVOID THIS "BUSINESS" AT ALL COSTS!!!

Stay Away!!!

I purchased a camera lens at the company website (cambridgeworld.com) on 3/3/02 for $137.20. My credit card was charged $169.78 on 3/7/02. I called (long distance) to inquire about being charged for the higher price and was told I needed a different lends for my camera type and that it would ship the next day.  
 
Called 3/13 & was told the lens was not in stock. Called on numerous occasions to check on shipment status. Often was told "can't get into computer system" to check on the order and finally requested a refund. Spoke with a different person each time (Jim, Mark, Jim Tomas).  
 
Checked on refund status 4/5/, 4/15, 4/19. Each time I was told the credit had been processed, but was not. Requested confirmation number of credit on 4/19. I was told by Mr. Tomas that they did not provide such information. Called again and asked to be faxed some form of documentation to shoe that the credit had been submitted. Was told it would be sent by EOD. Was never sent.  
 
The company is clearly using deceptive business practices, utilizing a classic bait and switch tactic, promising to ship without doing so, & not offering credit when directed to do so by the consumer. Buyer beware!!

I have an idea. Take $100 and flush it down the toilet. That is all you will get from this "company". How the hell can it be legal for guys like this to stay in business.  
 
Suffice it to say, I am just another of the long list here who has been screwed by these guys.  
Don't even think about giving them your money