Monster B & H Catalog

I saw something bulging out of my mailbox today when I pulled in the driveway, and my first thought was "oh, another clothing catalog for my wife"... So when my wife brings in the mail and hands ME the big B&H catalog, I was shocked!

Having just gotten back into photography a few months ago, I did not know B&H sent out catalogs like this. Really, NOBODY sends out catalogs like this anymore!

This will be fun to take on the road and browse. I assume others have gotten or will be getting theirs soon... ???

Too much paper!

I got mine today. Wow. Another reason to procrastinate on other important things besides actual work!

So much paper.
This could actually cause me to waste hours of time in just one sitting.
Hide the credit cards.
Take me off the joint bank accounts.
I was planning on buying furniture and some props for the studio - non of which is in that catalog.
My money has to go to building my website to make actual money at this photography game!

Where can I join Gear Addicts Anonymous?

Consider this: that tome is just ONE of the catalogs that B&H distributes each year. I still receive similarly-sized (although fewer products) catalogs on digital video, audio, and home electronics from B&H. It's really shocking.

I don't recall ever ordering from their catalogs but I have browsed them to quickly see the range of product alternatives before going to their Web site. It's quicker than browsing online.

These things are also wonderful to have during bouts of constipation.

Beleive it or not I also receive the B&H catalog in France, they send it thru fast courier...

Last Ken's argument is a real true one, I do secont that! LOL

However not really planet friendly... (I mean the paper catalog)

More Input!

You people have it wrong!

Thank B&H for only sending there catalog in sections.

They do this so you can assemble it on a counter like an auto-parts store!

I have never ordered from the catalog either but I suspect that they send this to everyone that has bought more than once from them (as if--just once LOL--I have something in route as we speak).

Its sort of like a 'wish' book, isn't it?--what folks 'back in the days' used the Sears catalog for. Altho' I have to say that I'm pretty well wished out for now--happy with what I have except maybe a 24 TSE someday--and a good while in the future-- I hope-- an upgraded 5D body.

Diane

Actually, I wish there was an easy way to 'opt out' from getting those catalogs, via a preference on their web site, for instance.

I've done what I can to cut down on 'junk mail' by registering with the mail preference service, etc., and I get most of my news, etc. information (and do most of my 'toy' shopping) via the Internet.

I even have an online book service subscription to O'Reilly's Safari (http://safari.oreilly.com). This last move alone has allowed me to eventually ditch over 30 feet of computer and photography technical books that were going obsolete every year, and were costing me a small fortune to constantly update (CS --> CS2 --> CS3, anyone? or how about Win2K --> XP --> Vista?). Besides, I get full text search across the entire library of some 6000+ books, download 'chits' to get entire chapters in PDF format, access to 'rough cuts' (like Martin's pre-release versions of his LightRoom book), and the latest delight, free access to the ENTIRE Lynda.com DVD library, as online viewable 'chapters').

It saves a ton of paper, and storage space at my place, that I'd rather use for things besides everyone's catalogs and software guides/howtos. And, at $40 a month for an unlimited 'Library' subscription, it's cheaper than what I was spending per month, on average, for all those books.

After showing the latest B&H behemoth to the better half, just so we could cluck over it, it went immediately into the recycling bin.

Such a waste of resources. I'd rather B&H lower their prices further, than have them continue to print and ship such tomes.

Some day, when we retire, the wife and I will be full-time RVing. Then, stuff like the B&H catalog will be judged on how much it weighs.

Actually, Dave, you can opt-out from receiving B&H's catalogs by mail. Note the "Unsubscribe from our catalog mailing list" link at the bottom of this page.

Conversely, you can request a catalog or even download the PDF of one of their catalogs on this same page.

Thanks. I completely missed this.

Preferences are good. I just wished they hadn't just automatically placed me on their catalog list. I don't recall having opted-in, and I'm usually pretty careful about just clicking through some screen that has checkboxes already selected for me by default.