I Was Scammed! Canon 1dX II Amazon Order!

I Was Scammed! Canon 1dX II Amazon Order!

By Steve Huff

CRAZY!!! So a few days ago I ordered a Canon 1DX MKII and three L Primes. YEP! Not only did I, Steve Huff, the Mirrorless Camera Guy buy a DSLR, I bought the biggest and heaviest one there is. Now, I am not going into all the details about why I did this, but let’s just say the little M50 inspired me and helped me along with the decision. I have been looking for a video solution for other things I do and need my footage for these projects to look great, have nice color and most of all, I need GREAT AF for this work. No, I did not buy the 1dX II to vlog with as some big YouTubers seem to do but I will be using it at locations, in extreme heat, in wet conditions, dusty conditions and will need it for the next 2-3 years to perform well for shooting VIDEO. I need fast primes with it for low light video, and since it is a stills camera through and through, I will also use it for low light stills at times. With that said, I still have my other cameras on the shelf as they all offer something different, unique and depending on my mood, the situation or whatever, I have a lot to choose from.

But bottom line is, after weeks of research, trial and error, testing others (GH5, Sony A7RIII, Olympus EM1 MKII, and even the Canon M50) I settled on and decided on the older Canon 1dX MKII with a trio of lenses. The 16-35 L II, the 24 1.4 and just for the hell of it, because it’s always been a fave of mine, the 50 L 1.2. I used to shoot that lens on the streets of Phoenix with a 5D MKII many years ago and always had a soft spot for the lens. I’ve even done updates with it as used on a Sony not too long ago. In any case, I made up my mind and was sticking to it.

Canon colors for video and photo are always lovely. I’ve always thought so but I never wanted a big DSLR to carry around for every day or street photos. But for video, I am willing to use what I need to get the results I want. So away I went to find the camera and lenses.

Seeing that I buy from Amazon often, and have a prime account, I found the camera tax free along with the lenses tax free from 3rd party sellers but with the products being shipped (fulfilled) by Amazon. Seeing that I ave rarely EVER had an issue with Amazon, and these were all Prime I had confidence all would be fine. The box arrive today, and I was excited to give this beast a try, to learn it and set it up for my video needs.

But when I took it out of the shipping box, I knew something was wrong. My heart fell into my stomach as I felt the weight, looked at the worn box and heard loose items inside. You can see what was inside I the video below but it was NOT the 1dX MKII. Luckily, since it was fulfilled by Amazon they gave me a return slip as I immediately contacted them. This was a scam that someone pulled on the seller or Amazon. It was clearly a returned beat up box sent to me that was NEVER checked. No one ever checked what was inside the box, and it was a used beat up box! I paid for a NEW sealed USA 1dXII and got what you see in the video below. So be careful and if shopping for a high dollar item from Amazon always make sure it is fulfilled by Amazon as they will take care of you if this happens to you. So I shipped back the box to Amazon within an hour of receiving it, after taking this video and then I ordered the camera from B&H Photo. It will arrive tomorrow.

You have never seen a Canon 1dX II unboxing like this one! GUARANTEED!

23 Comments

  1. Big Scam!!!!!!
    But what seems to be interesting to me is that DSRL still make the professional work! I made the same, Leica M10 only for my street projects and Canon 5d MIII + 50 1.2, 85 1.8 and 20 2.8 for commercial work, weddings ecc, vecause of the ttl lighting systems.
    Leica SL could be the choice for pro use, but Canon still more flexible…
    New Nikon mirrorless?

    • I only bought this for video. 95% video work. I have no interest in the new Nikon for video, as I adore canons dual pixel AF and color for video, as well as the lens choices for my needs. Amazon received the scam box back Wednesday. So far nothing from them, not even an email.

  2. Hopefully you spend enough that your account doesnt get flagged by Amazon. I got an email stating I had many recent returns and they wanted to investigate the problem when I returned an unopened Olympus 12-40 F2.8, and a 75-300 II that I got a better deal on elsewhere. Ive heard that they can ban your Amazon account and Address if they deem you a high risk buyer.

    I had been an Prime subscriber for years and an Amazon member for even longer.

  3. Needs and interests change and so the best tool for the job can change too. Have fun with the new Canon.

  4. Great video and thanks for the heads up. I always try purchase high end items from the Manufacturer directly…or in the case of Cameras..always through B&H photo like you. Never Amazon…too many fakes and high end knock off’s that can fool even the best. It takes much longer but it’s assured real. Thanks Steve.

  5. Unfortunately, one out of every so many people will be a crook. It’s a fact of life like people who take up two parking spots or butt into a line up. It’s annoying, but the good news is it didn’t end up costing you a lot of money. Enjoy your new equipment!

  6. Sorry for the scam. Good you solve it. I know you’re an advocate for mirrorless but I still think that reflex have huge advantages: OVF (yes, they still have pluses over EVF in many situations), battery life, good weight balance with hefty glass, feel good on the hand, good battery life, and outstanding systems out there: Canon, Nikon and Pentax (check out the new 50mm lens for the K1). I also know that you bought the 1Dx for video, but these machines, all those three systems, excel at stills too. Enjoy. I’m not saying one shouldn’t also enjoy mirrorless (and of course real rangefinders), but reflex still have a place under the sun.

  7. Wow, what a bummer! Thanks for sharing your cautionary tale, Steve. I’m happy that Amazon has stepped up to the plate to make restitution. I’ve always had a good experience with their customer service in the few times I’ve had to contact them.

    And I agree 100% about only buying things on Amazon that are “fulfilled by Amazon”.

  8. Steve, Don’t keep the Lenses, return them and get them from B&H. I’ve been shopping at B&H since 1991 (when you had to order out of the back of Pop Photo mag, and have never, ever had a bad experience. I recommend checking to make sure that they are US Warranty lenses. Canon will NOT touch non-US Warranty items, even if you want to pay for it after the warranty is expired. I know this first hand having been a CPS member for many years, and dealing with the Florida Canon rep whom I know personally.

    Glad it got resolved.

    • They are all USA warranty lenses, and tested them all today as the new 1dX II arrived from B&H. All have USA warranty cards inside and are perfect. It seems someone pulled a fast one in the Amazon warehouse or something. I posted a follow up video today on YouTube. Thank you! (PS – I have been shopping with B&H for almost 20 years, but Amazon sometimes is quicker, and easier)

  9. Looking forward to reading your impressions.
    I love Canon colors, video and Jpeg output as well as the 24 1.4 and 85 1.2 I remember you mentioned quite some time in an article (Time Square?). While I understand the advantages that mirrorless systems offer, I feel that Canon gets uselessly bashed on forums for what they don’t do while what they do right (finished products, color, handling, AF) is ignored.
    After being a very early adopter of m43 and later FujiX, I moved to the 6D and just added a 5D4 and am happy with this choice, as the output I get and the handling freed me from the GAS and frustration the Fuji’s quirks brought into my life.

    • Thanks Nono. I do love Canon colors, but this will be 95% for video use only. I have now tried many cameras for video for my use. Panasonic is good for manual focus only so did not work, Sony A9 was great but colors were something I just could not get to what I wanted, Olympus EM1 MKII, which I own, was also not to my liking with color or AF speed (about the same as the GH5 for AF), Leica is a no go for Af video or low light video…and I found the Canons I tested to be the best for my needs. Af is better than Sony for video (though it is very close) but the color sold me. Skin tones, etc. Also, I prefer a more filmic look, which the Canon offers up the best. I also needed weather sealing, a tough body that can stand up to rain and dirt and 120FPS at 1080. The 1dX II was it. I will us eat for photos with the 50L for some low light music stuff though and if it beats my other faves there it could indeed be used for photos more than I expect it to be.

  10. Hopefully we will see a full “real world” review on the 1DX MII here soon. What a beauty of a camera … Enjoy!

    • Scott, I second this notion!

      Bring on the ‘Huff-style’ review – would love to see those primes in action too!

  11. Good Morning Steve!

    What even surprises me more than being scammed – that you bought NOW that DSLR system for video, so short before Nikon is going to present their full format pro mirrorless system and as one might expect, Canon will have to follow soon.
    I’ld have expected you (as the pronounced mirrorless guy) being under the very first investing into that upcoming system.
    😉

    • Well, everything I have see from Nikon with video was not to my liking. For my projects coming up I knew I wanted it to be Canon for the color. I knew that. I also needed a fully weather sealed body that can be roughed up a little (dirt, rain, on the ground, and used heavily), I needed 1080 for 120FPS and am vey familiar with the lenses I bought which will do what I need. So the Nikon was out for my video projects. The new Canon may work, but if it does I will simply add it if it takes these lenses without an adapter. This is 95% for video only, bought for a specific purpose. The Sony did not give me the colors I needed, the Panasonic was a no go due to AF and the Canon has the best AF for video I have seen/used. So no reason to wait as whatever is coning would not have suited my needs perfectly, which this camera seems to do. New one arrives today, this time from B&H. Thank you.

  12. I had a similar incident with a Pentax camera I bought from B&H on Black Friday 2013. This can happen with any vendor. B&H was good about replacing the box I received (which contained a bunch of paper for weight) with what I originally ordered.

    I suspect the camera was stolen in shipping and I did/do not blame B&H.

    The moral if there is one is buy from a reputable dealer.

  13. Several months ago I purchased a pair of bow flex dumbbell weights through Amazon third party seller, not fulfilled by Amazon. . After weird delays I received a book size box with the adhesive cover strips inside! No weights and even the FedEx slip states weight as 1 pound. Amazon was very unhelpful and actually told,me to stop calling!
    Amex finally stepped in and I was refunded.
    I purchase a lot from Amazon and am usually very happy with their service but they failed on this one.
    I agree with Steve watch out for these third party sellers!

  14. Steve, in your hands a Canon Rebel can produce masterpieces! Use it and don’t worry about it. The photos are in your mind and you don’t need any weird mechanical contraptions. Go directly from your mind to your computer! That’s what YODA did!

    • So I should keep the rebel that I paid $5500 for, with a jacked up body and no body cap? hahaha. Well, no. The 1dX II I ordered and and hoped for will be strictly for video work where I need its low light abilities, color, battery life, toughness and weather sealing, 120FPS at 1080, and dual pixel AF. I need full frame for what I am doing as well. For photos I can use the M50, my Sony, My Hasselebld or Leica, etc. ; ) I ordered one from B&H right after I shipped back the one to Amazon. The one from B&H arrives tomorrow. I am confident that one will actually have the real camera in it. Thank you!

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