"Do not buy from this vendor.
- They charge your credit card at the time of transaction, not at the time of shipping which was 9 days later – so they had almost $2,700 of my money without doing a thing. They charged my credit card 4 times, one of which that does not even match the purchase amount – a big fiasco that I had to clear up with my credit card.

- They promised a delivery date of 5/9 (on or before), but now the current UPS delivery estimate is 5/13. I purchased my camera in time for a trip so this leaves no room for error.

- They use “up selling” tactics – they list cameras for cheap (non-USA model so if you want USA model, you need to pay more, which you don’t even know how much – see comment below), but make it up for all other products when you are on the phone, charging 300 ~ 400% markup on items such as battery, chargers, etc. Ok, I was naïve and OK those additions without checking pricing on other websites, but the pricing they are charging is almost unethical.

- Their invoice DOES NOT list individual item total – they lump sum the entire order so you cannot compare individual pricing.

- DON’T buy the additional extended protection plan. I thought I was buying Nikon extended plan, but it turns out “Consumer Priority Service” which also has bad reputations. Check their reviews before purchasing this plan….or better yet, don’t bother.

- They have promotion that say “buy one battery, second one free”, “buy memory card, second one free” – well those free items are not listed on the invoice – I am not sure if they will show up (I have not received my order yet).

- They make a big deal about making things right after their credit card fiasco, and said that they are throwing in a lens for $300. Well, that lens only costs $200 on Amazon, and their promo already says that it is included when you buy the camera body which I did. So they have not “made up” for anything. I should have stuck to my guns and have them cancel my order as I wanted.

- They are extremely rude, twist stories to say that you are doing something wrong to insist on your right as a consumer. Basically, a big bully and they are doing you a favor when actually they are ripping you off.

Go to a reputable dealer. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
"

"We retract our original review of Thunder Cameras because customer service resolved our problem by providing a full refund, including my shipping charges to return the camera lens that I purchased from them."

"After reviewing the other comments from your web site plus many others about the retailer, they contacted me in a rude way! They were so rude and horrible. They wanted me to call and order after they tried to bully me to a better opinion. I would not order from this dealer if my life depended on it. "

"I'm very sorry I ever bought anything from these guys, and strongly STRONGLY discourage anyone from purchasing anything from Thunder Cameras.

The entire company is a scam -- they advertise one product, switch it for another (with bucket-fulls of lies about how much better and more "professional" their stuff is). Don't BELIEVE A SINGLE WORD. They sell "professional-quality" memory cards -- for 4 or 5 times the price of other name-brand products -- only their products are the cheapest made-in-China crap you have ever seen. Or sell you a "package" for your camera -- which is just a load of cheap nonsense products. Worse yet, I purchased a Nikon D90 camera which (a) was clearly used, and (b) had no warranty. They said they'd filled out the warranty on my behalf -- obviously bull****. They then said they'd send me a warranty card -- that was 2 months ago. It never arrived.

I'm sorry I ever had to deal with these people. Never never again. If you don't want to go through all the hassles and trouble that others have gone through, just move on -- and find a REALLY professional store. NOT THESE GUYS. Sorry.
"

"*WARNING* AVOID THUNDER CAMERAS

I can't believe this company has this many + ratings. I wouldn't be surprised if they are manipulating their ratings. Notice the brown nose uniformity in the false positive reviews. It's so obviously fabricated. Reseller ratings has been undermined.

Here is why thunder cameras are the worst.

*LIE NUMBER 1. I ordered an item on 3-16 and was promised a tracking number in 2 two days. It never came.

I needed the item for 3-27 which gave them plenty of time.

*LIE NUMBER 2. I specifally asked if it was Canon USA warranty and I was assured it was. The item only turned out to have a 30 day warranty.

*LIE NUMBER 3. When I called about a tracking number on 3-22 they told me I had to wait 30 minutes on hold for the "tracking department" But my order had not even shipped out yet! You don't need to wait to find out it didn't ship when they darn well knew it did not.


*LIE NUMBER 4. aNDY vs jONATHAN : When I fussed about not having it shipped on time Andy, who also goes by Jonathan ( I guess he needs different names to help keep his stories straight), told me he would cancel the order. He said indignantly " You got a great deal and you are complaining about shipping.. do you want me to cancel it?"

Then he calmed down and said he would send it 3 day so I could get it by the 25th in time for my job.

*LIE NUMBER 5. So I finally got a tracking number on 3-22 for an order placed on 3-16 but it was ground and not 3 day like Andy said he would do.

I call back and ask for Andy. Andy gets on the phone and says, "this is Jonathan", LOL. But it's the same guy, same voice, and he didn't correct me when I called him Andy.

So I get to wondering that any company as viciously untruthful as them must not be shipping me what they said they would. Has to be an import or missing a warranty card. So I call on 3-29, the date it's due to be delivered.

I ask a level one pinhead if my Strobe is USA with a warranty. He says it's "made for USA" but may or may not have a warranty card. He said I could send it to Canon if there was a problem then he later says I can't do that. He says thunder cameras already filled out the card on my behalf and that everything was okay.

I ask him WHY they fill out cards, it's very unorthodox, and he can't answer me. The best he had to say was " I don't ask how you run your business why are you asking me?"

LOL are you kidding me? PINHEAD, I'M THE CUSTOMER, I HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW HOW AND WHY YOU ARE RIPPING ME OFF!

Then he tells me there is nothing more than a 30 day warranty and asks me if I "plan on breaking" my strobe. NOW YOU ARE KIDDING ME! WHAT KIND OF PINHEAD ASKS SUCH A QUESTION? I TOLD HIM THAT OF COURSE I WAS PLANNING TO BREAK IT- ISN'T THAT WHY WE BUY HIGH END GEAR? SO WE CAN BREAK IT.

So by now my suspicions are confirmed and I tell him to cancel the order and that I'll be refusing the package.

If you like slow shipping, product misrepresentation, being lied to, type A new Yorker personalities talking over you then by all means shop at thunder cameras."

"(Retracted upon request with vendor promising to satisfy customers."

"Happy to find this online retailer...they actually have inventory in stock and told me the truth about their inventory and the details of the product I ordered online. Others have told me that inventory was available but then 7-10 days later I receive notice of 6-8 week backorder. Price was good...not great...but I've been waiting more than 10 weeks to get this camera! Local retailers don't have stock onhand, so I'm happy with this transaction. Now, I'll be even hoappier if they ship as promised. As for recommendation about buying from Thunder Camera--absolutely yes. Just make sure you're buying a U.S.A. set-up on the product, b/c the camera I initially ordered had Japanese language display and I didn't see that specification online. The CSR was astute, efficient and quickly made me aware of this issue...so, after some contemplation, I ordered the U.S.A. product. It arrived in great condition within 1 week of the pickup date.

Only problems:
1) their web link to check delivery status took me to the wrong website...it directed me to UPS but the package was sent via FedEx...once I figure that issue out, I found the delivery status info.
2) Shipping charges for ground service are high. $17 to ship my order.
If I had ordered from SamsClub.com, S/H would have been $4.95 only, so overall cost would have been better than this online retailer, but I have my camera and I'm satisfied even though overall cost was higher than I expected to pay."

"Per Andy, I was asked to re-write my review since it was a negative review. After much consideration I will re-write it.Okay, I'm satisfied that he credited me $100. for the problems I had. (Although it was interesting that originally, for three weeks, no one could return my call OR my e-mail until I wrote a negataive review.)After thinking about it more & reading other consumers reviews it seems like some of the positive reviews might have been written only so the phone calls & e-mails would finally stop from Thunder Cameras.I'm still not convinced that my camera is brand new and I don't like the fact that I wasn't sent a warranty & I have to go through Thunder Cameras for any warranty.I didn't like that Andy lost his temper, was rude on the phone with me and didnt' stop until I said I was satisfied.THEN, he apoligized for losing his temper.What kind of customer service is that? So, here is my re-write.Yes, I AM satisfied that you offered me $100, and it does show that you cared about my dissatisfaction, so thank you for that. I am satisfied that you offered to take the camera back, but we are going away and also have family functions coming up that we'd like pictures of. Maybe you should have contacted me when I originally called and sent e-mails. I'll give you two stars now instead of one.Now, please stop your e-mails.Thank you."

"If you post a bad review they will call you virtually immediately trying to convince you that they are not bad as you make them out to be. when I originally complainded that they advertised a product for cheap but then didn't have it they emailed me to call them because they had one after all. Just change your review and they will send you the product right away(12-15days). When I called initially I was told the camera was out of stock, they emailed me back after two days and told me to call them. The told me they had new stock and were ready to ship me the camera at the originally advertised price. They wanted to make sure I immediately updated this review to reflect a more positive review . I gave them the benefit of the doubt and was assured they would send me a new in box Nikon D300S for $1249 and would "only" charge me 5% insurance charge. they overcharged me an extra $18(for a total of $81), without an explanation. when I wrote an email they told they would credit it to my account. After a couple of phone calls they gave me tracking information for a package. When It arrived it was packed poorly and when I opened the box the camera was not a new camera but a used one. All the plastic bags were ripped open,used manual etc. After they insisted it was a new camera I took it to a professional camera repair store to evaluate the camera and it was broken(Autofocus and communication between camera and lens not working) and had over 300 shutter releases on it. I called the place and did not get through that day, after about 15 minutes of trying I got the message they had closed even though their opening time on the day I called run from morning till 7pm( I called at 4pm). The next day I got a response from them and they told me they were closed for passover the day before and to ship back the camera and I would get refunded for the shipping charges, and a new camera would be shipped shortly. After another two weeks I received the same broken camera, just packed up a little bit better. I had taken pictures of the previous shipment so I know it was the same serial number etc., I shipped the camera back the same day and called them when it arrived. They promised to refund me the money.By the way to ship to their store from my house including insurance by UPS was exactly $17.07(I have a commercial account). I don't know where they get the 5% figure from. My refund posted today(5/6/10), and I have to give credit where credit is due, I got reimbursed for all my expenses and full purchase price. I will disregard the last phone call I got from Andy."

"great pricing on all cameras, and quick customer service. I've already sent info to my camera buff friends, but after getting the camera and battery I felt the price on the battery was too high.
I was told it was a $90 battery, but I could have purchased a 5 hr one at staples for $25."

"I would caution anyone to be very weary when working with this vendor. They get you to call to get free gifts which amount to about $2.50 and then up-sell you by telling you half truths. They also promise price matching but when I received my products and looked up the UPC codes, documented all the prices from other vendors, they would not honor their price matching promise. Instead they gave me false information about how the lens manufacture had two models and the one they sold me was a professional model with a metal mount instead of a fiberglass mount. When I ask why the manufacture’s website didn’t list two models they just side stepped the question with more false information. After getting home, I found that the lens they sold me was fiberglass not metal and was able to confirm that indeed the manufacture only had one model of that lens. I found all their merchandise but the initial camera body that pulled me in to ordering from them was twice to 3 and 4 times the cost others sell the same items for (example an SDHC class 6 card was over $200, I ordered two form another vendor for $35)…which leads me to caution anyone from doing business with this company."

"AS OF 4/4 I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE 8MB MEMORY CARD! NOT HAPPY AT ALL! FEEL LIKE I WAS SWINDLED TOTALLY! Originally I was impressed that the manager of this company would contact me immediately after my order to verify that I was happy and made sure that I was. He offered to remove the shipping insurance payment that I was unhappy about, and is sending me free 8GB memory card and making me a believer in Thundercameras. Very accomodating and eager to please their customers. Thanks! When I received my camera the promised 8GB memory card was not in the box, or on the shipping list. It is supposed to be coming haven't seen it yet"

"Stay away from Thundercameras. They are very smooth scammers, and their reputation is well documented on the internet. Here are the reasons:
1. They are a bait and switch shop - they entice you with low prices, and then you later find those prices are for 'international' versions.
2. They recommend 'upgrades' to the products you are trying to buy that turn out to be downgrades. Check the prices elsewhere on anything the recommend. They will claim that theirs are different products despite the SKU's matching.
3. They make up false statements about manufacturers (ie, the 'PE' on the bottom of the box stands for 'Professional Edition', when according to the manufacturer (Sigma), it means the box is made of recycled paper.
4. Your order will show up with nothing sealed from the factory.
5. Parts of your order will be missing
6. They don't itemize your order if you buy multiple things and change the price when trying to exchange products to half of what you were told the purchase price when you bought it.
Here is another link to verify their shadiness:
http://thoughts-of-dave.blogspot.com/2009/10/thunder-cameras-aka-thundercamerascom.html
STAY AWAY...YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING BUT TROUBLE"

"Shadiest online business I've dealt with in a LONG time. Shortly after placing my order I get the "In order to verify your order we'll need to speak with you on the phone" email, which is where they try to upsell you, and when you don't want to add any accessories or $90 batteries, they mention that the camera is an import model, with Japanese text only! I understand that is probably not true, and the language can probably be changed but what if it can't? Can you imagine trying to go through a return process with these clowns. Enough to make me spend a little bit more and purchase through a reputable retailer."

"After finding Thunder Tiger Camera on the web, I ordered a Canon 70-200 L series grey market lens and a Canon speedlight 580 EX II flash. Both were far below other companies on the web. After the famous "confirmation" call the next morning, the bait and switch started. Did I want a no name filter for $100.00? I said " No" Did I want a warranty because it was grey market? I said no. Did I want to upgradeto a metal mount? Canon does not make this lens in a plastic mount. Plus the picture on their site is a metal mount. Did I know this was for film , not digital? I said yes , I shoot film. There is no differance in an L series Canon lens. In short, These are one of the biggest scammers on the net. Being good friends with The Sedgwick County D.A. , Remember the BTK case. I will be turning this experience over to her. They are now in the process of a major case against founder of West World. Look it up. And yes they do go out of state for fraud. Save your time, don't even look at the site. "